Odd and Sporadic Corner Light Mark

[SamRoach]

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Hi,

 

I have a problem with my Leica M3 (which I also had with an M4 that I no longer own).

There is a light mark that appears in some images (usually bright ones) in the bottom, left hand corner of my frame. It is small, and squared off at the edges. It happens with every lens I've tried: Voitlander Skopar, Summicron 35 and 50, and Elmarit 90. 

Here are my notes as I try to repair:

M3 Potential Light Leak Repair:

• Determine first if the issue is a hole in the shutter (Hole would be in the upper right side of the shutter if it is.)

• If it is a shutter hole, identify which curtain (my current belief is that it is the second curtain because shot one after leaving the camera sitting un-cocked [shutter is exposed to light for a long period of time while sitting] leak free. The next image, of a similar scene is leaked)

• Second possibility is a leak from back door/bottom plate of the camera. I do not believe that this is the case reason being that it happens in light situations which would not indicate a leak in the back door or bottom plate (for example, backlit or shooting late afternoon sun). There is also often this leak in flash shots, but inconsistently. These shots are shot in low light conditions so light must come from the scene. 

• Rangefinder leak. This would be my last guess. I have shot from very harsh light (bearing down on top and from of the camera) into shadow and not experienced leak. 

https://samroachphotography.pixieset.com/leicam34leak/

Here are some examples of the leak and one image where I would have expected the leak, but did not get it.

[jerzy]

curtain leak shall be pretty easy to determine - lens offm, backdoor open, use flash light to observe which curtain might have leak. Concentrate on upper, right corner, image is inverted.
but it does not look to me like curtain, rather then I would suspect backdoor. Leak will occure in specific situations only, light angle not only broghtness have impact. You may not be able to see it but you may try - shutter open (B), strong light from behind, upperm, right. 
But you may check it as well with electrical tape, like below

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The shape of light leak points less to the seal (but I would replace it anyhow) more to the pins which hold  backdoor. They are chromed and in specific light conditions light may be reflected. So check it with the tape and if leak will be gone drop me PM (I am not looking into this section regularly), I will post instructions what to do.

[StephenH]

I have a very similar and equally "odd and sporadic" leak with my M5 which has been diagnosed on this and other forums as a leak from the rangefinder window which is just above the upper right and corner of the film as it is exposed which corresponds of course with the lower left in the images.  I was under the impression that this latent defect effected only  M5 cameras, but I suspect it is the culprit in your M3 and M4.  It defies logic in that it happens with apparently no correlation with light conditions or even camera orientation.  If you have the patience (I don't) to place a finger on the rangefinder window as you take each exposure on your next roll, you may be able to confirm this diagnosis if the defect does not appear.  I find that it appears more often (or is more apparent) with faster (tri x) film than slower film, although that also defies logic==if the leak occurs when the shutter is open, then it wouldn't matter how fast film is because the exposure time would be longer and the leak would have time to cause this mark on the negative.  Equally mysterious to me is why we continue to prize these cameras which seem to be chock full of mysterious design and manufacturing defects, based on my own and the experiences of forum members.  I  consider myself more of a camera collector than a photographer,  and none of my vintage Nikon SLR's nor Rangefinders ever misbehaves like my M5 and and M3.  But if they worked worked as well as NIkons,  I guess we'd have nothing to talk about here!  Good Luck.  

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Edited September 17, 2021 by StephenH
grammar

[plaidshirts]

My guess would be the viewfinder. Tape the suspected locations one at a time, carefully noting it down, and take some test shots under different lighting conditions.