Light leak or out of focus foreground?

[Grim Tuesday]

I recently picked up a new Rolleiflex 3.5e and sent the ceremonial test roll through it. One of my favorite pictures was this one, but it is afflicted by an unfortunate something in the bottom right corner. I can't figure out what that something is, though. I am stuck between two possible explanations: a light leak and some out of focus something (perhaps the wall I was resting the camera on, or my finger). I want to take this camera on an upcoming trip so I want to know if it can be a light leak. Does anyone have any advice for figuring out what it is? Can Rolleis even have light leaks? There was no evidence of any issues in any of the other pictures.

 

[MattKing]

Looks like a finger to me.
Does it bleed into the rebate area on the negative?

 

[mcfitz]

Is this frame the only one with the problem? It seems to me that a light leak would affect more than one frame.

 

[Grim Tuesday]

No bleed onto the rebate and no effect on other frames. I think the finger hypothesis is correct. Thanks guys!

 

[neilt3]

A straight edge like that makes it look like it's the top off the wall you sat the camera on to take the shot .
A constant time also makes it look like the tiles used on the walls there .
Something to be aware of with a TLR when your looking through the viewing lens , not just close ups that have this issue .

 

[jvo]

i vote for the errant finger, and would run other roll thru it and process today!

enjoy your trip - and wonderful "new " rollei".

 

[ic-racer]

Can you post a picture of the negative?

 

[Sirius Glass]

If you want to avoid fingers in the field of view, you could remove the fingers.

 

[mark]

I borrowed a TLR for a week and almost every frame either had my finger or something else blocking that lower lens.

 

[thuggins]

I just shot a roll in a Sawyers Mark IV and one frame has a finger in the corner, just like that. If you shoot color film the flesh tone is a dead give away.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Nice finger!

 

[Sirius Glass]

If you want to avoid fingers in the field of view, you could remove the fingers.

 

[Luckless]

Personally I would guess railing over finger.

I try to remember to do a bob-check if I'm working near possible obstructions. It is easy to think you're in the clear with a TLR and miss that you've caught something in the lower corner of the taking lens that's too close for the viewing lens to pick up.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I recently picked up a new Rolleiflex 3.5e and sent the ceremonial test roll through it. One of my favorite pictures was this one, but it is afflicted by an unfortunate something in the bottom right corner. I can't figure out what that something is, though. I am stuck between two possible explanations: a light leak and some out of focus something (perhaps the wall I was resting the camera on, or my finger). I want to take this camera on an upcoming trip so I want to know if it can be a light leak. Does anyone have any advice for figuring out what it is? Can Rolleis even have light leaks? There was no evidence of any issues in any of the other pictures.

It doesn't look like a light leak to me. It looks like something close was in the frame when you fired the shutter. It's a minor flaw. If you plan to print it in the darkroom, you can burn in that corner.