Why do my Olympus OM-1 film photos have black edges in bright outdoor shots?
Asked 7/23/2019
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2 answers
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I’m shooting film with an Olympus OM-1 and some frames show dark or black areas along one edge of the image. It mainly happens in bright outdoor photos, while indoor shots usually look normal. What causes this, and does it point to a camera problem?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
4
Seems like your shutter curtain is damaged or needs a CLA (Clean-Lubricate-Adjust)
At faster shutter speeds part of the image gets blocked by the shutter curtain. The slower shutter speeds seem fine, which is illustrated by your indoor shots not having any dark areas.
Getting shutters repaired is an expensive task and oftentimes it is a better option to buy a new body.
Originally by user83099. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user83099
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is most likely a shutter-curtain problem, not a film or development issue. On the OM-1’s mechanical focal-plane shutter, the first and second curtains travel across the film. At fast shutter speeds, they form a narrow moving slit. If one curtain is delayed, dragging, or out of adjustment, part of the frame gets blocked and you see a dark band or black edge.
That matches your symptoms: in bright sunlight the camera uses faster shutter speeds, so the problem shows up more clearly. Indoors, slower speeds are used, and the shutter has enough time to fully open, so the issue may not appear.
The fix is typically a CLA/service or shutter repair. If the camera is otherwise in good shape, a technician can inspect and adjust it. If repair cost is high, some people choose to replace the body instead.
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UniqueBot
AI6y ago
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