odd light leak in hasselblad

I have a 500c (non-user-interchangeable screen) with an old style 12

back (non a-12).

 

My images (printed) are intermittently showing light leaking in the

left side of the image, most of it near the top left. Which is

telling me that the light is entering somewhere near the right to

bottom-right of the camera. Also notable is that the light leak only

bleeds into the image area and never in the negative borders.

 

Everything i've read in posts suggest that if the light is leaking

only in the negative "image" area then it might not be the film back,

because if it were the film back, the light would have to hit the

edges of the film.

 

What i'm thinking is maybe the coupling between the back and the

camera body, or some leak in the body. So far i've done all the

tricks with a dark room and a flashlight and my camera body and I see

no light leaking when the back shutters are closed and the mirror is

up.

 

I cannot however rule out the possibility of it being the coupling

beween the back and body since that would lend light leaks on

the "image" area.

 

does anyone have any good suggestions and or generalizations about

where to start looking when an image looks like X?

 

such as light showing in negative border and image on right side of

image = dark slide light leak

 

light showing on image as horizontal line none on negative border =

bad body shutter...

 

anyway... any suggestions or experiences would be great, thank you.

 

-Jim Paulick

Light normally comes in through the dark slide slot. So the light will normally be in the image area and not on the film edge. If it is happening a lot you can test buy putting high speed film in the camera, leave it in bright light with the slide out for a few frames then tape the dark slide slot and shoot the rest of the roll.If you have the streaks on the first part of the roll and not on the last it is leaking at the dark slide seal.

Sounds like a classic case of needing a new light trap in your 12 magazine. Order a light trap (part no. 13067, $5.50) and foil (part no. 13508, $2.84) from Hasselblad (973-227-7681). Use a small screwdriver to remove the back plate from the 12 magazine and replace the light trap--no more light leak. Takes about 10 minutes if you've never done it before. Email me if you want me to talk you through the procedure.

Thank you for the very quick answers.

 

I must ask, do you think that it is definitely the dark slide leak...? even though my light leak is happening on the opposite side of the dark slide, and it's only on the image area..

Jim-

 

It's definitely a seal problem. It is almost useless to try to outhink a lightleak. I'd just

replace the seals and everything will be well with the world. Looking at the back is

always useful for a 100% diagnosis but playing the odds is OK in this case. 99 out of

100!! It's a staggeringly common problem with a staggeringly simple cure. Looking

elsewhere, while fun and interesting, is a waste of time, IMHO. Exprience tells me that

film can be fogged ANYWHERE on the frame with a bad seal.

 

Peter - PR Camera Repair - Flagstaff, AZ

Jim-

 

Here is a simple but useful diagram to see a slot leak, as I'm sure you are

experiencing. Let us know what you see!! The drawing CAN'T show it but the

darkslide is to hide the light source from your eyes. Think contrast!

 

Peter - PR Camera Repair - Flagstaff, AZ

 

http://homepage.mac.com/petroffski/filesharing/FileSharing14.html

 

Be sure to go to the pictures folder...

Peter et al,

 

I hate to keep beating a dead horse here. BTW I checked out the slot light leak thing you posted, and I did in fact see that there is a light coming through the bottom of the slot.... however..

the fogging is occuring on the opposite side of the film back.

 

Ok, so you can see the light leak on an actual photo... it's really not that bad on this one, but it demonstrates exactly where all of my fogging appears.... which is the opposite side of the dark slide.

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/1590664

 

let me know what you think.

 

-Jim Paulick

Jim--it's definitely a bad light trap. I've seen the SAME effect in one of my

magazines that had disintigrating, gummy foam in the light trap.

Jim-

 

Here's an analogy. I know... here we go again with his analogies. I'll keep it short.

Imagine you are at a slide show. Jim raises his hand and says, "The light source is

back here but the image is up there. How can that be? What's up with that?!" Think of

the slot as the lens. Your film is the screen. The ambient light is the light source.

Light comes from the ambient (bulb) through the lens (slot) and gets PROJECTED onto

the screen (far side of film). As in the slide show, there is no image on the side walls

of the room. It goes straight onto the screen, far away.

 

I'm through now. This is the best I can do. It's pretty good too, if I may say so.

 

Peter - PR Camera Repair - Flagstaff, AZ

Jim

 

I have been using hasselblad stuff for over 30 years and never had a leak. but it seems to me that there is a pretty good way to find out whether it is your back or your camera and that would be to just use a different back for a roll of film. if you get nothing on the different back, then its a leak in your back. if you do get something, then its probably a leak in the camera someplace.

 

there should be somebody close to you that will let you run a roll of film through one of their backs.

 

Kevin

Look at http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0059cw

I posted this problem several times.

I spoken 2 days ago with the tecnician of Hasselblad Italy (finally I sent to Hasselblad Italy instead of the unauthorized repairmen), He told me that the light trap of the shell are completely damaged (30 years old). I think you have the same problem because you, like me have the light leak on the opposite side of the dark slide slot.

so far initial tests are showing that the light seal kit is doing it's job well. Thank you all for your answers and suggestions. I probably saved myself a ton of money.

 

Thank you

-jim

I had this problem for years and there was pretty much only 1 way to fix it. Once I did, it worked perfectly and there was no more leaking. I basically opened up the trashcan in my kitchen and set it inside. I then took the trash out on tuesday and the next day it was gone. I then went and purchased a new camera.

Jim, I think I have found your answer. Cookie Dough ice cream comes in all different flavors. Because you were picked on in elementary school, and the differences in your taste in orange juice, have put you in an extreme circumstance. I am unsure what you need to do here, but going back to that factory may be what you need to do. Go up to that guy and tell him what you think of him. Tell him that the doughnuts are not your thing and that pepsi will do in any situation.

i think it has to do with the floor being dirty.

You say that your images are intermittently showing light leaking in the left side of the image, most of it near the top left...

 

The only thing I can think of is you could probably become A hockey player wannabe who finds out that he has the most powerful golf drive in history. That might work.

 

You could also join the P.G.A. tour to make some money to save grandma's house.

I was wondering if you is having the same prbolem with david hasselhoff. Everytime I try and take a picture of him it looks blurry!

 

ich liebe David hasselhoff, das er groߥr langer Phasendavid ist! vergessen Sie nicht, Ihre Vitamine zu nehmen und wie er stark zu sein.

My son also has a Hasselblad Camera. It was known during the 1950's to be very strong and durable. But many people claim that they can see odd lights on the film. I wasn't aware of this so I started asking around and reading up on the forums. Basically, I was told to revisit the movie Ghost. They say that the lights Patrick Swayze see are the same as on the film. I haven't personally verified this yet though. Any thoughts?

Ok I checked on the movie and its not true. But I did discover something else: there is no action level mechanism on earlier models of the Hasselblad. I don't think you will be able to fix your light leak. The only way I know how is sort of complicated. You will need: a suitable bridge, a mountain, and approximately 500 feet of chord. Bascially, tie the camera to one end of the chord and tie the other end to the bridge. Now, let the camera go. If all goes right, it will swing down at a fast pace and strike the mountain. (the camera may instead hit a barge on the river- this is acceptable, too) Once your camera breaks, goto Walmart and buy a camera made in this century. Since the invention of photography in 1826, camera prices have really come down. You don't have to buy a hundred year old camera anymore. There are also cameras that store information elctronically. These are called "Digital Cameras", I beleive. You also don't have to ride a horse to work anymore, either. Last century human beings created automobiles. These vehicles use combustion and run on grape juice.

I hope that all of this is helpful. Chow.

i got a great camera from caldor. Their slogan was "Caldor for the holidays", and was used on all the chain's commercials for holiday specials and sales, but I bought the camera in June. I got a can of doritos

I recently purchased a Hasselblad that works underwater and in the dark. It shoots out a neon beam of slim laser light that cuts through the air like a knife cuts through butter. The sun's rays are reflected off of the back of the camera and beam directly into your eyes. It works in the dark using a flashlight. I made it waterproof by putting it in a ziplock bag.

 

For a small incremental price, you can install deer horns on the front to atract wildlife and birdies for nature shots. It is also collapsable and you can fit it into your refrigerator or oven.

 

I am the first person on my block to have one! My neighbors were so impressed with it that when I showed it to them, they wept. I had to sweep up their tears with my kitchen broom.

anyway... any suggestions or experiences would be great, thank you.

 

-Jim Paulick

 

Well, if you must..... one time I went to Niagra Falls with my husband, Ben. We went up to the fall's edge and leaned on the railing over the water. We strolled up the lane, casually observing the tourists and nature in the area. We even had ice cream late in the evening. It was a wonderful and flavorful experience. There's an experience for you.

 

Mel

"such as light showing in negative border and image on right side of image = dark slide light leak

 

light showing on image as horizontal line none on negative border = bad body shutter... "

 

My personal view is that light showing on a horizontal image with a light leak = pure kettle corn and butter. The kind that sticks to your fingers. Gooey.

slap the camera against sally jessie raphaels forehead

Sounds like a classic case of not buying a camera at wal-mart. Order a silly light trap (part no. 13067, $583.50) and foil (part no. 13508, $2,007.84) from Hasselblad (911-589-9111). Make a small screwdriver with vodka and orange juice and replace the light trap--no more light leak. But you may need to leak yourself. Takes about 1 minutes if you've never done it before. It is kind of alcoholly. Email me if you want me to talk you through the procedure. You may geet drunk.!