Light Seal recommendations

subtlelikeatrex · Aug 11, 2025

Hi folks.

I use a Mamiya M645 1000s, among other things, and the light seals need to be replaced. I searched the forum with keywords but found nothing recent.

I found a thread with Jon Goodman mentioned as a reliable source of seals. I emailed him and he replied but unfortunately he’s not in the business of selling light seal kits anymore.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a known vendor that sells a good quality light seal kit for the M645 1000s? There was another post here where someone got some real junk that didn’t fit and had to be hacked down to fit properly.

Thanks!
José

Disconnekt · Aug 11, 2025

USCamera sells lightseals, they have some for M645 here: https://uscamera.com/product/mamiya-m645-light-seals/

You can email them if you have any questions. Not sure how much the shipping is.

abruzzi · Aug 11, 2025

I don't have a Mamiya, but I've used Aki Asahi for seals and replacement covering in the past and have got great stuff from them. Their M645 Seals are $12 and $8 to ship. (you also get two kits for that price, in case you mess up mounting a piece you get a spare.):

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/Mamiya_M645/Foam/Mamiya_M645_seal.php

subtlelikeatrex · Aug 11, 2025

Disconnekt said:
USCamera sells lightseals, they have some for M645 here: https://uscamera.com/product/mamiya-m645-light-seals/

You can email them if you have any questions. Not sure how much the shipping is.

USCamera was the seller of the poorly cut seals in the bad review I did find on here. That was also in 2019, however, so it’s possible their wares are better now.

F4U · Aug 12, 2025

I've never found a light seal foam kit as good or complete as the original factory ones. And I've refoamed and serviced a lot of cameras. Goodman's were as good as any, but not remarkable. My advice is to just go on ebay and buy what you can find and let it go at that. Compared to the deteriorated gooey mess you have now, the overpriced ebay crap is at least adequate. Not the advice I'd prefer to share, but it is what it is. At one time I could go to hobby shop and buy the foam that model railroaders use under their track and cut it for my purpose. Seen any hobby shops you can walk into lately? Just buy the ebay crap and smirk with annoyance and use it. Better than what you've got now.

subtlelikeatrex · Aug 12, 2025

F4U said:
I've never found a light seal foam kit as good or complete as the original factory ones. And I've refoamed and serviced a lot of cameras. Goodman's were as good as any, but not remarkable. My advice is to just go on ebay and buy what you can find and let it go at that. Compared to the deteriorated gooey mess you have now, the overpriced ebay crap is at least adequate. Not the advice I'd prefer to share, but it is what it is. At one time I could go to hobby shop and buy the foam that model railroaders use under their track and cut it for my purpose. Seen any hobby shops you can walk into lately? Just buy the ebay crap and smirk with annoyance and use it. Better than what you've got now.

Ah now you’re reminding me of my childhood in the 80s when there were hobby shops that sold model airplanes and such.

Although I did not think of the local indie-owned craft supply shop in town until now. I’m going to check them first and if that’s no joy then I’ll definitely go online.

Thanks

subtlelikeatrex · Aug 12, 2025

abruzzi said:
I don't have a Mamiya, but I've used Aki Asahi for seals and replacement covering in the past and have got great stuff from them. Their M645 Seals are $12 and $8 to ship. (you also get two kits for that price, in case you mess up mounting a piece you get a spare.):

http://aki-asahi.com/store/html/Mamiya_M645/Foam/Mamiya_M645_seal.php

Thanks for the rec.

koraks · Aug 12, 2025

abruzzi said:
I've used Aki Asahi for seals and replacement covering in the past and have got great stuff from them.

Me too; the cut-to-size kits are great and the material can easily be cut to size at home as well.

bdial · Aug 12, 2025

Japan Hobby Tool has light seal foam sheets in various thicknesses.
I bought mine from B&H, but I’ve not used any of it yet, so can’t comment on how easy it is to use, or how well it works.

loccdor · Aug 12, 2025

For cameras that I needed to cut foam to custom size, I ordered a sheet from Milly's Cameras in Britain and it worked well. It's inexpensive. I bought the 1.5mm thickness.

Neil Poulsen · Aug 16, 2025

Check EBay. I was able to purchase several sets of seals for a Mamiya Pro-S that worked great on several backs that I had.

subtlelikeatrex · Aug 30, 2025

Thanks everyone! I don’t see the last few replies before I purchased a set from us camera so I may need to use one of these other sources if that doesn’t work out well

blee1996 · Aug 30, 2025

I use Jon Goodman's variety pack as well as Milly's variety pack, and slice myself with rotary fabric cutter and xacto knives. This way I get all kinds of material (open cell, closed cell, felt) and different thickness. I have too many cameras to maintain, thus buying individual kits will bankrupt me.

eli griggs · Aug 30, 2025

F4U said:
I've never found a light seal foam kit as good or complete as the original factory ones. And I've refoamed and serviced a lot of cameras. Goodman's were as good as any, but not remarkable. My advice is to just go on ebay and buy what you can find and let it go at that. Compared to the deteriorated gooey mess you have now, the overpriced ebay crap is at least adequate. Not the advice I'd prefer to share, but it is what it is. At one time I could go to hobby shop and buy the foam that model railroaders use under their track and cut it for my purpose. Seen any hobby shops you can walk into lately? Just buy the ebay crap and smirk with annoyance and use it. Better than what you've got now.

What name did it g0 by?:

MattKing · Aug 30, 2025

blee1996 said:
I use Jon Goodman's variety pack as well as Milly's variety pack, and slice myself with rotary fabric cutter and xacto knives. This way I get all kinds of material (open cell, closed cell, felt) and different thickness. I have too many cameras to maintain, thus buying individual kits will bankrupt me.

AFAIK, Jon isn't providing these any more - and stopped providing them several years ago.
I'd be happy to learn things are changed.

blee1996 · Aug 30, 2025

Jon definitely retired completely, and his remaining stocks all gone. I know this because I emailed him last week, and that is his answer.

Larry Cloetta · Aug 30, 2025

At one point in time some cameras did not use foam for light seals, they used a waxed cord. I think the Leicaflexes used this, at least the early ones. Easier to install, only need to cut to length and not width. Sherry Krauter used this when she redid my Leicaflex SL2 long ago. (Since stolen).
It works.
I’ve periodically tried to find something fit for purpose to match that, without success. Anyone have any ideas for a specific source?

eli griggs · Aug 30, 2025

I like wool and waxed linen, but will give hemp a try in the future.

Michael’s sells two (2) oz. Bee’s wax with its beading supplies.

What sort of camera specs are we talking about and can we post a sticky with specs and sources, Mylar and foam/felt included?

grain elevator · Aug 31, 2025

Larry Cloetta said:
At one point in time some cameras did not use foam for light seals, they used a waxed cord. I think the Leicaflexes used this, at least the early ones. Easier to install, only need to cut to length and not width. Sherry Krauter used this when she redid my Leicaflex SL2 long ago. (Since stolen).
It works.
I’ve periodically tried to find something fit for purpose to match that, without success. Anyone have any ideas for a specific source?

Wool knitting yarn works ok for me. Depending on the width of the grove, I either use the full yarn or split it into the three constituent yarns (or whatever the correct term is). I haven't been doing this for super long but expect that at some point, too many fibres will come off if it and it needs to be replaced, which is no biggie. I'm under the impression that cotton gives off more small fibre bits and that's undesirable as they might and up in the film or in the innards if the camera, but I may be wrong or the longer fibre bits from wool may be worse.

Larry Cloetta · Aug 31, 2025

I wish I could access the proprietary cord which Leica used, or cords other companies used. The cord Sherry Krauter used in refurbing my Leicaflex was exactly the same as the original cord. Would be easier than some of the makeshift things I have tried coming up with. It was fairly stiff, and thus easy to place, was of the ideal thickness and pliability. I guess I could always call her up and ask her, but hate to bother her.
To be honest, I don’t even know why it would ever need replacing, as it does not seem to degrade over time like every kind of foam does.
Just rambling, sorry.

eli griggs · Aug 31, 2025

I believe I've mentioned this before, a Circut Maker 3 should be good at cutting various sheet foams and belts, to size.

Light Seal recommendations

subtlelikeatrex

Disconnekt

abruzzi

subtlelikeatrex

F4U

subtlelikeatrex

subtlelikeatrex

koraks

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bdial

loccdor

Neil Poulsen

subtlelikeatrex

blee1996

eli griggs

MattKing

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blee1996

Larry Cloetta

eli griggs

grain elevator

Larry Cloetta

eli griggs

Light Seal recommendations

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