Fuji GA645i | Partial Underexposure | Help

[C.Kline]

I've owned a Fuji GA645i for close to five months now and it's worked flawlessly, but lately it seems to be underexposing the top 1/6th of the frame by 1-2 stops. I'm baffled, bummed, and at a loss as to what it could be. I thought perhaps the rubber hood I've been using had become bent, but that doesn't appear to be the issue. No aperture blades appear to be sticking and I'm completely out of ideas. The camera only has 1700 actuations and I can't imagine it being the shutter at that low of a count.

Has anyone run into this before with the Fuji GA series or other cameras?

 

[RattyMouse]

I've owned a Fuji GA645i for close to five months now and it's worked flawlessly, but lately it seems to be underexposing the top 1/6th of the frame by 1-2 stops. I'm baffled, bummed, and at a loss as to what it could be. I thought perhaps the rubber hood I've been using had become bent, but that doesn't appear to be the issue. No aperture blades appear to be sticking and I'm completely out of ideas. The camera only has 1700 actuations and I can't imagine it being the shutter at that low of a count.

Has anyone run into this before with the Fuji GA series or other cameras?

I assume you have tried without the hood?

How do you tell the shutter count on these cameras?

 

[philosli]

Is there any "shape" of the underexposed area? GA645 has a leaf shutter, so maybe it's the shutter?

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

How do you tell the shutter count on these cameras?

Hold down the +/- button while turning the selector dial from OFF to ISO. The count will appear in your top LCD.

 

[thegman]

Take off the hood, and any other accessories which may be getting in the way. Shoot a roll of C41 film and get it processed at a different lab to usual. This will rule out any processing issues (either with you, or your lab).

If you can dry-fire the camera, try firing the shutter with the back open, and see if the shutter stick at all. If it's visibly underexposed, it may be visibly sticking too.

 

[C.Kline]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I'm planning on taking the filter and hood off today and shooting it in a variety of ways (with hood and filter, hood only, filter only, and no accessories). I'll post here what I find. I'm guessing it's the combination of filter and rubber hood.

I've shot C41 before and never noticed the problem, even with the hood, but perhaps it's the combination of the two.

 

[C.Kline]

Alright, so I feel like I'm losing my mind now for sure. Yesterday I shot a test roll through my GA645 with varying filter/hood configurations and can't duplicate the issue I'm having. The only thing different in the tests is the film. The original roll I was having issues with was Tri-x 400 and the test roll was Arista Edu Ultra 100.


GA645 | Kodak Tri-x 400 | HC110B


GA645 | Kodak Tri-X 400 | HC110B


GA645 | Kodak Tri-x 400 | HC110B

All three of the above were shot with my normal combo which is a rubber lens hood on the lens with a yellow Hoya filter threaded into the hood.



Same setup as above (Lens hood and yellow filter) | GA645 | Arista EDU Ultra 100 | HC110H



No filter and no lens hood | GA645 | Arista EDU Ultra 100 | HC110H



Filter only | GA645 | Arista EDU Ultra 100 | HC110H

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

It's your dilution! Stick with H!

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Joking aside. Maybe you did not use enough developer in the tank with the Tri-X.

 

[C.Kline]

Joking aside. Maybe you did not use enough developer in the tank with the Tri-X.

You are my new hero. As stupid as it sounds there's a chance of that.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

There you go! Now go shoot more with that awesome camera. Love mine!


Cascade Falls Trail Mill Valley FujiGA645 Fuji Acros D-76 1-1 by rich8155 (Richard Sintchak), on Flickr


Ben caught in the cookie jar_FujiGA645_Acros D-76 1-1 by rich8155 (Richard Sintchak), on Flickr