M lens codes

[wlaidlaw]

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If you look on the lens codes section of the Wiki on this forum, you will find recommendations for most compatible non-Leica lenses. This is not a hard and fast rule and you may find other codes will suit better for the colour balance you like or another reason. For example I am coding my 40mm Summicron-C as a series 3 50 Summicron not the pre-ASPH 35 Summicron as recommended. This is because I would have to alter the framelines tab to 35mm, which I don’t want to do. I find it easier to look outside the 50mm framelines than inside the 35mm ones.

 

Wilson

[billo101]

I bought a 85 Summarex, I have a Monochrom, which encoding (101...) should I put on the 28/90 VM ring?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

b

[wlaidlaw]

I would try the old Summicron-M 90 type II which is 000111. I should not think there is much if any correction on this but at least you would get 90mm/f2 shown on the EXIF, to give you a clue as to which lens you used.

 

Wilson

[evering]

Hi,

 

I have M240 and was wondering if anyone knows the code for the 35 / 1.4 Summilux pre-APSH. It is an '86 model. The code doesn't appear in any of the tables?

 

 

thanks

[adan]

There is no "code" for that lens - Leica left it off the list going back to the origination of the codes for the M8. Only option is selecting it in the menu, or substituting the code for a more modern 35 f/2 or f/1.4.

 

The reason being that that lens uses a different mounting flange than all other M lenses since 1980 - grandfathered in from the 1960's. Thicker, and with no screws on the back. Leica did not go to the trouble of reviving that unique mount for one lens, when creating the new mounts with the coding pits in them.

 

I did see a 35 pre-ASPH Summilux very recently, where the photographer had had one of the third-party repair people drill pits into his 40-year-old mount, and paint in the code for the ASPH 35 Summilux.

[wlaidlaw]

Hi,

 

I have M240 and was wondering if anyone knows the code for the 35 / 1.4 Summilux pre-APSH. It is an '86 model. The code doesn't appear in any of the tables?

 

 

thanks

 

I would just code as ASPH.

 

Wilson

[01af]

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... wondering if anyone knows the code for the pre-asph Summilux-M 35 mm. It is an '86 model.

The code is 6-0. However you cannot use this as the 6-bit code on the bayonet flange ... or actually you can but the camera will interpret it as 6-2 which is the Summicron-M 35 mm.

[evering]

The code is 6-0. However you cannot use this as the 6-bit code on the bayonet flange ... or actually you can but the camera will interpret it as 6-2 which is the Summicron-M 35 mm.

 

Sorry but I do not follow. Are you saying that I can not code that lens?

[01af]

Are you saying that I can not code that lens?

You cannot code it as "Summilux-M 35 mm." You can code it as some other lens. Most owners of this lens choose the code 29-2 which means, "Summilux-M 35 mm Asph."

[JohnJWhite]

Just received the Match Technical coding kit. Worked perfectly with my 1970 50mm Summicron and the 21mm Elmarit M. But the Tri-Elmar, 28-35-50, first version, gave the M 240 fits. The camera couldn't decide if there's a lens mounted or not. The lens worked fine on my M4 and M6, as well as the M8 and M240 before marking the mount with the code.

 

So I scratched my head and stared at it for a while.

 

Then, I got out the pen they supply and really laid on the ink, several layers. Now it works perfectly.

[james.liam]

What codes work best for the ZM 2,8/35?

[wlaidlaw]

I would probably opt for the 35 Summarit. 101011. Both fairly straightforward modern lenses without fancy elements. Would not be a long way out I would guess.

 

Wilson

[lct]

My ZM 35/2.8 is coded as a Summarit 35/2.5 as well.

[Alberti]

I have been trying to recode my Heliar 15 mm.

 

I had 010000, that gave the tri-elmar on the M8.

 

On the M-P it was not recognized anymore. The EXIF was empty. Big purple edges are the result.

 

Using the manual selection the code 28f2.8 asph 11606 seems to work best regarding color: least but not totally absent color fringe.

Looking at Flickr photo's many of the posters with the lens have chosen this code.

So I decided to go for 011100

 

I went ahead with coding the recesses (with black pieces of paper).

 

I tried 011010 (2/28) and to my surprise it gives 4/16.

 

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I tried 011100 and this gives 4/16

and reverting to the original code: 010000 NOW ALSO shows 4/16.

 

So to recap:

• three codes give 4/16.
  
• Initially the Heliar returned an empty string for the lens, after fooling around my camera sort of got the hint there is a 4/16 and sticks to that,
  
• I did have the selection on auto
  

 

And that 4/16 code it still has a purple edge. It's the tri-elmar as C1's EXIF tells me.

How does the M know I am trying to trick it? I do not expect artificial intelligence in the machine!

 

And I definitely like the 2/28 best for handling.

 

I have the lens selection on automatic.

 

I'm clueless.

[Alberti]

I solved it.

I used black pieces of paper that I cut for the recesses, but the IR code reader does not see it as real black.

I took a Sharpie and made the black cardboard paper really black: now with 011100 is recognized as a 2.8/28A and corrected in the right way.

[01af]

And with that 16/4 code it still has a purple edge.

Yes, sure it has, as the Tri-Elmar-M 16-18-21 mm Asph is a retrofocus lens and your Heliar 15 mm 1:4.5 is not. So it's the worst code to pick. Do not use the Tri-Elmar's code for any 3rd-party super-wide-angle lenses! The best should be the Elmarit-M 21 mm's (non-Asph, code 000001). Those for 28 mm lenses should work well, too.

[jmahto]

If you look on the lens codes section of the Wiki on this forum, you will find recommendations for most compatible non-Leica lenses. This is not a hard and fast rule and you may find other codes will suit better for the colour balance you like or another reason. For example I am coding my 40mm Summicron-C as a series 3 50 Summicron not the pre-ASPH 35 Summicron as recommended. This is because I would have to alter the framelines tab to 35mm, which I don’t want to do. I find it easier to look outside the 50mm framelines than inside the 35mm ones.

 

Wilson

 

I found that 40mm summicron-c was the most difficult to code since there is a screw where code is supposed to be but I finally succeeded after long trial and error. I thought I will share.

 

First I shaved off the leading part of left tab (see pic. You can see the freshly ground tab). It was very easy with a dremel tool and I had to take off less than 1mm. Make sure to cover the rest of the lens carefully to protect from the flying metal dust. I simply took some paper and taped it all over leaving only the tab. It was very easy. 

 

Then I blackened the screw with black paint fully (I used paint pen by CraftSmart) and then added a sharpie mark on the side. This makes it 000110 (pre-ASPH 35 Summicron). In my previous attempts the sharpie mark was too close to the screw. Going forward I will drill a hole for the sharpie mark if it wears off.

 

Look at the picture. Don't give up. If you mess up sharpie mark then simply wipe it off and try again 

 

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[Erik Gunst Lund]

The new Leica M 75mm f/2.4 Summarit is coded 010011 75mm rangefinder framelines

[Erik Gunst Lund]

Here a shot of the mount, The firmware of my old Leica M9 does not recognize the code off course...

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica M

[ramarren]

I tried several different codes with the Summilux 35 v2 on the M-P and decided that no code worked best. I created a user config that turns off the lens codes for when I use that lens.