What did I do wrong here? Light Leak in holder or lens flare?

Please explain to me what I did wrong here. This was taking last weekend in Joshua Tree with my 5x7, first photo weekend out with the new camera. This was going to be the shot of the weekend as I told my wife when I took it. Now, I know I should have taken a duplicate..
Is this a light leak on the 5x7 holder? Or is this some kind of lens flare on my single coat lens (Fujinon 250mm 6.3)? I know it's not a pinhole issue because my other shots have come out perfectly. My next thing I do will be to reshoot with the same holder to see if the effect repeats.
Thanks for answering.

"LF photographer in training"

Gabriel
http://www.silverpiscis.com/Photogra...nt5x7_1BAD.jpg

Looks like flare.

Unusual for holders to leak on the sides. They usually leak at the ends.

Appears to be a shot into the sun with a single coated lens.

Did you use a lens hood (shade)?

I would say flare too, but I am puzzled by the vertical shape, could there of been an internal reflection of some kind? Or a leak from the lens board? The last is a bit of a stretch, I think, but I had a board that didn't fit right once, and caused me some grief. let us know if you used a hood on the lens.
Keith

Hi guys. No hood. The camera is really new and I'm not finished buying all my accessories. ha. The filter size is 67mm I should be able to find a good hood at that size. I had a feeling it was lens flare, it's weird how it's so straight.

That's not lens flare. Too even. Light leak of some kind somewhere along the line.

Doesn't look like lens flare to me, either. There is also a spot toward the left side of the posted image.

You might try taking the holder into the darkroom, opening it up and shine a bright pen light into the film slot and look to see if you see any light from the outside; sort of like checking a bellows for pinholes. If you have one of those laser pointers, that would be an ideal point source. You might also check to see if the holder is slightly bowed. It may not be seating quite right in the camera.

--P

I just checked and this happened on 2 different holders. I did 3 shots and on all 3 shots I get this same discoloring. I will do the darkroom holder light check and look at the alignment of the holders, but I think my best test would be to reshoot with these 2 holders and see if they leak again? I will use a lens hood this time even though it will be a different shot.

Thanks for the help.

Check your bellows. Not exactly a pinhole, but something else. Since it occured on different holders and different shots, then it isn't the holders or darkslides. It could be the back, or something like that.

Put the holder in the camera, and then take off the lens board. See if you can spot the light leak in the sunlight, looking in through the lens board opening.

PS - good composition! I like it.

Hi Brian, but if it is the back why did it happen only on this shot that weekend? All my other shots came out good with no strange effects at all. I will do your test tomorrow in the day time.

Thanks I liked the composition too, I had a feeling I had a winner and I told my wife and then was destroyed when it didn't come out as I wanted. Oh well, will have to reshoot. I took a similar photo with my 4x5 years ago and I wanted to recreate it with the 5x7. http://silverpiscis.com/Photography/.../elefante2.bmp

Hmmm, the second image you posted (good one), the light is behind you, while with the other one the light is in front of you. It could be that the leak is at the back of the bellows. When I got my Calumet C3 8x10, the bellows tape was old and needed replacement. This could be happening with your camera. Actually, if it's the tape, then a visual inspection should be good.

Are your holders wooden or plastic? If they are wooden, then the holders could have been compressed at some point, so that could cause a light leak, too.