Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2014/03/12

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Subject: [Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?
From: jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)
Date: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:56:42 -0400
References: <6614830f753861a611e485f04e9f0c6b@mail.gmail.com> <531FA532.5050407@lighttube.net> <405cd3300ff74cbc7833ceffaf3a0ff8@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Jim:

I wonder if there isn't a small bump of some sort, (piece of tape?) on 
the inner spool which is forming a cam and which then pushes on the 
inside of the door and forces it open just enough to give you the problem.

Best,

Jim Hemenway





On 3/11/14 8:30 PM, Jim Shulman wrote:
> 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
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> _______________________________________________
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> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


Replies: Reply from jshulman at judgecrater.com (Jim Shulman) ([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?)
Message from jshulman at judgecrater.com (Jim Shulman) ([Leica] Interesting technical problem--your thoughts?)