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Do-it-Yourself Lens Coding


marknorton

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We don't know whether manual lens selection will make it into the next firmware version which raises the question of whether to code or not to code your lenses.

 

Yesterday, I was able to code an uncoded lens using nothing more than a piece of scotch tape, a magic marker for the black dots and tippex/snowpake correction fluid for the white dots.

 

Not a durable long term solution of course, but it allows you to test out whether coding works for you.

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Great idea. Maybe Leica could give away / sell :confused: some little stickers with the coding. So people who need coding but can't afford it money or time waiting wise could code themselves although they would need to replace the sticker once in a while when it is too old.

 

And if Leica does not want to sell this DIY maybe our third part friend who sells south east asian made X1.25 magnifyers would be interested to know that there is a huge market for coded stickers :-)

 

This could also mean we could try coding none Leica lenses fooling the M8 into thinking it is a Leica lense and see if vignetting gets corrected.

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Doesn't the thickness of the tape throw off the lens register distance?

 

I have thought about coding one of the L39 to M mount adapters for use with a 15mm Voitlander lens, but was thinking of a way to make a jig to engrave the dots.

 

Important to know that the camera looks at the position of the frame selection lever and the code to figure out the lens type. This is how it can tell the focal length for the Tri-Elmar but a fixed lens will only be recognised if the frame lever setting is correct.

 

So... with my un-coded 50 mounted with the Scotch tape code applied, it works fine. Change to the code to that for a 35mm lens and the lens is only recognised if you hold the frame selection lever in the correct (35mm frame) position when taking the shot.

 

Rob, you are correct that even the thickness of Scotch tape tightens the lens mount so I don't apply the code to the lens. I put Scotch tape over the sensor, mark the dots (turns out only the black ones need marking), remove the tape, cut a sliver (12 * 2mm) and place that over the sensor. Conveniently, the sensor is recesssed from the surface of the lens mount by the thickness of about.... 1 piece of Scotch tape.

 

This is not a reusable solution, obviously, but it will allow people to try the coding out if there ends up being no manual selection available.

 

The scans of the backs of my Leica lenses are on this site somewhere, I can repost if necessary.

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Yesterday, I was able to code an uncoded lens using nothing more than a piece of scotch tape, a magic marker for the black dots and tippex/snowpake correction fluid for the white dots.

 

Well done Mark ;) I proposed this course of action when I first heard of the coding design. Go to the top of the class.

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very cool, Mark. I haven't the stomach for it, but most appreciated! best....Peter

 

Oh, it's not too bad, but I'd recommend using an artists cutting mat to trim the sliver of tape and of course not using any metal tools on the lens mount to avoid scratching it.

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Here's the first 5:

 

21mm Elmarit-M ASPH

 

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28mm Summicron-M ASPH

 

 

35mm Summilux-M ASPH

 

 

35mm Summicron-M (pre-ASPH)

 

 

50mm Summilux-M ASPH

 

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3 more...

 

APO 75mm Summicron-M ASPH

 

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90mm Elmarit-M

 

 

First Generation 28-35-50 Tri-Elmar-M ASPH

 

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We don't know whether manual lens selection will make it into the next firmware version which raises the question of whether to code or not to code your lenses.

 

Yesterday, I was able to code an uncoded lens using nothing more than a piece of scotch tape, a magic marker for the black dots and tippex/snowpake correction fluid for the white dots.

 

Not a durable long term solution of course, but it allows you to test out whether coding works for you.

 

Way to go Mark! This kind is cobbing is close to my heart and will dovetail well with the results I've been getting as I test various 28 mm lenses with the 486 filters. I'm convinced, now based on initial tests, that other 28 lenses can benefit from the corrections that are intended for either the Summicron & Elmarit. Either Leica gives us the manual lens selection option (which I'm still pushing hard for) or we look at some more durable evolution of what you're playing with. Again, I'm so glad that you're trying these experiments and thanks.

 

Added later: Also appreciate the pictures of the lens codes.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

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Way to go Mark! This kind is cobbing is close to my heart and will dovetail well with the results I've been getting as I test various 28 mm lenses with the 486 filters. I'm convinced, now based on initial tests, that other 28 lenses can benefit from the corrections that are intended for either the Summicron & Elmarit. Either Leica gives us the manual lens selection option (which I'm still pushing hard for) or we look at some more durable evolution of what you're playing with. Again, I'm so glad that you're trying these experiments and thanks.

 

Added later: Also appreciate the pictures of the lens codes.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Can anyone tell me if this "user marking" works for LTM lenses with adapters? I have some screw mount CV lenses and am wondering if they can be "user coded"?

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Important to know that the camera looks at the position of the frame selection lever and the code to figure out the lens type. This is how it can tell the focal length for the Tri-Elmar but a fixed lens will only be recognised if the frame lever setting is correct.

 

So... with my un-coded 50 mounted with the Scotch tape code applied, it works fine. Change to the code to that for a 35mm lens and the lens is only recognised if you hold the frame selection lever in the correct (35mm frame) position when taking the shot.

 

Rob, you are correct that even the thickness of Scotch tape tightens the lens mount so I don't apply the code to the lens. I put Scotch tape over the sensor, mark the dots (turns out only the black ones need marking), remove the tape, cut a sliver (12 * 2mm) and place that over the sensor. Conveniently, the sensor is recesssed from the surface of the lens mount by the thickness of about.... 1 piece of Scotch tape.

 

This is not a reusable solution, obviously, but it will allow people to try the coding out if there ends up being no manual selection available.

 

The scans of the backs of my Leica lenses are on this site somewhere, I can repost if necessary.

 

Can anyone speak to the "user coding" of LTM lenses with adapters? There are many of us with CV screw mount lenses, and we are wondering if we can code these. Has anyone tried it sucessfully?

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This whole thread has been superceded by Mike's thread which uses a pen to mark the lens directly instead of my experiment use of Scotch tape, so you'll find much more information there.

 

In answer to your question, the LTM adaters do not cover the lens code sensor because they have a cut-out which exposes it. There's no easy solution. Sean Reid is looking at the options.

 

Keep in mind that the camera uses both the lens code and the frame set selected to recognise the lens, so even if the mount can be coded, it will still need to activate the correct frame set.

 

Best take a look at the other thread!

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