Help identifying light leak (images included)

[R Mann]

I think you are correct to rule out the bellows because of the change in position of the back and the resulting leak pattern. To me it looks like your option B - a leak between the holder and camera. Are you sure you are getting a tight fit when the holder is inserted? In the photo it looks like your groove is at the edge of the opening, is there wood missing on the camera back on the left side of the groove? Or, have you checked the fit on the camera back and the body? Any gaps there?

[Louie Powell]

Two of the three sheets you have shown us have fogging in the lower left corner, which means that it's in the upper right corner when the back is on the camera. I think it's also important to observe that there fogging is completely inside the frame - that is, there is a narrow field around the outside edge of the sheet that appears to not be fogged. That causes me to agree with Mike that the problem is near the back of the camera, and that the fogging light is striking the film at a severe angle such that the edge of the holder is shading the edge from fogging.

I presume the Tachihara has a removable/rotating back. How is the back attached? It appears to me that the leak is in the area where the bellows attaches to the back. I'm not familiar with the Tachihara, but in my camera, there are clips at the upper right and left corners of that hold the back tightly against the box frame, and therefore against the back frame of the bellows. I would look either for something loose in that area, for a separation between the bellows and its frame, or for some kind of obstruction that keeps the back from seating properly on the camera.

The third sheet ('portrait' format) shows fogging on both sides and the top, suggesting that the problem is more severe when the back is rotated to the vertical position. The main thing I would conclude from that observation is that it has something to do with how the back is attached.

One other possibility - you mentioned that you have both wooden and plastic holders. Modern holders have a ridge at the darkslide end that fits into a groove machined into the camera back. But there are older holders out there that have a groove in the holder that is supposed to mate to a ridge on the camera. Can you confirm that you holders and camera match? Absent that proper mating, it's possible for the darkslide end of the holder to be loose.

Finally, try this test: load an empty holder into your camera, and then withdraw the darkslide. Watch the back very carefully to see if the effort involved in pulling the darkslide inadvertently also pulls the back away from the camera. Look at both the place where the removable back attaches to the camera, and also the point where the holder fits against the back of the camera. I had this happen with a Polaroid holder and concluded that the problem was that the darkslide handle didn't protrude far enough to be able to get a good grip on it, and as I tried to stick my thick fingers under the handle, I was inadvertently pulling the holder away from the camera at the same time that I was pulling the darkslide.

(The first sheet was Point of Rocks Beach in Brewster, right?)

[jim kitchen]

I get those light leaks periodically at the bottom of my negative, and along the sides of the negative, where it is always my fault. The film slides tend to creep up just enough to annoy me, and expose the film whenever I place the film holders too tightly into my backpack, therefore exposing the bottom edge of the film. The side leaks occur whenever I place my fingers onto the film slides too firmly, allowing a minor gap to occur, where minute traces of light tend to expose the long edge of the film. Realizing that, I taught myself to hold my film holders along the outside edge to avoid the side leaks, and I taught myself to lock the film slide in place, rather than not.

I would happen to guess that you periodically hold and transfer your film holders, while grasping the film slides, possibly causing the light leaks...

Just a thought.

jim k

[robert fallis]

you say that it's spread over 2 boxes of film. if it only happens with random sheets then I would suspect one of your film holders.don't use expensive film cut some black and white paper to size, you can do it under a red safe light, number your film holders and the paper so that you can match them,
and expose.. this will enable you to locate the holder with the problem

bob

[Nathan Potter]

Looks like an issue associated with the back of the camera.

Check that the holder seats tightly under the Ground Glass by placing a holder in the camera. Then in a bright room peer in thru the lens board (sans lens) and look for any light seeping in around the edge of the holder. It helps to place a piece of white paper instead of film in the holder then slipping the darkslide most of the way out. Look very carefully letting your eyes adjust to the dark interior of the bellows. Try a high intensity light close to the edge of what should be a light tight connection between the back and the holder face.

As mentioned above check for the presence of a ridge on the holders that is intended to sort of snap the holder flat against the camera frame. Practice loading the holders with no film so you get the feel for it.

Make sure your darkslides slip easily in the holders. My guess would be that you are inadvertently lifting the holder ever so slightly while moving the darkslide out or back in.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Maris Rusis]

I checked my Tachihara 45GF and the same sort of film holder as you use and it appears from your picture that the film holder is correctly inserted. If the film holder is fully in and the light trap groove is engaged then the problem must be somewhere else. And I suspect it is film holder movement when withdrawing or replacing the dark slide. That was the mistake I used to do until I changed my routine. This is what I do now:

After I put a film holder into the back of the Tachihara I make sure the camera back is fully seated by successively squeezing all four corners between thumb and forefinger. When it is time to pull the dark slide I use my left hand to clamp the ground glass frame, the film holder, and the camera back tightly together so the forces of pulling the slide don't cause a tiny crack to open momentarily.

I use a lot of cheap film holders, some with rather "sticky" dark slides, but I no longer get light leaks since I changed my film holder routine.

[shadow images]

Had those on my zone vi/wista when I did not seat the back completely. I was trying to figure out why i had light leaks all of the sudden. Could hardly tell when it was off, it took me a little while to find it.

[nolindan]

Try the following:

• Insert a film holder
• Remove the lens board
• Put a lightbulb inside the the camera via the lensboard opening, or if your hand will fit use a small flashlight inside the camera
• Examine the back of the camera for light leaks

Do this before attempting any fixes - you want to maximize your probability of finding the problem area.

[Gem Singer]

Examining the photos of the back of your camera. The middle picture shows the groove in which accepts the tongue of the film holder.

It appears that the groove is not placed in the proper position. It seems to be cut too close to the film frame.

Could be a manufacturing defect. Perhaps it's just a distortion of the photograph.

However, it's worth looking into as the source of your problem.

[Bernard Kaye]

There is a white glue used by seamstresses that is vey tacky, it holds hems in place even when just spread but permits movement and washes off with warm water before it finally sets, is more tacky when cold, less tacky when warm; trade names as "Twice As Tacky," "Tacky" Glue, etc.
You can "glue" black hard or felty paper to your camera so it sits still, insert film holder,take picture, remove film holder, then peel off black paper and wipe-gently wash glue off camera leaving no trace if you work reasonably fast. If black paper is to be permanently glued to camera, it will be after a few hours or overnight..
Every house, every man needs a good woman's sense.
Bernie