mirnuj_atom says:

Hi
A’ve got a Minolta Autocord (without light meter) which has a leak problem, it looks like this:

cs411016.userapi.com/v411016386/1d2c/nGzFR802jBc.jpg

cs411016.userapi.com/v411016386/1d0a/08mvY_vCYV0.jpg

cs411016.userapi.com/v411016386/1d01/pdI3-8teUDM.jpg

cs302406.userapi.com/v302406386/2752/aiaZRwnccvs.jpg

First I thought that was a problem with seal so I replaced that, nothing changed. Then I replaced seal once again and pasted over clefts with black, non transparent tape, nothing changed again 😦

Now I don’t know where might that leak come from,

Thank you for any suggestions.
Posted at 10:32AM, 7 August 2012 PDT (permalink)

Burnt Umber    says:

I think it is a shutter issue.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

ddandan    says:

Any chance that the focus scale on front is missing a screw on one side or the other?
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

ddandan    says:

, your links don’t register as actual links. I cut and pasted one, but that’s all I’ll do.

Check for any other missing screws. Spool knobs, focus hood. Check the feet for bending and cracks.

Important question with any light leak- does the effect stop at the edge of the image frame, or is it also in non-image areas? This tells if thel ight is coming from the front of the light box- shutter, lens board, etc.- or if it is from elsewhere.

Also open the back and put the film against the opening as if it was being exposed. See where the leak falls inside the camera. Including at the upper or lower film spool area- most often film gets fogged before or after it is in the gate for exposure. From what I remember of oyur shot (nope, not cutting and pasting again) it had the look of a film spool being the cut-off for the lower part.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

keltic_tom    says:

Stop the guessing and take the camera to a Pro!
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

hamhankjohn    says:

From the squarish shape in the middle of the frame, and the position of the bright spot, my guess is it’s the bottom spool release knob or close to it. Does it show up on the last frame?
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

mirnuj_atom says:

Ddandan is right there is a missing screw on the front, it took 5 films to figure out 😦

Thank you very much!!

I will shot another film today to verify.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

ddandan    says:

About right, five rolls. I think it took me four to figure it out when it happened to me? I had simply not re-installed the plate after doing some work on the camera. Drove me crazy. Tried new seals, taping the outside of the back in different areas, etc.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

WB Lynch says:

Great news.

I need to remember this for future reference.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)

ddandan    says:

There are many holes in TLR bodies that were drilled all the way through. These provide easy access to light if the screws are removed. You can see the holes inside the film chamber, etc. In the mirror box are other holes that come through.

For manufacturing, this makes sense. Drilling all the way through is quick, allows the chips from tapping to be blown out easily, etc.
Originally posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)
ddandan edited this topic 2 weeks ago. 

mirnuj_atom says:

Everything is OK now, I am happy.

What I did to find the leak:
I took a few LEDs from my bike lights, wired them with little bataries, put everything into the camera and checked in dark room to find if I can see some lite.
Posted 2 weeks ago. (permalink)