Internal reflections in Hasselblad 500C

Trask · May 28, 2015

I was attempting a backlit shot on a hazy day, the sun not actually in the image but just off the frame, and as you see there is an odd band of light across the top of the image. Mirror would have been up, of course, so is this the result of the sunlight bouncing off a lens element somehow, and the fact that the light is only at the top is because the light source was off to one side, asymetrical to the lens axis? I cannot specifically recall using a lens hood, but may well have been -- it's my habit.

Any thoughts or speculation welcome.

bdial · May 28, 2015

Keep in mind that the image is upside down as projected by the lens, so the light streak goes across the bottom of the film gate.
Sometimes the black paint on the "barn doors" flakes off a bit, which might be a cause. Should be easy enough to look through the body with the shutter release pressed and the film back off to see if there are any shiny places.

All that said, the usual cause of Hasselblad light leaks is the seal for the dark slide. Though the usual evidence of that is fogging along one side of the frame.
If you don't see anything obvious in the body, try shooting a test roll with some tape covering the slide slot for some of the exposures.

Or else, if you don't know the back's history, get a kit and change the seal. It's easy, some people cobble it up from hobby store foam, and there are generic kits on ebay, or a phone call to Hasselblad will get you the genuine article for not much money (<$20 USD shipped for 2 when I bought mine a few years ago).

Trask · May 28, 2015

Thanks -- I'll check the barn doors. All other images on the roll, none of which were shot into the sun, exhibited this internal reflection, so I don't think it's a darkslide issue -- I was out in bright sun, but not aiming the lens into the light except on this one.

Sirius Glass · May 28, 2015

I believe that you have a bad light seal in the film back. Replace the light seal and the problem should go away.

summicron1 · May 28, 2015

dark slide on the hassy is on the side, so the glow from a leak would be on the side, not on the bottom (as the negative sits). I would check for something shiny on the inside of the body and replace those seals.

Have a friend whose really old Rolleiflex is doing this same thing, and it is a puzzle.

film_man · May 29, 2015

summicron1 said:
dark slide on the hassy is on the side, so the glow from a leak would be on the side, not on the bottom (as the negative sits).

Not necessarily, it depends how the light enters from the dark slide seal and what it bounces off. I had a tiny leak that made a lighter patch bang on in the middle of the frame, went away when the back was serviced and seals changed.

Europan · May 29, 2015

We don’t know which way he held the camera during exposure. Slide slot might have been downwards although rather inexpected.

Me thinks the thought of internal reflections is not completely wrong. With a Hasselblad 500 C(ube) you have enough space and surfaces that can produce stray light on the film. An old problem of the photographic apparatus

Sirius Glass · May 29, 2015

Light enters from the left side and project across to the right. With the image inversion, light seal leaks can appear on the left side of the image or as bars across the image.

Internal light reflects are highly unlikely in cameras such as the Hasselblad, Rollei, and Leicas. Internal volume has nothing to do with it but the speculation in the mind of the imaginer.

Douglas Fairbank · May 31, 2015

I know this light leak, 95% sure! It is in the magazine between the chassis and the shell, the magazine needs to be dismantled and the foam seals on the top and bottom of the chassis replaced plus any other seals in the same condition. It is very very hard to find, the method I use is a point light source on a probe held inside the magazine and examine the seams from the outside while you are in a darkroom.
Les Victor should be able to help you.

Trask · May 31, 2015

Well, I set the lens on Bulb, fired it off, then removed the back and looked in. Everything is black except for part of a block of metal with a screw through it on the bottom of the chamber, and that doesn't look like it would be the problem (see photo below). Perhaps it is the back as Douglas F suggests, though it didn't do this with any other frame - admittedly this was the only one where I was nearly shooting into the sun. I'll educate myself on light seals in 500-series backs.

Ian C · May 31, 2015

The photo you showed looks like common lens flare. It happens when a straight line exists from a bright light source to the front glass (lens or filter). It’s most often generated by light outside of the view angle of the lens as is shown in the following diagram at the top of the Wikipedia Lens Flare article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lens_flare

Note the shadow of the man in the street. It falls TOWARDS the lens and somewhat to the right. This indicates that the sun was high overhead and forward of the front of the lens and slightly to the left. This is the ideal situation to generate lens flare.

The horizontal band at the top is likely due the flare being partially shaded by the horizontal bar inside the mirror box. That part of the flare that was shaded by the bar didn’t hit the bottom of the chamber and then reflect towards the film. This left the edge of the frame corresponding to the top of the photo much less affected by the non-image flare light.

If you used a hood it didn’t extend enough to prevent the light from striking the front glass outside of the lens’s view. I see no evidence of a camera problem, just lens flare.

I often forget to bring a hood, or for some lenses, I don’t own a hood specifically designed for it. I determine the direction of the strong light, and place my hat forward of the front of the lens just outside of the lens’s view to shadow the front glass. This is most easily done when a definite shadow is cast. That makes it easy to position the hat (or gray card or similar object) to cast a shadow on the front glass. This makeshift shade generally works reasonably well if a proper hood or bellows shade isn’t handy.

Xmas · May 31, 2015

Hi Ian

It is called a French Flag and you could buy them rather than waste a hat.
But blads are prone to internal reflections.

Noel

Sirius Glass · May 31, 2015

Again what Douglas F said.

Noel is talking through his hat. <<wink>><<wink>>

Todd Pennartz · Nov 4, 2020

I have a question concerning the Hasselblad Data Camera used on the Apollo moon missions. Does anyone know what caused the "ghost fiducials" seen on the top two rows of fiducials in this image from Apollo 17.

RalphLambrecht · Nov 5, 2020

Trask said:
I was attempting a backlit shot on a hazy day, the sun not actually in the image but just off the frame, and as you see there is an odd band of light across the top of the image. Mirror would have been up, of course, so is this the result of the sunlight bouncing off a lens element somehow, and the fact that the light is only at the top is because the light source was off to one side, asymetrical to the lens axis? I cannot specifically recall using a lens hood, but may well have been -- it's my habit.

Any thoughts or speculation welcome.

View attachment 86828

makes for an interesting light though; well done.

campy51 · Nov 5, 2020

Todd Pennartz said:
I have a question concerning the Hasselblad Data Camera used on the Apollo moon missions. Does anyone know what caused the "ghost fiducials" seen on the top two rows of fiducials in this image from Apollo 17.

No but it happened to me when I was there. Of course that was in the sixties

jeffreyg · Nov 5, 2020

Is it possible that the sun was reflecting off the roofs of some of the parked cars ?

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

http://www.sculptureandphotography.com/

randyB · Nov 5, 2020

I would say that the flare is caused by several factors. Bright direct sun rays striking the front lens element being flared by a slight amount of internal lens haze and that same light bouncing off a flat surface inside the body. Clean black painted surfaces can reflect quite a bit of light if the angle is low. This can be a problem with any camera taking the same photo. A really good lens hood will help but may not solve the problem.

CJG · Nov 5, 2020

Here's what I did to test for a light leak recently. Take the camera outside in the sun. Expose a rill with the lens cap on. Process and look for light leaks

eli griggs · Nov 6, 2020

Were you using the camera from a high vantage point, on it's side for eye level use of a waist level finder?

Did you use a lens hood or other object to shield the light source from the lens?

Looking closely at the top of the 'flare', it looks to me as if the trouble is in the back curtains, as there is a double line one thin one just above the main glare line.

Let us know the result of your test roll, please.

3dreal · Nov 7, 2020

Hasselblad improved the bodies interior reflexions-wise. i am using successfully body paint for any camera purposes:
Déco Acrylic Multisurfaces mat/matt by Lefranc & Bourgois, 50ml. one can dilute with water when stiff.
I have others from a paint-shop.
Also flocked(taped) interior mirrorbox of Kiev 60(go it from baierfoto dot de) and painted remaining surfaces.

Internal reflections in Hasselblad 500C

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