Where are these light leaks coming from!?

[TIPSinc]

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Let’s start at the beginning. 

October last year I send out my M6 to a technician who specializes in Leica cameras for over 25 years. I heard a lot of good things about him and a lot of people recommended him.

First I send it out for a shutter which wasn’t syncing well and I wanted a full CLA. It came back, still didn’t sync well at high speeds but I also noticed light leaks. Weird blue circular spots at the bottom of the negatives. Not on all frames or rolls though. 

Of course I send it back, the shutter was adjusted and all seemed good. Until I got my negatives back and there were still the blue light leaks. They did place new seals on the back door of the body, but that didn’t help it seems. 
 

3th time sending it back… they checked it again and came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be the body it was in perfect state. It had to be a problem at the lab while developing. So I got the camera back. Shot a couple of rolls and send them to 3 different labs. 1 in the Netherlands, 1 in Germany and 1 in Spain. And yes they all had the same light leaks. So I told the tech that it’s not development and I really want a solution. They asked me if I could send it back one more time. 

So here we are, 4th time. The tech called me today and said he can’t find any light leaks in the body… he wants to shoot a roll himself and develop it so he can check it. But I already told him it’s not necessary because I already send it to 3 different labs and it’s on all of them, and it’s not necessarily on every roll so it just might happen that he won’t see any. 
 

So I’m really in a sad mood right now and I hope someone has a solution for me or a way to point me to. 
 

Thanks in advance. 
 

Thomas. 

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[jaapv]

Yes, it behaves like a light leak, but it's strange that it is blue in all light conditions. It must come in through something coloured.  Also variable locations. Are you sure it is the camera or did something  happen to your film stock?

[Huss]

33 minutes ago, TIPSinc said:

.. The tech called me today and said he can’t find any light leaks in the body… he wants to shoot a roll himself and develop it so he can check it. But I already told him it’s not necessary because I already send it to 3 different labs and it’s on all of them, and it’s not necessarily on every roll so it just might happen that he won’t see any. 

 

 

 

You should have let him complete his check.  Not sure why you said no. 

 

[TIPSinc]

44 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Yes, it behaves like a light leak, but it's strange that it is blue in all light conditions. It must come in through something coloured.  Also variable locations. Are you sure it is the camera or did something  happen to your film stock?

It’s on different rolls from the last year. 

[jankap]

1 hour ago, TIPSinc said:

Of course I send it back, the shutter was adjusted and all seemed good. Until I got my negatives back and there were still the blue light leaks. They did place new seals on the back door of the body, but that didn’t help it seems. 
 

Do you use the camera with a case? And if yes, did you send it to the technicians with the case? -->> question answered, thanks.

Could you put the camera into a black (plastic) bag, the lens looking out and take a picture in heavy (sun)light and second one inside the house without bag in a dark room the lens looking outside (through a window)?

Edited November 22, 2022 by jankap
A better proposal

[TIPSinc]

18 minutes ago, Huss said:

You should have let him complete his check.  Not sure why you said no. 

 

Because I already checked that problem with 3 different labs. So it’s wasting money and time. The problem is not in development. 

[TIPSinc]

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1 minute ago, jankap said:

Do you use the camera with a case? And if yes, did you send it to the technicians with the case?

No I don’t use it with a case. 

[hektor]

My M7 has numerous light leaks !!!

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[250swb]

How are you 'scanning' the photos? I ask because the light leak extends beyond the frame and into the film rebate, not something that is usual with an in-camera light leak and suggests it's coming from an area that is both inside and outside the area of the film gate. And it's blue which is curious. So if it's coming in from the front of the camera the light leak would be white, but if it's coming from the back and travelling through the film base it would be orange. So do you have an artificial light source near the film if you are scanning it at home?

An alternative explanation would be if you had a loose strap lug, or perhaps a loose or missing plastic strap rub protector on the body, but a tech would surely have spotted this.

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, TIPSinc said:

Because I already checked that problem with 3 different labs. So it’s wasting money and time. The problem is not in development. 

But it would rule out a problem that is not camera-related.

[Huss]

2 minutes ago, jaapv said:

But it would rule out a problem that is not camera-related.

And the tech could have completed his tests, not relying on other people's tests.

[TIPSinc]

1 hour ago, 250swb said:

How are you 'scanning' the photos? I ask because the light leak extends beyond the frame and into the film rebate, not something that is usual with an in-camera light leak and suggests it's coming from an area that is both inside and outside the area of the film gate. And it's blue which is curious. So if it's coming in from the front of the camera the light leak would be white, but if it's coming from the back and travelling through the film base it would be orange. So do you have an artificial light source near the film if you are scanning it at home?

An alternative explanation would be if you had a loose strap lug, or perhaps a loose or missing plastic strap rub protector on the body, but a tech would surely have spotted this.

It’s visible on the negatives as a dark orange spot. So it’s not an issue with scanning. 

[TIPSinc]

24 minutes ago, jaapv said:

But it would rule out a problem that is not camera-related.

How is me sending it to 3 different labs (as the tech told me to do) not ruling out that it’s not developing? 

[Huss]

2 hours ago, TIPSinc said:

It’s on different rolls from the last year. 

When you say different rolls, were they different types of film?  Or all the same film but different rolls?  i.e. 3 rolls of Portra etc.

Have you tried with a new roll of film freshly bought?  Light leaks are not blue, I'm wondering if something contaminated the film that you had.  Whether through dampness, humidity etc.  Letting the tech shoot his own roll would have answered all these questions.

[jaapv]

1 hour ago, TIPSinc said:

How is me sending it to 3 different labs (as the tech told me to do) not ruling out that it’s not developing? 

The problem might be with a failed batch of films, for instance.  In fact, it is very unlikely  to be a light leak, as it extends over the dark separation bar between the images, which is covered by the film gate. Plus it is a weird colour and does not vary with various types of outside light. And the location on the film is variable; a light leak does not move around. I think it is very wise to do a test with a film from a different supplier.

[williamj]

4 hours ago, TIPSinc said:

Let’s start at the beginning. 

October last year I send out my M6 to a technician who specializes in Leica cameras for over 25 years. I heard a lot of good things about him and a lot of people recommended him.

First I send it out for a shutter which wasn’t syncing well and I wanted a full CLA. It came back, still didn’t sync well at high speeds but I also noticed light leaks. Weird blue circular spots at the bottom of the negatives. Not on all frames or rolls though. 

Of course I send it back, the shutter was adjusted and all seemed good. Until I got my negatives back and there were still the blue light leaks. They did place new seals on the back door of the body, but that didn’t help it seems. 
 

3th time sending it back… they checked it again and came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be the body it was in perfect state. It had to be a problem at the lab while developing. So I got the camera back. Shot a couple of rolls and send them to 3 different labs. 1 in the Netherlands, 1 in Germany and 1 in Spain. And yes they all had the same light leaks. So I told the tech that it’s not development and I really want a solution. They asked me if I could send it back one more time. 

So here we are, 4th time. The tech called me today and said he can’t find any light leaks in the body… he wants to shoot a roll himself and develop it so he can check it. But I already told him it’s not necessary because I already send it to 3 different labs and it’s on all of them, and it’s not necessarily on every roll so it just might happen that he won’t see any. 
 

So I’m really in a sad mood right now and I hope someone has a solution for me or a way to point me to. 
 

Thanks in advance. 
 

Thomas. 

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The blue colour bothers me as it does others and suggests either a blue light source or something that reacts blue with the film. 

Can I ask are the affected frames in the first third of the roll or do they affect frames anywhere in the roll? If the film went through scanners the affected frames will be mainly in the first third of the roll. Or, if there are defects in the cassettes the light leaks will be mainly on one edge of the film but again mainly in the first third. That is all I can think of given your answers to comments from other forum members. 

Also it seems that the photos are taken with the same lens? What about other lenses? Cheers. 

[Huss]

5 hours ago, TIPSinc said:

Let’s start at the beginning. 

October last year I send out my M6 to a technician who specializes in Leica cameras for over 25 years. I heard a lot of good things about him and a lot of people recommended him.

First I send it out for a shutter which wasn’t syncing well and I wanted a full CLA. It came back, still didn’t sync well at high speeds but I also noticed light leaks. Weird blue circular spots at the bottom of the negatives. Not on all frames or rolls though. 

Of course I send it back, the shutter was adjusted and all seemed good. Until I got my negatives back and there were still the blue light leaks. They did place new seals on the back door of the body, but that didn’t help it seems. 
 

3th time sending it back… they checked it again and came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be the body it was in perfect state. It had to be a problem at the lab while developing. So I got the camera back. Shot a couple of rolls and send them to 3 different labs. 1 in the Netherlands, 1 in Germany and 1 in Spain. And yes they all had the same light leaks. So I told the tech that it’s not development and I really want a solution. They asked me if I could send it back one more time. 

So here we are, 4th time. The tech called me today and said he can’t find any light leaks in the body… he wants to shoot a roll himself and develop it so he can check it. But I already told him it’s not necessary because I already send it to 3 different labs and it’s on all of them, and it’s not necessarily on every roll so it just might happen that he won’t see any. 
 

So I’m really in a sad mood right now and I hope someone has a solution for me or a way to point me to. 
 

Thanks in advance. 
 

Thomas. 

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Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

If it was a light leak, it would be much brighter in daylight where there is lots of light, than at dusk or indoors, where there is little light.  Your images clearly show a very similar intensity, which means it is not a light leak.  It looks like film contamination.

If you had let the tech complete his tests, he would have been able to confirm.

[wattsy]

13 hours ago, jaapv said:

In fact, it is very unlikely  to be a light leak, as it extends over the dark separation bar between the images, which is covered by the film gate. 

The blue colour is certainly interesting but I don't agree at all with your dismissal of this being a light leak. There are numerous places within the camera where the film can be affected by light leaks where the film gate doesn't even come into play (in the take up spool area, for example). Besides which, I've had a few occasions where I've taken a photo towards a very strong light source and had the area of exposure "leak" across and partly appear in the adjacent frame.

Edited November 23, 2022 by wattsy

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[wattsy]

17 hours ago, TIPSinc said:

Weird blue circular spots at the bottom of the negatives. Not on all frames or rolls though. 

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The blue colour intrigues me. The leaked light must either be a cooler source than the ambient (unlikely unless the OP has some kind of flash sourced light bouncing around in the camera) or it is being filtered on its way in. Does anyone know what kind of coating is on the main VF window? Maybe the VF is filtering the light that is going through a pinhole into the film take-up chamber (albeit they are on opposite sides of the body) or something like that? Or possibly a similar problem to the one reported by @Ouroboros but in the OP's case perhaps a much smaller pinhole leak?

 

Edited November 23, 2022 by wattsy

[andybarton]

17 hours ago, TIPSinc said:

Weird blue circular spots at the bottom of the negatives. Not on all frames or rolls though. 

Are these spots visible on the negatives/prints on their return from the lab? Or do they manifest themselves over time?