Help identifying light leak (images included)

[Gem Singer]

Hey Bernie,

The purpose of doing what you describe is????

[spacegoose]

I'll take a guess, Maybe the wood frame is warped a little? Perhaps you can try some black felt on either the frame or holder particularly at top right (or where ever the lower left in your pictures corresponds). Some nice shots by the way.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

You might easily screw up your focusing registration with the ground glass if you install felt in the film holder gate, while trying to cure a light leak.

[Rhemz]

You might easily screw up your focusing registration with the ground glass if you install felt in the film holder gate, while trying to cure a light leak.

Would I? If felt were affixed like so, wouldn't the ground glass be held back the same amount as a film holder?





Thanks for the suggestions so far guys, I've examined the inside of the camera with a flashlight and found a few reflective strips of glossy wood and since painted over them with some matte dark-gray paint. I've also taken a few shots following Maris' advice of holding the film holder firmly in place while removing the dark slide to prevent any accidental movement (something I never paid very close attention to before). I will try affixing the felt in some non-permanent way and taking another few exposures this weekend to see if the problem was me, or in fact a camera leak.

[Bernard Kaye]

[QUOTE=Gem Singer;506420]Hey Bernie,

The purpose of doing what you describe is????

[/QUOTE

Thickness of black paper where you think light leak might be takes up warping of wood in camera back or film holder so film holder is firmly against back to block light leak if warping is what it is.

If leaving black paper on permanently to block light, it may put film out of register: if warping is on film holder, need a new film holder; if warping is on camera back, need a wood worker. Try it with more than one film holder.

Place film holders and camera back separately on absolutely flat (black heavy glass?) surface with light source shining from their other side to you to see if light comes to you from underneath holder or back. (see if they rock, light at ends; see if they bow, light more to center).

Wood warps.

Bernie

[Rhemz]

I'd like to thank everyone that helped -- the issue is resolved! It turned out it was that thin unpainted strip that I mentioned in the original post. I painted over it with some matte black paint & my leak cleared right up. Here are my first two successful LF exposures ever.







I am so glad to have resolved this, and I can't wait to get back out there and spend some more time with the view camera.

Thanks again guys

[Bill_1856]

I don't know exactly how, but the fact that the light leak looks so different between your horizontal and vertical images makes me think that the removable back frame (the part you've shown in your pictures) isn't seating properly into the rear of the camera body itself.

[Bill_1856]

Guess I should have read the whole post before inserting my foot into my mouth and making a suggestion. (I didn't notice there were three pages of posts).

[al olson]

I'm not sure, Russ, that this has solved your problem. I agree with Louie and Maris that it appears that you are pulling the holder away from the back when you remove the dark slide.

When the holder is pulled slightly away from the back, the light leaking in from the side throws a shadow caused by the holder frame blocking the light near the edges. All three of your examples show this type of shadow near the edges. Further, your third image shows the greatest exposure near the dark slide end suggesting that this end of the holder was pulled away from the back.

I would suggest following Maris' procedures as a precaution to prevent this from happening.

[Photojeep]

It seems the issue has been resolved; whether by your darkening the shiny strip or being more careful with darkslide removal.

One thing I did notice was how you displayed your camera back. In the second photo, you have the ground glass standing perpendicular to the frame and I can't help but wonder how much stress is being placed on the springs. Perhaps they are a bit loose?

As I said above, you seem to have resolved your issue so have fun with your camera. (I would just not open the back quite so far any more...)

Best,
Photojeep