Am I Rolling Up My Film Wrong?

Hubigpielover

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Just came back from a trip from Wyoming and got my film back. Got some great shots but half of the roll was exposed to light on the side of the picture. All on the left side. Not a lot and they show up in the beginning middle and end.

The camera is a Minolta Autocord and was recently CLA'd. The only thing I can see is when I seal the film, I am letting light in.

Thanks
 

mrosenlof

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when loading and unloading film, be sure to keep everything out of direct sunlight. shade with your body, better to go indoors. it is more important to do this with 120 than with 35mm film. when you remove the exposed film, does the roll feel spongy, or does it feel solid? spongy indicates it is not winding tightly on the takeup side and can cause leaks.
 
OP
OP

Hubigpielover

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And I am thinking that I am not keeping it out of direct sunlight. I have more trouble loading the camera than unloading it. I think I might need to pay more attention to how I load it. Haste makes waste.

Thanks.

Edit: Also your state is gorgeous. I took my 92 year old grandma to see my cousins in Laramie but we stayed in Livermore. Had a great time. Also took her to Golden Colorado because it was on her bucket list.
 

Dan Daniel

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Can you post a photo of some negatives? Just shoot it with your phone against a lamp or such, and show the whole film, not just the image area?

The Autocord does have a light seal on the back edges. And there are places where a missing screw will cause light leaks. Seeing the film itself might help eliminate possibilities other than loose spooling or improper handling outside of the camera.
 

kevs

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Check the camera light seals are good; they can deteriorate with age or go missing. I've had this problem with a Yashica TLR.

Also, check the camera is rolling the films smoothly and tightly after exposure.

If you post an example here, someone might be able to pinpoint the problem.

kevs
 
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Hubigpielover

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This could be it. The exposed film had to sit in my suitcase until being developed.


Even though it has just been CLA'd? Hopefully they would have changed them but I will post the negatives once I get them back. It is really aggravating to take good photos and have them ruined.


I will do that now. Thanks
 

shutterfinger

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All that shows is a light leak on the lower right of the camera. If the leak continues on into the edge of the film then it can be loose rolling or camera body problem.
Run a scrap roll of film through the camera, open the back, put your thumb on the edge of the take up spool without touching the backing paper, pull on the end of the backing paper until it will move no more.
How much paper pulled up from the roll? 1/4 inch or less - film is winding tight. 3/8 inch or more - winding loose, increase the tension on the supply spool spring.
 

Dan Daniel

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This one has four black dot shadows in the upper left corner. Indicates a decnet amount of light was able to bleed through the backing paper? Any chance this was the last shot?
https://imgur.com/JxdYxc8

This one scares me, with the blob coming in from the right side. That's some very loose rolling or almost a crimp in a spot.
https://imgur.com/4pVcnWn

What concerns me is that the major light leak seems to be in the frame at the same spot again and again. Hard to believe that the frame size and winding puts the same area of the image in the same place throughout a roll.

Make certain that the spool knobs have all three screws. That the focus scale has a screw in place at each end. Put the film in the camera as it would have been when shot. See where the leak falls in the body and see if any screws or anything else seems off. Also put a frame inside the body as it would sit both before and after exposure and study the areas where the leak falls.

I'll take the foil or wrap from a new roll and place it over the exposed film. Then put the film into the new box with opening to the bottom. If I don't have a specifc film holder or other way to block light on hand.

For future reference, when tracking down light leaks you need to look at the full film, not just the image area. Don't care about the image or the scan- we want to see where the light has come from, etc. Just put a negative up against a lamp shade or such and use your phone.
 

Sirius Glass

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The light leak on the left of the prints tell us that the light leak is on the right side of the camera.
 

shutterfinger

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There was only one sample when I made post #9.
On one of my Rolleiflex from the 1940's or the Rolleicord V I had to make a light seal for the take up as the mount screws were not adequate.
Rolleicord III take up:

You have to lift the leather/leatherette covering to see the screws on the side plate and the take up shown.
Does the back sit squarely to the body when closed with the latch loose/disconnected/undone?
I have found the back warped from improper opening on the Rolleicord and Rolleiflex I serviced.
 

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Saganich

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In my experience when loading or unloading 120 in bright light the exposure starts in the rebate area, is never on the same area of every frame and rarely penetrate that deeply into the frame. Even when I use loosely and badly re-rolled 620 the exposure is confined to the rebate area. Looks like camera issue.
 

abruzzi

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Witold said:
Looks best design I've seen of this kind. How do they hold up? Is the top nice snug fit so it does not come off easily?
Click to expand...

ive been using this design for a while—not from JCH, just from some Chinese eBay seller. I think it predates JCH, but the design is identical. I use a black and a grey 5 roll, and a black 10 roll. Its a little tight getting fresh rolls in there (with the foil or plastic wrap still on.) and a little loose for used rolls (with the wrap removed.). The case top fits snug and doesn’t fall off easily. My only wish is that the case had somewhere to stash box tops, since my Bronica backs have a space for the tops, I like to use that.
 

Sirius Glass

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Witold said:
Looks best design I've seen of this kind. How do they hold up? Is the top nice snug fit so it does not come off easily?
Click to expand...

They hold up well and by the way help group rolls of film shot in one area.
 

Grim Tuesday

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Back to OP's problem, this is a light leak issue. Clearly in camera. OP should show this to his repairperson and see what they suggest.
 

Deleted member 88956

Sirius Glass said:
They hold up well and by the way help group rolls of film shot in one area.
Click to expand...
Organization of rolls after exposure was exactly part of my thinking too. Have orde0re0d a couple ofceach size for now. Thanks.
 

Deleted member 88956

Grim Tuesday said:
Back to OP's problem, this is a light leak issue. Clearly in camera. OP should show this to his repairperson and see what they suggest.
Click to expand...
Right you are.

So first question to OP: I am not seeing it, was this one roll of film or does this happen on every roll? If one, no panic, run another test roll and with entirely different film.

I agree it is likely light leak, but if it is just one/roll things could have happened before, during or after exposure and then again in the processing stage. The 4 dots in one of shots kind of kill the idea it happened in camera though.
 

Dan Daniel

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abruzzi said:
My only wish is that the case had somewhere to stash box tops, since my Bronica backs have a space for the tops, I like to use that.
Click to expand...

I put small pieces of tape on the outside of the case. I've fond white 'artist tape' is best. I use them to put on the camera back to keep running notes of filters and such. And as backup for when the sealing paper breaks or decides not to stick. It'd be easy enough to line some box ends on the case.
 

Bill Burk

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Definitely check that the light seals (felt cord) are in good shape and the back closes properly.

An option to consider, if you have a case, is to use that case. If not, you could look for one. (p.s., I thought the price was $17. Not $71. For that price I would keep looking)
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/333191101751
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/333191101751

I once noticed a difference when I used my mom’s Ricohflex, when I used the case I didn’t have light leaks.
 
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Arklatexian

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Good idea. I have been looking at those. I saw white ones and black ones. Which do you use? I am tempted to buy white as it should be cooler in the sun ib Summer. It would be good only if it is opaque. Black might be better. Decisions, decisions, always decisions!..............Regards!
 
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