Light Leak

[hooman_aryan]

<p>I am a film shooter using 4x5 camera. I have not had any issues, but recently some of photographs appear to experienced light leak. The puzzling part is that there are on some but not all.<br>

The film is TMax 100 and the images were shot using 250mm Rodenstock Sironar N. The light leak appears on lower 1/3 of the film when viewed horizontally. One shot has the same problem, but it is a vertical shot.<br>

I have tried to trouble shoot it myself but have not observed anything different.<br>

I am not sure how to post the photos for everyone to see and maybe someone has an answer to this issue.</p>

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[peterbcarter]

<p>Is it possible the light came from storage?</p>

[Alan Marcus]

<p>Light leaking in will also leak out. Place a bright miniature flashlight inside the bellows of your 4x5 camera. Best if you can rig a bare blub. Some miniature flashlights allow the reflector and lens to be removed simulating a candle. Take this lash-up into the dark room. Examine the cameras with flashlight on from every possible angle. Not so quick, takes 15 to 20 minutes for your eyes to fully dark adapt. Using this method, you will surly find the light leak if it is associated with camera body, bellows or lens board etc. Leaking holders are another matter as they can only be ferretted out by trial and error. </p>

[thirteenthumbs]

<p>There is a secondary exposure in the lower 1/4- left to center portion of the posted image. The light leak is most likely in the bellows and it is forming a secondary pin hole exposure.<br>

<br />With bellows fully extended, lens board or ground glass removed, go into a totally dark room and put a bright light source inside the bellows. A hole will be bright white and a weak spot will be dull yellow to light yellow depending how near a full open hole the wear is. Anything other than black is a leak. <br>

Reinstall the lens board or ground glass and check a second time.</p>

[bgelfand]

<blockquote>

<p>The puzzling part is that there are on some but not all.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>This would suggest that the leak is associated with the film holder - either the holder itself or the way it fits the camera - rather than the camera.</p>

<p> </p>

[bethe_fisher]

<p>I agree with Charles and Alan. I think one possibility it's not on all frames is because the bellows may not have been extended as far for all of them and therefore not exposing the leak to light in all of them. </p>

[James G. Dainis]

The double exposure you get from a pinhole leak in the bellows acting as a pinhole camera is noticeable on the bare white section of snow. If that section had more objects such as bushes it probably wouldn't be noticeable.

[sebastianmoran]

<p>Some but not all films… The secondary exposure depends on how long the holder was left in the camera with dark slide out.</p>

<p>Try an experiment. Holder in camera, dark slide out, shutter closed, camera on tripod. Just leave it that way for a while, then develop the "unexposed" film.</p>

[don_gillette1]

<p>As suggested above check for light leaks in the bellow with a bright light inside the bellows in a darkened room. I have found that older sheet film holders can leak through the dark slide slot or through he hinge covering. Also be careful when putting in the dark slide, I have had that problem and it was my fault. also check that the shutter is working properly, I had one supermatic stick with just one blade hanging up.</p>