Old cameras light seal

[truls]

Old cameras, from before 1960 (?), does not have light seals. Yet they are light proof. When did light seals come into play, and why?

[Stephen]

They had to improve with modern higher film speeds, Leica needed none with the bottom loading, Contax sealed tight with grooves, most early compacts from Japan started using light seals as an easy solution to not bothering with great accuracy and tight fit. Cord or felt was used in grooves, later changing to foam. The opening back on ahinge just felt better as it closed with the spring of the seals stopping all rattling or loose fit.

German cameras generally were not light sealed except around hinges and catches, some like Paxette had no seals, just deep grooves.

Fully opening backs became popular and seals were added in foam by the 60's and they are the troublesome ones, the foam dissolves slowly into a goo. Replace with thin black felt, it can be cut to fit all cameras. Some originals like Alpa used black cord in the grooves.

One or two cameras makers retained no seals at all, e.g., Exakta and Exa, damage to the parts sometimes caused a light leak.

Some un-sealed cameras may not work with IR film, equally some foam leaked IR on Japanese designs.
The problem has vanished with Digital of course.

Stephen.

[33dollars]

Oct 27, 2012 5:26:11 GMT -5 Stephen said:

The problem has vanished with Digital of course.

Stephen.

Unless you drop a digital. I'm sure digital can suffer from a light leak. Its just that if a digital camera has had that much abuse its more likely to not work at all.