[Leica] Unusual band on some negatives from M3

[Peter Dzwig]

Aram,

Looking at it large the band is fairly well defined, but towards the 
edge of the image there is a slightly darker blurred area, as if it had 
been lightly brushed by something.

It could be processing, but assuming that it was done at a reasonable 
dev shop, my guess is that the shutter is encountering a bit of grit and 
possibly that the curtain may have been in slight contact with the film, 
suggesting a bit slack at higher speeds.

I also wonder whether the film might have not been properly mounted. If 
you look at the edge of the frame 34 - 34A - 35 sequence on the contacts 
there is a visible distortion of the film suggesting that the sockets 
weren't properly engaging. The border of the film shows marked 
scratching on many frames. Also, and this may be how it was scanned, the 
left hand of frame 10A doesn't look vertical to my eyes, and even that 
early in the film there is marked scratching.

I think it probably needs a good CLA.

Just my 2p worth,

Peter - who has just got his M3 back after a very long absence



On 17/11/2023 18:14, Aram Langhans via LUG wrote:
> A friend has an M3 and sent me some photo that have a light (dark on 
> negative) vertical band towards one edge.My first thought was light 
> leak, but it does not appear on all negatives and also does not extend 
> into the sprocket area of the film.It is also pretty even, not diffuse.I 
> asked if he remembered if he was using a high shutter speed for those 
> with the bands and he though he was at about 1/500 or 1/1000 for those.I 
> am thinking shutter problem but what I do not know.At those speeds the 
> shutter curtains form a narrow slit and maybe it is hesitating part way 
> across causing this band?In my 50+ years of shooting, I have never heard 
> or seen anything like that.I told him perhaps he should run another roll 
> through the camera at different shutter speeds and see if he can see any 
> correlation.I told him he might exercise the shutter a bit by running it 
> through the speeds a bunch of times and see if that cures the problem. 
> He is a new owner of this M3 and I suspect, knowing where it came from, 
> it might have not been used for years before he got it. I have linked a 
> few photos showing the band.Maybe someone here can shed some light on 
> this problem?
> 
> 
> band on photo 10-11-23scan010 (leica-users.org) 
> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/misc/band+on+photo+10-11-23scan010.jpg.html>
> 
> Line on negative drew (leica-users.org) 
> <http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/misc/Line+on+negative+drew.jpg.html>
> 

-- 

Dr. Peter Dzwig