Yashica Mat 124g Light Leak Issue

ASchaef · Nov 18, 2019

Hi all,

Apologies if you came across this note on another forum but I'm desperate to find a solution here.

I've been playing around with a Yashica Mat 124G that my uncle gave me and am encountering an odd issue that affects virtually all my exposed negatives.

Each frame has what looks like a light leak of varying degree in basically the exact same spot along the left side of the frame. Some show just a faint white overexposure, some show what looks like a full over exposure at the specific spot. Here are a couple examples:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/68744588@N05/shares/39H716

I have to think it is some type of stray light hitting the negative but I've done my own investigating (shining a flashlight through the taking lens, etc.) and have not found anything that seems awry. Does anyone have any insight as to what could be causing this? I know I'm due for a CLA but I just want to try and figure this out because otherwise the camera works great. Thanks for any insight you may have!

BobD · Nov 18, 2019

Appears it needs light seal around the film door replaced. You won't see that with a flashlight while the door is open.

ASchaef · Nov 18, 2019

Fair point. I had read here that the 124g doesn't have light seals, just light traps but I guess it could be some issue with the door on that side. I have tried shining a light through either side of the door to look for issues but it hasn't discovered anything. I might try putting black tape back there though.

BobD · Nov 18, 2019

I sold my 124G years ago so maybe they don't have light seals around the door. I bought mine new so I never had to mess with that. But, that is what it looks like on your pics to me. All you have to do is look and see if there is a strip of foam around the edge of the film chamber where the door closes.

You won't necessarily see a light leak by shining a flashlight. Film records cumulative exposure, so the leaked light may be too dim to see by eye but the film "sees" it over time.

MattKing · Nov 18, 2019

The light leak will be on the right side of the camera - images are flipped by the taking lens.

glbeas · Nov 18, 2019

Take your negative strip and orient it in the back of the camera emulsion in and image upside down. The fogged area should line up with whatever is leaking light. Be aware the light leak could be in the roll chambers as well.

itsdoable · Nov 18, 2019

My 124g has a thin strip of foam on the door's light seal. It may have been a change in their 16 year production run.

Does the leak go into the rebate? It sort of looks like it does. Is it on the 1st and last frame?

John Will · Nov 18, 2019

ASchaef said:
Fair point. I had read here that the 124g doesn't have light seals, just light traps but I guess it could be some issue with the door on that side. I have tried shining a light through either side of the door to look for issues but it hasn't discovered anything. I might try putting black tape back there though.

I'm not sure this is correct. I have owned my 124G since new and it had rope type seals fitted. I had it serviced a couple of years ago and had the light seals replace with foam type.

Light seal sets are very cheap, available here: https://uscamera.com/product/yashica-yashicamat-light-seals/ Installation Instructions: https://uscamera.com/uscamera-light-seal-placement-guide-yashicamat-tlr/

abruzzi · Nov 18, 2019

itsdoable said:
Does the leak go into the rebate? It sort of looks like it does. Is it on the 1st and last frame?

This is the first important question to answer. Generally speaking (not 100% mind you), if the flare extends into the rebate area, the leak is somewhere around the door or inserts (if the camera has inserts, which the Yashica doesn't.) If the flare is in the image area but the rebate area is unaffected, then the leak is in front of the film path, not behind.

reddesert · Nov 19, 2019

The light struck area does extend into the rebate, img015 (the bluish ocean scene) shows it. I would check the light seal at right edge of the camera and also the condition of the edge of the back door and body in that area. The door and body are relatively thin pieces of metal that fit together to make a light trap, and if one or both have been dented or bent, it could reduce the integrity of the light trap. Also make sure the door is really closing properly all-around when you turn the knob at bottom of the camera.

Some other things to note are to keep the camera and film roll out of direct sunlight, and if you have an eveready case for the camera, that helps keep light off the door-body seam.

This looks like a camera leak because it is always in roughly the same place relative to the frame. However, it is not unusual for people using 120 film to get some sun-light struck areas at the end of the roll, because it isn't as foolproof as a 35mm cartridge, so I thought I'd mention that.

kevs · Nov 19, 2019

I had the same problem with my 124G. The light leak was absent from most of a film but would appear on the first few frames of the roll, luckily (and oddly) right between the frames. It turned out light was leaking through the top corner of the film door and was hitting the film at a precise point, but as the film bulk dropped it moved out of the light-leak's path. Took me ages to work that one out. I put a strip of masking tape inside to top edge of the film door and it stopped happening. They're lovely cameras so it's worth sorting out; have fun and I hope you solve your problem.

kevs

Yashica Mat 124g Light Leak Issue

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