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[Matt_Bigwood]

I am trying to diagnose a light leak in an MPP Micropress camera (English camera, very similar design to a top rangefinder Pacemaker Speed Graphic).

I photographed a local football match (to see how it was done in days of old) using HP5 rated at 800asa.

I used six different double darkslides, some old MPP ones and some newer Fidelity.

Each negative has fogging in the same place - all the shots were taken using the focal plane shutter at 1/1000 second.

I've checked in a darkroom with a torch for bellows leaks etc, but nothing is apparent.

The shooting method was: cock shutter at 1/1000, load darkslide, withdraw sheath, focus, shoot, replace sheath and remove darkslide.

Any advice would be appreciated.

ps I can confirm it's not a processing fault as the edges of the negs are clear, and I processed a couple of sheets from another camera at the same time and they were fine.


[img]http://photo.net/bboard/big-image?bboard_upload_id=39154584[/img]

[img]http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6537744[/img]

[img]http://photo.net/bboard/big-image?bboard_upload_id=39154684[/img]

[45PSS]

http://photo.net/bboard/big-image?bboard_upload_id=39154584
http://photo.net/bboard/big-image?bboard_upload_id=39154684
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6537744

Your attempt to link to the images did not work so I reposted them.

Appearantly there is a terminology difference that may confuse some so I will attempt to correct them:
Football = Socker
Double darkslide = standard 2 sided film holder= film holder (for short typing.)
torch = flashlight or electric lamp?
sheath = darkslide

In your procedure you state inserting the film holder, pulling the darkslide, then focusing. I assume you were rangefinder focusing, correct?

When you checked the belows in the darkroom with a light was the light placed inside the camera with the bellows fully extended?
Did you check with the lens/board combo used to shoot the images both on and off the camera?
Did you put a film holder on the camera back and check for light leaking around it?
Have you inspected the focal pland shutter for pin holes?
Are there any birght or shinny points on the back side of the lens/board combo?

From the images I suspect a leak around the lens or lens board but it might be lens flare.
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

[Matt_Bigwood]

Thanks for reposting the links, and the transatlantic translation!

When I put the light inside the camera the bellows weren't fully extended, so I will try than.

Also, I have not yet checked the lens panel for leaks.

Cheers

Matt

[C. Henry]

Much as I do not like to disagree with Charles (45PSS) it appears to me that there is a small hole in the bellows near the body of the camera on the side near the focal plane shutter mechanism (the right hand side of the camera when viewed from the taking position). It is easy to forget that the image is rotated 180 degrees by the lens and look in the wrong place for a small light leak when using the image as a guide to where it is. I do concur with Charles' suggestion to fully extend the bellows when looking for the leak.

C. Henry

[Matt_Bigwood]

In case anyone is interested, I haven't got very much to report - work has been hectic for the last week or so, but I did thoroughly check the bellows again in a darkened room with a bulb inside them, and I still cannot find a leak. The bellows were fully extended.

On the advice of the excellent Jo Lommen, a press camera specialist in the Netherlands, my next examination will be removing the back (a die-cast assembly - with spring back).

I need to sort this as the camera is unusable at present.