Lens coding update USA

[herbkell]

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My existing lenses were sent back to Leica for coding last year through the dealer where I bought the M8. I think they went to Solms but I am not sure.

 

I have now purchased a used 21Elmarit (pre asph) and would like to have it coded. Can someone advise me of the procedure as I have deleted all the stuff on coding and registration.

 

Questions I would like answered are

 

Does it go to NJ or Solms? I live in Canada.

 

How much does it cost?

 

How long does it take?

 

Thanks

[Guest WPalank]

herbkell,

Just send it to NJ. I basically did a thread on this several weeks a go and all I got was a referral to a pdf from Leica NJ. At that time, and it may be so as I write, the price was $125 US per lens. For an extra $50, you get a check-up, cleaning and 18 month extended warranty. I sent 4 off and was promised a 2 week turnaround once they reached NJ. I got two returned three weeks later and the other two are still there after 4 1/2 weeks.

I had to call on the whereabouts of the other two and was told that they needed to go to another section of the plant for "milling". Evidently, and I am not an engineer, on some of the lenses they out and out replace the bayonett. On others it takes replacement plus precise milling. On others, the code plus a little milling. I was told that on my 21 Elmaritt, that they were still waiting for bayonetts to arrive from Solms and it may be a while.

Please don't shoot the messenger!

So the other point I would like to make is that there are a lot of people out there creating the codes. But again, to quote Leica, without the "milling" is it really enough?

 

I have included the promotion for your perusal.

[herbkell]

Thanks for your help William and you are right shooting the messenger is not fair!

 

It seems like very little about the M8 is quite "as advertised" including the turnaround on lens coding.

 

Too bad mine is the 21 Elmarit which seems to take the longest...

[marknorton]

William, I'm wondering whether they only replace the bayonet ring directly for lenses currently in production. Maybe, for older lenses, they have not had new bayonet rings made and instead modify the existing ones. Would that fit in with the pattern of which lenses have come back and which are still waiting?

 

I've no idea about the size of the Leica NJ operation, the UK one is pretty small so when you talk about "another section of the plant", it may well be they are shipped back to Germany for processing, hence the delay.

[Guest WPalank]

Mark,

Good point but all my lenses are post 2001 or so. The 28/2 and the 35/1.4 came back the soonest. My 21/2.8 Elmaritt M and 50/1.4 are still in the hospital. The 50 was simply being milled, whereas the 21 was waiting for the part from Solms.

[johnkuo]

I just emailed Leica NJ about this, and I was told the turnaround time is about 3-4 weeks at this time.

[marknorton]

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William, the 21 may just be waiting for the right part but if your 50/1.4 is not an ASPH lens, that is not in current production so this may be the one which is being milled. It may be not economical to order a batch of bayonet rings which will only ever be used for coding upgrades and therefore easier to mill on demand. There's a break-even point somewhere, I guess someone has to figure out how many will come back for coding. For current production, the changed bayonet ring is being used in new production so can be retro-fitted.