XA First Photos and it Leaks

dazedgonebye

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Looks like the light leaks have got me again!
Is that what I'm seeing here?
 

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dazedgonebye said:
Looks like the light leaks have got me again!
Is that what I'm seeing here?

Not sure if I'm seeing something different from what you're seeing - but I think I'm seeing vignetting, not a light leak. Some small amount of flare in the center of the second photo? Could be. Anyway, I might very well be wrong, but that's what it looks like to me.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
dazedgonebye said:
look at the middle of the first photo. There is a lighter yellow band.
What would that be?

Sorry, I'm color-blind. Can't see it. I believe you, I just don't see it. If there is a lighter yellow splotch in the center (and I believe I can see one on the other photo in the center), then I suspect lens flare. Shooting contre jour would do that, although the XA is quite resistant to flare to the best of my experience.

Anyone? I may be well off base here.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Looks to me like a smudge on the lens. Shine a light through it. You may have stuff inside. I had an XA and I can see the same vignetting that made me sell it :-(
 
I can see the light leak in both (they seem to be in the same spot in the frame), as well as the vignetting. Hmm. Is there a "see-through" window on XA bodies for the film cartridge? If so, perhaps it's just a matter of replacing the light trap.

If not, then: do you bulk load your film? If you don't, then I'm stumped. Is it only one roll of film you've shot with your XA?
 
There is no open window on the back of the XA. And one way to be certain on this is to use electrical or gaffer's tape to seal the back up (with a fresh roll of film inside, of course) and shoot away. I suspect more and more I'm seeing lens flare. And yes, vignetting in the corners, but that's ok with me. I know some don't care for it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
No see through window.
I don't load my film.
If you look at the shadows from the tree in the second shot, you can see that the sun was almost directly behind me. So, I think we can eliminate flare.
Yep, this is the only roll. I'll scan more and look for other examples.
 
dazedgonebye said:
No see through window.
I don't load my film.
If you look at the shadows from the tree in the second shot, you can see that the sun was almost directly behind me. So, I think we can eliminate flare.
Yep, this is the only roll. I'll scan more and look for other examples.

You can't eliminate flare from not shooting contre jour. Flare from going against the sun gives you those hexagon-shaped bright highlights (actually, shaped the way the aperture leaves are, often hexagons). Flare from stray reflected light is evidenced by lowering contrast (appears 'lighter' in tone) in the center of the frame.

Also, something I had just thought of - defective shutter. Leaf shutters open and close first at the center, unlike a focal plane shutter. If the shutter hesitates or has a rough spot, it could stay open a fraction longer opening and/or closing and this would overexpose the center.

Just some thoughts. But sadly, you can't just rule lens flare out immediately. However, the XA's I've had didn't exhibit it - good coatings, I guess.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Ok, here's a really horrible shot.
In addition to the bright area, you can see a couple of light bands going across the picture. One is just above his knee and the other is about mid shin.
 

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Funny that the 'light leak' seems to be moving around...

Bill, you say that he has a leaf shutter, not a curtain, right? Then that is strange indeed.
 
wyk_penguin said:
Funny that the 'light leak' seems to be moving around...

Bill, you say that he has a leaf shutter, not a curtain, right? Then that is strange indeed.

The XA is a kind of a leaf shutter - not a focal plane curtain shutter, that's for sure. It is a sort of modified leaf shutter - more like a pair of scissors - imagine if they were opening and closing the blades across the focal plane to block the light. That's more or less what the XA shutter does. Very small cameras frequently had to do that. The Yashica Electro 35 CC is that as well, as is the old Pentax Auto 110 SLR. However, just like a leaf shutter, the center opens first and closes last. If sticky...

However, that second shot looks more like a light leak - standard horizontal line. They can move as the back shifts around. Tape 'er up and fire off a roll, is about all I can suggest.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Good luck with it! If it has a good rangefinder patch, that's one you want to keep, if you can.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
At the top, and a third in from the left? Looks like lens flare to me. Wouldn't hurt to inspect your light seals just the same though.
-Bruce
 
about the leak

about the leak

dazedgonebye said:
Looks like the light leaks have got me again!
Is that what I'm seeing here?

You seem to have a lighter vertical line on your horizontal shot and a lighter horizontal line on your vertical shot. In both cases all across the frame and on the same location... seems like a leak to me. I have the same problem on a Yashica GS and I'm about to put film into it and seal the camera with black tape... if it is a leak, it should dissapear. It's just an idea. Good luck.
 
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