Problem - light leak?

nksyoon · 04-28-2005

Hi,

I have a problem with some of my negatives that were processed by a pro-lab - there is a whitened area on some frames. They are approximately in the same location on all the affected frames - just above image center. But not all frames on a roll are affected. The problem has occured on both color and b&w film. All the affected rolls were processed on the same day.

Camera: Mamiya 6
Film: Kodak 400NC, 400VC, Fuji Reala, Kodak BW400CN (all 120 format)

Questions:

1. Is it a camera light leak problem?
2. Could it be a leaking dark slide curtain on the body? (used when changing lenses)
3. Is it a lab processing problem?

Thanks for your help. Samples attached.

Nick.

Jon Goodman · 04-28-2005

Hi, Nick.
I'd be inclined to check the camera's shutter first. As a rule of thumb, color photos can be evaluated as: whitish to gray damage on the developed picture = light striking the front surface of the film. Colored damage (reddish, yellow, or orange) on the developed picture = light striking the rear surface of the film. Also, please remember the image is flipped as it is imprinted to the film, so a leak damage area at the bottom of a developed picture is from a leak at the top of the camera's body, etc. Hope this helps. When looking for a leak at the shutter, I normally remove or open the back and begin looking. Sometimes it helps to shine a flashlight into the lens opening and also you can operate the shutter a time or three to see if abnormalities are revealed by the light. Finally, it does not take much to cause the sort of leak you've experienced. If the damage is only seen on some pictures, it indicates to me there is a possibility only those pictures which sat in the staging area for a length of time were exposed to it (eg-a tiny pinhole leak or crack in shutter curtain). Hope this helps.
Jon

nksyoon · 04-28-2005

Hi Jon,

Thanks for the answer. I'm not sure it's the shutter as this system uses leaf in-lens shutters. I've tried looking through the lens at a light, but can't see any chinks of light through the shutter.

Cheers,
Nick.

canonetc · 04-29-2005

The square-ish shape of the haze is an odd one, I suggest checking the fabric dark slide. Take off your lens, close the slide, open up the back of the camera and look at the fabric against a bright light. Perhaps the slide has deteriorated or you had the slide over the film in bright sun while changing the lens...?

Other option is shoot a cheap roll of film and take it to a different lab. See if it indeed processing, which I'm more inclined to believe.

good luck,

chris
canonetc

nksyoon · 04-29-2005

canonetc, I tried looking through the dark slide at a bare light bulb, but couldn't see anything. I may have had bright sun on the dark slide while changing lenses, but I never saw such a problem with the Mamiya 6 body I borrowed from a friend before deciding to buy one.

Guys, thanks for your advice. I sent the samples to Graphicart (local Mamiya distributor) and the technician said it's probably a light leak. I'll take it to them with the lenses for them to have a look at.

KEH has a 60 day warranty, but I'd have to send the body back to them and pay for shipping both ways (I think) from Switzerland. So if Graphicart can fix it for not much more than shipping it to KEH, I'd rather get it fixed here. KEH might just send me another body with other potential problems!

Cheers,
Nick.

laptoprob · 04-29-2005

Hi Nick, it may be a leak from the rear. My M2 had that, strange light leaks in a corner of the image. I suspect the top of the back door. Hope that is fixed now. Only a little bit of light can cause your problem.
Your leaks are worst at the top, but not all te way to the top: leak from the bottom side of the camera. Only some photos can be affected if the camera (back) is shielded from light with the others. I had exactly the same: on some photos.
Good luck!
Rob.