What is this flare?

[hammam]

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I've hade two or three frames kind of fogged, or flared, like this in two different rolls. One, a Provia 100F, the other a Portra 160 VC. The lens is a 50 mm Summicron. The camera is an M6 classic. The two films had been kept in the freezer for maybe over a year, and I took great care of letting them thaw before opening the plastic container.

 

Any idea what might cause this? Thanks a lot.

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[waileong]

Typically light leak. Did the lab cause it when they unspooled your film?

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[Mark Antony]

Looks more like fogging to me, I have seen a similar thing once with a MF back that leaked light.

I think the way to test it is to cover the back with something to make sure there is no light leak, take 10 shots in bright light, then in subdued light cover the front round the lens mount take 10 more.

Then see which ones have (if any) fogging.

Sometimes fogging occurs over time so it might be a good idea to leave the camera in bright light for an hour or so at the end of the roll.

Also check the black paint inside the camera isn't scratched as flare can occur if its damaged.

Mark

good luck

[hammam]

Looks more like fogging to me, I have seen a similar thing once with a MF back that leaked light.

I think the way to test it is to cover the back with something to make sure there is no light leak, take 10 shots in bright light, then in subdued light cover the front round the lens mount take 10 more.

Then see which ones have (if any) fogging.

Sometimes fogging occurs over time so it might be a good idea to leave the camera in bright light for an hour or so at the end of the roll.

Also check the black paint inside the camera isn't scratched as flare can occur if its damaged.

Mark

good luck

 

If it was a light leak in the camera, wouldn't it show on all frames, not on 2 or 3 only? Also, did you notice how straight the flare looks on the right in the Portra exemple?

 

Here is another exemple. It's always on the right.

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[dkCambridgeshire]

Check to see if there is a loose strap lug ... if you can twist it, it might cause a light leak .. Leica strap lugs can work loose. If it was my camera would also try shining a halogen penlight torch through the lens mount on the front of the camera with the shutter on B and with some sort of baffle/seal between the torch and the lens mount ... and see if there is any torchlight leaking out the back/sides ... but would need to be done in darkness.

 

Dunk

[Mark Antony]

If it was a light leak in the camera, wouldn't it show on all frames, not on 2 or 3 only? Also, did you notice how straight the flare looks on the right in the Portra exemple?

 

Here is another exemple. It's always on the right.

 

Not necessarily, if it's a slow light leak then if you fire off 3-4 frames then leave the camera for a couple of days the one that was in the film 'gate' that will fog.

It could also be dependant on how much light is in the surrounding areas i.e in bright sunlight you may see more, it could also be the blacked painted area between the shutter and the back lens element.

Lots of things to check.

[square_one]

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Weird stuff Oliver. The light/fog/whatever effects on the "tank" shots are, as you note, very straight and along the trailing vertical side of the frame, and could be focal plane shutter related - like maybe the trailing curtain is pausing at the end of its cycle or something - not at all familiar with the mechanics. Reason I say this is that my new O serie exposed negatives with a consistent, extremely narrow, white-ish strip down the entire trailing (right) side of the negative frame at certain shutter speeds. Cost me three rolls of one-hour drug store Kodacolor to verify this before sending the camera off to the Elves in Solms where the whole shutter mechanism was replaced.

 

However your symptom is not blatant, trailing-edge white-out like mine was, so I don't know. Could be, as mentioned, a slow-leak on any long-resting, out-of-spool section of film is the culprit - or heaven forbid, co-culprit! Anyway, you need all the input you can get.

 

Tell us when you fix the problem. None will sleep til this little mystery is solved.

 

Bruce

[andybarton]

This looks similar to an over-exposure banding that I had with my M2 a couple of years ago.

 

It was due to a sticky shutter curtain and was easily solved with a CLA.

 

It's worth investigating the fogging solutions first though, unless your M hasn't had a CLA for a long time.

[telyt]

Looks to me like a light leak in the back door on the rewind side.

[robsteve]

Olivier:

 

Why don't send these jpegs to Kindermann and have Gerry Smith give you an opinion on it. I don't think there is anybody more experienced with the Leica M6 in Canada. Their CLA turn around is quite quick too.

 

Regards,

 

Robert

[wattsy]

Reason I say this is that my new O serie exposed negatives with a consistent, extremely narrow, white-ish strip down the entire trailing (right) side of the negative frame at certain shutter speeds. Cost me three rolls of one-hour drug store Kodacolor to verify this before sending the camera off to the Elves in Solms where the whole shutter mechanism was replaced.

 

Sorry to take the thread OT but my O series (which I bought in August) behaves like this with some shutter speeds. I didn't notice it on the most recent roll but I may have been using less susceptible shutter speeds. I guess I'd better send the thing off to be checked out.

[earleygallery]

As has already been suggested it could be a leak from the back door on one side.

 

Put a fresh roll of film in the camera and shoot frames (with the lens cap on) with a flash pointed close to the rear door on each side. Then shoot some frames normally (without leaving the camera in ambient light for too long). This should determine or at least eliminate the problem.

 

It doesn't look like a shutter problem to me.

[square_one]

Ian, the only speed edge whiteout didn't appear was at 50mm (in O lingo).

 

Bruce

[wattsy]

Ian, the only speed edge whiteout didn't appear was at 50mm (in O lingo).

 

Bruce

 

Thanks Bruce. It sounds like your problem was much more serious than the occasional instance of edge whiteout that I have seen. Initially, I rather liked the effect but I think it's better that the camera works as intended. I'll keep on eye on things and maybe send it in to Leica if I see a consistent issue.

[hammam]

Thanks for the new ideas, my friends. I sent the Leica to a repair person since my first post, and I am awaiting the diagnosis as we speak. If it does need a CLA due to problems with the curtain, then that's what we'll do. But I'm still hoping for something minor, even if the symptoms are spectacular. I'll keep you posted.