How to manually add 6-bit coding to old lenses

[MikeMyers]

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I thought I knew how to do this years ago, but I've lost the website where I can look up the 6-bit coding information.

I've gone through my M lenses, six from Leica, three from Voigtlander, and my 7Artisans lens.

I've used the serial numbers for my Leica lenses to find the year of manufacture.

That leaves me needing two things - for the Leica lenses, how to find the code number that I can manually input into the camera, and can I do anything like this for my non-Leica lenses.

 

Any suggestions or advice?   (I'm not sure where this question belongs, so if there is a better location for it, feel to move it there.)

 

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[Dao De Leitz]

Hello, does this reference help you?

Am 14.4.2021 um 22:12 schrieb lct:

Not sure what you're after folks. Is it this? ... Leica M Lens Codes

Edit:    Sorry have misunderstood your question, but do not delete the quote. Hope someone else can help you further. ( - I have partially grinded the coding)    Thorsten

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Dao De Leitz

[MikeMyers]

I'm closer.  On the M10 I can go into Menu > Main Menu > Lens Detection > Manual M > which leads to a long list of lenses, along with lens codes, but this comes up with several codes for the same lens description.  

For example, for 50mm f/2  I found these codes:  11817, 11819, 11825, 11826, and 11816.  There ought to be a way to correlate this with my serial number, and find the appropriate code.

Years ago, I found something from Ken Rockwell that explained this, but I can no longer find it, and I'd prefer to get the information from a Leica source.

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Edited January 28, 2022 by MikeMyers

[UliWer]

25 minutes ago, MikeMyers said:

11817, 11819, 11825, 11826, and 11816

These are no codes for lens detection but just the order numbers for the lenses so they can be properly identified (they have only five digits...).

The link in #2 show the codes. They always go "000100" - i.e "0" for a white dot and "1" for a black one. 

[MikeMyers]

So, using whatever editor I might be using,  if I put in those 5-digit lens identifiers, will the EXIF data correctly show which lens I used?

[MikeMyers]

I found an easier way - just go to the Menu on the M10, select the lens, or select the option for not recording lens information.

 

Follow-up question - my camera seems to guess what aperture I used, and it's rarely correct.  Where does the camera get this information?  Can I switch that function off, since the lens opening it guesses is wrong?

[UliWer]

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Yes, of course the menu gives you a lot of options. You won't find every lens always produced there but you will always find a similar one. Two simple examples:

A Leitz Elmar 1:3.5/5cm is not in the list. But a "50 f2.8 11831/11823/11824" i.e. the 1:2.8/50mm Elmar-M is. So you choose this entry if you should use the old 1:3.5/5cm Elmar. 

The 1:2/50mm Summicron (2. version, the so called "rigid Summicron") is also not in the list. You may choose the "50 f/2 11817" or the "50 f/2 11819/11825/11826/11816" . You won't be able to see the difference. 

Did you ever try to use an uncoded lens with lens detection completely turned off? If you try, you will be surprised that the difference in most cases is very, very small. My general advice is therefore to ignore it.

To you second question: the camera has no electronic connection to your lenses functions. So the camera does not "know" which aperture you use. There is a little lens at the upper left side (seen from in front) of the the red dot in front of your camera. With this lens the camera calculates the light and compares it to the lightmetering through your lens. This calculation can be exact sometimes, often it is a little bit off, and sometimes way off.

When the M10 was new this "guessing" of aperture values was not written into the EXIF of individual photos, since they new it was no exact representation of the aperture actually used. Many users - especially in this Forum - protested as they liked something written in the EXIF more than their camera, so Leica brought it back by  Firmware update. I was sure that someone would ask how he could get rid of the "guessed" aperture in the EXIF. At the moment you can't. If Leica decided again to leave it out, they would get a lot of protests again.

Therefore my general advice is: ignore the EXIF. You never need it.  

 

Edited January 29, 2022 by UliWer

[MikeMyers]

18 minutes ago, UliWer said:

Did you ever try to use an uncoded lens with lens detection completely turned off? If you try, you will be surprised that the difference in most cases is very, very small. My general advice is therefore to ignore it.

I was thinking the only reason that information was collected, was so that your editing software could correct for lens "issue". Apparently I was wrong.  You talk about "the difference" between selecting a lens, and not.  In what way does the M10 use this information to create a better recorded image?  I thought the DNG file created was what the camera "saw", with no correction.  What settings might this information on the lens change, in the DNG file?

Regarding the aperture, I guess the choice is between a "guesstimate" or a non-entry.  In my opinion, no entry is better than an incorrect entry.

[Go Sh]

Akara Labs do a a stencil kit for something around £10. All you need is a fine tipped permanant marker pen to mark the code on the lens using the stencil and the lens code guide provided. It works perfectly for Leica and third party M lenses. See: www.akaralabs.com. Alternatively, I think you can send your lens in to Leica and they will tattoo the code for you but obviously more expensive.

[jaapv]

Any competent technician can add the indentations. 

[wizard]

vor 3 Stunden schrieb Go Sh:

All you need is a fine tipped permanant marker pen to mark the code on the lens ...

Judging from my own experience, self-marking Leica lenses does not work too well, as the indentations on the lens flange are missing and Leica lens flanges, unlike Voigtländer lens flanges, do not have a recessed portion. I find that the markings that I have applied to a Leica lens flange will usually be rubbed off quickly when changing lenses. Self-marking Voigtländer lenses works much better, due to the raised circumferential edge on their lens flange, which keeps the markings from coming into contact with the flange on the camera body. Things are different once indentations are provided on the Leica lens flanges.

[Go Sh]

On 7/3/2024 at 1:44 PM, wizard said:

Judging from my own experience, self-marking Leica lenses does not work too well, as the indentations on the lens flange are missing and Leica lens flanges, unlike Voigtländer lens flanges, do not have a recessed portion. I find that the markings that I have applied to a Leica lens flange will usually be rubbed off quickly when changing lenses. Self-marking Voigtländer lenses works much better, due to the raised circumferential edge on their lens flange, which keeps the markings from coming into contact with the flange on the camera body. Things are different once indentations are provided on the Leica lens flanges.

I have only marked up Leica lenses and they all seem to be working fine for me. The type of pen used may have a bearing. 

[TomB_tx]

On 7/16/2024 at 2:50 AM, Go Sh said:

I have only marked up Leica lenses and they all seem to be working fine for me. The type of pen used may have a bearing. 

I've been marking my old M lenses for my M9 since 2011 or so, using the Match Technical kit. Some pens work poorly, others las well. Yes, I've had to re-mark a time or two, and also cover flange screw heads with white-out before marking on a couple of lenses. The latest template by yukosteel is very precise and is great for this, being held in place by the lens bayonet.