MachineGun Posted April 16, 2012 Share #1 Posted April 16, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi Can anyone tell me when Leica started to sell their lens with the 6 bit added? I see used lens for sale that the serial number indicate that the lens was made in the mid 90"s yet it has 6 bit. How does this happen, or has the 6 bit been added after the lens was made. Should the seller not indicate that the 6 bit was added after ithe lens was manufactored? I'm confused Thanks MachineGun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted April 16, 2012 Posted April 16, 2012 Hi MachineGun, Take a look here 6 bit lens. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
bpalme Posted April 16, 2012 Share #2 Posted April 16, 2012 It is something that can be added and it ads value to a lens sense it cost well over a hundred bux for Leica to do it for you. Most people prefer to have it so you can just always keep the camera on auto detect instead of selecting the lens manually which is easy to forget. Plus the M8 doesn't have the choices to pick like the M9. I have a couple lenses that are "ghetto" coded... Meaning I did it myself with a marker. The problem with that is it wears off and you have to re do it. There are other ways such as buying the flanges on eBay with recessed spots to put paint. I would give you a link to the codes but I'm on my phone so maybe someone else will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted April 16, 2012 Share #3 Posted April 16, 2012 The first lens to be supplied new with 6-bit coding was the 28/2.8 Elmarit asph in October 2006 at the same time as the M8 was released but Leica and third parties can add the 6-bit coding to most Leica lenses. There are a few lenses that cannot be 6-bit coding because there is a screw in the position where the coding needs to go. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted April 16, 2012 Share #4 Posted April 16, 2012 Just for the record as of this month Leica NJ charges US$230 for 6 bit coding plus return shipping UPS blue Label of around $12. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobey bilek Posted April 17, 2012 Share #5 Posted April 17, 2012 A proper upgrade adds value to a lens. A hand grid may actually reduce it even if it works as intended. Determine if it is a real Leica conversion. For what it is worth, for the M8 lenses 35mm or shorter are best coded and used with the uv/ir filter.50 and longer need only the filter and the coding if you want exif data correct. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
smb Posted April 17, 2012 Share #6 Posted April 17, 2012 What is the turnaround time for this alteration? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted April 17, 2012 Share #7 Posted April 17, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) What is the turnaround time for this alteration? For me they (Leica NJ) quoted 4-5 weeks. It varies at different times of the year plus any irregularities they might find with any lens. Call them and ask. 1-800-222-0118, then 1 and then extension 9930. They might ask the lens model and serial number in order to verify that it can be 6 bit coded by them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted April 17, 2012 Share #8 Posted April 17, 2012 A proper upgrade adds value to a lens. A hand grid may actually reduce it even if it works as intended. Determine if it is a real Leica conversion. When Leica introduced six bit coding it potentially cost everybody $230 (as of todays price) for each lens they have, plus future users who buy un-coded lenses. You send a lens off to Solms and it costs you $230 and puts the secondhand price up $230. If you don't do it the lens is worth less than a coded lens, $230 less on the secondhand market. If you do it yourself the price may be $230 less than a Solms coded one but it can still be sent to Solms for official coding, but you are at a neutral cost until you do send it. So every original owner or secondhand buyer will have paid or will eventually pay $230 extra. This is not added value to the lens, it has been paid for so it just makes the lens more expensive, but it is added value to Leica's service dept. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
algrove Posted April 18, 2012 Share #9 Posted April 18, 2012 Forgot to add that you get a certificate from Leica saying the lens meets their specifications which in my mind has some value. See earlier posts about this-even from me where I quote the certificate from Leica. Traveling now so do not have one in front of me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdriceman Posted April 18, 2012 Share #10 Posted April 18, 2012 What is the turnaround time for this alteration? I just had one coded at Leica NJ. They quoted 5-6 weeks. It was actually returned in less than 3 weeks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andybarton Posted April 18, 2012 Share #11 Posted April 18, 2012 So every original owner or secondhand buyer will have paid or will eventually pay $230 extra. That's not quite true - there are probably millions of owners for whom coding of lenses is irrelevant, and for some collectors, the addition of a code will detract from the value. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 18, 2012 Share #12 Posted April 18, 2012 But be aware that this is a rather flagrant patent violation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaques Posted April 18, 2012 Share #13 Posted April 18, 2012 Are you absolutely sure of that Jaap? What is the nature of the patent Leica holds on 6 bit technology? A patent must be a novel invention- I would be surprised if they actually hold a patent on the ability to make a flange with 6 holes milled into it. The flange itself is now in the public domain... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted April 18, 2012 Share #14 Posted April 18, 2012 The coding has been patented in 2006 - solidly enough to keep Zeiss and CV away from it and invent workarounds - like a recessed ring that can be coded by the user, but is not coding. About novel invention - Leica managed to have a viewfinder magnifier patented in the USA and Germany - despite the fact that they exist since the early 20th century. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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