M3: inter-frame light leakage

[wilt]

I use an M3. Sometimes, light leaks from light-sources close to the image border into the space between frames. This is not a problem, but on really rare occasions, with the sun close to the border, this leakage can penetrate into the next image.

Is this normal behaviour? Why does it happen? I've never encountered the phenomenon on my other camera (OM-2, Hasselblad 500 C, Minox 35).

[steverett]

It is either from super-excited halides getting their neighbors excited, or bright light bouncing off the film, then the walls, then back onto the film, or something like that. Since it doesn't happen in your other cameras, it's probably the latter. In any case, the reason it doesn't happen in the other cameras may be due to the fact that the leica is the only one with a horizontal-traveling curtain.

I've experience the phenomenon on several bodies. It's usually not an issue unless I'm using a super-wide lens, where the frames are practically touching already.

[payasam]

This kind of thing did not happen with any of the cameras I have had with horizontally travelling focal plane shutters (or vertically travelling ones). In each of my cameras the size of the image recorded on the film was -- with wide lenses and with long ones -- exactly the size of the film gate. It is possible that your camera's pressure plate is not exerting enough pressure.

[waileong]

It's normal behaviour when you have strong exposure at the edges. Don't sweat it. Your camera is ok.