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Jonathan

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Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 03:41 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

A film from my Werra Matic has light leaks all over it. Has anybody else has problems with this?

When there's a green splodge on one frame of the negative, the previous frame has green images of sprocket holes in its border. This suggests to me that the leak is around the takeup spool, but I can't see any obvious potential leaks.

Is there supposed to be any seal material in the grooves around the back? Mine has none, so I've always assumed it relied on the baffles in the grooves.

Any comments would be very helpful.

Jonathan
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Stuart Willis

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Posted on Wednesday, August 10, 2005 - 11:14 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Jonathon ...

You are correct that the Werra relies on the groove/baffle principle as similarly the convention on Rolleiflex and many others. No foam rubber gunk. I assume you are satisfied that the camera back fits well and is free from damage or distortion.

There may be another explanation if your particular Werra has the RVS shutter - which is in fact two shutters in one package.

It could be that the capping shutter (that which you see through rear when you remove the camera back) - is stuck open. Because the main rotary shutter of the RVS opens and closes during the cocking process, the capping shutter is to prevent any light reaching the film.

To test:

Remove camera back. Have a fairly bright light or white surface behind the camera.
Then look into the lens from the front whilst you cock the shutter. You will see the main RVS shutter blades open and close during the cocking process. That's normal.
BUT - you should not be able to see straight through the camera during that opening and closing. That is to say - the capping shutter as directly in front of the film, should be closed.

If you are seeing any light through the camera during the cocking process - then the capping shutter is stuck open - and that's your problem.

Hope this helps

Stuart Willis
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charlie

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Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 11:10 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Can you put the lens cap on while cocking? Inconvenient but maybe a diagnostic tool/short term solution.
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Jonathan

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Posted on Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 03:05 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

The capping shutter seems fine. In fact the mechanism of this camera seems to be in the best nick of any old camera I've seen. The one second speed is pretty much bang on one second, much better than many newer cameras even from the 80s.

The leaks seemed to happen on the takeup reel while the camera was idle. Five photos of the cat - light leak - ten photos from new year's - light leak - photos of musicians - light leak ...

Thanks for your comments. It sounds like nothing is missing from my camera, so that's a good starting point for my investigations.
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Tony Duell

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Posted on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 12:42 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

We seem to like the same cameras :-)

Is it possible light is leaking in round the frame counter at the bottom? It's one more place to check.
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Jonathan

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Posted on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 05:44 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Aah... That's possible. The baffles don't look very baffling there - could be the place.

It's hard to understand why anyone wouldn't like them, eh? How bout Rollei 35s? Now there's a test.

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