Zeiss Super Ikonta 531/2 is leaking light

[Berndt]

Hi everybody ... I really need your help today ...

Recently, I purchased a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 531/2 which seemed to be in perfect condition ... but ... the first three testfilms ( two Fuji Velvia 50 and a Kodak T-Max 100 ) showed, that there is obviously some light leaking into the camera The effect occurs on every picture, B/W and color film.

I checked the bellows with a super bright flash light ( even in a completely dark room ) again and again and I can't detect even the tiniest hole - the bellows seems to be okay.

Also the shutter seems to close perfectly and nothing seems to be broken. The camera is in pretty good condition and looks like new.

I have no idea, where the light is leaking through

Any ideas would be much appreciated. I think, it's a beautiful camera and I want to use it !!!

Thanks a lot. Here are two pics from one of the test films. Others look similar. Sorry, it's just a bad copy, which I quickly did with a digital camera.


Leaking light issue 01 by bokuwanihongasuki, on Flickr


Leaking light issue 02 by bokuwanihongasuki, on Flickr

[herron]

Nov 26, 2011 9:11:26 GMT -5 Berndt said:

Hi everybody ... I really need your help today ...

Recently, I purchased a Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 531/2 which seemed to be in perfect condition ... but ... the first three testfilms ( two Fuji Velvia 50 and a Kodak T-Max 100 ) showed, that there is obviously some light leaking into the camera The effect occurs on every picture, B/W and color film.

I checked the bellows with a super bright flash light ( even in a completely dark room ) again and again and I can't detect even the tiniest hole - the bellows seems to be okay.

Also the shutter seems to close perfectly and nothing seems to be broken. The camera is in pretty good condition and looks like new.

I have no idea, where the light is leaking through

Any ideas would be much appreciated. I think, it's a beautiful camera and I want to use it !!!

Thanks a lot. Here are two pics from one of the test films. Others look similar. Sorry, it's just a bad copy, which I quickly did with a digital camera.

Just throwing out ideas.

If it isn't the bellows or the shutter, the likely culprits would be the film door or something that happens during the rewind-removal stage. The Super Ikonta 531/2 uses 120 film, if I remember correctly. Is there any light leak in the back? Are there good seals around the door?

Is the rewind tight? If there is any slippage while rewinding, the roll could be ever-so-slightly loose on one end. Is the flare always on the same side of the film?

[nikonbob]

Just throwing out another idea. The light leak appears to be in the upper right of the photos so would that mean the leak is occurring on the bottom left of the camera? Boy, that is too bad as the photos appear to have some interesting content. Let us know if you make any progress in determining where the leak is.

Bob

[Berndt]

Thanks so much for the input. Any idea is much appreciated as I still couldn't find the reason for the light leaking yet

ron: The Super Ikonta 531/2 is using 120 film, so there is no film rewind

What I think, I would say so far is, that the light is most likely leaking from the back/body ( not bellows ). I cropped the example pictures accidentally a little bit too much and if looking closer at the edges of the slides, it seems, that there is an exposure "over" the actual exposure ( outside the actual film frame ). That means for me, that the light doesn't leak during the exposure, it leaks during the time between taking one picture and the next. Is that logical ?

And I just did another test. My ingenius wife gave me the idea I took a flash light from my bicycle, which is very small and very bright, put it into the camera, facing the back side and closed the camera. Going into a completely dark room, I actually expected to detect the leak ... but ... nothing. The camera seems to be tight. That riddle really drives me crazy, guys

Last possiblitiy would be the counter window ... but the strukture of the light leaking ( on the picture ) doesn't look like coming from that, because I always opened the counter window for a moment while forwarding the film ... but those light trails on all pictures look like there is a light spot "writing" something on the picture, caused by the movements of the camera ... and if the light would come from the counter window, there should be some kind of "red shining" on the color film, because the incoming light is red and not white. But there is not such an effect on any of the pictures.

I am slowly running out of ideas

Here is one of the pictures, showing also the edges:


light leaking borders by bokuwanihongasuki, on Flickr

[scorp]

Your second example almost looks like a static discharge . . .

[mickeyobe]

berndt,

I think your wife, the genius, has the right idea.

Was the light from your bike small enough to point in all directions within your camera?
If not your test was not complete.
Get a smaller light. Perhaps a single LED bulb with its contacts taped to an AAA battery.

Mickey

P.S.
The alternative could be a firefly.

[julio1fer]

Light seems to be coming from the bottom left of the camera. It covers all the film, so it is not the bellows, shutter, etc. I'd bet it comes from the back or bottom. Holding reel pin?

[Berndt]

Mickey, Julio1fer ... you guys might be even more ingenius than my wife

I bought an even smaller flashlight today ( a key holder one ), which I could insert into the film spool chambers ( you have been right Mickey - I couldn't check them properly yet ) ... and there is a tiny leak at the film spool holding knob on the left bottom. Is that, what you meant by "holding reel pin", Julio1fer ?

I will tape that and shoot a test film. Hope, that was it.

[mickeyobe]

Nov 28, 2011 6:25:49 GMT -5 Berndt said:

Mickey, Julio1fer ... you guys might be even more ingenius than my wife

I will tape that and shoot a test film. Hope, that was it.

berndt,

Try Plasticine.

Easier to apply than tape. Excess can be easily scraped off while opening of any shape remains closed.

Maleable. Completely opaque. Inexpensive. Relatively stable. Easy to remove cleanly when desired. Safe even for kids. Great for propping cameras or anything else in unusual positions when photographing them.

Lovely stuff. and it doesn't smell bad.

And, if you are the nervous sort try squishing a fistful for a few minutes to ease tension.

A store that sells children's toys is the most likely source of supply.

Mickey

[daveh]

I was going to suggest building a human sized replica and getting inside it to see where the light is getting through but I can see a miniature light placed inside is somewhat easier. ;D

[mickeyobe]

Dave,

I like your idea.
I would finally see what really goes on inside a camera when I push the button. I have been in the dark all these years.

Mickey

[Berndt]

I think, I might need Davehs solution ... hahaha ... this camera is driving me insane

I taped everything ( even more than the tiny hole, I discovered ) ... sorry Mickey, I read your comment too late ... and shot a test film again. Guess what ? It's still leaking light

That's totally impossible. Last possibility ... the counter windows ... but I can't imagine that. There is some kind of metal plate on the back door of the camera, which is constructed to keep the film plain. Between this and the outer counter windows on the camera back, there is some kind of "ring" around each window, which prevents the light from getting into the camera. It's a pretty sophisticated construction for a camera of that age and seems to work still fine. I also checked that with my flashlight by taping the inner windows of the plain holder plate and even if it is not being pressed on the film ( which would be the case, when the camera is closed ), those rings are tight and no light is leaving the space between this plate and the camera back.

I am running out of good ideas I guess, Davehs little man is already hiding in my camera and switching the light on for taunting me

[daveh]

Nov 29, 2011 6:13:45 GMT -5 mickeyobe said:

Dave,

I like your idea.
I would finally see what really goes on inside a camera when I push the button. I have been in the dark all these years.

Mickey

Mickey and Berndt,

If you do go inside some cameras, beware the focal plane shutter. I believe it is where Monsieur Guillotine got his idea from, while the Spanish Inquisition arrived as a result of the leaf shutter.

[Berndt]

Hahaha ... my last wish: A fast shutter speed

[mickeyobe]

berndt,

Another suggestion that may go nowhere.

If one becomes over passionate with some cameras and squeezes it just a trifle too hard the back may become slightly concave near its centre and convex at its edges curling imperceptibly but just enough to admit light.

Is it possible???

Try it on a tripod why don't you.

Mickey