Processing or camera problem?

[ChrisR]

These 3 images are from the middle of a roll of Portra 400 processed and scanned by Photo Express in Hull. They were taken on my trusty Pentax ME, with the 50mm f/1.7 lens. I've had no previous evidence of light leaks with this camera.

The frames before and after show no problems. I think there was a gap of several days between the frames before the memorial shot and that one. I think the snow drops were the same day or just after. The tree shot was a couple of weeks later, and the following shots were the same day. On the face of it, those times make a camera light leak at least plausible.

I've just had a look at the seals. TBH they don't look great, but OTOH I can't see any way light leaking in via the seals could produce these effects.

Any thoughts? Is it likely the camera or likely the processing? I've drafted an email enquiry to Photo Express but decided I'd like to get some comments first.

 

[medwaygreen]

Looks like a problem I had with a small light leak the longer the camera stayed on a frame the worse it got. New light seals solved the problem.

 

[compulsivehordr]

Looks like the light seals to me - you only need to plonk the camera down so that the light - could be a lamp or bright sun - sneaks into the gap and hey presto. I guess it is probably the edge with the catch, nearest the take-up spool in this case. You can get replacement foam from ebay. The hard part is getting the gunky old stuff off and out!

 

[Asha]

Light leak Chris I'm afraid .....like has been said, it can be sorted.

As Alastair says it only takes the sun etc to sneak in through the gap hence why the problem isn't forced to show itself on every frame or to the same extent although the entry point will be the same ( unless you are unfortuanate to have more than one leak like is often the case with bellows)

 

[NickT]

I think it's probably a leak but most leaks from the door edges that I have seen show as some shade of yellow/orange, so I'm wondering if it might be the shutter? Have a look at the sprocket hole area on the offending negatives, if that is fogged then it's definitely a light leak.

 

[ChrisR]

Just checked the negs, and the fogging does extend into the sprocket area. So that's a light leak, not the shutter then!

I've emailed Jon Goodman at the last email address I could find on here (an AOL one). He hasn't answered yet! Oh, it's Sunday... There was another one on 'tweb (CameraSealKit.com), around $13 inc postage I think.

PS if I send one of these off for a CLA should I expect seals to be done as part of that? I think the MX needs a CLA sooner, so it might still be worth getting seals for the ME, but I'm not sure I'm up for mirror dampers etc!

 

[s162216]

Yes changing the seals is a standard part of a CLA.

 

[medwaygreen]

Yes changing the seals is a standard part of a CLA.

Depends on who you use, you have to qualify what the CLA includes.

 

[NickT]

I'm glad that your problem isn't anything more serious than a light leak, which is easily fixable.

It's definitely worth hanging on to try and get hold of some of Jon Goodman's seals if you can. I and many others have used his seals and found them first rate. He used to sell generic (cut your own from a big packet of foam) seals, but I can't see how did this without making a loss. Now he sells pre-cut kits tailored to each camera model I believe.

It's really very easy to do, even changing the mirror bump strip just requires patience and a reasonable degree of dexterity, (not watchmaking level). Incidentally he published a re-sealing guide for your Pentax at http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/seal/Pentax_ME.pdf

I'm sure your repair will be successful and not too dear whichever way you go.