Light leak found - FYI

[Ole]

I have been plagued by light leaks lately...

Always along the long side of the film, toward one side. Some holders have been worse than others, but all have given leaks at some time - and not at others. When I shot the solar eclipse this spring there was no sign of it, despite the dark slide being out for well over half an hour - in sunshine.

I was inspecting the bellows yesterday without finding anything. But then I suddenly realised that on the back of my camera (under the ground glass assembly), there were two strips of velvet. There was none on one side of the back...

So now I'm taking my camera up to the local shopping mall to buy three narrow strips of black velvet; I'm replacing all to ensure even thickness.

 

[clogz]

Had some trouble with my Nikon F80 this summer. Light came through the rubber foam surrounding the film window with the result that five film were ruined by stripes. I took out the rubber foam and replaced it with some that covered the film window. O fellow APUGgians! Check your cameras!

 

[roy]

. O fellow APUGgians! Check your cameras!

Did this a little while ago when I found some fogging with an EOS600. The source was the foam seal betwen the back and the body. I dug the old foam out but have not yet found anything to replace it with. I tried felt but that was too thick. Am still looking for a solution to the problem but have replacement cameras so I can cope with what I have.

 

[Flotsam]

Here's a source for replacement foam, (look under "Restoration Supplies"), as well as many other extremely useful things for Photographers. Definitely deserves a bookmark.

Dead Link Removed

 

[roy]

Here's a source for replacement foam


Thanks Neal, I shall study this and see what I need.

 

[Jon Shiu]

You can buy a kit of light sealing foam for $6.00 on ebay. Search on "camera light seal". I bought the kit to replace my mirror damping foam on my K1000 camera. Good kit and good service.