Wow this is frustrating. Another roll, more leaks!

[connor_roelke]

If some of you guys remember, I posted a thread about a week ago about having strange light leaks. Most didn't feel

like it was through the darkslide slot, I don't know. But I just finished developing and noticed them again. It's so

frustrating to have so many shots ruined by light leaks. If this is even a light leak. Some of you mentioned internal

reflections, which I don't understand how to avoid.

 

Anyway, another example. Please help me diagnose and fix this before serious shots are ruined!

 

Some extra notes:

 

Body: 500c

Lens: 80/2.8 C

Back: Original A12

Film: Kodak Tri-x 400

Development: 10 minutes in D76 1+1, 30 seconds in stop, 5 minutes in kodak fixer w/ hardener, 10 minute wash,

photo flo and three hour dry.

 

Darkslide was removed before every shot and replaced as far as I remember, with the exception of a few frames I

can't recall. The trap seal set in the darkslide slot was just replaced two rolls ago. I think this might be from

reflections caused by loss of paint on the body and magazine which now reveal some silver. Though I'd love to hear

some opinions.

 

I'm including a large photo with the most obvious example. I'll add more examples and details as requested. Thanks

in advance guys.

[connor_roelke]

Had an error when uploading the picture. Trying again.<div></div>

[russ_britt3]

Best way to tell for sure if its dark slide leak, remove slide , put black tape over opening and shoot roll. If this roll is okay, its the seal leaking. You can use the tape until you fix the seal. You will have more problems with the faster films. I use to have a leak that only showed up on 400asa not 160 asa, it was bad seal, i used tape until I could get new one put in.

[craig_supplee]

I know nothing about a 500c or how those darkslides work compared to large format, and I didn't see your last pics, but the pic you put up appears to have a slight bow to the flare (?). Is it possible that it is flare coming in through the lens?

[connor_roelke]

Craig, it's possible, but it's in more or less the same place on every single frame. That's why this is so weird. Not only that, but it's outside the frame and a millimeter or so onto the border. That shouldn't happen if it was just the lens. It would need to come in at an angle, would it not?

[craig_supplee]

OK, I just reviewed a 500c manual, and after seeing the way the film is loaded into the back, I think Russ is right about the slide leak. I also thought about the back not fitting properly, but it now seems far fetched that the back would not fit snug enough and let light leak around the traps somehow.

[cabbiinc]

If we were talking about 35mm here you would know if it was coming through the lens or not by the sprocket holes. If the spocket holes were good (and anything else behing the mask or whatever you call it) and the rest of the regular frame showed light leaks then it would be the shutter most likely. If however your light leak went straight through the sprocket holes then you would have a body leak of some sort.

[savagesax]

I think Russ's technique will rule out a lot. The location is strange for a light leak. I'm questioning your darkroom setup. Could something be going on there? Maybe you can do a test with color film or even B&W and send the film out to be developed. That would help rule out something wrong with your developing tank and also rule out static electricity or something weird like that.

[connor_roelke]

I appreciate the help everyone. I just reviewed my last 4 rolls, and even the earliest (before the light trap seal change) had some leakage. I did actually put tape on the darkslide slot for one roll, it was completely clean. The only thing I question is that I put it on the entire left side where the body and back meet, so I would need to tape just the darkslide slot to rule out body leakage.

 

About the darkroom setup, I thought it could be a possibility, but this leak is in almost the exact same place on every frame on 3 rolls. That just doesn't seem logical. I have a roll of Velvia 100 out for processing now, but it's taken them over 3 weeks. Hoping to get that cleared up. I don't really remember much about the way that roll was handled, whether I taped it or not. Hopefully looking at it will freshen my memory.

 

I'll get back to you guys. Thanks so much!

[q.g._de_bakker]

Connor,<br><br>It's still the same 'leak'. You haven't done anything about it (because you don't know what's causing

it, of course), so what did you expect?<br><br>You say the camera and magazine have lost paint, showing bare

metal.<br>That's on the inside, visible from where the film is? If so, do not look further.<br><br>It still doubt it is a

dark slide slot seal leak. That looks differently from what you are showing us.<br><br>You should be methodical

about testing. When putting tape over the slot, for instance, that extra bit of tape over the slot should be the only

thing that's different compared to the comparison, 'without tape' shot. So do not shoot one roll with, another roll

without tape. Put the camera on a tripod, leave it there for a bit, take one picture without tape on the slot, put tape

over the slot, wind on, leave it for a bit again, and take the next picture. (Just make sure that during all this the light

does not change (too) much).

[connor_roelke]

Q.G, I was thinking that maybe it was just a bad attachment or something before. I wanted to shoot another roll to make sure.

 

I know what you're saying about being methodical, but I think I'm just going to slobber the back and camera connection up with tape for the remainder of this roll. Color film and processing is expensive.

 

I'm receiving another back in the mail shortly from KEH. A roll through that should reveal quite a bit about whether it is the back or the camera.

[User_502260]

The backs for some MF cameras are getting really old. The 500C hasn't been made for a long time. It's a simple repair for a good shop to redo the seals in a back. I just bought a 120 6X7 back for the Bronica GS-1 for about $11 + s/h. I'll test it when I get it but for that price I won't be disappointed if it needs some work. When it was new it cost hundreds of dollars.

[q.g._de_bakker]

Connor,<br><br>My "so what did you expect" sounded a bit harsh. Wasn't meant to. My apologies.<br><br>But

still, keep in mind that there is a problem with unknown cause, so do not use your camera for shots you not only

would hate to have ruined, but canno afford to have ruined at all.<br><br>I'm still thinking about possible causes, so

still curious about in what parts the paint is missing. There may well be a definite clue there.<br>And another

question: how wide is the gap between top of the camera and top of the back? There always is a space, but that can

get too wide too. On the other hand, the fog running across frame and edge alike...<br>I believe i asked this before,

but was your film ever with you (or a previous owner?) on a commercial flight? X-ray damage still occurs, despite

claims that the machines they use for cabin luggage are safe. And the machines they use for seeing through hold

luggage are definitely unsafe!

[connor_roelke]

No need to apologize, I don't really know what I was expecting.

 

This is the plan for right now. I've got a roll of expensive color film in there, so I taped up the entire seal, all the way around. No use wasting more shots. When that's done, I'm going to load some cheap black and white film and do the following.

 

Load in very subdued light, just barely enough to see. Go outside hold the camera up to the sun and turn it around and around for a few minutes. Shoot the first frame, wind. Quickly shoot the second frame and then tape up just the dark slide slot. Wind. Shoot a frame, add tape to the right side of the back/camera and wind. Shoot a frame, remove the dark slide tape, wind. Shoot another frame and don't wind, instead, tape up the entire seal and wind and finish the rest of the roll.

 

The reason I'm doing it that way is because I sort of expect winding to have something to do with it. The way the light leak streaks across leads me to believe that. Also, I'm getting that other back in two days, so a roll through that should reveal quite a bit too.

 

I am not positive where the paint is missing, I have taped up the dark slide slot and can't insert the dark slide unless I need to. From memory, it was missing on the inside of where the camera and back meet. There is very little space between the top of camera and back.

 

The film was bought new from B&H, so I don't believe it went through an xray machine. It may have at some point, though, but there is no way for me to check.

 

Jeff, I have already replaced the seal that you are mentioning.

[tarashnat]

Connor,

 

Were you shooting anywhere near the sun, and did you use a lens shade? This looks like internal reflections to me. I would assume the

the brilliand sunlight is striking the lens off-axis and reflecting off the wall of the lens, including the edge of the glass and possibly

striking other surfaces on its convoluted path to the film. That wide arc suggests a reflection off a lens edge.

 

I've even had bright sunlight reflect off the inside of a lens shade and cause internal reflections.

 

I've even had internal reflection caused by the near full moon being just out of the field of view as I was taking a photo of the night sky.

 

The best thing to do, is to note where the sun is in relation to the camera between and during exposures and the length of time between

exposures. I was able to identify a light leak I had due to its absence on one frame of a series of images. I had taken two shots of the

same subject relatively quickly, and one of them did not have the leak and all the others on that roll had it in some form or other

depending on the location of the sun relative to the camera.

 

Now, just because this looks like an internal reflection, does not mean that you don't have a light leak. Both could happen together to

confuse you.

[tarashnat]

brilliant (not brilliand) Sorry for the typo...

[connor_roelke]

No lens shade was used, but it seems strange to me that every single frame would have this and have it in the relative same position. Even on previous rolls. It just doesn't make sense to me.

 

I'm about to pick up a lens hood, though. I'll see what happens.

[craig_supplee]

This is very interesting. In your first posting on this issue you are having, you stated that this leak, flare, only happened on 1 frame. The next post seemed to indicate that it happened on several but not all frames. This current roll had it happen on all shots? Have the latest rolls been different film speed and or more shots taken in the bright outdoor sun?

[connor_roelke]

Craig, most of the stuff I've shot has been in overcast or sunny conditions. Going back, almost every (often times all) frames had some form of this. It's just the severity that has been changing.

[craig_supplee]

Well Conner, this is really an intriguing puzzle. I did not know until today that the film in a Hassy actually gets run

through backwords. This means to me that there is a fair amount of film on either side of the film gate that is

exposed to the elements so to speak. I wonder if it is possible that you might have a light leak along the outer edge

of the magazine where it meets up with the back body. Or maybe a faulty seal around the advance crank? I wish I

could take a look at one up close.

[craig_supplee]

Sorry, should be Connor..

[connor_roelke]

Craig, the faulty seal around the advance crank is a good thing to consider. I think for my test roll I am also going to shoot a frame, going into my darkroom, advance, and shoot the next. That will rule out any problems that occur during winding.

[craig_supplee]

I would do a very thorough check of the back and how the magazine fits into it to try to rule out anything going on there.

[User_3607948]

Conner,

 

I'm not an expert but ... could debris in between the advance gears from the body / back cause the back to lift enough during film advance for light to enter. Unlikely if the dark slide is in place but something easy to check.

 

Joe

[erik_wetterskog]

I had a pretty badly leaking magazine when I first bought my Hasselblad. The light leaks looked nothing like what you have. All the leakage was mainly adjacent to the leaking dark slide slot. You have probably already done it, but I think that you can rule out the leakage coming from the trap seal.

 

A good way to check for dark slide leakage is to hold the magazine to a lamp while masking the upper side of the mag with the darkslide. If you can see light through the small slit, you have leakage.

 

I would suggest to try to shoot a test roll and use a different body for some shots, a different lens for some shots and a different mag for some shots. Don't forget to shoot the test roll in bright sunshine. You should be able to pinpoint the error in this way. (This is of course only possible if you have an extra mag, an extra body and an extra lens.)