Proof of concept regarding self coding of lenses

[cbretteville]

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CV 21/4.0 - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as older (1980-1997) 21 Elmarit. Do we know that code from Carsten's list? Anyone know it? The 28/90 frame lines are what the newest 21 Elmarit brings up.

Sean,

It isn't on Carsten's list yet. I'm speculating, but try 00000X (1). It is the first lens on the old leses list and it is the widest of the old ones.

- Carl

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[sean_reid]

I must be doing something wrong or am not doing it carefully enough, but I have twice failed to get a modern 90 f/2 AA to show up as a 90 in the info screen after trying to do the coding with a sharpie.

 

I seem to have lost the posting with detailed instructions about how to do it. What I did in lieu of that was try to copy the markings on a new 90 f/4 macro elmar. My assumption is that this would at least bring up 90mm on the lcd after pressing the info button, but nothing appears on that menU (except the histogram and other info...no focal length).

 

Ithought it might be easier the first time just to copy the markings on another lens that I could have in my hands. Do you think I would have better luck using the template?

 

 

Probably, although the template itself is off a little bit and that is most easily corrected with a coded lens at hand. I've found one has to be dead on with the markings for the coding to work and it sometimes takes me a couple of tries per lens or adapter ring.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

BTW, for those who have (or will buy) the old Leitz adapters... The brass on the adapter tends to darken with age, etc. I suggest "brightening up" the area where the coding will go with a polish or something to get it bright and shiny. The will make the areas that are not black reflect light in a way that is more similar to the white dots on the real coded lenses.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[rvaubel]

Hi Rex,

 

Easy if one is a machinist. Down the road I'm going to speak with a good machinist friend. BTW, do you have machining skills? If so...

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

Yes I do. I have a complete commercial machine shop. Send me an adapter marked exactly where you want the diameters milled for all 6 spots. The diameter probably isn't critical since people have been faking it with sharpies. I would only machine down far enough to hold the ink, probably less than .005

 

If you want me to do this I will PM you my address.

 

Rex

....arf

[larry]

I suggest "brightening up" the area where the coding will go with a polish or something to get it bright and shiny.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

 

 

Here's a Web link to a non-abrasive metal polish product that I'm particularly fond of. (I have no financial interest or connection with this company.)

 

MAAS Inc.

 

Larry

[Guest V64]

Sean,

 

I love eureka moments!!! But ....

 

Where does the CV15mm fit in all this? Would its "best fit" be to use the new Tri-Elmar code, on an older Leitz Mount which matches the frameline that the Tri-Elmar selects when working at 16mm?

 

Cheers

 

David Huxtable

[rick_dykstra]

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Will this work on my M6?

[rick_dykstra]

Carsten, this might have been suggested already, but could you add another column to your table to allow entry of third party lenses for which a particular code works well, based on users' experimentation.

 

Users are also sure to experiment with the codes for Leica lenses, for example, trying the code for a 21/2.8 on a 35/2 lens. Sets of preferences might emerge, or rules of thumb, i.e. "Try the 28/2 code on the 50/1.4 Asph for a more aggresive cyan corner control." hehe. Your site might grow to include lists of well known users' preferences.

 

Regards, Rick.

[sean_reid]

Sean,

 

I love eureka moments!!! But ....

 

Where does the CV15mm fit in all this? Would its "best fit" be to use the new Tri-Elmar code, on an older Leitz Mount which matches the frameline that the Tri-Elmar selects when working at 16mm?

 

Cheers

 

David Huxtable

 

My gut sense is that the CV 15 is best used with no filter and the latest Jamie Roberts profile. No filter threads, no lens code model....

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

An update for those who are interested:

 

CV 21/4.0 - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as older (1980-1997) 21 Elmarit. Do we know that code from Carsten's list? Anyone know it? The 28/90 frame lines are what the newest 21 Elmarit brings up.

 

CV 25/4.0 - use older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as 24 Elmarit.

 

CV 28/3.5 (sucessfully coded) - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as 28/2.8 Elmarit Aspherical

 

CV 28/1.9 Ultron - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as 28/2.0 Summicron *but* that may over-correct the vignetting because the Ultron vignettes less than the Summicron. This one lens may do better uncoded. I'll find out through tests when time allows.

 

CV 35/1.7 Ultron (sucessfully coded) - use an older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see) For now I'm coding for the newest version.

 

CV 35/2.5 Pancake II (sucessfully coded) - no adapter, code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see) For now I'm coding for the newest version.

 

CV 35/2.5 LTM (sucessfully coded) - use an older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see)

 

Zeiss 28/2.8 (sucessfully coded) - code as Summicron 28/2.0

 

Zeiss 35/2.0 (sucessfully coded) - code as Summicron 35/2.0

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Riley]

for Adapters

holes drilled from outside circumferrence but not through

then holes from the base out to break into first holes

tumblers fashioned from stock have recessed ends and screwdriver notches

securing plate retains the tumblers, and held by two srews into threaded holes

 

Riley

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[sean_reid]

Another update, not allowed to edit above now:

 

CV 21/4.0 (sucessfully coded) - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as 21 Elmarit

 

CV 25/4.0 (sucessfully coded) - use older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as 24 Elmarit.

 

CV 28/3.5 (sucessfully coded) - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as 28/2.8 Elmarit Aspherical

 

CV 28/1.9 Ultron (sucessfully coded) - use older Leitz 28/90 adapter and code as 28/2.0 Summicron *but* that may over-correct the vignetting because the Ultron vignettes less than the Summicron. This one lens may do better uncoded. I'll find out through tests when time allows.

 

CV 35/1.7 Ultron (sucessfully coded) - use an older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see) For now I'm coding for the newest version.

 

CV 35/2.5 Pancake II (sucessfully coded) - no adapter, code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see) For now I'm coding for the newest version.

 

CV 35/2.5 LTM (sucessfully coded) - use an older Leitz 135 mm adapter and code as a Summicron 35/2.0 (older version 1, version 2, aspherical? - we'll need to see)

 

Zeiss 21/2.8 (sucessfully coded) - code as Elmarit 21/2.8

 

Zeiss 25/2.8 - code as Elmarit 24/2.8 and hold lever for 24/135 frame lines (testing only)

 

Zeiss 28/2.8 (sucessfully coded) - code as Summicron 28/2.0

 

Zeiss 35/2.0 (sucessfully coded) - code as Summicron 35/2.0

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[Heidi S]

Sean,

Any idea about the Zeiss 15mm 2.8?

 

Heidi

[sean_reid]

Sean,

Any idea about the Zeiss 15mm 2.8?

 

Heidi

 

Hi Heidi,

 

No idea about that one yet, sorry.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[adampal]

Sean could you code the CV 28/1.9 as a 35 or would that give the wrong frame lines ?

 

Best Regards

 

Adam Palaza

[blakley]

Probably, although the template itself is off a little bit

 

Sean, if you describe how the template is off I'll try to adjust it. It should be pretty accurate, though - I produced it by taking a picture of the back of a coded lens and replacing colors in photoshop, after insuring that it was scaled to the correct size.

 

The inner diameter of the template is a little wider than the outer diameter of the lensmount barrel on purpose to prevent warping of the template, which throws off relative positions.

 

I've coded four lenses on the first try now, and one on the second try (this was the first one I tried, and I put the template on upside down. Embarrassing....).

 

By the way, a touch of acetone-based nail polish remover on a q-tip takes sharpie off a lensmount like nobody's business.

[sean_reid]

Sean could you code the CV 28/1.9 as a 35 or would that give the wrong frame lines ?

 

Best Regards

 

Adam Palaza

 

I see your thinking (which makes sense) but I don't think so. I think that one pretty much has to code by focal length because the camera takes the frame line selection position into account when reading the code. I suppose one might be able to use a 35 coding on a 24, etc. We'll see if the Leica corrections are too much for the Ultron. That's the only case I've run into yet when a given lens has less vignetting than the competitive Leica lens. Sometimes the Zeiss lenses and Leicas are neck and neck in that respect. With a compact lens like the CV 28/3.5 the vignetting is reduced but not eliminated - nice improvement though.

 

Cheers,

 

Sean

[sean_reid]

Probably, although the template itself is off a little bit

 

Sean, if you describe how the template is off I'll try to adjust it. It should be pretty accurate, though - I produced it by taking a picture of the back of a coded lens and replacing colors in photoshop, after insuring that it was scaled to the correct size.

 

The inner diameter of the template is a little wider than the outer diameter of the lensmount barrel on purpose to prevent warping of the template, which throws off relative positions.

 

I've coded four lenses on the first try now, and one on the second try (this was the first one I tried, and I put the template on upside down. Embarrassing....).

 

By the way, a touch of acetone-based nail polish remover on a q-tip takes sharpie off a lensmount like nobody's business.

 

That template has been enormously useful. The little "U" indentation mark is off just a touch in my use. I checked it by printing onto acetate (or something like that) and placing it over an actual coded lens. The U marking needs to be just a little further counter-clockwise, maybe 1/16 - 1/32" (a guess, I haven't measured). Maybe its the way I'm doing the cutout?

 

Thanks again.

 

S

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[mike prevette]

Sean, I had the same problem. So I ditched the template and went back to my original method of mapping the sensor points onto a piece of tape on the camera body, mounting the lens, and then marking the lens in the proper spot along the mount edge , removing the lens and marking the full area.

 

p.s. glad you have successfully coded so many of your lenses. Any quick test results on how well the VC lenses are performing with the lens correction?

 

_mike

[mike prevette]

cheap hack for "new" LTM>m adapters. I would have done this with some plastic scrap I had lying around but I didn't have the right glue sitting on my shelf. It works fine, but I forgot about it once already, and triedto take the mount off with the tape still on. DoH!