Artifacts on pictures with Leica M6 - Light Leakage?

[Ekwizz]

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Hello guys,

I'm new to the Forum and hope you can help me with my Problem.

A month ago I bought a used Leica M6. The camera has been serviced last year and I also got bill.

Shooting with the Leica I noticed some strange artifact on some of my pictures.

This artifact is not on every picture and the amount of this effect varies from barely to extremely visible.

It seems like this point is overexposed.

At first I thought that this is a problem connected to the Lens but it also occurs with other Lenses.

It's always in the same position of the film (bottom left of the picture) and has the same shape.(also when I shoot the same scene horizontally and vertically)

I've also noticed that the perforation on the film has also caught some light.

Does someone have any experience with this or knows a solution to this?

I've added a picture of a film that shows this effect most.

 

Thank you so much in advance.

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[jaapv]

Consult the person who serviced the camera and/or the seller. 

[nitroplait]

It is a light leak that comes from the rear of the camera; the sprocket holes are exposed - they wouldn't be if the light leak came from the front.

Remember that images are formed upside down on the film, therefore the cause of the light leak must be in the upper part of the camera.

As @jaapv notes, it is a problem that should be the responsibility of the seller/repair tech. 

Complain.

[madNbad]

If your M6 has the plastic bumpers at either end of the top plate, check them and see if one of them is loose. Occasionally they fall off allowing light infiltration.

Welcome to the forum.

[Huss]

How many rolls of film have this?

Did you develop the film yourself?

The first thing to do is eliminate processing as a cause i.e. something that happened out of camera.

As nitroplait mentioned, as the sprockets are exposed it did not come internally from the front of the camera which is a very good thing.  As those are the hardest light leaks to trouble shoot/repair.

[Ekwizz]

Thank you guys so much for your help. Yes, I do develop film myself. I have checked how many I've already shot and how many have that issue. 6 out of 8 rolls have that problem. Always the same position and always the same shape... Just the intensity varies.

[pgk]

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Simple way to test a camera for light leaks is to entirely wrap it in aluminium cooking foil (lightproof) and then use it in very bright conditions (which will most likely produce a greater amount of leaked light) to shoot a film's worth of frames. You can narrow the problem down by removing sections of the foil every 2 or three frames (take notes) until you get the problem showing. This will tell you which area of the camera is leaking light.

[earleygallery]

Remove the lens (no film in the camera), open the shutter on B and look into the camera whilst also pointing a bright light towards the top of the film door at the back and see if you can spot any light leaking in.

If you can't see any leaks then shoot another roll in daylight and get the film commercially processed (to eliminate a processing fault).

 

[pedaes]

Agree with James, think you need to eliminate processing flaws. If a camera problem why not all films?

[Ekwizz]

I will definitely check my development process. I haven't been developing for a while but I have never had this issue with any of my other cameras. What could cause such an artifact though during developing remains a mystery to me😅 If that'd be the case wouldn't it make more sense if it would occur on different spots on the pictures?🤔

I have some cheap film laying around so I will be checking leakage tomorrow by covering certain areas of the camera just how you recommended.

[250swb]

Right hand side strap lug?

[Huss]

2 minutes ago, 250swb said:

Right hand side strap lug?

That would not cause a leak to go over the sprockets.

[madNbad]

If you’re going to check the development process, expose one roll in a camera you have used and know the results from. Then a roll from the M6. If both rolls show the same pattern, then it’s development. If one is fine and the other has marks, then it’s the camera. Either way, get in touch with the service person.

[250swb]

41 minutes ago, Huss said:

That would not cause a leak to go over the sprockets.

How so? You wind the film onto the take up spool and the lug comes through the body  adjacent to the top of the film.

[TomB_tx]

1 hour ago, 250swb said:

How so? You wind the film onto the take up spool and the lug comes through the body  adjacent to the top of the film.

Correct - also the film in the take-up chamber winds emulsion side out, so it would be more sensitive to light in that area.

The right side of the back door would also be past the pressure plate, and so a leak there could also get to the sprocket area. Quite easy to seal all edges of the back door with black tape as a trial. That side of the back door originally just used a labyrinth seal, but I've seen several that had a velvet strip added there.

[250swb]

1 hour ago, TomB_tx said:

Correct - also the film in the take-up chamber winds emulsion side out, so it would be more sensitive to light in that area.

The right side of the back door would also be past the pressure plate, and so a leak there could also get to the sprocket area. Quite easy to seal all edges of the back door with black tape as a trial. That side of the back door originally just used a labyrinth seal, but I've seen several that had a velvet strip added there.

And I think if it isn't broken or bent the back door won't be the culprit. The back door doesn't need foam light seals, there is only a thin fabric dust seal on the top edge. But anything is hard to diagnose without seeing the camera up close.

[Huss]

4 hours ago, 250swb said:

How so? You wind the film onto the take up spool and the lug comes through the body  adjacent to the top of the film.

I see your point.  Indeed.

[Ekwizz]

So I have now shot a full film with the Leica and progressively covered the points you mentioned with tape. I have checked my development process but couldnt't find anything that could be related to this issue. So I developed the roll and I have the same artifacts again. I wrote down where the sun was coming from, what the shutter speed was and what part of the camera I had covered for every picture. Couldn't find any real pattern there... Already reached out to the person who serviced the camera and he also assumes that it could be a leak from the back of the camera, the body or the backdoor. So no real solution yet. Only good thing is that I still have warranty on the service.

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[pedaes]

3 minutes ago, Ekwizz said:

Leica and progressively covered the points

Do you not need to do something extreme? Wrap whole camera in a light proof material with just as small as possible opening for lens and shoot off a roll. 

[Ekwizz]

vor 22 Minuten schrieb pedaes:

Do you not need to do something extreme? Wrap whole camera in a light proof material with just as small as possible opening for lens and shoot off a roll. 

Well I thought I could narrow down the problem doing it like that. I have now tested everything else in the process and couldn't find anything so I'm assuming it has to be on the camera. Covering up the whole camera wouldn't help find the leakage though. I consider shooting another roll and also cover up the whole camera for a couple of shots.