Vertical light leaks on Olympus OM-10 negatives: where are they likely coming from?
Asked 1/29/2021
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I shot a roll of Kodak Tri-X 400 in an Olympus OM-10. Some frames are fine, but many show a strong vertical bright band/light leak on one side of the image. What are the most likely causes on this camera, and how can I test whether it’s a camera light-seal problem, shutter issue, or something caused by loading/unloading or processing?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
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Because the light comes from the top of the picture, it is leaking in from the bottom of the camera (unless you were holding the camera upside down in which case the leak is at the top of the camera). It is not coming through the viewfinder (because the viewfinder is at the top of the camera)[1]. As mentioned, the most probable fix is replacing the light seals. There is probably a Youtube video that will help you do it yourself if you don't want to pay someone to do it.
[1]: unless you were holding the camera upside down.
Originally by user95237. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user95237
5y ago
0
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A leak at the top of the photo usually means light entered from the bottom of the camera body (image orientation is reversed on film). On an OM-10, worn door/light seals are a common cause, so that’s the first thing to inspect.
However, a straight, consistent vertical band can also point to a sluggish shutter curtain rather than a random door leak. And if the marks seem tied to sprocket-hole areas or occurred on multiple frames in a similar way, loading/unloading or processing can also be responsible.
Good ways to narrow it down:
- Check the negatives for streaking related to sprocket holes.
- In a dark room, put a small flashlight inside the camera, close the back, let your eyes adjust, and look for light escaping around the door/seals. If light gets out, it can get in.
- Consider whether the film was home-processed or handled in bright light during loading/unloading.
Most likely first fix: replace the light seals. If the band is very uniform frame to frame, have the shutter checked too.
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