My Ciro-Flex is getting a light leak that looks almost like light is bouncing from the inside of the camera and fogging any negatives taken in direct sunlight. All I see are a couple scratches on the paint inside the viewing chamber. Should I touch it up with flat black, do I need a lens hood, or is my logic just nuts?
Thanks guys!
I doubt that the paint is your problem, though Diane may be right about the window. I have a simple rig to test this sort of thing out: a battery and flashlight bulb. Put this setup inside the camera and go into a dark room. You may have to sit in the dark for quite a while until your eyes adjust enought to discern tiny leaks.
Nathan
Here are scans of two frames. Sorry about the crappy quality, but I think it shows what I'm talking about. If anyone knows what sort of light leak this would be, please let me know.
I'm just taking a guess here, but perhaps its leaking from around the lens (the upper side of the taking lens). Try shining a light through the inside of the camera like Nathan recommended, and see if any light leaks from around the lens.
I'd agree -- the semicircular unfogged area is a shadow of the inside end of the lens, most likely. The shutter is probably not tight on the camera; open the back and you can see the retaining ring that should hold it in place. You'll need to hold the shutter (to keep it from rotating) while you use a spanner to tighten the ring. Then you may need to reset the focus (or maybe not, depending on what was done).
Either way, this is a strong indicator that someone has attempted to repair the camera, which could point to stuff being screwed up in other ways; it would be very prudent to check the focus and verify that the taking and viewing lenses are matched. Also, if there's a flash synch on the body (either shoe or socket) you should test where it's functioning, as the wire from the shutter might have been broken or disconnected.
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.
