Hasselblad 500C/M. Light leak or misuse?

voightlandertroubles · Nov 9, 2021

Hi there,

I recently purchased from eBay a Hasselblad 500C/M body and from another a 150mm lens. I tested it over the weekend and got some images back. Sadly, it appears that on 75% of the images, there's these white streaks which I think may be light leaks.

I've never seen such a problem before with a Hasselblad so was double checking if they are indeed light leaks? If so, should I be looking to replace the body or the lens?

Examples of images below:

John Salim · Nov 9, 2021

Looks like you need to replace the magazine light seals.
This can be done quite easily by yourself if you're up to doing these fiddly jobs.
There are a few videos on YouTube.
Here's a typical one ...

John S

voightlandertroubles · Nov 9, 2021

Thank you! I'll give it a try

MattiS · Nov 9, 2021

Just for safety - get some of these countersunk srews M1,6x4 wich fix the cover plate on the film back, too. Guess why I know...

drmoss_ca · Nov 9, 2021

The magazine light seals are really easy to replace, but the light leaks they can cause generally appear on the right of the photo, the image on the film being reversed right to left and top to bottom. So, check the screws that hold the back plate on are tight, and not protruding. When the magazine is mounted on the camera, does it feel at all 'wobbly' or loose?

The seals sold by Dick Werner (blackbird771 on eBay) are cheap and effective, but include only the foam and folded plastic that go on one side of the slot - and usually this is all you need. If you need to replace the velvet strip on the other side of the slot you have to buy the Hasselblad seal set (also available on eBay).

voightlandertroubles · Nov 9, 2021

drmoss_ca said:
The magazine light seals are really easy to replace, but the light leaks they can cause generally appear on the right of the photo, the image on the film being reversed right to left and top to bottom. So, check the screws that hold the back plate on are tight, and not protruding. When the magazine is mounted on the camera, does it feel at all 'wobbly' or loose?

The seals sold by Dick Werner (blackbird771 on eBay) are cheap and effective, but include only the foam and folded plastic that go on one side of the slot - and usually this is all you need. If you need to replace the velvet strip on the other side of the slot you have to buy the Hasselblad seal set (also available on eBay).

Thank you for this! The only issue I have is that I'm based in Australia and the light seals get quite expensive to purchase with shipping. I'm weighing up to refund the body and just buy another one since there's a light leak happening.

drmoss_ca · Nov 9, 2021

The body itself is probably not at fault. If you buy another with a different magazine you are once again throwing the dice as to whether it needs new light seals or not. If the body works, I'd put new seals in the magazine, which is cheap, easy, and needs doing every few years anyway.

Sirius Glass · Nov 9, 2021

Film magazine seal light leaks show up on the right side of the film [the light comes in at the left but the image is flipped over, so the seals are not your problem. The problem comes from the exposed film not being tightly sealed, light piping in through the edge of the roll or film handling. I put my film in black plastic cases to avoid light leaking in around the roll.

MattiS · Nov 9, 2021

drmoss_ca said:
The magazine light seals are really easy to replace, but the light leaks they can cause generally appear on the right of the photo, the image on the film being reversed right to left and top to bottom. So, check the screws that hold the back plate on are tight, and not protruding. When the magazine is mounted on the camera, does it feel at all 'wobbly' or loose?

Good objection. Could a darkslide not fully inserted or bent/warped cause such a leak?

drmoss_ca · Nov 9, 2021

Sure, but evenly across that side of the frame.

Duceman · Nov 9, 2021

Sirius Glass said:
Film magazine seal light leaks show up on the right side of the film [the light comes in at the left but the image is flipped over, so the seals are not your problem.

Interesting in that I once had (what I thought) was a light seal leak. The below photo shows the leak on the left of the photo. I replaced the seals on this magazine, and never had the problem again.

Road Ahead by D.R. DuFault, on Flickr

voightlandertroubles · Nov 9, 2021

I think then the issue would be the film back. I noticed heavy corrosion and yellowing on the film back as I was inspecting it this morning

Ai Print · Nov 10, 2021

I don’t think it is light piping / loosely wound roll, you would see the effects of that on the rebate (black unexposed area around the image) and I don’t see that here.

Sirius Glass · Nov 10, 2021

Ai Print said:
I don’t think it is light piping / loosely wound roll, you would see the effects of that on the rebate (black unexposed area around the image) and I don’t see that here.

Good point. Light piping or loosely wound does not address the over exposed areas in the middle of the negative.

itsdoable · Nov 10, 2021

It is probably the dark slide seal.

They appear on the right side with a shadow up against the rebate, or on the left side right up to the rebate. It depends on the nature of the leak.

If the leak come is at an angle and exposes the right side of the image, the lip between the dark slide slot and the film plane casts a shadow that you can usually see on the image.

If the leak comes in at a shallow angle and exposes the opposite side, you essentially get a big shadow that looks like the above, and a reflection from the lip on the opposite (left) side. You can also see some artifacts at the notches, where the reflection is missing, casing a shadow - although those may be image processing artifact.

Checking the rebate will narrow down the location of the light leak.

That video linked above shows the same left side light leaks, although the sharp streaking one (on the cover image) is not from the dark slide seal. It may be from a gap between the back and camera, but really looks more like a PP job. Don't always believe what you see/hear on YT.

Hasselblad 500C/M. Light leak or misuse?

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