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Thread: Light leak

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Lucknow, India
    Posts
    28

    Light leak

    Friends,

    I use an Arca Swiss (B) 4X5 camera and I am getting light leaks on the negatives. recently I discovered that the bellows had holes (they are apparently original,) so necessary repairs were done and light tested) to be sealed, yet the light leak persisted. It is linear light streak occurring at the top of the entire negative (when looking at the camera from the ground glass end) in landscape mode and on the left vertical side in portrait mode. the points I used to narrow it down so far

    1) it occurs across all film holders (Fidelity Elite, carefully carried and used) so should be a camera related phenomenon.

    2) it shifts with rotation of the back - topside to left side hence not in the bellows or back frame.

    3 I have checked the entire fitting, Film holder housing and back frame in a dark room with a strong light shining inside the bellows but could not discover the leak.

    any thoughts grateful acknowledged

    thanks

    Ashish

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Lucknow, India
    Posts
    28

    Re: Light leak

    Further

    4) the film holder is covered by the dark cloth during dark slide movement.

    5) the light leak is not on the side of the film holder opening but along the closed side of the holder.

    thanks

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Lucknow, India
    Posts
    28

    Re: Light leak

    Further

    6) I load the elders in my darkroom.

    7) they are carried in a separate bag

    thanks

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    48

    Re: Light leak

    Maybe take a photo of a negative and post it.

    Perhaps take off the lens board, put a film holder in the back, and stick a light bulb in the bellows in a dark room, and look for light leaking out of the back. Because the leak moves when you turn the back, the problem is probably back there. Are there seals on that back? Are they in good shape? All of the screws in? Any Damage?

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    California
    Posts
    3,908

    Re: Light leak

    Quote Originally Posted by Ashishwakhlu View Post
    Further

    4) the film holder is covered by the dark cloth during dark slide movement.

    5) the light leak is not on the side of the film holder opening but along the closed side of the holder.

    thanks
    Also keep the dark cloth over the back while photographing.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    Lucknow, India
    Posts
    28

    Re: Light leak

    Thank you Rob and Jim,
    1) I keep the dark cloth over the back (in fact wrap it round the whole camera except the lens board.

    2) light bulb test done previously and gain but no leaks from the back end.

    3) the back has no screws, it has light seals made of sponge but they do not leak (light bulb test negative)

    4) photo of negative attached

    thanks again Click image for larger version. 

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  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    48

    Re: Light leak

    Could you post a couple of your negatives, and also include the edge of the film in the photo?

    Also, if you have another box of film, you could try that in case the film was accidentally exposed at some point.

    While you've got the light bulb in the bellows and a holder in the back, push the back around to see if there's any slack so when you pull a slide, etc. it can move and leak.

    Because the light shows up on the same side of the *film*, not the same side of the camera, it suggests the issue is the back or the film.

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    989

    Re: Light leak

    Is there something reflective inside your bellows?
    Have you checked the seams where the bellows meets the camera body?

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Virginia, USA
    Posts
    240

    Re: Light leak

    Make sure that the bottom of the film holders seat all the way. Even with a dark cloth covering the camera you can get light leaks. Don't ask me how I know.
    Brass is a metal alloy, not a lens type - MichaelE

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/jacketch/

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    48

    Re: Light leak

    Quote Originally Posted by John Earley View Post
    Make sure that the bottom of the film holders seat all the way. Even with a dark cloth covering the camera you can get light leaks. Don't ask me how I know.
    I think eventually one makes every mistake!

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