Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: tehtarik on April 27, 2011, 05:52:05 am

Title: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: tehtarik on April 27, 2011, 05:52:05 am
Hi there,
I just got myself a beautiful Contax G2. After processing the first several films i noticed a lightleak on several frames. I can't find an explanation for them, neither can various photographic insiders.
maybe someone here has seen something similar - or has had similar experiences?!
I will attach some sample images.
Any help is much appreciated!
thanx and so long
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: JeanMichel on April 27, 2011, 03:55:38 pm
Hi,

Looks like a problem with your shutter. As you cock the shutter for some reason the overlap between the two curtains may open up momentarily -- but not always. Could be something totally different of course, but it does appear to be a mechanical problem requiring repair.

Jean-Michel
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: tehtarik on April 28, 2011, 05:40:44 am
Hi JeanMichel.

That's what I thought at first as well. But the Shutter on the Contax G2  seems to run horizontally, as opposed to the vertical leak in my negs.
Also the leak is not a solid line, but has gaps in between.

Makes it all the more mysterious...!
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: AFairley on April 28, 2011, 01:04:48 pm
How far into the roll are the lines?  Do they repeat?  Just wondering if could be a light leak at the film cassette lips.
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: tehtarik on April 28, 2011, 01:08:22 pm
Yes they do repeat, but at seemingly random intervals...

Seems to appear anytime from frame #1 through #36.

sometimes 2 frames in a row, sometimes up to 15 frames in between (until it shows up again)
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: AFairley on April 29, 2011, 12:34:14 pm
Yes they do repeat, but at seemingly random intervals...

Well, that rules out my theory.  How about if the back is a little sprung, and different pressure at different places on the camera open it up (to varying degrees).  Way to test might be to lock the camera down on a tripod, trip shutter touching release button only
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: JeanMichel on April 29, 2011, 02:35:58 pm
Hi again,

Out of curiousity I searched and found a pdf version of the Contax G2 manual. There is a small window on the back cover to show the type of film used. It may well be that some light manages to leak onto the film, except that in that case you would think that an overall fog rather than a line would occur. I also note that the camera has an in-betwen frames data imprinting function, perhaps a malfunction there may be the cause. In any event this is not a user-fixable problem. Hopefully the camera is still under warranty.

Jean-Michel
Title: Re: lightleak on neg.film - help needed !!
Post by: schrodingerscat on April 29, 2011, 10:27:22 pm
As the streaks go right through the frame, that rules out likely shutter problems. Probably a light leak. Most film cameras use a foam material for light sealing that turns to a gooey mess after awhile. Check the grooves that the door sits in when closed and the seal around the window.

Have you repeated this? Processing and defective film canisters could also be a culprit.