6-bit vs non 6-bit

[Good To Be Retired]

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I only had an M8 while I still had a 24mm.  In some rather unscientific experimenting I noticed that turning off the lens recognization would create some noticeable, and unpleasant, issues towards the edges of the frame.  I would expect that use on a FF body would make the issues more apparent.

Assuming the price difference is not too disturbing I suspect I would personally go for the coded version.

It would be interesting, however, to investigate whether the lens is factory or after market coded.  I don't know if a serial number search would illuminate this or not, but it might at least allow you to determine the relative ages of the lenses.  http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-wiki.en/index.php/24mm_f/2.8_ASPH_Elmarit-M

Edited June 26, 2020 by Good To Be Retired

[carbon_dragon]

Neither my 35/2 ASPH or my 50/2 (5th edition) was coded when I bought them. I sent both into Leica to be coded a few years ago. They also replaced the red raised dot on the 50 (it had fallen off). Seemed to go OK. Maybe the one that is coded was original and maybe not (maybe someone got it coded like I did) so you probably can't draw conclusions on which one is newer on that basis (but you probably can by serial number). 

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[84bravo]

You could also try an aftermarket 6 bit mount available from jinfinance on eBay. They typically cost about $15 and it's a simple procedure to replace it yourself and then paint in the proper coding. It's a hit or miss affair, but worth a try for $15. I successfully coded my 28f2.8, 35f2, 50f2 and 90f2 and they all work flawlessly. However on my 90f2.8 tele-elmarit I tried a couple of different mounts and none of them would give me proper focus on that lens. I have no idea why.

[lct]

1 hour ago, 84bravo said:

You could also try an aftermarket 6 bit mount available from jinfinance on eBay. They typically cost about $15 and it's a simple procedure to replace it yourself and then paint in the proper coding. It's a hit or miss affair, but worth a try for $15. I successfully coded my 28f2.8, 35f2, 50f2 and 90f2 and they all work flawlessly. However on my 90f2.8 tele-elmarit I tried a couple of different mounts and none of them would give me proper focus on that lens. I have no idea why.

Beware that those jinfinance flanges may not have exactly the needed thickness or simply do not work on some lenses (50/1.4 ash, 50/2.8 v2 for inst.). Better handle the screws with care then as you might have to start again the operation.

[84bravo]

9 hours ago, lct said:

Beware that those jinfinance flanges may not have exactly the needed thickness or simply do not work on some lenses (50/1.4 ash, 50/2.8 v2 for inst.). Better handle the screws with care then as you might have to start again the operation.

Well, I did say they were hit or miss. Worth a try for $15. I did have an 80% success rate.

[lct]

3 hours ago, 84bravo said:

Well, I did say they were hit or miss. Worth a try for $15. I did have an 80% success rate.

Indeed worth a try provided the screws are handled with care. Also (speaking to other colleagues too) to not force if you feel a resistance when focusing as certain flanges are physically different than the genuine ones. I must have tried a dozen flanges and i kept two only but they work flawlessly. FWIW.

[evikne]

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If this is your only uncoded lens, it's nothing to worry about. Just choose the lens manually from the camera's lens menu, and it will remember this lens every time you put it on, even if you switch to other (coded) lenses in between.

I would only consider getting the lens coded if I had multiple uncoded lenses.

Edited August 5, 2020 by evikne

[Guest]

7 hours ago, evikne said:

If this is your only uncoded lens, it's nothing to worry about. Just choose the lens manually from the camera's lens menu, and it will remember this lens every time you put it on, even if you switch to other (coded) lenses in between.

I would only consider getting the lens coded if I had multiple uncoded lenses.

You will still have to go into the menu and change it from automatic to manual coding.

When you do that the the last manually coded lens will show up 1st.

If you forget it will record as uncoded.

[evikne]

28 minutes ago, steve 1959 said:

You will still have to go into the menu and change it from automatic to manual coding.

When you do that the the last manually coded lens will show up 1st.

If you forget it will record as uncoded.

This is not the way my M10 works. The lens detection is set to "Auto". I just manually entered my uncoded lens once, and I've never needed to do anything after that. I switch between this and my other coded lenses all the time.  

But for a while I owned two uncoded lenses, and that was a mess because I always forgot to change them manually. 

Edited August 5, 2020 by evikne

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, evikne said:

This is not the way my M10 works. The lens detection is set to "Auto". I just manually entered my uncoded lens once, and I've never needed to do anything after that. I switch between this and my other coded lenses all the time.  

But for a while I owned two uncoded lenses, and that was a mess because I always forgot to change them manually. 

Thanks,i have the m262  so it must be slightly different.

I have 2 uncoded lenses out of my 4 lenses in total and a couple of times i have forgot to manually code them.

[julian79]

Hey all would there be much difference coded or regular Cron 50mm f2? I have a body where I am not able to select the lens. Just wondering if there is going to be an image improvement or just EXIF data? Thank you.

[lct]

2 hours ago, julian79 said:

Hey all would there be much difference coded or regular Cron 50mm f2? I have a body where I am not able to select the lens. Just wondering if there is going to be an image improvement or just EXIF data? Thank you.

Bit of vignetting correction perhaps but mainly exif data. Now, being an uncoded lens, you may wish to set lens detection manual to 11819/11825/11826. The camera will keep this lens profile in memory for the next shooting this way.

[yanidel]

Get the coded one and you avoid all the potential problems of having to manually change the lens selection in the menu. I have a few non coded lenses, and I always forget to manually switch. A pain in the a.. easily avoided.

[pgk]

I was recently quoted a total of around £300 for coding a 35/1.4 lens. I also recently bought a 6-bit coded 90mm Elmarit-M in used condition for quite a lot less than a better condition, uncoded lens. As the coded lens would also have been checked by Leica and cosmetics don't worry me it was the obvious lens to go for. I am somewhat surprised by the lack of cost differential between coded and non-coded lenses.

Coding also makes the Summarit range seem even better value too, although the lack of 35mm Summarits on the used market suggests that they may be rather more appreciated at their current (or perhaps recent) prices than dealers have figured. Given the choice I would always buy a coded lens because it is all too easy to forget to tell the camera which uncoded lens is fitted as yanidel points out.

[julian79]

17 hours ago, lct said:

Bit of vignetting correction perhaps but mainly exif data. Now, being an uncoded lens, you may wish to set lens detection manual to 11819/11825/11826. The camera will keep this lens profile in memory for the next shooting this way.

My Leica doesn't have that option so I will need a coded version. Thank you.

[lct]

11 minutes ago, julian79 said:

My Leica doesn't have that option so I will need a coded version. Thank you.

All digital Ms have it i believe, which is yours if i may ask?

[newtoleica]

19 hours ago, lct said:

All digital Ms have it i believe, which is yours if i may ask?

it will be an M10-D

[lct]

1 hour ago, newtoleica said:

it will be an M10-D

I have no experience with the M10-D but its instruction manual says: "A standard profile will be used if a Leica M lens without 6-bit encoding is attached. No lens data will be saved to the EXIF data". Aside from hand-coding, the only ways to benefit from 6-bit coding are to buy a coded lens, or a coded flange for it, or to have coded the lens by Leica or a dedicated workshop then, i suspect, but i may be wrong. 

Edited May 31, 2023 by lct

[AndreasG]

I use a M10-D for more than three years also with some uncoded lenses - old Leica lenses and Zeiss ZM lenses - and don't see any disadvantage, except non existing exif data which actually I never missed.

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[lct]

13 minutes ago, AndreasG said:

I use a M10-D for more than three years also with some uncoded lenses - old Leica lenses and Zeiss ZM lenses - and don't see any disadvantage, except non existing exif data which actually I never missed.

Because you did not use critical lenses causing color shifts i guess but again i have no experience with the M10-D.