I have a M6 and have been noticing that light has been getting onto the top edge of my film. Small scallops (2-3mm high and 10mm wide) of the top edge are exposed. It is intermitent and has not been big enough to affected a frame. Any comments?

-- Charles Curry-Hyde (charles@chho.com.au), March 17, 2001

Answers

Charles, is this film that you are processing yourself, or are you sending it out? How sure are you that the fogging is happening while the film is in the camera?

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), March 17, 2001.

It has been discussed before that light can and does get around the M camera shutters from time to time. Usually when changing lenses outside in the bright sun, especially with high speed film. See if the leaks are located on the film where you changed lenses.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 17, 2001.

Can you post a scan of a complete strip of film so we can get a better idea of what you are talking about? It sounds suspiciously like processing problems.

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@home.com), March 17, 2001.

I just read the post again, and if the fogging isn't into the frame, I think we can rule out the shutter fogging I mentioned above. It is also hard to imagine how light could ever get around the back door on an M camera. I am also thinking a developing problem.

-- Andrew Schank (aschank@flash.net), March 17, 2001.

Is it possible that you're using stainless steel reels, and having a bit of trouble loading them? This sounds a lot like the kind of marks one gets when the edge of the film is bent over when the film jumps over a track in the reel--even if you realize you've done it and back up and correct the mess, the crease mark still shows as a dark mark--exactly as if it had been exposed, except much sharper--fog marks usually have fading edges and are lighter overall, and can cover quite a large area.

-- Michael Darnton (mdarnton@hotmail.com), March 18, 2001.

i had a similar problem on my camera. theres some pieces of felt that line the inside of the shutter. one of those might be missing or loose. check that out....perhaps

-- grant (g4lamos@yahoo.com), March 18, 2001.

I have an M4p and I had the same problem (3 times) during the last 2 years. I traced it down to changing lenses in bright sun light, with the throat of the camera exposed to direct sun. Don't forget that film is travelling upside down in the camera. When you are changing lenses, very bright light seeps through the bottom edge of the curtains. Try leaving your camera without a lens in a bright sun lit room, but not in direct sun, for 20 minutes and you will be surprised how much light actually slips through. You will get the same results with an SLR camera if you do the same test with the mirror flipped up.

-- Sait Akkirman (akkirman@clear.net.nz), March 26, 2001.