Likely cause of light leak?

Horatio · Jun 23, 2021

I picked up a very nice N2000 for cheap earlier this year. I only had time to run one roll of film through it after buying, but it appears to have a serious light leak. The test shots below were made in sequence, mainly as a test of the aperture priority system. (Please don't judge them for artistic merit!) The noontime sun was coming from the right of me. I stepped forward and turned slightly to the right in the second exposure. Some help determining the possible leak site would be helpful. You folks were great at helping @zanxion72. I thought it might be from the door hinge seal. Possible?

Horatio · Jun 23, 2021

This is from the same roll, an earlier shot, made about 15 feet away with the sun behind my left shoulder, just about 90 degrees.

wiltw · Jun 23, 2021

Maybe need for new foam light seals on the back, where the door closes, particularly along the top edge of the opening.
It could be along the sides as well, since leak seems to move from left (right seal) to right edge (left seal) of the photo

Carlini Fotograf · Jun 24, 2021

Horatio said:
I picked up a very nice N2000 for cheap earlier this year. I only had time to run one roll of film through it after buying, but it appears to have a serious light leak. The test shots below were made in sequence, mainly as a test of the aperture priority system. (Please don't judge them for artistic merit!) The noontime sun was coming from the right of me. I stepped forward and turned slightly to the right in the second exposure. Some help determining the possible leak site would be helpful. You folks were great at helping @zanxion72. I thought it might be from the door hinge seal. Possible?]

Looks like you need new Light Seal Foam. I buy mine on Amazon.. Its $9.99 for a 9x4 sheet of foam. It works great
and easy to cut. I resealed all 10 of my Mamiya and Yashica TLR's.
https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Light-Seal-Form-1-5mm/dp/B0014YUWF4/
https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Light-Seal-Form-1-5mm/dp/B0014YUWF4/

George Mann · Jun 24, 2021

The two places this model can leak light into the film door is the hinge seal, and the film cartridge window.

zanxion72 · Jun 24, 2021

@Horatio Do these leaks extend outside the picture frames? If yes, it can be two things, the deteriorated foam at the right side of the back just in frond of the door hinges, or light leaked through the film canister. Could you please post a photo of the inner of the door? Most likely the culprit is with the light seal on it.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 24, 2021

wiltw said:
Maybe need for new foam light seals on the back, where the door closes, particularly along the top edge of the opening.
It could be along the sides as well, since leak seems to move from left (right seal) to right edge (left seal) of the photo

although, I believe thiscamera was designed with a light trap and has no light seal to speak of.

Horatio · Jun 24, 2021

Thanks for all the replies so far. Looking at the interior of the back, there is a thin strip of foam at the hinge and a foam pad around the film window. The window foam appears to be in good condition. I am tempted to just seal the hinge with electrical tape (externally, of course) to test my theory. I should be able to check for leaks at the film window tonight. I'll also post pics when I get a chance.

gone · Jun 24, 2021

If it were mine, I'd tape up all the likely places on the back and try another roll of film. A PITA, but trying to chase down the leak another way might not not be much fun.

BradS · Jun 24, 2021

Can you post photos of the negatives?

Horatio · Jun 24, 2021

BradS said:
Can you post photos of the negatives?

I'll look for them tonight and post if found. I can't recall whether it extended all the way across the film or not. I'm thinking it did. Another possibility is a leak from the (bulk) cassette during handling.

MFstooges · Jun 24, 2021

momus said:
If it were mine, I'd tape up all the likely places on the back and try another roll of film. A PITA, but trying to chase down the leak another way might not not be much fun.

+1

MFstooges · Jun 24, 2021

RalphLambrecht said:
although, I believe thiscamera was designed with a light trap and has no light seal to speak of.

+1

Huss · Jun 24, 2021

RalphLambrecht said:
although, I believe thiscamera was designed with a light trap and has no light seal to speak of.

Incorrect.

I just checked mine, there is a light seal at the hinge, and for about an inch away from it on both the upper and lower channels.
There is also a really large foam seal around the film window that extends to the door locking mechanism.

My camera does not leak light.

Horatio · Jun 24, 2021

Huss said:
Incorrect.

I just checked mine, there is a light seal at the hinge, and for about an inch away from it on both the upper and lower channels.
There is also a really large foam seal around the film window that extends to the door locking mechanism.

My camera does not leak light.

Thanks for checking, Huss. I don't think mine has any foam in the channels.

Horatio · Jun 24, 2021

Ok. Here's the negatives in question. It seems to run from edge to edge and bleed from one frame into the next.

I checked the inside camera face and it has foam all along the channels, from end to end, though none is flush with the surface. I also placed an empty cassette inside and closed the back. I then set the camera in bulb mode, tripped the shutter and shone a flashlight all around the joints and film window. I could see no leaks. I'll try again later in a completely darkened room, just in case it was too faint to detect with my face blocking the lens mount.

Huss · Jun 25, 2021

Horatio said:
Thanks for checking, Huss. I don't think mine has any foam in the channels.

Sorry Horatio, I stand corrected. I looked again and I meant that on the camera back. There ARE foam seals in all the body channels, it was just hard to see as it was so mushed in. But still no leaks.

BradS · Jun 25, 2021

looks like the light tight seal at the door hinge may be at fault here.

Horatio · Jun 25, 2021

BradS said:
looks like the light tight seal at the door hinge may be at fault here.

That’s what I was thinking.

grat · Jun 25, 2021

Huss said:
My camera does not leak light.

Mine leaks dark. I keep getting it on my fingers. Annoying.

RalphLambrecht · Jun 26, 2021

Huss said:
Incorrect.

I just checked mine, there is a light seal at the hinge, and for about an inch away from it on both the upper and lower channels.
There is also a really large foam seal around the film window that extends to the door locking mechanism.

My camera does not leak light.

OK; Nikon made some cameras (plastic bodies)with light traps instead of seals and they had less instances of light leaks; the light trap is a better design than a light seal IMO; fewer parts-fewer failures!

Huss · Jun 26, 2021

RalphLambrecht said:
OK; Nikon made some cameras (plastic bodies)with light traps instead of seals and they had less instances of light leaks; the light trap is a better design than a light seal IMO; fewer parts-fewer failures!

The advantage of the seals is that they also kept dust out.

zanxion72 · Jun 28, 2021

Eventually the problem happened again. I found out that there is a tinny horizontal gap between the shutter blades allowing some light to get to the focal plane from up to down. Do that tinny glow around the mirror in the up position gets recorded on film with what you see in the original posts. A FA for the dustbin. What a pity!

Horatio · Jun 28, 2021

zanxion72 said:
Eventually the problem happened again. I found out that there is a tinny horizontal gap between the shutter blades allowing some light to get to the focal plane from up to down. Do that tinny glow around the mirror in the up position gets recorded on film with what you see in the original posts. A FA for the dustbin. What a pity!

Sorry to hear that. Is there no one in Greece that can repair it?

zanxion72 · Jun 28, 2021

Horatio said:
Sorry to hear that. Is there no one in Greece that can repair it?

There are a few, but they ask for the price of another one to repair it. What a pity!

Likely cause of light leak?

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