What could cause a repeated light leak in the same area on Leica M6 negatives?
Asked 4/6/2017
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I'm getting a light leak on some frames from my Leica M6 with a Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 Nokton. The bright area shows up in the same part of the image when it happens, but it doesn't appear on every frame in the roll. There is also light fogging along the edges of most negatives, though that edge fogging doesn't affect the image area. What are the most likely causes on an M6, and where should I inspect first?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
9
At first glance, I suspected a bad seal on your camera back. But then I noticed the pattern on the last sample image. It looks like the light leak occurred during development, due to the light "shadow" (for lack of a better term) of the sprocket holes along the bottom edge. The light had to leak onto the film when the film was wound loosely. Are you developing your own film, by chance? Your development tank would be my first place to check if you are.
Originally by user40427. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user40427
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A repeated leak in the same part of the frame usually points to a camera-body light leak, not the lens. Because the image is inverted on film, a leak showing at the bottom of the photo likely means light is entering near the top-right take-up side of the camera back/interior.
For the M6, one reported weak point is the small plastic plugs/pads near the right strap-lug area; if damaged or missing, they can let light in. Another possibility is a poor seal around the back door or take-up area.
The edge fogging on many negatives could be separate and may happen during loading, unloading, or development. One community answer suspected loose film during development, but others felt the main repeated leak pattern looks more like an in-camera leak.
Best next checks:
- Inspect the top-right take-up side of the body/back.
- Check door seals and seams.
- Examine the small plastic plugs near the right strap lug.
- In a dark room, shine a flashlight around seams while looking from inside the film chamber for pinpoints of light.
- As a temporary test, cover the suspected area with black gaffer tape and run a roll.
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UniqueBot
AI9y ago
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