TMY developing problem or light leak?

[michaelwj]

Hi,
From my most recent roll, I noticed that this shot (cropped to remove people) has some fogging or something? The shots either side of this are perfect (as in don't have this problem - not aesthetically perfect!).
Could this be from the developing? Or is it more likely a light leak? I did have the lens cap off for a about 30 min after this shot before winding on to the next shot, but the camera was just over my shoulder, and I haven't noticed anything before or since?
I'm kinda new to this film stuff so any help is as always greatly appreciated.
It from a Leica M6 btw.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[NeeZee]

Looks more like a light leak, I'm afraid. Not too fresh fixer used in development has lead to a similar effect in one of my films once, but that's unlikely to affect just one frame. If it was the fixer you would see a brownish color cast on the negative - you might check that to be sure it's not what happened here. Shooting a roll of color film under similar circumstances and having it developed could be another idea for troubleshooting. Light leaks are easier to recognize with color negatives (orange color cast).

 

[charjohncarter]

If it was a normal horizontal position shot and it was from a horizontal shutter it would not look like this. I don't know what kind of shutter the M6 has. I've had a few light leaks that look like this and they have come from the foam in the door. So, do two things. First remove the lens and stick a small non LED flashlight (on) into the shutter area. With the door open and in a dark room; move the flashlight around the shutter while viewing through the door. Any light is a shutter leak. Second, use color (C-41) film and tape dark masking tape. Tape the area around the door and remove the tape at written down frames, leave the camera in the sun (with the back to the sun). You will now know if it is the door and you should know where it is coming from. Replace the foam, again I'm unfamiliar with the M-6, so I'm assuming there is foam.

There is a guy on Ebay that sells foam; I think his name is Chapman.

 

[michaelwj]

Thanks for the tips,
I'm almost finished this roll and check the shutter. Damn.
Michael

 

[joeswe]

"Avoid direct sunlight in open camera lens mount", to quote the Leica M6 manual.
As you are new to film Leicas ... Have you possibly changed lenses with direct sunlight on the camera mount/shutter? The Leica cloth shutter is not absolutely light tight under these conditions and this can/will result in fogging of the type you have shown. On bright sunlit days, always change lenses in the shadow of your body.

 

[michaelwj]

"Avoid direct sunlight in open camera lens mount", to quote the Leica M6 manual.
As you are new to film Leicas ... Have you possibly changed lenses with direct sunlight on the camera mount/shutter? The Leica cloth shutter is not absolutely light tight under these conditions and this can/will result in fogging of the type you have shown. On bright sunlit days, always change lenses in the shadow of your body.

Yep, I'm new to them, so new that I only have one lens, which luckily precludes the changing lens problem! It was a bright morning, and I didn't have the lens cap on, and I was relatively still, with the camera hanging on my back over my shoulder, so it must have been some fogging?

I checked with a flashlight yesterday and didn't see any light coming through, definitely not through any holes anyway. This is so far an isolated incident, but I'll keep monitoring it and see...

Thanks,
Michael

 

[joeswe]

Yep, I'm new to them, so new that I only have one lens, which luckily precludes the changing lens problem! It was a bright morning, and I didn't have the lens cap on, and I was relatively still, with the camera hanging on my back over my shoulder, so it must have been some fogging?

I checked with a flashlight yesterday and didn't see any light coming through, definitely not through any holes anyway. This is so far an isolated incident, but I'll keep monitoring it and see...

Thanks,
Michael

Okay, just wait and see if the problem returns. In the future, be careful not to keep the camera pointed with the naked lens directly at the sun for any length of time, as this can burn holes in the shutter cloth and trigger a costly repair. Even though some "holes in the cheese" have to line up for that to actually happen, it can and does occur, so it's best not to take any chances.