MP problem

[zipper]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Has anyone come across this before, looks like a light leak or perhaps shutter bounce. It occurs only intermitently. it usually spoils only one frame per film, sometimes not at all for 3 or 4 films. Camera black MP. No real logic to it, it occurs in day or night shots, with 21mm and 75 Lux. Usually only 1 band, here there are 2! It can occur anywhere on the film, so I discount light leak through film cassette felt, anyway I always leave exposed film tail out to prevent this.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

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

[andybarton]

Looks like a sticking shutter to me.

[wizard]

No, this looks like some kind of parasitic light falling onto the film. No idea though from where it may come.

 

Andy

[earleygallery]

As the line fades out I would say it isn't the shutter (it should be an even line). I have read of instances where light can leak into the film chamber from the rangefinder area.

 

Maybe you should load a film and shine a bright light into the viewfinder/rangefinder at various angles and see what happens?

[rob_x2004]

Yes I have had the same problem, same camera. I dont know if that thread is still searchable or long dead.

 

I spoke to the tech that repaired mine and he figured it was light entering from the rangefinder patch side into the film chamber through the gap up behind the DX contacts on the RHS. Simple fix with black wax, done with a service and a CLA. It was known to happen with some M6, which was teh event he had been trained to fix, though he had never actually seen it before my MP.

 

Unconfrimed but possible that when you rewind, or when you have the camera out in harsh light is the time it happens. Spacing also matches the circumference of the wound film, so you get heavy line, lighter line on the film beneath. Heavy line, etc.

 

Ps..notice it fades from top to bottom. Remember your image is inverted in the camera. Send a few prints so the tech gets a lead on what to chase.

[telewatt]

Yes I have had the same problem, same camera. I dont know if that thread is still searchable or long dead.

 

I spoke to the tech that repaired mine and he figured it was light entering from the rangefinder patch side into the film chamber through the gap up behind the DX contacts on the RHS. Simple fix with black wax, done with a service and a CLA. It was known to happen with some M6, which was teh event he had been trained to fix, though he had never actually seen it before my MP.

 

Unconfrimed but possible that when you rewind, or when you have the camera out in harsh light is the time it happens. Spacing also matches the circumference of the wound film, so you get heavy line, lighter line on the film beneath. Heavy line, etc.

 

Ps..notice it fades from top to bottom. Remember your image is inverted in the camera. Send a few prints so the tech gets a lead on what to chase.

 

 

Yes, you are right!.. ..I had the same problem....get the camera to a Leica service and talk about the problem to get it fixed..

 

I was one of the first and I did a lot of test to show the problem....

 

regards,

 

Jan

[zipper]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Thanks Guys for your extremely helpful contributions. I originally thought this was an intermittent sticking shutter. which I bet would have been impossible to replicate on the bench! I now think the light leak is the most likely. I have also just had a chat with Peter at CRR and he also picked up on the fading density on the strip, indicating 'fogging' rather than shutter issue. I will try some more light tests on camera body loaded with unexposed film, and try to nail the exact problem. I will work on rangefinder and VF window too this time. Hopefully I can post the results soon. Thanks again.

[marke]

I remember something similar happened on one roll of film with my black MP. But in my case it was seen throughout the entire roll. I'm not sure if the banding faded from top to bottom, but now you've got my interest up and I'll see if I can find the negs. Since that one roll though, it's never happened again, so I just assumed it was a problem with the film during developing.

[zipper]

I think you are o.k. and your problem was a one-off film/dev event rather than a camera fault, especially as the fogging was through the whole film and not on random single frames?

[rob_x2004]

The problem is what is and the fix is what it is.

The varaible is what causes it and it may even be as finicky as heat related and expansion of the parts in the body causing the slot up behind the strip to expand and be no longer light tight.

There are other light leaks too, Leica picks them up from the shapes. The origin of yoiur light source could be different to mine but in the end it appears by the shape of it, to have found the same gap.

Leica, I have been told have a pretty wild light box that would fry your eyes to find light leaks. Because light entering often has to bounce round so many corners before finding somewhere to get to your film it isnt always an easy trace.

I know with mine it happened only in really hot weather, and I had reloaded though sheilding the camera, outdoors.

I was losing maybe three rolls every forty in the summer.

When they wax seal they will probably repalce all your seals ... which isnt many ... as a matter of course.

[zipper]

Thanks for those thoughts, Rob, I take your point completely. FWIW I'll post again when I have more (hopefully good) news!:-/

[marke]

Thanks, zipper. Yes, my film had the marks through the entire film, so I didn't think much of it.

 

I hope you get your MP gets well soon!

 

I think you are o.k. and your problem was a one-off film/dev event rather than a camera fault, especially as the fogging was through the whole film and not on random single frames?

[zipper]

Thanks Marke, I'm glad your MP checked out O.K.!

[zipper]

I've tried to duplicate this problem, exposed camera to light with film loaded, wound on, shutter cocked, not cocked etc., but I haven't been able to replicate problem which might indicate light leak or shutter issue. Obviously the issue is still there, this is very problematic. Every 2nd or third film I will ruin a frame, I could send the camera for service, and who knows if the £100s will fix the problem. I am very disapointed with my MP a the moment, whilst my black M2 has always been totally reliable and I have never had a problem with it. MP='mechanical perfection'? I'm not so sure any more...by contrast my old black Nikon F is battered and smashed, sprayed in salt water, travelled around the world, never been serviced in 20 years, never let me down.

[zipper]

I may have the answer for this problem at last, apparently Leica bean counters caused certain 1 Pfennig plastic light trap to be omitted on the MP which under certain conditions does allow light to spill onto the film plane, thus proving that light doesn't necessarily travel in straight lines. My MP has now been fixed, I hope.

[peter_n]

So do all us MP owners need to get the one pfennig fix?

[earleygallery]

As the line fades out I would say it isn't the shutter (it should be an even line). I have read of instances where light can leak into the film chamber from the rangefinder area.

 

Maybe you should load a film and shine a bright light into the viewfinder/rangefinder at various angles and see what happens?

 

Do I get a prize?

[chris_livsey]

Do I get a prize?

 

Yes - one pfennig