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I'm still really new to film so I hope someone can help me. I recently developed my 35mm film from a point and shoot olympus camera, and some of the photos came out with a roundish white border - one or two had the whole white ring but most just had part of it (at the lower corners, usually). It's really puzzling me because there were a couple that were totally clean and fine. Any possible explanations to this would be greatly appreciated.

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    Welcome to photo.stackexchange. Do you have anything at all attached to the front of the camera?
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 1:37
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    That's far too regular of a circular arc that just happens to be centered very near the center of the image to be light leakage.
    – Michael C
    Aug 18, 2017 at 3:06
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    What do the negatives of these two images look like? Are there dark rings where the white rings are in the prints? This looks like it could have been some type of flare caused by an enlarger lens when the prints were made from the negatives.
    – Michael C
    Aug 18, 2017 at 3:09
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    Could we see one without the light circle, and one with the worst-case of the problem. The focus looks sharp as a tack. If you grip the lens, does it move very-slightly separately from the body? Can you see a very slight crack where the lens joins the case? When there is no circle, is there one in the frames just before or just afterward? I'm looking for a pattern - subject, light direction, time-of-day, durations between shots, anything in common, things not in common. Do you carry the camera in a case between shots?
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 3:42
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    In the case of your Oly 800S, I wouldn't be surprised if it isn't light leaking in between the joints in the lens barrel at certain positions. The seals may have worn or gone bad.
    – Michael C
    Aug 18, 2017 at 8:32

5 Answers 5

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I believe the problem is with the camera lens as the camera is carried in a case and removed when a photo is taken. In effect, the camera is not in ambient light while being transported so the contrast is good as there is no fogging.

The camera appears to produce varying amounts of internal reflection. As the camera operates normally otherwise, I suspect the zoom lens has greater and lesser glare as the zoom is extended and retracted.

The problem is most likely with the zoom lens which is more pronounced when the lens zoom in certain positions due to something (or something missing) in the extended sleeves of the zoom. Try different positions for the zoom and for the light source. There might be a faulty or displaced light baffle for the lens extensions. It (the problem) introduces axial non-imaging flare into the image area. The effect happens only during the exposure so the problem is between the shutter and the film.

Look for what's common among your photos. Look for patterns.

Your chances are very good locating the source of the problem with a film camera as you can open the back to look at the complete light path with the shutter open.

Fixing it will be a challenge to your talent and/or your budget.

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  • This answer concurs with many of the comments made to the original post.
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 19:00
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My guess would be that there is a problem with the light seal at the lens barrel. You state that some images are perfectly fine while others aren't. Now EXIF data would be great for sleuthing but we are talking about film, and few people keep meticulous notes. Here are a few things you could be looking for:

  1. The camera has been out of the case for a longer time without making a photograph. When there are several photographs in succession, only the first shows the ring. If that is what you see, it is likely a comparatively small light leak that is present even when the camera is off.

  2. This only happens at certain zoom ranges, maybe particularly at longer zoom. If that happens, the leak may be in the seals for the moving parts of the zoom lens.

  3. Looking again at the examples, you appear to be using different zoom ratios but the circle is identical each time. That means that the light leak is not in a part of the lens affected by zooming. So if the lens has multiple segments that move, the leak likely is in the fixed part or at the transition from the fixed part to the first moving segment.

  4. Another possibility is that a part intended to block light (a fixed aperture) has broken or gotten loose inside of the lens. If that is the case, it shouldn't matter how long the camera is kept in light without making a photograph: the amount of deletion should be proportional to the exposure you are having rather than the environment the camera is in when unused.

Good luck with your detective work!

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My First Thoughts

Check the negatives and if no flares are found in them, reprint them.

The lens may have a flare, especially if it's an old camera and some damage may have happened to the lenses.

  • Check for any abnormal sounds when focusing and zoomin.
  • Does the zooming function of the lens have become stuck.
  • try to give more samples such as photos taken at night. All these are in sunlight.

If your camera is physically and mechanically working good, check for any disturbances in front of the camera.

Still nothing take out the film cartridge and take a few snaps by looking through the shutter. then close your eyes tightly if any rings are there it will form in your mind.

I hope you may find a solution fast.

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  • Welcome to photo.stackexchange. You present a couple of good points to explore.
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 16:23
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my Mju does the same effect. It can be the side ligt in the "wide position" of the zoom. It is round so you can see reflection on the curvage of the lens.

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It looks like the image circle is not covering the sensor.

This can happen if the wrong lens is attached to the camera, or if there is some kind of mechanical problem with the lens which is causing it to be too close to the sensor. For example, if you stored the camera in a back pocket and sat on it or put it under a stack of books and the frame got bent, then the lens could be too close to the sensor. I suspect that you smooshed your camera.

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    Whoa! Slow down. You're jumping all over your conclusions. The image is sharp from corner to corner. There is no vignetting. The camera is a film camera. There is no sensor. The lens is not removable. Did you research the type of camera? Did you read the question, comments, and look at the example photos carefully? No.
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 16:30
  • @Stan Yes, I did. The OP did not state type of camera, so how do you know the lens is not removable? Just because a camera is described as P&S does not mean it does not have an interchangeable lens. TG4s are P&S cameras with interchangeable lenses. In any case, I think the most likely scenario is that he sat on the lens and bent the frame. In fact, we can see from the images that the lower right corner is the affected area, so not only will I venture that the frame is bent, but that it is specifically the lower right part of the frame that got bent.
    – Clickety Ricket
    Aug 18, 2017 at 17:24
  • If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. The camera was identified in the comments hours before you answered. A simple search would reveal details contradicting all your points you attempt to make. Kindly re-read all the details. You might want to revise your answer afterwards.
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 17:45
  • @Stan Ok, its a Superzoom, so what? How do the comments invalidate the idea that it could be a bent frame?
    – Clickety Ricket
    Aug 18, 2017 at 17:54
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    Well, the camera doesn't have a frame-for one reason. The image is sharp as a tack which indicates perfect alignment. The exposure is bang-on which indicates it is working perfectly otherwise. There're more clues in the post and supplied examples. Kindly re-read all the details. You might want to revise your answer. This is not the place for discussion so I'll leave it with those observations.
    – Stan
    Aug 18, 2017 at 18:07

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