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Replacement codable flanges for M lenses


250swb

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I got my 28mm elmarit v4 done today and it works fine with sharpie. I also have 35mm f2.0 asph to be done soon. Hope mine works fine like yours. What kind of paint do you use for coding? Do you code only the black or also the white too?

 

Viboon

 

I used a flat black automotive touch-up paint for the black code areas (from Walmart).

From what I've read online, the white areas are optional. But since the 6-bit

lens code originator, Leica, chose to go ahead and use white in their coding,

I did also, using some flat white model paint (Testors) I had on hand.

For me, the automotive touch-up paint worked better and dried quicker.

 

Glenn

Edited by GlennB
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  • 2 months later...

With apologies for bringing a slightly old thread back to the top, I'm interested in input from people here. The implication is that the flanges are more or less interchangeable. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I'd be a little surprised if that were true - I would have assume some hand fitting and tweaking was involved...?

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With apologies for bringing a slightly old thread back to the top, I'm interested in input from people here. The implication is that the flanges are more or less interchangeable. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I'd be a little surprised if that were true - I would have assume some hand fitting and tweaking was involved...?

 

Hi John,

 

On the couple of lenses I put the ebay flanges on, they are OK. Focus seems to be true. However the fit and finish is somewhat lacking. The edges on the flanges are sharper and not quite the same as the Leica factory flanges. Mounting and dismounting the lens does not feel the same as with the Leica flanges.

 

For the money they work OK.

 

But if it were more affordable and Leica would sell just the coded flanges, I'd rather have the proper Leica flanges. (Or if in the future I need to send the lenses to Leica for repair or cleaning, I'll get them to do the coded flanges at the same time.)

 

You might message some of the other posters to get their opinions also.

 

Glenn

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Thanks both. I was thinking mostly of the problem in theory - are these in theory interchangeable. When I sent a bunch of flanges in to John Milch I very carefully labeled and packed them so that each flange went back on its original lens. I have wondered whether swapping flanges - especially all-original Leitz/Leica flanges - was a problem.

 

Hi John,

 

On the couple of lenses I put the ebay flanges on, they are OK. Focus seems to be true. However the fit and finish is somewhat lacking. The edges on the flanges are sharper and not quite the same as the Leica factory flanges. Mounting and dismounting the lens does not feel the same as with the Leica flanges.

 

For the money they work OK.

 

But if it were more affordable and Leica would sell just the coded flanges, I'd rather have the proper Leica flanges. (Or if in the future I need to send the lenses to Leica for repair or cleaning, I'll get them to do the coded flanges at the same time.)

 

You might message some of the other posters to get their opinions also.

 

Glenn

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Thanks both. I was thinking mostly of the problem in theory - are these in theory interchangeable. When I sent a bunch of flanges in to John Milch I very carefully labeled and packed them so that each flange went back on its original lens. I have wondered whether swapping flanges - especially all-original Leitz/Leica flanges - was a problem.

 

The flanges are lens dependant in so much as each flange brings up the correct frameline. So a flange made for a 35mm lens can be swapped with another 35mm lens(if the screw holes match of course), but not a 50mm lens. The pre cut flanges come in a set of three, one for 50-75, one for 35-135, and one for 28-90 framlines.

 

Anybody you send a flange to be machined should be able to see which focal length the flange is for, but labelling is important when they are returned as you want to put them back in the right order. Coding only works if the correct frameline is displayed and the correct code is read by the camera.

 

Steve

Edited by 250swb
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I had good luck with the replaced flanges on 35mm, 50mm and 90mm. Fit and finish are great.

 

I did have a little trouble with the codes being recognized at first. Maybe the fresh ink was too shiny? But, after a while, all lenses recognized correctly.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Does anybody know where the focus is normally adjusted in and M lens?

 

I have been concerned about DIY changes, certainly on wide angle lenses where the focus throw is small, because of potential errors. IIRC the Leica adjustment is to better than 0.001", I would be surprised if cheap flanges were identical to within .0001" (i.e. 10x more accurate than the setup tolerance).

 

I would worry about focussing accuracy with 28mm and wider lenses, so it is interesting to hear that people have no problems...

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Replacement of shims inside the lens. Various locations, depending on construction. Normally helicoid-flange distance and optical cell-helicoid spacing. But floating element lenses will have more adjusting points. Shim thicknesses can be in steps of 0.01 mm. That is the tolerance on the flange as well.

Edited by jaapv
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This whole thing really concerns me as of unscrupulous dealers reselling now 6-bit coded lenses without any indication, who carried out the work, and what materials have been used.

 

The remounts are indeed inferior, as of mentioned points. They are nice and dandy for DIY projects and camera technicians, as myself, fooling around with classic lenses, remounts and adjustments.

 

They are one more potential hassle though for serious buyers of original Leica items, which see immense price increases on a monthly basis.

 

As has been mentioned, especially very fast lenses, very long lenses and very wide lenses (and a combination of those) do need extremely fine adjustments, to make them work at their peak performance, as designed.

It is not a "slap a new mount and paint some dots - thing", you should do in your garage.

 

Buyers beware and check serial numbers - there are many lenses, made by Leica, which have been manufactured both in uncoded and coded mount (and respective tighter tolerances)!

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Yes but the "Chinese" flange of my Summilux 50 pre-asph works perfectly well at f/1.4 and on. I dont expect to resale the lens during this century at least but if i had to sell it for any reason i would give the choice of the flange to the buyer, or offer both for $100 more. There is no free lunch :D

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  • 1 year later...

While at a local train show this past weekend, I met a fellow M digital user. We started talking about the codes on the lenses. He showed me what he found in a store in New York City.

 

It was a set of MYLAR rings, with the codes imbedded inside of them, and could be stuck onto the lens flange. The Lens was able to be removed and replaced with ease, and no worry about the codes rubbing off.

 

I gave him my email, and he promised to send me where he purchased them, but I have yet to hear from him (I did not get his email {like a dummy}).

 

Has anyone else ever come across these?

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Cross point is the correct screwdriver, not oo

 

I ground a recess in the back of one so the lens does focus to infinity.

 

When applying the new one, tighten in a pattern like a spare tire and tighten slowly making three trips around the pattern. Uneven tightening will cause focus problems .

 

Original flanges are .039 " to 040 thick. His are all 040 and result in close focus. I had to grind off .001" the back side. Use emery paper on flat glass & rotate as you slide to take off even amounts.

 

A micrometer is really necessary to match new and old thickness. and .001" will even make a 21 mm mis focus.

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  • 3 years later...
  • 11 months later...

Yes there is.  I bought flanges from Jinfinance.  My 21 mm Elmarit 2.8 is a Canadian E60 version and I used the 5-hole 28-90 6-bit mount (6 bit flange adapter type II for Leica M8 M9 lens 28mm 90mm 11804 28/2.8 v3 - and many of his pictures are incorrect so be careful as the 5-hole mount is on the third/last picture of the three in the ad).  I measured the Leica mount at .0397-.0400" and Jin's at .0396-0399" - yes I'm still "Imperial", which is within the .01mm tolerance.  I also bought two others for my 35mm and 75mm lenses, and while I'm sorting with the former one, all were well made and accurate.

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  • 1 year later...

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