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Coding a used Lens


Bill W

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Does anyone know which lens cannot be coded. I know some cannot because of the base plate and positioning of the screws. I am looking at a used 50 Summicron and it has a serial number in the 365xxxx vintage. It is a 1992 production according to the WIKI link. Thanks in advance.

Edited by Bill Wendlandt
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The screws are not a problem for the third-party coders. The lens should be codeable by Leica as well; it is mentioned in the manual lens setting menu of the camera (11819)

Edited by jaapv
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I guess I am not sure what you mean by third party coders.

 

If you simply want to swap your original lens flange with a new one with the coding rebates machined in ready to code. Available on Ebay very cheap. Just undo the screws and swap them over, being careful to gradually tighten the screws opposite to opposite to ensure it is centred. Or you could use a Dremel to make your own rebates on the original flange.

 

Steve

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If you simply want to swap your original lens flange with a new one with the coding rebates machined in ready to code. Available on Ebay very cheap. Just undo the screws and swap them over, being careful to gradually tighten the screws opposite to opposite to ensure it is centred. Or you could use a Dremel to make your own rebates on the original flange.

 

Steve

No on the Dremel but might consider the ebay flange.

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I wish I knew why they don't work so I could try to fix it --- I just know that the six bit coding is read perfectly on my M9P and is not recognized by the M240.

 

Many others on the forum have run into the same problem. We think that the M240 infra red coding sensor is much more discriminating than the M9 one, but, to my knowledge, no one has yet figured out exactly what the differences are.

 

It looks to me that the Leica pits are very slightly wider than the eBay ones and it has also been suggested that the paint is somewhat different; although I have tried everything from glossy to flat black model paint, and nothing works.

 

I would love it if someone could figure out how to make them work on the M240 and post it here. By the way, the flanges I used eliminated one screw rather than milled thru a screwhead, but they seem to go onto the camera fine and the focus is right on. Good luck, Larry

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For the most part, any lens made post-1980 (serial number ~3,000,000 or higher) was grandfathered by Leica into the coding system in 2006. That is, the mounts were suitable to be swapped for coded mounts (by Leica).

 

Exceptions being 35 non-ASPH Summilux and 135 f/4 Tele-Elmar. The former because it retained its fat thick silver mount from the 1960s, and the latter because no 135 framelines were included in the M8.

 

50mm Summicrons dating all the way back to 1969 make the list, to be found here (click gray link at right for pdf list of codable lenses):

 

Leica Camera AG - Service - M lens coding

 

The list has been modified since the original 2006 list, in adding the 135 APO f/3.4, and changing the production years supported for some lenses.

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Thanks Andy,

If I buy a used lens I will probably rely on Leica to code it if needed. While I like a project, I would not enjoy a lens mount that did not code. I am sure there are those that have had good experiences but it is worth the extra $ to have Leica change the mount and calibrate the lens.

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By the way, the flanges I used eliminated one screw rather than milled thru a screwhead, but they seem to go onto the camera fine and the focus is right on. Good luck, Larry

 

Perhaps this is your problem. Undoubtedly there are different flanges available, but the regular flanges available for the Summicron have all the screw holes in the normal position and they don't interfere with the coding segment of the mount. For $20 for a set of three (the three viewfinder frame combinations for lenses with the screw holes in the same position) I can't help but think the assertion that categorically they don't work is premature considering the price of sending the lens to Leica.

 

Steve

Edited by 250swb
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Steve - I don't understand your post. I have three older lenses circa 1980 - 35 and 50 cron and 90 tele elmarit m- and paid closer to $50 for three Jin flanges on eBay . He clearly states to order the 5 screw model for these lenses. Elsewhere in this forum there are posts showing coding pits milled thru screw heads which DO interfere.

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It is easy to decide if you have the correct replacement flange, hold them side by side with your original flange and see if a screw hole would have coincided with the coding rebates. I don't have a Tele Elmarit to compare so this may be the odd one out, but for my 35mm and 50mm Summicron's a six screw flange is used and the screw holes do not interfere with the coding. It may be worth checking to see if your coding rebates sit squarely over the reader.

 

As for the price, hard luck, I got mine when they were first released, and possibly I got them direct from the people who supply them to Jinfinance, but I have no doubt they will have gone up in price considerably by now.

 

Steve

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I wish I knew why they don't work so I could try to fix it --- I just know that the six bit coding is read perfectly on my M9P and is not recognized by the M240.

 

Many others on the forum have run into the same problem. We think that the M240 infra red coding sensor is much more discriminating than the M9 one, but, to my knowledge, no one has yet figured out exactly what the differences are.

 

It looks to me that the Leica pits are very slightly wider than the eBay ones and it has also been suggested that the paint is somewhat different; although I have tried everything from glossy to flat black model paint, and nothing works.

 

I would love it if someone could figure out how to make them work on the M240 and post it here. By the way, the flanges I used eliminated one screw rather than milled thru a screwhead, but they seem to go onto the camera fine and the focus is right on. Good luck, Larry

I successfully used a sharpie to code my Zeiss Planar 50mm on my M240, i swap my lenses amongst two Leica coded 35 and 50 luxes. Both FLEs, no problems with my hand coded Zeiss

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I hate to be a spoiler. Why bother coding old lenses at all? All the old M lenses will activate the proper frame line without coding because that is a mechanical interaction of the mount and the camera not the 6 bit code. What will be missing is the entry into the EXIF data of the lens parameters. But that can be solved by manually registering the lens through the menu. (M 240). It is much faster than you think. Also if the camera stored data has a profile for the older lens, then the image will be corrected accordingly. (I believe JPEG not RAW). It won't have a profile for your 28/6.3 Hektor sadly. There are many profiles for Leica lenses in LR 5 for RAW images. If you are going to modify the flanges permanently, then remove them and send them to Milich, 50 bucks a pop. The indents will be numerically-controlled machined. You add the paint. If you are purchasing flanges from China, then you must measure their thickness to make sure it is the same as the flange you are removing and just as uniform. When you remove the flange from the lens make sure and stick a few toothpicks into the holes. You must keep the internal rings and flanges in the same original position. Let any one of the internal rings move just a little and you will not be able to insert the screws. Best to put a piece of scotch tape along the axis of the lens so that the focus ring and aperture ring can't move I spent two hours re-aligning a 90 TE. Some older lenses don't have screws in the flange. It is threaded on and secured with a side screw.

 

My advice: use the menu and be happy.

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What did you use as a template for the coding?

 

In Google images I searched on "Leica 6-bit template"

 

And found the Purple coloured sample, the grey box has to be printed exactly as 2 inches= 50.8mm

 

But for my Zeiss ZM Planar 50mm, the inside diameter was cut as 41mm

 

All I coloured were the BLACK bits, I didn't bother with the white bits, BUT I did need to check my markings relative to my two factory coded Summiluxes, to ensure the markings extended far enough to the edges on the flange.

 

This was a very simple (cheap) solution that works all the time with auto-lens detection on my M240.

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My advice: use the menu and be happy.

 

I tried to use the menu, but I am totally unhappy.

The problem is simple: crappy firmware.

 

After using an uncoded Elmarit 90, I mounted my coded Elmarit 24. Even if the 24 is coded, the camera continued to use the manual Elmarit 90 setting, and the uncorrected color vignetting is very noticeable in many shots.

 

What needs to be fixed:

- If a coded lens is detected, use its code regardless of manual setting.

- When the camera is switched on, and no lens code is detected, a message with the currently active manual setting should be displayed for a couple of seconds.

- There should be a separate manual setting for each frame-line set.

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What needs to be fixed:

- If a coded lens is detected, use its code regardless of manual setting.

- When the camera is switched on, and no lens code is detected, a message with the currently active manual setting should be displayed for a couple of seconds.

- There should be a separate manual setting for each frame-line set.

But as above the camera might mistake a screw head for a coding so might set the wrong code if set to always use a 'detected' code. Purely a consequence of Leica not realising that they would need to introduce coding many years ago.

The message would kick in every time the camera was switched on thus annoying some users who would complain about it. An override could be implemented, but....

Not sure about the frame line setting myself - this could cause as many problems as it solves (third party lenses?).

 

As someone who has a mix of coded and uncoded lenses I share your frustrations but do accept that its the result of using older, legacy lenses. I will have those which are codable, coded idc, but some (my 35 Summilux pre-aspheric) will still need to be manually set - I'll live with it.

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EBay flanges work well on the M9 but DO NOT work at all on the M240 :(

No problem with jinfinance flanges on 50/1.4 pre-asph and 90/2 pre-apo but i've been unlucky with other lenses like 35/2 v4 referred to by the OP. Worth a try given the cost of those flanges though.

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