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How to get a lens coded....well


gotium

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Can anyone advise me how to get a ZM lens coded, maybe professionally? I have the ZM 35/1.4 and have tried, and tried, and tried to code it myself with three different coding kits, pens, paint and nail polish, and I CANNOT do it. 

 

Thanks if anyone can point me somewhere. 

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I see reports that the coding kits work well for M8 & 9, but not for M typ 240, 262, etc. due to a change in the sensors. Some of the independent Leica repair techs will have the mounts milled with correct "pits" and code them. I have seen reports that DAG in the US has coded non-Leica lenses.

The Jinfinance replacement flanges are reported to work, but they only fit a portion of the M mount lenses which match their screw hole patterns.

Some lenses have the focus helical machined in the mount flange (Voigtlander Nokton 35 f1.4 for example), and there are no coded flanges available for these.

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My experience mirrors Tom's comments. The manual coding on my M lenses and a 21mm f1.8 Voigtlander Ultron worked great on the M9 and not at all on the M262. I think Leica has "defeated" the manual lens coding systems with the current group of bodies. Last time I looked the MatchTechnical Lens Coder system was not even being sold anymore, I think they got the message that the product is dead on the new bodies.

Edited by Gregm61
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I have a Zeiss Biogon 35mm F2 which I successfully hand coded using a "Sharpie" marker. The lens mount has a very helpful groove which means that the mark does not wear off when changing lenses. I have not got a ZM so I do not know if it has a similar groove. Many Zeiss and Voigtlander lenses of recent manufacture seem to have this useful groove provided.

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I used to mill the code pits with a Dremel and fill them with paint. FWIW, Markal's Lacquer-Stik has worked flawlessly for me (including on the M240) until I decided that it was too much trouble - I also use vintage lenses, which I don't want to alter/butcher - and made it a habit to manually set the code when swapping lenses.

However, unless you are sufficiently confident in your skills, this is a job best done by a competent technician. See list here: http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-news/leica-repair-specialists/

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DAG disagreed with me 2 months back that Chinese flanges may not work on 240 and later.  I do not have a later camera than M9 so I did not argue.

 

He did relube one of my 50 collapsible last versions and sent the flange out for coding at the same time.   

 

BTW, General Motors Black and Arctic White work on all the flanges I coded.   Thin with a little laquor thinner and fill the pits slowly with a 0 size brush.  wipe the flange with thinner rag after drying as necessary

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Has anyone successfully got the jinfinance flanges working with a 35mm Summicron v4 on a m240 by any chance?

 

I'm not even sure if I need to get my lens 6 bit coded as it is the only lens that I currently own? Had the lens previously mounted to my M6 so I never really gave it much thought :(

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Has anyone successfully got the jinfinance flanges working with a 35mm Summicron v4 on a m240 by any chance?

 

I'm not even sure if I need to get my lens 6 bit coded as it is the only lens that I currently own? Had the lens previously mounted to my M6 so I never really gave it much thought :(

Yes, I use these flanges on a 35 v4 on M9 and M240 with no problem.

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Has anyone successfully got the jinfinance flanges working with a 35mm Summicron v4 on a m240 by any chance?

 

I'm not even sure if I need to get my lens 6 bit coded as it is the only lens that I currently own? Had the lens previously mounted to my M6 so I never really gave it much thought :(

Yes. The secret is in the paint.

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Yes, I use these flanges on a 35 v4 on M9 and M240 with no problem.

Are there any advantages of me coding my 35v4 if it is my only lens for the moment? 

 

 

Yes. The secret is in the paint.

 

 

Recommendations on any specific white/black marker? Thanks :)
Edited by Ray1684
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Are there any advantages of me coding my 35v4 if it is my only lens for the moment?

 

 

 

Recommendations on any specific white/black marker? Thanks :)

You'll always know what lens was used in exif information and any present or future Leica correction firmware will operate properly. For paint I found umbrol model paint works well.

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Are there any advantages of me coding my 35v4 if it is my only lens for the moment? 

 

 

 

 

Recommendations on any specific white/black marker? Thanks :)

I use Rustoleum black and white. It seems to have the needed sheen to not confuse the sensor. The M8.2 and M9 were easier to read than the M240 at least for me.

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  • 7 months later...

I have a couple of ZM lenses (35/2.8 and 21/2.8), and would like to code at least the 21. Not only does the 21 need it optically, but also, I would like to have a decent way to fix the EXIF afterwards (I use the LR plugin for that, but for now have no way to distinguish the 21 from the 35 from the file).

Setting the code in the menu is not a reliable method, as I will forget to do it often enough to just defeat the purpose.

 

Both seem to have the focusing helicoidal in the flange, so the basic version sold bin jinfinance will not work (I got one to see it was not going to work; my bad, I should have taken the lens apart before ordering).

What is the best way to proceed then ? Putting paint on the flange will not work, as it will quickly wear out.

I am ready to send the lens in, if needed. Any suggestion of a good place in France or Europe would be great.

 

If I cannot find a way, I am actually thinking of getting a 21 SEM instead. But for now, I would prefer to keep using the ZM if I can.

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I have a couple of ZM lenses (35/2.8 and 21/2.8), and would like to code at least the 21. Not only does the 21 need it optically, but also, I would like to have a decent way to fix the EXIF afterwards [...] What is the best way to proceed then ? Putting paint on the flange will not work, as it will quickly wear out. [...]

 

Would you have early ZM lenses? I have no experience with ZM 21/2.8 but both my ZM 35/2.8 and 50/1.5 have a coding groove on the flange. I've hand coded them with a mere sharpie several months ago and coding still works fine on my M240.

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I have found some Jin Finance flanges to be too thick and one thicker one one side than the other.  I ground off .001" on quite a few and leveled on one off on one side.  Most of my Leica flanges are .039  and some of the JF ones were .040.  The difference caused front focus by 50 feet at 75 foot distance  with 21 mm lens at 5.6.  This is precision work!  

 

Without proper tools and skills I would tell you just send the lens to DAG or Leica.  Just bolting on a JF may or may not work.  

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