Nikon F6 light leak

[alexfilm]

Is the film on the "standard" acetate base or a PET base (which is more prone to light piping)?

Edge marking has lettering for FILMOTEC ORWO N74 813717 77A25
It's interspersed with ON 02 8005 8363+32, increasing across the film – ON 02 8005 8364+32 for example

I found a review of the stock on Emulsive, along with more details on their available stock breakdown.

"The film is available in 16mm and 35mm formats, is coated on a triacetate base and was previously also available as Bergger BRF400."

 

[MattKing]

Motion picture film on a tri-acetate base.
There is no particular reason that it should be more prone to light piping.
Is there any chance that the cassettes are non-standard (smaller) in size, thus allowing light in through the film window?

 

[alexfilm]

Motion picture film on a tri-acetate base.
There is no particular reason that it should be more prone to light piping.
Is there any chance that the cassettes are non-standard (smaller) in size, thus allowing light in through the film window?

Not that I remember – I'd have to get one out of the fridge to check.

 

[Arthurwg]

Looks like the shutter to me. Had something similar with my Leica M3 back in the 1970s.

 

[alexfilm]

Looks like the shutter to me. Had something similar with my Leica M3 back in the 1970s.

The odd thing is the F6 shutter has vertical movement from what I understand.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

How in hell the best film camera ever can have light leaks? Or problems? Maybe there is a firmware update to fix this?

 

[ic-racer]

What kind of cassette? Does it seal appropriately around the window in the back, because the negatives seem to indicate light coming from that area.

 

[alexfilm]

What kind of cassette? Does it seal appropriately around the window in the back, because the negatives seem to indicate light coming from that area.

It seemed like a normal size when I loaded it.

 

[Huss]

Easy. Just shoot another roll of regular film through it. Fuji C200. Arista 100. Any regular production film. If there are no weird marks, then there is nothing wrong with your camera. But something wrong with your film.

I recently bought some of the just released Shanghai GP3 220 film. When I developed it there were scratch lines all over it. I thought that perhaps my Fuji GW690 had somehow started to do it, but I then shot a different roll of film and it was completely fine. So it was the Shanghai film that was defectiive.

 

[film_man]

To investigate issues you need to start with a baseline, eg the film is ok. Get a fresh roll of good film, not some cheap stuff on ebay. Get some Fuji or Kodak film and run that through. As said by Huss above, tThen you'll know if it is the camera or the film.

As for shutter, the shutter travels vertically. If it was sticky it would leave horizontal bands on the top/bottom. If there was an issue with the travel movement of the blades you would get probably circular marks (the blades swing up down while remaining parallel).

Check the film window, maybe the foam there has gone and it burns the "next" shot before it gets into position? Shot half a roll, then tape that window and shoot the other half. See what happens. Maybe point the camera back towards the sun between each shot too just to make the fault more obvious.

 

[Autonerd]

I don't think this is a shutter problem -- the dark line expands past the shots and into the sprockets, outside of what the shutter uncovers.

A light leak is possible (I have one camera that leaks a little if I don't move the film along) but I would also suspect both the film and the development process.

Has this happened on more than one roll?

If that's bulk-rolled film, I'd either process some unexposed, or run a completely different roll through the camera and see if the issue pops up again.

I have lots of 40 year old cameras with bad light seals, as mentioned one that leaks a little, and haven't seen anything quite like that.

 

[alexfilm]

I don't think this is a shutter problem -- the dark line expands past the shots and into the sprockets, outside of what the shutter uncovers.

A light leak is possible (I have one camera that leaks a little if I don't move the film along) but I would also suspect both the film and the development process.

Has this happened on more than one roll?

If that's bulk-rolled film, I'd either process some unexposed, or run a completely different roll through the camera and see if the issue pops up again.

I have lots of 40 year old cameras with bad light seals, as mentioned one that leaks a little, and haven't seen anything quite like that.

So far it's just this roll, and the line out to the edge does make me question the film. Once I get sun this week, I'll run something mass produced through there.

 

[Ai Print]

It's not the camera with the light going all the way across like that. I bet it is the film canister light trap.

 

[ic-racer]

It's not the camera with the light going all the way across like that. I bet it is the film canister light trap.

Yes the canister light trap is protecting some of the film, see post #32. The light still has to come from somewhere. Likely the window in the back door which is in the direct vicinity.

 

[AgX]

It's not the camera with the light going all the way across like that. I bet it is the film canister light trap.

How could a faulty light-seal at a cassette produce such artefact midfilm ?

 

[Kino]

Motion picture film on a tri-acetate base.
There is no particular reason that it should be more prone to light piping.
Is there any chance that the cassettes are non-standard (smaller) in size, thus allowing light in through the film window?

All of our ORWO is polyester base.

 

[MattKing]

All of our ORWO is polyester base.

Interesting: http://www.filmotec.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/V-I-TI-N74plus-e.pdf

 

[Born2Late]

Save your time and money, don't send it to Nikon. I had the same problem, diagnosed it and sent my camera to them; they said there was no problem with the camera. The light comes through the little window that allows you to see the film cannister. As a test I covered mine with black electrical tape and it prevented the problem. The tape blends well with the body so it really doesn't show.

 

[alexfilm]

Save your time and money, don't send it to Nikon. I had the same problem, diagnosed it and sent my camera to them; they said there was no problem with the camera. The light comes through the little window that allows you to see the film cannister. As a test I covered mine with black electrical tape and it prevented the problem. The tape blends well with the body so it really doesn't show.

I've always got a good supply of gaffer – would that be light tight enough if I went that route?

 

[Sirius Glass]

I've always got a good supply of gaffer – would that be light tight enough if I went that route?

Yes

 

[Kino]

Interesting: http://www.filmotec.de/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/V-I-TI-N74plus-e.pdf

Yes, we don't use that stock. All the lab stock is by default polyester; acetate is special order.

(Guess I should have mentioned that at the time...)

 

[Arthurwg]

So the F6 can act just like a Hasselblad? I always use black tape over the dark slide slot on my Hasselblad backs. That works well.

 

[Born2Late]

I've always got a good supply of gaffer – would that be light tight enough if I went that route?

I would think so. If in doubt use 2 layers.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

This image doesn't mention what film was used, but looks like the same problem:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/media/img102_exp.64015/​

Perhaps you and Jay are victims of the same film.

 

[Scott Micciche]

This image doesn't mention what film was used, but looks like the same problem:

https://www.photrio.com/forum/media/img102_exp.64015/​

Perhaps you and Jay are victims of the same film.

The EM doesn't have a rear window like the F6, but the pattern does look similar.