[Leica] R8 light leak... the solution?

[David Young <dnr@horizon.bc.ca>]

Further to the "red streaking" on photos from my R8...

I picked up three rolls of film a half hour ago.  The test roll, all shot 
this morning, was perfectly fine! A roll from the SL is fine.

But the roll shot over the last week was smeared (streaked?) on 3 
frames.  And, one of those frames was the middle one of a set of 3 shots 
taken over 90 seconds!  So obviously, time does not have a lot to do with 
it. And, on this roll, for the first time, the streaking has extended into 
the sprocket area, though only about 1/4 of a sprocket length.  This rules 
out the film gate blocking light from the mirror box theory.

So, finally the penny has dropped!

The smearing has to be coming from the foam light seal around the film 
window... as many of you had suggested.  The portion of the frame waiting 
to be transported into the film gate is about 1/3 out of the cannister... 
and the smearing turns up 1/3 in from the furthest edge!  As many 
suggested, the straight edge in the streak is the film cannister's edge.

BUT..

It's not that simple! Replacing the foam, is not the cure. This I am sure 
of!  The foam is fine and not compressed with age, which is what usually 
causes the problem.  (Remember, the camera is but a year old.)

Some of you may recall that when my R8 was less than a week old, a third 
party strap failed and my nice, shiny new R8 hit the sidewalk top side 
down, latch end first!

Lisle-Kelco, then the Canadian Leica people, repaired the camera under 
their "Passport-style" warranty.  But when the camera was returned to me, I 
had noticed that the back, at the latch-end, was a bit looser than before. 
I assumed, that since it was just back from repair, this was obviously OK. 
And, at the time, it was.

However, close examination of the camera shows that it is now looser 
still... indicating a latch problem! I surmise that if the latch is 
allowing the back to open a bit more than it should, the edge of the foam 
will no longer press against the cannister, and let light in!

The problem then, is not one of time or of whether the window is covered 
with a thumb, but of how the camera is held - specifically how and where 
its back is pressed!

I will shoot more rolls of film over the next week or two, leaving the 
gaffers tape over the film window.  If all is fine, then I can send it in 
for repair, at my leisure.  If it is not, I'll be back, with further 
conundrums!

Thanks to you all, for your aid and assistance!

David.
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David Young,     | Libertè, egalitè,
Victoria, CANADA | fraternitè, et beaujolais.

Website at: www.horizon.bc.ca/~dnr

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