Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/03/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It there were a rear-opening door, I'd agree--but since the IIIb is bottom loading, that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm loading up a number of standard, reloadable 35mm cassettes and trying those this weekend. In the words of Zsa Zsa Gabor, upon the occasion of her umpteenth marriage, "If this no work I shoose myself." J -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Jim Hemenway Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 3:57 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts? Hi Jim: I wonder if there isn't a small bump of some sort, (piece of tape?) on the inner spool which is forming a cam and which then pushes on the inside of the door and forces it open just enough to give you the problem. Best, Jim Hemenway On 3/11/14 8:30 PM, Jim Shulman wrote: > The "leak" is always in the same place relative to the frame. > However, it appears irregularly, about three or four times in the > course of 40 frame roll. > > The Leica FILCA/IXMOO (and there were similar Nikon, Contax and Canon > versions) metal reloadable cassettes did not use a felt lip. In fact, > that's their charm: there is zero drag on the film from a felt light > trap, and no chance of acquiring scratches from a felt lip. The Leica > cartridges come in three parts: the spool, the inner sleeve, and the > outer sleeve. It's actually rather ingenious: when the cartridge is > fully and properly loaded, a short strip of film protrudes (as leader > for threading). Thread the film as you would with an standard > manufacturer-loaded cartridge, and close the camera. When you lock > the base plate, moving the key from "AUF to ZU", something ingenious > happens > inside: the FILCA locking pin is slightly lifted, unlocking the film > window. As you turn the key, a notch in the internal base plate > engages a pin in the FILCA, moving the film opening window from closed > to completely open. At the end of the roll, by opening the baseplate > the operation is revered, and you remove a light-tight cartridge, > ready for disassembly in the lab and processing. > > When Leicas were first produced, there was virtually no other option > than for photographers to "roll their own", necessitating a reloadable > cassette. Kodak only started offering pre-loaded 35mm cassettes with > the introduction of their Retina cameras, in 1934. Beyond that time, > the considerable economies of loading one's own film from a master > roll made the metal cassettes still desirable. However, by the 1950s > the convenience of pre-loaded film and the relatively diminishing cost > difference between pre-loaded and user-loaded make the FILCA/IXMOO an > anachronism. Tom A. swears by his IXMOOs (which were designed for the > M2/3 cameras, and are backwards-compatible with the Barnacks--though > not the other way around!) Since Tom has something like ten miles of > Kodak > 5222 (the Super XX emulsion), his IXMOOs are essential. > > Here's a short film by Tom on how to load one. Takes a little > practice, but it's fairly straightforward. Plus, there's a real > feeling of satisfaction when you have a fanny pack filled with your > pre-loaded cassettes. > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn-G6g3Om3s > > Best, > Jim > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org > [mailto:lug-bounces+jshulman=judgecrater.com at leica-users.org] On > Behalf Of Jim Nichols > Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 8:07 PM > To: Leica Users Group > Subject: Re: [Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts? > > Jim, > > My original Leica, which I still have, was a IIIa. I shot numerous > rolls of bulk film, but I loaded the film into Kodak cartridges, which > were fairly simple to separate and reassemble. I don't recall ever > seeing anything like your example, which shows the fogging goes to the > edge of the film stock. I have never used Leica cartridges, but seem > to recall they have a felt seal. I think the problem stems from the cartridge. > Perhaps a loose felt strip that only bends back on occasion. > > Just my two cents. > > PS: Does the "leak" always show up in the same spot relative to the > frame, or is the placement more random? > > Jim Nichols > Tullahoma, TN USA > > On 3/11/2014 6:44 PM, Jim Shulman wrote: >> Well, I've been shooting with my IIIb/SCNOO ensemble for a few weeks, >> and love it. >> >> >> >> With one exception: >> >> >> >> The other day I was merrily shooting away with Kodak 5222 loaded into >> several of the Leica metal FILCA cartridges for the IIIb/SCNOO >> combination. After processing, I noticed that several of the frames >> seemed to have a strange fogging, almost like a crescent dagger from >> the bottom of the frame (bottom, as in what was in the bottom of the >> camera) about every so often, maybe five frames total out of 40. >> These came when I was shooting in regular daylight--some bright sun, >> some shade, and did my film loading in subdued light (or indoors). >> I've attached an image file showing the offending "dagger" fogging. >> >> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/focusit/filca+fog.jpg.html >> >> >> >> >> >> Seemed strange. So I ran a side-by-side test at end of day, first >> shooting a roll of FILCA-loaded Kodak 5222, then a roll of Fuji Acros >> 100 in the standard Fuji metal cartridge. Both came out fine with no >> dagger-like fogging. The sun was out, but not brightly. >> >> >> >> I thought I might have misloaded the FILCAs for some reason, so I >> loaded another and went out shooting in regular bright daylight. >> Again, every so often there was the dagger-like fog at the bottom of >> the occasional frame (and no pattern to the "daggers"; they appeared >> irregularly.) >> >> >> >> Yesterday, I ran another test: I shot a roll of very old Plus-X, in >> the standard Kodak cartridge, in bright sunlight. I took off the >> lens and aimed the camera at the bright sun; I shot in brightly lit >> areas, I shot in dim areas. No fogging whatsoever on the film. >> >> >> >> Any idea what's happening? If it were a camera light leak, it would >> have happened on all types of film cartridges, both standard and >> Leica > FILCA. >> If it were a FILCA problem alone, it would have leaked when I shot >> toward the end of day (in the double-blind test). If it were a >> darkroom loading problem, it would have happened to all my film. >> >> >> >> One suggestion I've received is that there's a tiny light leak near >> the take-up spool, based on the sharp definition of the leak pattern. >> If that's the case, though, why not on both FILCA and non-FILCA loads? >> After all, the take up spool has nothing to do with the type of film > cartridge. >> >> >> As the King said, "It is a puzzlement". >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> Jim Shulman >> >> Wynnewood, PA >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. 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