Yeah. That was my first thought. Easy to check.Hmm, that almost looks like a hole burnt in to the shutter. Which can happen on any M film camera.
I did check for pinholes in the curtains by shining a flashlight in a dark room, shutter both cocked and uncocked. I didn’t see any.
What does the negative look like?
Is the light leak the same on all images?
It might not show anything in these two positions.
If it's half wound, metal edges of both shutter curtains will be in the middle of the frame. Very often when shutter curtain fails, failure is located next to the crimped metal edge.
On the other hand, if it was a hole in the shutter, I would expect more effect across the frame. It would be either well defined if very small or travelling smear if it travelled the whole way.
But how does it appear on the negative, and does it extend outside the frame?One can clearly see it on the negative, so it’s not a scanning artifact.
But how does it appear on the negative, and does it extend outside the frame?
Remember the lens flips things over so look at the top right corner for the light leak or shutter hole.
Please see two example negatives. One of them is from a different roll.
Indeed I did take this into account.
Does it appear on unexposed frames at the start of the roll?
Light leak is in the same general spot but start of the leak is around half sprocket width different. Intensity and shape seems slightly different.
Characteristic of very small pinhole light leaks is that it will be very weak if time between shots is short and if more time passes between shots light leak will be stronger.
Light leak on second attached image is much more pronounced.
From my many light leak investigations, I found more than few leaks that couldn't be easily found with a flashlight test in a darkroom.
To gain little bit more sensitivity, eyes can be closed in a darkroom and one eye is brought close to the lens opening and basically left in the dark.
You can use black foam or cloth around lens mount to isolate eye from any stray light and then shine the flashlight from the back.
Other way. More sensitive. Is to use a digital camera from the mount side and again use black foam or cloth to prevent light from getting in between the digital camera lens and shutter curtains and shine from the back side.
Long exposure on high ISO should show if there are any light leaks on curtains or not. This can be tested in wound, half wound and tripped positions as well.
I appreciate your thorough instructions. I found using a digital camera a little cumbersome, so I just tried again using my eyes, after letting them acclimatize to the dark. I do not see any pinholes at wound, unwound, or mid-wound.
I’m inclined to pack it up and send it to Sherry or DAG at this point.
The only other thing you could try before sending it is taping all seams around the camera to try it that way.
Also, holding the negative the way it gets exposed in the camera and observing possibilities might point you somewhere.
The only other thing you could try before sending it is taping all seams around the camera to try it that way.
Also, holding the negative the way it gets exposed in the camera and observing possibilities might point you somewhere.
I see the leak extending down into a sprocket hole, which complicate the matter somewhat.If that would 'fix' the light leak , then the light leak would not just be in the image area, but also across the edge of the rebate.
It is not, so taping stuff up will do nothing.
If that would 'fix' the light leak , then the light leak would not just be in the image area, but also across the edge of the rebate.
It is not, so taping stuff up will do nothing.
This really looks like a hole in the shutter. I've had the notorious M5 leak (fixed by the amazing Zacks when everyone else failed!) it is does not look like this.
Holes in the shutter can be really hard to see...
I see the leak extending down into a sprocket hole, which complicate the matter somewhat.
Checking through lens mount would resolve that side. The easies way with film is to use darkroom changing bag for testing. Elastic sleeve can be put around lens and only light is coming through the lens.
If this produces light leak, than it must be through the shutter...
Well, to my very pleasant surprise, Leica NJ is repairing it under warranty, although I won't know exactly what the problem is until I get it back. I know the camera was made in June 2020, but I bought it used on a FB group, and it didn't come with a copy of the original receipt.
From searching online, I'd simply assumed I'd have to foot the repair bill. Should be done in a few weeks I'm told.
I guess since it's a warranty repair, I surmise it can't be a shutter curtain hole, as that's likely considered user-induced (?)
Great that they honor the "implicit" warranty - it is a very new camera after all. Fujifilm did a free logic board replacement on my X100F more than two years off warranty and no receipt - and I wasn't even the first or second owner - so sometimes companies understand they may have an interests in providing service beyond their strictly legal obligations.Well, to my very pleasant surprise, Leica NJ is repairing it under warranty, although I won't know exactly what the problem is until I get it back. I know the camera was made in June 2020, but I bought it used on a FB group, and it didn't come with a copy of the original receipt.
From searching online, I'd simply assumed I'd have to foot the repair bill. Should be done in a few weeks I'm told.
I guess since it's a warranty repair, I surmise it can't be a shutter curtain hole, as that's likely considered user-induced (?)
Great that they honor the "implicit" warranty - it is a very new camera after all. Fujifilm did a free logic board replacement on my X100F more than two years off warranty and no receipt - and I wasn't even the first or second owner - so sometimes companies understand they may have an interests in providing service beyond their strictly legal obligations.
But anyway; That makes me wonder why you had the courage to buy such new camera without a copy of the original receipt? A camera less than two years old without a copy of the original receipt would have raised a warning flag or two in my head.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?