light leak?

[soboyle]

First shots from my Shen Hao camera, and it looks like a light leak to me, attached a few shots. Any suggestions on how to find the leak. dark room with a flashlight inside?

[BrianShaw]

Don't blame the camera too fast. Describe your film holders and shooting techniques too. That's a BIG light leak!

[BrianShaw]

... oh, and tell about your film. Did it come from a sealed box? How did you load your holders? There are many potential sources to consider.

[sethlatimer]

I got leaks like that from reinserting the dark slide too roughly and unseating the holder from the camera.

[soboyle]

Don't blame the camera too fast. Describe your film holders and shooting techniques too. That's a BIG light leak!

Shooting with a 2nd hand Polaroid 405 holder
On fresh fuji instant B&W film. Certainly
Could be me since this is my first foray into LF.

[BrianShaw]

Are you pulling the film with the holder in the camera? If so, I'd suspect your unseating the holder in that process. Does Shen Hoa have graflock sliders or is the 405 under the GG held by springs?

[Peter Gomena]

When pulling and reinserting the dark slide, put the thumb of your left hand in the middle of the ground glass and grip the back of the camera with your fingers. Press firmly. Remove and insert the dark slide with your right hand while holding the ground glass in place in this manner. Develop this habit, and you won't lose pictures from accidental light leaks. Light moves very quickly and sneaks through tiny cracks like magic. I learned this from experience!

Peter Gomena

[SergeiR]

I got leaks like that from reinserting the dark slide too roughly and unseating the holder from the camera.

+1 . Same here.. Got too used to plastic smooth ones on 4x5 and once i had to deal with old and rarely used wooden ones on 8x10 - i lost a few sheets to that same issue (((((

[soboyle]

Are you pulling the film with the holder in the camera? If so, I'd suspect your unseating the holder in that process. Does Shen Hoa have graflock sliders or is the 405 under the GG held by springs?

Thanks for the tips, I'll try a couple shots later today being very careful about keeping the holder well seated, and being careful when removing/replacing dark slide. I'm inserting the Polaroid back between the GG and the camera back. The springs just accommodate the holder, but it is a stretch. Not sure what graflock sliders look like so can't confirm that.

[Joseph Dickerson]

The Shen Hao has a interchangeable bellows, make sure that the front and rear of the bellows is securely mounted.

Having said that, like the others I think it looks like an issue with the film back.

JD