Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/03/11

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Subject: [Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?
From: jshulman at judgecrater.com (Jim Shulman)
Date: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:30:38 -0400
References: <6614830f753861a611e485f04e9f0c6b@mail.gmail.com> <531FA532.5050407@lighttube.net>

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
>
>
>



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Replies: Reply from jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway) ([Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?)
Reply from jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?)
In reply to: Message from jshulman at judgecrater.com (Jim Shulman) ([Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?)
Message from jhnichols at lighttube.net (Jim Nichols) ([Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?)