# Light leak on 1Ds mk3 :(



## LewisShermer (Jul 17, 2013)

Please ignore the actual content of this picture... I just had to shoot the front of our building for a brochure

What concerns me is the light leak at the top. it's not the lens as it happens with multiple lenses on the 1Ds iii body and the lenses are fine on my other bodies. It only happens outside and not in the studio with bowens flash heads. weird. anyone else come across this? is it expensive to put right? I can live without getting it fixed as 99.9999% of the shots done with this camera are on white cut-outs for internet sales.


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## chromophore (Jul 17, 2013)

That is not a light leak. That is uneven exposure caused by shutter failure.

Typically, the focal plane shutter mechanism wears out with age, causing the shutter curtain to travel unevenly. Repair involves replacement of the entire shutter assembly.

The reason why you are observing it in outdoor situations is twofold: (1) outdoor scenes depicting uniform skies more easily show this flaw; (2) the EVs typically encountered in outdoor shots tend to involve shutter speeds in excess of the x-sync speed. Shutter failure typically first manifests as loss of uniform exposures at faster speeds.


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## LewisShermer (Jul 17, 2013)

Am I to assume this will just get worse and worse until the shutter mechanism gives up and pops off?


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## photonius (Jul 17, 2013)

chromophore said:


> That is not a light leak. That is uneven exposure caused by shutter failure.
> 
> Typically, the focal plane shutter mechanism wears out with age, causing the shutter curtain to travel unevenly. Repair involves replacement of the entire shutter assembly.
> 
> The reason why you are observing it in outdoor situations is twofold: (1) outdoor scenes depicting uniform skies more easily show this flaw; (2) the EVs typically encountered in outdoor shots tend to involve shutter speeds in excess of the x-sync speed. Shutter failure typically first manifests as loss of uniform exposures at faster speeds.



And regarding (2), if indoors only flash is used, the flash speed is usually much faster than the shutter speed, so may hide any shutter issues.


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## BozillaNZ (Jul 17, 2013)

Definitely shutter failure, get it replaced soon before the shutter blade busts out and scratch your low-pass filter, or you will be looking for a $1000 low-pass filter replacement job + shutter replacement job


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## firebreatherboy (Jul 17, 2013)

stop using that camera imidiately. or you'll get your sensor scratched


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## test334 (Jul 17, 2013)

BozillaNZ said:


> Definitely shutter failure, get it replaced soon before the shutter blade busts out and scratch your low-pass filter, or you will be looking for a $1000 low-pass filter replacement job + shutter replacement job



Think about where and how to have it replaced. I got the same problem on my 1Ds III _as and when it returned from the Canon service center in California_ after a general check-up and cleaning that I requested and paid for. It took three weeks to get the camera back and cost me $200 including shipping. 

I then visited an authorised repair service in Europe which replaced the shutter free of charge for a new one. In their words, the shutter failure was due to a design/manufacture fault and Canon is supposed to have placed a recall on all 1Ds IIIs produced before a certain date. 

No idea why I had not heard of the recall, nor why Canon California has not, but make sure you ask for a free replacement.


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## rumorzmonger (Jul 17, 2013)

chromophore said:


> That is not a light leak. That is uneven exposure caused by shutter failure.



+1


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