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D-Coder kit: first impression


Mauribix

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Hi guys,

today i received my M-coder + D-coder kit from Tim @ matchtechnical.

It really eased my work with hand coding:

I could code without any trouble 4 of my lenses in a minute!

The kit is well packaged, a nice "trousse" with the coder, a double head felt-tip pen (a thin one, and a larger one of the same size of an original pin in the 6bit code), and finally the double disc spinning to show you the codes of every single lens coded in the leica catalogue.

Many times i get trouble in hand-coding the lenses, but now... I've got it!!

I coded in few second my 90 elmarit-M, 50lux pre-asph, 35lux ASPH and Zeiss 25 (yes, the zeiss too without problems!)

Of course we know that hand coding is not a durable solution, but waiting to get our JM adapter, or fearing the time to spend to have our Leica's coded, this is really a great deal!

Worth every single $:D

 

In these days i have to travel, so it would be a pity to get my lenses in Solms:

The coder will bite the bullet, and when I'm back, i'll have all the time to wait for Leica's times.

Thanks Tim, another great help after Thumbs-up!

 

 

Best Regards

 

Maurizio

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I am happy for you. I got a coder from Walter, it is just the ring, no pen, no wheel, no box. Only 25 euros. Actually I thought I had ordered from Tim because in this forum when I asked for Tim address I got a personnal message with Walter asking me for my email address to tell me ordering details and prices.... and I really thought that was Tim :-(

 

A few days ago Tim contacted me saying I could order so I said I had already paid for the kit... Tim said I did not, I said I did... Tim investigated and showed me I had actually ordered from someone else.... called Walter and wished me luck.

 

Yesterday I got Walter's coder.

 

Conclusion cheap is always expensive. I tried to code with Walter's ring, my pen are probably too shiny, made a mess of it, now need some disolvent to erase sharpie....

 

Tim, I am going away for 3 weeks, I will probably order your kit when I come back.

 

Walter... you need to radically improve your product urgently. And please when you read in the forum someone asking for Tim email address, try to clearly state that you sell a "similar" product but not the one showed in many pictures in the post that refer to Tim's work.

 

I feel I have been cheated and lost 25 euros (I can live without them)

 

Eric

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I also bought one, and it arrived today. I have not yet coded anything, as it arrived at the office, and some of my Leica gear is at home (alone).

 

One this I did not see, and had hoped to was coding for some voightlander lenses. I have the 90mm F3.5, and the 40mm F1.4 - I found a code for that lens on a link from a previous thread, but nothing for the 90mm. Does anyone have any suggestions for which of Leica's 90mm, this lens would be close to?

 

Further on the CV90mm, where the coder is suppose to be used, the lens is not the same thickness on the mount as it is on my Leica lenses.

 

Lastly, I have an older 135mm F4 - Tele-Elmar that is also not listed. Can anyone suggest something for that lens?

 

It is a well made package, and I think Tim and his people did well with it. I would recommend it for others.

 

DBK

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I also bought one, and it arrived today. I have not yet coded anything, as it arrived at the office, and some of my Leica gear is at home (alone).

 

One this I did not see, and had hoped to was coding for some voightlander lenses. I have the 90mm F3.5, and the 40mm F1.4 - I found a code for that lens on a link from a previous thread, but nothing for the 90mm. Does anyone have any suggestions for which of Leica's 90mm, this lens would be close to?

 

Further on the CV90mm, where the coder is suppose to be used, the lens is not the same thickness on the mount as it is on my Leica lenses.

 

Lastly, I have an older 135mm F4 - Tele-Elmar that is also not listed. Can anyone suggest something for that lens?

 

 

DBK

 

Yes!

the coder is unbeatable for CV and Zeiss lenses!:D

 

for the 90 i would probably use the 90 summarit code, but i should check the lens scheme on Ghester Sartorius's Leica Lenses Book.

For the 40 i would try between 35cron IV and 50 lux preasph.. maybe with a little test, you could easily find your best

 

the 135 could be coded as and Elmarit-M 135 f2.8 version I/II:cool:

 

cheers

 

Maurizio

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....Eric,

I sent the information to you, because you requested it from me several times

(for some reason my mails did not get thru to your mailbox).

I never sent my information directly to somebody in the forum without request!

The order information clearly states who I am and how the ring looks!

 

I also had some problems finding the right pens (sharpie for black and edding for white finally worked for me on my 21,35,50,90 and 135 lenses)

 

If you feel beeing cheated or if you don't like the ring, just send it back and I refund you the money!

 

Gut Licht !

Walter

 

 

I am happy for you. I got a coder from Walter, it is just the ring, no pen, no wheel, no box. Only 25 euros. Actually I thought I had ordered from Tim because in this forum when I asked for Tim address I got a personnal message with Walter asking me for my email address to tell me ordering details and prices.... and I really thought that was Tim :-(

 

A few days ago Tim contacted me saying I could order so I said I had already paid for the kit... Tim said I did not, I said I did... Tim investigated and showed me I had actually ordered from someone else.... called Walter and wished me luck.

 

Yesterday I got Walter's coder.

 

Conclusion cheap is always expensive. I tried to code with Walter's ring, my pen are probably too shiny, made a mess of it, now need some disolvent to erase sharpie....

 

Tim, I am going away for 3 weeks, I will probably order your kit when I come back.

 

Walter... you need to radically improve your product urgently. And please when you read in the forum someone asking for Tim email address, try to clearly state that you sell a "similar" product but not the one showed in many pictures in the post that refer to Tim's work.

 

I feel I have been cheated and lost 25 euros (I can live without them)

 

Eric

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Conclusion cheap is always expensive. I tried to code with Walter's ring, my pen are probably too shiny, made a mess of it, now need some disolvent to erase sharpie....

 

I have one of Walters' coding rings. It works perfectly and I coded my Pre-ASPH Summilux in seconds. If you have the wrong pen then you can hardly blame Walter for that.

 

Try a little nail varnish remover to remove the ink on your lens.

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....Eric,

I sent the information to you, because you requested it from me several times

(for some reason my mails did not get thru to your mailbox).

I never sent my information directly to somebody in the forum without request!

The order information clearly states who I am and how the ring looks!

 

I also had some problems finding the right pens (sharpie for black and edding for white finally worked for me on my 21,35,50,90 and 135 lenses)

 

If you feel beeing cheated or if you don't like the ring, just send it back and I refund you the money!

 

Gut Licht !

Walter

 

Hi,

 

I posted in the forum in the thread about Tim's product and asked for his email. I received a personal message from you saying. "give me your email address I'll send you ordering info" as I did not receive anything, I actually insisted several time, but always thinking it was Tim :-(

 

Never mind, shipping costs more than the product, I'll keep it although it does not work for me.

 

Regards,

 

Eric

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I also have one of Walters encoders and it worked perfectly on the six lenses I used it for.

I am at a loss to see how it could be radically improved?

 

Hi, well I mean improving the offer as a kit. I agree a ring is a ring and 6 holes are 6 holes. But Tim's kit benefit is not the ring... but the pens. Walter said he also had problems finding the right pens, I think this is where my problem is, pens are too shiny :-(

 

And my comments went along with my disapointement, I did not realise and anytime I was not dealing with Tim until order had been placed.

 

Eric

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I haven't managed to code my lenses myself sofar.

I have Walters self-coder-ring. But I don't think it's the rings fault. It's either my cameras sensor that is broken, or I'm using the wrong pen.

 

For you who have coded successfully, what pen have you been using?

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I made my attempts to code the lenses. Here are my not so positive results.

 

Leica 135mm F4: Failed to be recognized by the M8. I think this is due to a screw being in the coding area.

 

Voightlander 90mm F3.5: Failed to be recognized. I think this is due to the mount on that lens not being full sized at that point.

 

Voightlander 40mm F1.4: Successful. I coded it as directed as a 50 lux preasph. It has of course the same mount as the Leica's built in.

 

So one out of three is not that great. Basically, if there is a screw, or a mount oddity on your lens, this won't work.

 

Please do not blame Tim and his friends. The product does what it says it will do, and very simply. If they can, I would recommend releasing a new wheel that includes successfully tested codes for CV and Zeiss lenses.

 

I will most likely sell the lenses that did not code. I don't find the Leica performs well if the lens is not codable. While I agree that the price of the CV lenses are great, it kind of defeats the purpose.

 

Just my 2 cents.

 

DBK

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Guest tummydoc

Anyone tried using one of those electric engraving pens (the sort used to engrave names or numbers on items in case of theft) to scribe dimples using the coder ring, then dab in a bit of model paint? If I were to code any of my lenses myself I'd want to do it permanently.

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I also have one of Walters encoders and it worked perfectly on the six lenses I used it for.

I am at a loss to see how it could be radically improved?

 

I can concur with this this comment, however it does take some care with the application of the marker device because of the lateral free play. Although I have a large store of SHARPIES I do not believe that they have the correct mat black that the I/R reader requires, but they work , after a fasion.

I will shortly order Tim's marker kit and make a side by side comparison, if anyone is interested!!!

Regards ... Jim.

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Anyone tried using one of those electric engraving pens (the sort used to engrave names or numbers on items in case of theft) to scribe dimples using the coder ring, then dab in a bit of model paint? If I were to code any of my lenses myself I'd want to do it permanently.

 

That is what I did. Dremel and Humbrol matt black model paint. Left the white as bare metal except for one screw ( zeiss lens) which was filled in with liquid paper.

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I haven't managed to code my lenses myself sofar.

I have Walters self-coder-ring. But I don't think it's the rings fault. It's either my cameras sensor that is broken, or I'm using the wrong pen.

 

For you who have coded successfully, what pen have you been using?

 

 

These are the pens I am using (the fine sharpie to indicate the location and wider one for actually painting the dot), they worked for me as stated above:

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