Robert_M Posted June 20, 2011 Share #1 Posted June 20, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) You will recall that I stumbled across the M9 firmware coding of a 14mm/3.8 lens several months back. After loading the new software update into my M9, I was curious to see if that lens code was still in the firmware and if there was a new code for the expected 21mm lens (rumored to be announced soon). 1) Yes, code 51-2 (110011 with 135/35 frames) is still in the firmware if one codes a lens like that. The M9 still thinks it is a 14mm 3.8 lens. 2) 21mm f/3.4 lens: The rumors for months have been that there would be a new 21mm 3.8 lens coming in June. Just last week, I see "Leica Rumors" said it is now a 21mm 3.4 lens coming. Surely, I thought, this must be already coded in the firmware if the lens is really coming so soon. There is some logic to the Leica code assignments. All the recent additions appear to be chronological in the low 50s. Specifically, 50-2 = 24/3.8 lens, 52-3 = 18/3.8 lens, 53-2 = the new coding for 135/3.4. Code 51 and 54 onward are not as yet assigned (or acknowledged as assigned). So, I started testing a little. Code 54 (all frames) does not bring up any lens coding in the M9 new firmware. Interesting, however: [Code 51-1 (110011 with 28/90 frames)DOES indicate that it is the 21mm f/3.4 lens! So, I guess that is the code for the new lens. That would also indicate that the new 21mm lens is a f/3.4 and not 3.8 as originally rumored. I suspect that others must already know this information and may be under NDA to not reveal it. After all, I see that one of the firmware beta testers already knew the 53-2 coding for the 135 lens before the firmware release. My knowledge comes completely from reverse engineering via coding testing. And, BTW, I now suspect that the 14mm/3.8 lens code is not real and may just be a bug in the firmware not yet corrected. Why do I say this? Well, all the lens codes are unique to the lens and use the frame code as a redundancy indication. The only exceptions are the MATE (obviously uses the 3 frames) and some lenses which use the "0" frame code and can not be coded on the lens flange to work completely in the coding scheme. The 135/4 is an example. So it would be a new departure in the lens coding if Leica assigned 2 lenses to the same code and used the frames to distinguish them, ie 51-2 for a 14mm lens and 51-1 for a 21mm lens. Regards, RM 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 20, 2011 Posted June 20, 2011 Hi Robert_M, Take a look here Another M9 Lens Code revelation. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
01af Posted June 20, 2011 Share #2 Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) Yes, code 51-2 (110011 with 135/35 frames) is still in the firmware if one codes a lens like that. The M9 still thinks it is a 14 mm 1:3.8 lens. I re-checked this code after the firmware update, and I can confirm it's still there indeed. 2) 21 mm 1:3.4 lens: The rumors for months have been that there would be a new 21 mm 1:3.8 lens coming in June. Just last week, I see "Leica Rumors" said it is now a 21 mm 1:3.4 lens coming. [...] Code 51-1 (110011 with 28/90 frames) DOES indicate that it is the 21 mm 1:3.4 lens! This is most exciting news! Thanks for checking and sharing! I now suspect that the 14 mm 1:3.8 lens code is not real and may just be a bug in the firmware not yet corrected. [...] So it would be a new departure in the lens coding if Leica assigned two lenses to the same code and used the frames to distinguish them, i. e. 51-2 for a 14 mm lens and 51-1 for a 21 mm lens. I don't believe the 14 mm lens was just a bug. Lenses were sharing codes all the time, but so far one of the shared codes always had a zero frameline code. The only new thing is, now a code point gets shared between two different lenses with both frameline codes being non-zero. I think this is no reason to believe in a bug. To the contrary, it's an indication that Leica engineers are coming to their senses. In the long run, code points will run out sooner or later, so they will have to re-use code points anyway. And distinguishing shared codes via frameline code is working just fine, so why not? The only (minor) issue with shared codes with non-zero frameline codes is, in some cases you can fool the camera into thinking the other lens with the same 6-bit code was used just by switching and holding the frame-selection lever while firing the shutter. So this system won't be entirely fool-proof. But the same is true for the Tri-Elmar-M 28-35-50 mm Asph's lens recognition already ... and who will do such a foolish thing anyway? You simply can't make anything absolutely fool-proof; there will always remain a few trapdoors and pitfalls—especially when trying to transfer a 50-year-old system into the future while maintaining backwards compatibility. Moreover, both lenses to share a code point will be super-wides which will get framed via an accessory finder, so even less reason for the user to switch and hold the frame-selection lever. I only wonder why they have assigned an entirely new code point to the Apo-Telyt-M 135 mm 1:3.4 lens when just switching from 9-0 to 9-2 would do. Another valuable code point wasted ... Edited June 20, 2011 by 01af 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_M Posted June 20, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted June 20, 2011 I think there are only 4 lenses which share the 6-bit code and they are all with "0" on the frame code. The sharing of codes and using the frame indicator would be a new thing for the coding. I agree it is logical to use the frame indicator to distinguish lenses and I would have probably designed that into the scheme (if I had designed the scheme). However, it does have the problems you point out when the user moves the frame selector lever manually. Someone should test these codes on an M8 and M8-2. Do they indicate a 14mm lens? I do not have access to any of those cameras. This would be useful information in determining if the 14mm is intended or just a bug in one camera firmware. Another issue is that there has not been any other confirmation of a 14mm lens. The only source, as far as I know, is this indication in the M9 firmware. Surely there would have been some leak of information by now? Just pointing out pros and cons of a 14mm lens theory...... RM Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_M Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted June 22, 2011 OK, the new 21/3.4 ASPH lens is released. But, I have not seen any confirmation nor correction to the idea that 51-1 is the lens code. Assuming that this code is correct, I thought it would be interesting to see how the code behaves with my CV 21/4 lens. Attached are the snaps of a blank sheet at F/4 aperture with this lens coded as a 21/2.8 lens, 21/2.8 ASPH lens, new 21/3.4 ASPH lens, and uncoded. Remember, the CV 21/4 lens needs considerable correction. It appears that the correction given by the new 51-1 code is more than the 21/2.8 ASPH but less than the 21/2.8 lens. I've ordered the pics below by increasing correction that the firmware applies to the lens. This gives some indication about the expected vignetting of the new lens compared to the previous lenses. RM Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/154776-another-m9-lens-code-revelation/?do=findComment&comment=1711246'>More sharing options...
AndrejK Posted June 24, 2011 Share #5 Posted June 24, 2011 I did some tests with M9 + Zeiss Biogon 21/4.5 and firmware 1.162. First 2 pics are coded as 21/3.4 ASPH (110011) at apertures 4.5, and 8. Second series of 2 pics is coded as 21/2.8 (000001) also at apertures 4.5, and 8. The Biogon 21/4.5 is a bit better corrected with the new firmware and 21/2.8 code compared to the previous firmvare. I think, that the new code for 21/3.4 has a bit more vigneting, but the colour cast is a little bit better (especially the left edge). Andrej Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/154776-another-m9-lens-code-revelation/?do=findComment&comment=1713965'>More sharing options...
Robert_M Posted June 25, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted June 25, 2011 Well, I just stumbled across another lens code that is interesting. I was checking the new 135/3.4 lens code 53-2. See the current thread on the 135/3.4 APO lens coding in the customer forum. Since I had already coded the lens as code 53, I tried the other frame lines. Guess what, code 53-3 (110101 with frame 50/75) brings up a new lens called 50/2. The current 50 summicron (VI and V) and previous version (III) already have codes 33 and 23. So, is this new 53-3 code for an upcoming, new 50 summicron which has been speculated about? I'm now thinking about doing a more comprehensive search through the codes on the M9. What else is there that is not known? RM Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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