Horizontal Line on Mamiya 645 1000s frames

[seitil]

Hello!

I am new to APUG and would just firstly say this forum is great. I have gotten back into film photography and really enjoying my time shooting again!

I have just started developing my own film and have noticed that my Mamiya 645 1000s has a few frames that are exhibiting a weird horizontal line in the frame. Searching through the forum I saw another person with this issue but I couldn't see their images as they were no longer hosted.

I ordered a new silver battery to replace my alkaline battery to test, but do you all think it might be a shutter issue?

This has happened since I have owned the camera but seems to be coming up a bit more often now than previously.

http://i.imgur.com/ycuzpW5.jpg here is a link to the image in question.

Thanks!

 

[MattKing]

Welcome to APUG.

That looks like a shutter problem to me.

 

[anikin]

Classical symptom of a light leak from the bottom of the door. Had that happen on mine. You need to replace all the light seals and it will go away.

 

[seitil]

I will try taping up the door and shoot a roll to see if that is the culprit, if that solves it that would be a lot cheaper to fix the seals than fixing the shutter! Thanks for your suggestions

 

[mr rusty]

Absolutely 100% a light leak on the 645. I've had it and seen other threads with it. The light is getting in around the catch and fogging the bit of film on the spool below. Change the seals taking good care to get a good seal around the catch and all will be good.

When fitting seals, self adhesive material is great but tends to stick as soon as it touches. Trick is to wet the sticky surface with a drop of water containing a tiny drop of detergent as wetting agent. Foam will now slide into position, and sticky will only grab when it dries.

Reason it only shows occasionally is that if you wind on quickly not much light enters, if you carry the camera around in the sun you get the leak big time.

 

[gone]

That's a good lens on the camera. Reminds of the Minolta Autocord I used to own.

 

[seitil]

That is incredibly helpful and makes complete sense! I will get a new seal kit ordered once I try it out with black tape over the seals just to make sure.

 

[seitil]

I used the 55mm f2.8 Mamiya 645 lens for the shot in my first post. It was a pretty bright day on Delta 400 so I think I shot it around f11, both of the Mamiya lenses I have (also have the 80 2.8) really shown their stuff with regards to sharpness. I am very impressed (plus you can't beat the out of focus character of these lenses - http://i.imgur.com/txulVJd.jpg is a good example of it)

 

[seitil]

Just an update! I tried shooting a roll after taping up the seals around the rear door and it solved the problem. I am going to order some new seals and install them. Thanks for your help everyone!