Light leak question

[elycerose]

Clearly there's a light leak, I think in the film holder? Or am I doing something wrong loading the film, or when I slide it in and out? I have 4 holders and I haven't paid attention to whether it's a certain holder or not (most don't have a problem). I'm extremely new to all this so any advice would be most appreciated.

(also not sure this is the right place for this question).


iris by lauren {elycerose}, on Flickr


cate by lauren {elycerose}, on Flickr


cate2 by lauren {elycerose}, on Flickr

[Mark Woods]

Keep notes and document the holder to the neg. Only then can you evaluate the problem.

[Gem Singer]

Either the light traps (slot where the dark slide goes in) are not sealing out the light, or the film holders are not seating properly.

If it was a film loading problem, and the film was exposed before, or while loading, the light leak will show up on the rebate edge of the negative. If the rebate is clear, the leak occurred after the film was loaded into the holder.

[mike rosenlof]

What they said, plus you might want to make extra sure that the little ridge on the film holder is fitting into the little divot on the camera back.

If the light is coming in through a bad trap, it will also expose the border area at that end also. So looking at the entire sheet of film might give some clues in this case.

[elycerose]

Thank you Mark, Gem and Mike.

In most cases the light does go all the way through the border edge (there is one where it doesn't seem to) and it all seems to be on the same side, the side where you pull out the slide (the side of the film that has the grooves in it is okay, the other side is where the leak(s) are).

Two more examples:


anne with tree by lauren {elycerose}, on Flickr

[Jack Dahlgren]

Could be you when you are pulling the darkslide or putting it back in. Make sure you aren't breaking the light seal that the film holder has against the back of the camera.

[MIke Sherck]

It would be more helpful to see prints (contact prints, perhaps,) or scans of the whole negative, including notches. That helps us see where the leak is relative to the holder and camera, whether it's always in the same place, etc. Are these all from the same film holder?

Mike

[Sirius Glass]

Put photographic paper in the holders instead of film and take them out in the sun for a while. Unload one sheet at a time and develop. The source of your problem will emerge from the tray.

Steve