Leica M11 Review by Jono Slack

[shirubadanieru]

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What are the actual corrections (if any) that the 6-bit coding applies to lenses? Or is it simply recording the lens metadata? From what I’ve read, the lens profile does not correct in camera for distortion, etc. 

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[adan]

The camera will apply corrections for short-focal-length color distortions (a.k.a Italian Flag). Adding or subtracting red or cyan from parts of the picture according to known patterns for each lens. IF the lens is identified (either by 6-bit coding, or the manual lens menu).

And to some extent vignetting overall. That is ALL the camera will do by itself.

It may provide "hints" for post-processing software - in the metadata - to automatically correct distortion or additional vignetting for a given lens type - IF the software is so enabled. Some software will use the hints automatically - and some will not. Some software may use Leica's hints - and some may have had its own corrections defined by its own software engineers.

(It should be noted however, that newer sensors, especially the M10s' and the M11 BSI, have improved the sensor to substantially reduce the "Italian Flag" color issues, simply by their construction. Shallower pixel wells, or different microlenses per pixel. "Improved" being the operative word there - "improved" does not equal "perfect." Many wide-angles may still be troublesome.)

[Rob L]

Off topic, but in the same vain. Leica does the same thing with the SL2 which has IBIS and in order to use a non L Mount or R Mount  lens, such as a CV or Ziess M Mount lens or Contax etc. on an SL2 and have IBIS function, you have to select a Leica lens of the same focal length.

[budjames]

On 2/7/2022 at 11:38 AM, Rob L said:

Off topic, but in the same vain. Leica does the same thing with the SL2 which has IBIS and in order to use a non L Mount or R Mount  lens, such as a CV or Ziess M Mount lens or Contax etc. on an SL2 and have IBIS function, you have to select a Leica lens of the same focal length.

I hope that you meant to say “M” and not “R” lens for IBIS to work on the SL2.

Bud

[Rob L]

Actually I did mean R Mount, but all three mounts really. I don't use my SL2 much for Alt lenses, but my recollection is that if you have a smart adapter you get IBIS functionality with 6 bit M lenses and also with R Mount "ROM" lenses. But the point was that you have to jump through some hoops to use Alt lenses with IBIS on the SL cameras because you can't just specify the focal length as with other brands.

[Tailwagger]

6 hours ago, Rob L said:

But the point was that you have to jump through some hoops to use Alt lenses with IBIS on the SL cameras because you can't just specify the focal length as with other brands.

Yup and as I mentioned it's a similar problem for PC.  But forget all that. It just bugs the hell out of me that every shot I take with a non-coded, non-Leica lens embeds a complete lie into my EXIF data for ever more. If I go out with my 35 'lux pre-ASPH and the Zeiss ZD, they both get ID'd as the lux. Stupid. Just give us a way to spec a series of generic lens at whatever focal length to add into the new custom menu of unknown lenses.  Then we can at least select generic for CV/Zeiss etc lenses. 

Edited February 11, 2022 by Tailwagger

[rsh]

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Leica Makes their cameras to work with Leica Lenses.  From a business standpoint, they have no incentive or obligation to provide lens profiles for non Leica / Leitz lenses.

Edited February 21, 2022 by rsh

[hdmesa]

On 2/21/2022 at 5:44 AM, rsh said:

Leica Makes their cameras to work with Leica Lenses.  From a business standpoint, they have no incentive or obligation to provide lens profiles for non Leica / Leitz lenses.

No one is asking for a Leica to create lens profiles for non-Leica glass. We just need a simple focal length input menu like Canon has – three digits in a row that you change like a car odometer:

| 0 | 5 | 0 |  = 50mm, and it gets written to EXIF as "Unknown Lens, 50mm, f/0.0".

Stupidly simple. And there is a vast sea of vintage Leica lenses out there without 6-bit coding that are not listed in the in-camera profile menu. Giving us a menu for focal length entry benefits everyone.

Edited March 1, 2022 by hdmesa

[SrMi]

4 hours ago, hdmesa said:

No one is asking for a Leica to create lens profiles for non-Leica glass. We just need a simple focal length input menu like Canon has – three digits in a row that you change like a car odometer:

| 0 | 5 | 0 |  = 50mm, and it gets written to EXIF as "Unknown Lens, 50mm, f/0.0".

Stupidly simple. And there is a vast sea of vintage Leica lenses out there without 6-bit coding that are not listed in the in-camera profile menu. Giving us a menu for focal length entry benefits everyone.

The focal length alone helps only with IBIS. It does not help with vignetting and color cast. Is this only about EXIF data (which anyway contains incorrect aperture data)?

[Tailwagger]

5 hours ago, SrMi said:

The focal length alone helps only with IBIS.

It's a requirement for perspective control (and who knows what else in future) as well. 

[hdmesa]

11 hours ago, SrMi said:

The focal length alone helps only with IBIS. It does not help with vignetting and color cast. Is this only about EXIF data (which anyway contains incorrect aperture data)?

Sometimes I forget I’m in the M and not the SL forum. But yes, if we can set the focal length and save presets with custom names that get written to EXIF, that would be really helpful on M. 

[augustwest100]

On 1/30/2022 at 12:13 PM, jonoslack said:

Hi There Dr Cron

Apparently it says in the manual that the DR is not suitable for the M11, but I wonder if that isn't just a hangover from previous models. Certainly in one of the Wetzlar videos around the launch someone was using one, and that's what inspired me to get one - an unmodified one (but without goggles). It's in perfect condition optically and mint- as far as the body is concerned.

You need to mount it to the camera set to about 5ft otherwise it feels pretty graunchy. After that however it's rather magical and works extremely well on the M11. To change to the close focus you pull the lens forward slightly (it's spring loaded) and round the peg at 1 metre. Then just push the ball bearing whilst turning the focus ring and you can use the distances down to a little less than 1/2 Metre. 

I've had some great results, and it's a lens with real character!

As I say, the manual says don't use it, but it seems to work really well. The only limitation is that mounting it needs care with the focus ring set to 5 ft (I haven't tried setting it to infinity).

 

All the best

I can also confirm that the DR Cron will mount the M11 and focuses correctly from infinity down to 1 meter as originally designed. Once you jump over to the close focus range, it remains "locked" until you insert the goggles. I have heard that pushing the ball bearing with your finger instead of goggles can possibly damage the cam, though I am not an expert, so if anyone has more info on that to share with everyone, please do. Additionally, the color of the DR matches the M11 silver nicely, I believe the precise technical term for this particular combination is: WOWSER!!!!

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