Uneven edges on film gate?

[pobe]

Hi!

I recently had my M4 serviced, a couple of speeds were off and I had some light leak problems - the one that looks like you've changed lenses in bright sun. When I got it back I suspect the film gate was changed because the border on the new one isn't perfectly straight. Basically, I get sort of a notch in the corner of my frames.

This is not a great picture, but you can see that the edge isn't even:

It's quite visible in some prints:



At first I didn't like it, then I thought perhaps I should accept it as my cameras new "fingerprint"? Can't really decide... Any thoughts?

 

[Moriturii]

May or may not be convenient, now when you look at strips of film and you see that thing on the negatives you know exactly what camera the negative came from. I suppose if you don't like it or wonder what exactly happened you might want to contact your CLA'er. Other then that, does it effect anything else? Or is it just a visual thing.

 

[pobe]

As far as I can tell, it's just a visual thing. And I can't really decide if I like it or not... I was a bit curious if anyone else had seen anything similar on their M.

 

[Mackinaw]

Back in the old days, photographers would deliberately file notches, or some type of identifying mark, into the film gate so they'd know what camera took what pictures. Guess your M4 has been so identified.

Jim B.

 

[pobe]

It's more like a piece sticking out than the notches in say a hasselblad. And it wasn't there before the CLA. I've already emailed the shop about and I'll wait to see what they say. If I decide I don't want it - would it be totally insane to file it down myself?

 

[newsgrunt]

I'm more concerned that the shop may have swapped out the part without informing or asking you or I'm presuming, noting on the invoice. The repairman I use lets me know exactly what he's doing and why so I never worry about his work.

 

[pobe]

I think it was specified on the invoice, not sure what that part is called in swedish but I presume that's it. Anyway, the repair guy wasn't in when I picked up the camera. But I have emailed him about it.

 

[semilog]

It's more like a piece sticking out than the notches in say a hasselblad. And it wasn't there before the CLA. I've already emailed the shop about and I'll wait to see what they say. If I decide I don't want it - would it be totally insane to file it down myself?

That would be a bad idea for two reasons. One is the potential for contamination of your camera by metal and paint filings. The other is that you'll have to find an optical-black paint that matches the original in its ability to limit flare and in durability/longevity -- assuming that it sticks to the filed surface, and priming is not needed.

 

[pobe]

That would be a bad idea for two reasons. One is the potential for contamination of your camera by metal and paint filings. The other is that you'll have to find an optical-black paint that matches the original in its ability to limit flare and in durability/longevity -- assuming that it sticks to the filed surface, and priming is not needed.

Thought so. Don't worry, I'm not going to 🙂

 

[Tom A]

Most of my M's and some of my Nikon Rf's have notches filed into the gates. Only way to keep track of which camera was used. If something goes wrong, you will then have to work through which body was used. If you only use 1 or 2 bodies, not a problem - but I have a lot of M's and Nikon Rf's and having to cycle through to find the one with a slow shutter or a pin-hole leak is tedious.
Dont worry about the paint on the alloy were the gate has been filed - just us a black marker to fill it in.
If you do file notches, use a small 1/2 round or triangular file (jewelry or instrument type). Put the camera on B with a cable release that can be "locked" so tha the shutter stays open. Then hold the camera so that the back faces downward and file away - but only on the "pull down" stroke. You dont need a deep notch (0.8-1 mm) and as you are pulling downward the "swarf" or filings fall out
of the camera.
However, you do reduce the value of the camera - as most buyers think it has belonged to a pro and that is has seen lots of film going through it.

 

[Tom A]

This is slightly excessive notching. It is on a Nikon SP, ex Chicago Herald Tribune. It has seen a lot of film going through it. The paint is worn down to the alloy on the edge of the film-chamber and the previous owner was not "subtle" with his notches either. However, I always know when I am using it looking at the negatives - the > almost bisects the frames on the film!
My own notches are more discreet!

 

[pobe]

Thanks for the replies. I only use one body and have no plans on getting more - I've got enough lenses on my want-to-buy-list. 🙄 So I don't really have a need to know which body a certain picture was taken with, although I'm sort of leaning towards letting it be the way it is. The camera has a new fingerprint, perhaps it's even more my camera now. 🙂

 

[loplop]

Fascinating! Quite some time ago I had a Nikon F with v-shaped notches on the rails... Now I know why! Thanks for posting.