[pbo]

Hey everybody, need some help here!
I just processed some film from my new camera, Koni-Omega Rapid M, a 6x7 rangefinder. Everything looks fine, except that on every frame, there's a pretty wide bright vertical stripe in the center!
Here's an example. It's from my first quick and dirty contact sheet, but you can tell that there's a stripe on each frame.



What do you think caused this? My processing or something to do with the camera?

[Ratmagiclady]

I understand there are frequently issues with the back sealing to the camera body with those Omegas: (Or maybe I'm thinking of Mamiya Universals) .. maybe where they open: I can't quite picture it at the moment , but I suspect that the lines may be appearing from there after each frame is shot when it winds around: if there's a seam there, I think that's where the problem'll be.

[pbo]

I understand there are frequently issues with the back sealing to the camera body with those Omegas: (Or maybe I'm thinking of Mamiya Universals) .. maybe where they open: I can't quite picture it at the moment , but I suspect that the lines may be appearing from there after each frame is shot when it winds around: if there's a seam there, I think that's where the problem'll be.

That's a good idea, but here's the thing - isn't film always facing in?
Let's say this is film in the back: o__o
o's are the spools, in the center film faces up; when it gets wound onto the takeup spool, it faces into the spool, not out of the spool...

[Ole]

What way does the shutter run?

If horizontal you can rule out a faulty shutter and it probably is a light leak in the camera back.

If vertical it could perhaps be an imperfection in he shutter but also here I would consider a light leak more likely.

Finally, of course, it could stem from improper handling of the film anytime after it was removed from the camera and before it hit the developer.

Have you shot more than one roll with this result?

BTW, I had a similar thing on my brand new Pentax ME way back when. Pentax fixed the seals in the back and the problem was gone.

[Ratmagiclady]

That's a good idea, but here's the thing - isn't film always facing in?
Let's say this is film in the back: o__o
o's are the spools, in the center film faces up; when it gets wound onto the takeup spool, it faces into the spool, not out of the spool...

*scratching head,* Yep, has to be or the backing won't go right, though the one I'm thinking of goes more like: (ignore the periods)

o___
.......O

Basically bending up onto one side. (OK, I'm thinking of the Mamiya, I think, or a different Omega. ) I'll have to look for photos of that one.


Hrm, not so sure about my theory here, but could it be getting in the gate for the darkslide, perhaps? then into the film?

(Oh, and it's a leaf shutter, Ole,)

Should look like this, right?

http://www.peterlanczak.de/rapid_magazine120.jpg

Other pages here: http://www.peterlanczak.de/koni_backs_m.htm

Here's the camera:

http://www.peterlanczak.de/koni_rapid_m.htm

It's been a long, long time since I've seen one, though. Memories are pretty hazy.

[HGMonaro]

If the line (black on neg) goes into the film edge (can't tell looking on the screen) then it's most likely a film back light leak.

[BillM]

Appears too regular an interval to be process related,could leave your lens cap on
if you had some cheap stock to run through it that way to verify.

[pbo]

Finally, of course, it could stem from improper handling of the film anytime after it was removed from the camera and before it hit the developer.

Have you shot more than one roll with this result?

My first processed roll, I have more to process - will see if the problem is the same with all rolls, I guess if it is, then I can safely assume it's a light seal problem...

Hrm, not so sure about my theory here, but could it be getting in the gate for the darkslide, perhaps? then into the film?

Interesting, that just might be it! Other than that or bad seals somewhere else, I can't really think of anything...

If the line (black on neg) goes into the film edge (can't tell looking on the screen) then it's most likely a film back light leak.

The neg seems clean outside of the frame - my guess is the problem area is to the front of the film area, not behind it

[pbo]

Appears too regular an interval to be process related,could leave your lens cap on
if you had some cheap stock to run through it that way to verify.

I don't have any film I can sacrifice - 120's just soo expensive.. But I do have other undeveloped rolls - will see how those turn out. I'm pretty sure there's at least one photo taken with the cap on - it's a rangefinder after all!

[John Poirier]

Hey everybody, need some help here!
I just processed some film from my new camera, Koni-Omega Rapid M, a 6x7 rangefinder. Everything looks fine, except that on every frame, there's a pretty wide bright vertical stripe in the center!
Here's an example. It's from my first quick and dirty contact sheet, but you can tell that there's a stripe on each frame.



What do you think caused this? My processing or something to do with the camera?

I'm fairly sure that the problem is with light seals. Note that in addition to seals on the back, the Rapid M has two sets of light seals in the body.

There are seals around the opening in the lens mount. Also, if you take the magazine out, you will see seals around the opening where the front of the magazine contacts the body. Those seals are almost certainly rotted out. Fortunately replacement is an easy DIY job.

I've been using K-Os since 1987. Just had a major art gallery exhibit with large prints mostly shot with them.

John

[pbo]

I'm fairly sure that the problem is with light seals. Note that in addition to seals on the back, the Rapid M has two sets of light seals in the body.

There are seals around the opening in the lens mount. Also, if you take the magazine out, you will see seals around the opening where the front of the magazine contacts the body. Those seals are almost certainly rotted out. Fortunately replacement is an easy DIY job.

I've been using K-Os since 1987. Just had a major art gallery exhibit with large prints mostly shot with them.

John

Thanks for the reply, John, I ordered some supplies last night to deal with the light seals, will see how that goes!
I will also need to check rangefinder alignment, maybe at some later time. Good thing the frames don't overlap - one less thing to worry about!

[pbo]

Update!

Developed one more roll from the Koni, this roll shot before the one with vertical stripes.
No stripes to be seen, results look shweet!

Looks like the only problem with them is still light leaks (different ones this time) - but I've decided to fix those later. Check out the pictures below - on the bottom of the first picture and right edge of the second - those are light leaks, right? I would presume seals on the top of my film back have gone bad. But other than that, pictures look great, better than I expected - feeling great, getting nice results from a camera as old as my dad!

Bo

[stevebrot]

@pbo...

Sorry for the late reply. I have gotten similar light bars with one of my FSU rangefinder cameras (FED-2) due to a light leak on the front of the body at or near the rangefinder window. To test for that sort of leak, take the camera into a dark room and shine a bright led flashlight (bright narrow beam) onto the front of the camera at various angles while looking into the image frame from the back. Pay particular attention to the area where the lens attaches to the body, around controls/knob/winders and such on the top plate and viewfinder/rangefinder windows.


Steve

[duneshot]

I think the film buckled while loading it onto your spool causing the film to touch the adjacent layers. The second two could be caused by not inverting the tank during development

duneshot