Soon to be an M9 user... Some questions

[bobbywise]

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Hi,

 

I have a bunch of Fuji-X series cameras, a Sony A7, and a bunch of old lens which I adapt on the A7/Fuji-X. I've always enjoyed the RF experience with my Leica CL and Olympus 35 UC, so I've finally purchased a used M9 and 35mm Summilux APSH-FLE (they'll be arriving in the post soon!).

 

Anyway, I have a number of questions (maybe I should open a separate thread for the last one):

 

1. Is there any real benefit in having a coded lens (other than not needing to manually choose it within the menu system) ?

 

2. I have the Canon LTM 50 mm f/1.5 serenar (Sonar copy design). Would the best code to choose for this lens be the one for the 50mm Summilux 11891/11892 ?

 

3. I have the 40mm Summicron-C, which I plan to use when I want a smaller setup compared to the 35 mm Summilux config. I know I can have it modded to bring up the 35 mm framelines and use the coding for 35mm Summicron 11310/11311. However, I'm thinking of leaving it unchanged, use the framelines lever if necessary, and choose a different coding to match the one of the two 50 mm summicron codes -- would this provide reasonable lens correction, or am I really better off going down the 35 mm Summicron route ?

 

4. Maybe a crazy question for a separate forum post. I love my little Leica CL. It's really compact (sure the RF may be slightly smaller, but it's really usable). What's the likelihood that Leica would ever bring out a compact digital M body based on the CLs styling and dimensions (I would snap one up on a pre-order if they did !) ?

 

Rob

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[jdlaing]

Hi,

 

I have a bunch of Fuji-X series cameras, a Sony A7, and a bunch of old lens which I adapt on the A7/Fuji-X. I've always enjoyed the RF experience with my Leica CL and Olympus 35 UC, so I've finally purchased a used M9 and 35mm Summilux APSH-FLE (they'll be arriving in the post soon!).

 

Anyway, I have a number of questions (maybe I should open a separate thread for the last one):

 

1. Is there any real benefit in having a coded lens (other than not needing to manually choose it within the menu system) ?

 

2. I have the Canon LTM 50 mm f/1.5 serenar (Sonar copy design). Would the best code to choose for this lens be the one for the 50mm Summilux 11891/11892 ?

 

3. I have the 40mm Summicron-C, which I plan to use when I want a smaller setup compared to the 35 mm Summilux config. I know I can have it modded to bring up the 35 mm framelines and use the coding for 35mm Summicron 11310/11311. However, I'm thinking of leaving it unchanged, use the framelines lever if necessary, and choose a different coding to match the one of the two 50 mm summicron codes -- would this provide reasonable lens correction, or am I really better off going down the 35 mm Summicron route ?

 

4. Maybe a crazy question for a separate forum post. I love my little Leica CL. It's really compact (sure the RF may be slightly smaller, but it's really usable). What's the likelihood that Leica would ever bring out a compact digital M body based on the CLs styling and dimensions (I would snap one up on a pre-order if they did !) ?

 

Rob

 

1. Yes.

2. I believe so.

3. Probably the 35 Summicron route.

4. Not likely.

[Lenshacker]

I left my Summicron-C 40/2 to bring up the 50mm lines rather than modifying. Personal preference for having margin and "visualizing" around the framelines. I manually enter the lens code as a 35/2. The M9 framelines are optimized for 1m, as is the M8. When you are farther back from that, the framelines show less than was is captured by the lens.

[jaapv]

For me coded lenses are essential. When photographing I am so concentrated that I always forget to reset the menu at a lens change.

[NZDavid]

Apart from EXIF data to show what lens you used, the camera is supposed to adjust to compensate for vignetting. I have forgotten to manually enter lens a few time and it made no difference to the image.

 

Voigtländer makes an accessory optical finder for a 40mm lens you may find useful.

[erl]

My understanding is that, EXIF data aside, only lenses with focal lengths shorter than about 50mm have image corrections applied by firware as selected in the lens chart in the menu. IOW, W/A lenses benefit from coding, longer lenses do not. However, the EXIF data collected by lens recognition can be useful, depending on your interest in history!

[bocaburger]

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I DIY coded all my lenses 35mm and wider, as those benefit from corrective algorithms in the firmware. Idrc about EVIF IDing of lenses so I never bothered with the 50mm and longer lenses.

 

The CL was a nice little camera but it had a very short baselength rangefinder and was not designed to critically focus longer or faster lenses. The M8 through M240 already is maxed out due to the demands of high-res digital sensors and shorter (effective, due to slightly lower demagnification of 0.68x) baselength than the M7 and earlier 0.72x rangefinders so I suspect a digital CL would be in over its head.

[tobey bilek]

Do not hack up the lens. Use 35mm frames for distance, 50 mm for close.

 

Frame lines are never correct at all distances because focusing changes effective focal length. Angle of view becomes smaller as you focus closer.

 

You can also find a 40mm aux viewfinder.

[bobbywise]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I actually prefer to use the tighter 50mm lines for the 40mm, and compose a little outside and of them. But was wondering if there was some value having it bring up the 35 mm framlines so I could choose the 35 mm cron lens correction coding. From the sound of it, there seems not to be too much of an impact anyway, so I'll leave the lense unchanged, and use the 50 mm cron lens profile.

[jimmielx]

On the M9 there is no link between the lens coding and the frame lines it brings up. The latter is entirely mechanical, and will not affect the exif data stored to the file or the corrections applied to the image.

[uhoh7]

At 50 or 40mm the only thing you get from coding is exif telling you the lens. Unlike UWA or even 28 where coding can be crucial to correct colorshift, most 35s and all 50s are fine uncoded on the M9.

 

Main question with your serener will be calibration, but even if it's off, if you practice, you will be able to compensate.

[davidbaddley]

Hi,

 

I have a bunch of Fuji-X series cameras, a Sony A7, and a bunch of old lens which I adapt on the A7/Fuji-X. I've always enjoyed the RF experience with my Leica CL and Olympus 35 UC, so I've finally purchased a used M9 and 35mm Summilux APSH-FLE (they'll be arriving in the post soon!).

 

Anyway, I have a number of questions (maybe I should open a separate thread for the last one):

 

1. Is there any real benefit in having a coded lens (other than not needing to manually choose it within the menu system) ?

 

2. I have the Canon LTM 50 mm f/1.5 serenar (Sonar copy design). Would the best code to choose for this lens be the one for the 50mm Summilux 11891/11892 ?

 

3. I have the 40mm Summicron-C, which I plan to use when I want a smaller setup compared to the 35 mm Summilux config. I know I can have it modded to bring up the 35 mm framelines and use the coding for 35mm Summicron 11310/11311. However, I'm thinking of leaving it unchanged, use the framelines lever if necessary, and choose a different coding to match the one of the two 50 mm summicron codes -- would this provide reasonable lens correction, or am I really better off going down the 35 mm Summicron route ?

 

4. Maybe a crazy question for a separate forum post. I love my little Leica CL. It's really compact (sure the RF may be slightly smaller, but it's really usable). What's the likelihood that Leica would ever bring out a compact digital M body based on the CLs styling and dimensions (I would snap one up on a pre-order if they did !) ?

 

Rob

 

1. No. None of my lenses are coded, and it really isn't a problem. On the rare occasions that I forgot to change it in the menu, it didn't really make any difference since I shoot mostly lenses in the "normal" (35mm - 50mm) range, except that the EXIF data was wrong. This has only happened a couple of times out of dozens of changes. Once you get used to changing the data as part of the lens-changing ritual, it becomes second-nature.

 

2. I don't know, but this sounds good to me.

 

3. I'd go with the 35mm frame lines. The frame lines are already a little tighter than the lenses, the 35mm lines might match your 40mm lens better than the 35mm lens.

 

4. Although it lacks rangefinder focusing and has a smaller sensor, I think the Leica T is to the M what the CL was to the M6 (others might disagree).

 

- David

[bobbywise]

Thanks again for all the replies (I understand that the framelines that are brought up are purely linked to the bayonet).

 

However, from what I have read in other posts and other places, I got the impression that lens corrections were made only when the framelines that were bought up "match" the selected lens profile. So for example by default, mechanically the 40mm summicron-m brings up the 50 mm framelines. So in this case, for the lens corrections to work, I'd select the 50mm summicron. Using the frame selector lever would help with visualizing the 35mm framelines, but the 50mm summicron lens profile would still need to apply. Alternatively, I could have the 40mm lens shimmed to bring up the 35 mm framelines by default, in which case I would have to choose a 35 mm summicron for the lens correction to work.

 

From what I'm reading here, it doesn't really make much difference for a 40mm lens, so I'll leave it unmodified, choose the 50mm summicron profile, and use the framelines lever to select the 35mm framelines (when needed).

 

Thanks again to all !

[Erik Gunst Lund]

On the M9 there is no link between the lens coding and the frame lines it brings up. The latter is entirely mechanical, and will not affect the exif data stored to the file or the corrections applied to the image.

 

If you set up the M9 for: Lens Detection - Auto, it does read the lens coding and mechanic position of the frame lines and apply the lens corrections to the RAW and or JPG files.

[jdlaing]

If you set up the M9 for: Lens Detection - Auto, it does read the lens coding and mechanic position of the frame lines and apply the lens corrections to the RAW and or JPG files.

 

It doesn't read the frame line position at all. I have taken a 35mm lens with 6 bit code off the camera that was set to auto read the codes and put on a 50 without 6 bit code and the camera still reads 35 in the EXIF. If it read the Framelines automatically it should have read 50 but it did not. No electronic link between the framelines and the camera that I can tell.

[Erik Gunst Lund]

By design the M8, M9, ME M240 and MM detects the position of the frame lines and the 6 bit code to determine the lens attached.

 

If your M9 doesn't detect the correct lens from the frame lines setting and 6bit code, your camera and or lens is defective.

 

Here is a list of codes

[jdlaing]

By design the M8, M9, ME M240 and MM detects the position of the frame lines and the 6 bit code to determine the lens attached.

 

If your M9 doesn't detect the correct lens from the frame lines setting and 6bit code, your camera and or lens is defective.

 

Here is a list of codes

 

It detects the frame lines mechanically by the lens mount, not electronically.

[pop]

It detects the frame lines mechanically by the lens mount, not electronically.

There is a switch within the camera body which tells the software which frame line pair is selected by the lens.

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Hallo,

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[jdlaing]

There is a switch within the camera body which tells the software which frame line pair is selected by the lens.

 

I agree. There is no detection. The information is generated by the lens mount and sent to a switch to a switch. There are people that the the six bit code has some part in the selection and that is not true.

[jaapv]

Yes- but the confusion is the other way around: The camera needs both the frameline position and six-bit code to detect the lens correctly in software.