Leica 135mm f/4 Tele Elmar-M and 6 bit ?

[rsolomon]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

Hi ,

Has anyone tried to 6 bit code this lens, I presume as the 135 3.4 APO. ?

if so what your your experience with results from an image perspective? Coding perspective?

The APO is to rich for me considering my expectation on usage 

thanks, 

 

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[pippy]

I tried coding this lens once under 'test conditions' with my M Monochrom and it didn't make the tiniest bit of difference so now I don't waste my time doing so nor even give it a second's thought.

Philip.

[lct]

The lens profile of both Tele-Elmar 135/4 v1 (11851) and v2 (11861) is listed in my M240's and digital CL's camera menus. Tried that profile once on my Elmar 135/4 with no visible result. I have no idea about the corresponding lens code sorry. That of the Elmarit 135/2.8 is 001001 and that of the Apo-Telyt 135/3.4 is 110101.

[adan]

12 hours ago, rsolomon said:

Has anyone tried to 6 bit code this lens, I presume as the 135 3.4 APO. ?

Yes. Doesn't significantly change the image (might just possibly remove a tad of subtle vignetting at f/4 - but probably only noticeable if photographing white walls or blue skies filling the frame).

Does provide focal length ID in EXIF.

Hand-coding tends to wear off quickly on the slick chrome Leica flanges, with each mounting/unmounting of the lens.

At one point in the 6-bit adventure, Leica was willing (after giving the user a quizzical look ) to put a 135 APO-Telyt-coded flange onto the last versions of the Tele-Elmar from the 1990s (the ones with a built-in lens hood - as on the right in the family portrait below). Because those already have the modern and correct thin screw-attached 1mm flange from the factory - a simple swap of flange for flange.

I do not know if Leica will still do that - but probably; it's all nice income.

Cost today should be about $300 (Leica USA), unless Leica finds something else in the lens they think needs fixing. But in any case significantly less than switching to a "real" APO-Telyt.

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

It should be noted that the M10 cameras (and presumably the M11) will give the user one (1) "uncoded lens freebie" - they will automatically revert to the current manual lens-menu selection when they detect an uncoded flange. So if the 135 TE is one's only uncoded lens, that (135TE) setting can simply be left active in the manual lens menu, and the camera will automatically switch to it any time it detects any uncoded flange, and back to using 6-bit coding with coded lenses. As "seamless" as having a coded lens - so long as one only has one uncoded lens.

Works for me - all my main lenses are coded except my 135 TE.

With my coded 21/28/35/75 the camera detects and uses their 6-bit coding - when it detects an uncoded lens, it automatically reverts to the menu and says "Aha! 135mm f/4 TE!" and records that in EXIF. And then back to using the 6-bit codes when I change lenses again. No menu-diving required.

[didier]

13 hours ago, pippy said:

it didn't make the tiniest bit of difference

As far as I know, 6bit-coding is particularly useful for wide angles, but with little effect for >50mm focal lengths (the longer the focal length, the less difference one sees)

Edited March 6, 2022 by didier

[rsolomon]

9 hours ago, adan said:

,,,,,,,,, it should be noted that the M10 cameras (and presumably the M11) will give the user one (1) "uncoded lens freebie" - they will automatically revert to the current manual lens-menu selection when they detect an uncoded …..

 

This seems like a VERY reasonable firmware update for the M240! 

[Ecar]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I set the code in the menu, only to have the correct Exif data. Otherwise, as others have said, I didn't notice an effect on real-life images.