SL 601 with APO SL Lenses

[Ken Abrahams]

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I got to know whether anyone is using the SL1 (601) with any of the APO SL lenses?  

Before I put the APO SL Lens on the old 601 I will make sure its firmware is the latest 3.8 and then update the APO Lens if required and after completing the updates see if the lens and camera are working okay together. To tell you the truth I haven't had an auto focus lens on the 601 since 2016/17 when I was using a 90-280 SL. I am not sure how it will go or if it will self brick itself. Will it even work on the old 601?

Best

Ken  

[Olaf_ZG]

My SL35 worked flawlessly on the 601, though first time - still in the shop - when I mounted the lens, immediately the fw was updated.

[davidmknoble]

@Ken Abrahams, the SL601 is only 1 generation old.  THe SL2 and SL2-S essentially came out at the same time.  I think, like any computer based camera today, the current firmware is intended to be able to identify the lens so that proper lens firmware can transfer.  This is no different than updating M firmware so that 6-bit coding can be read for new lenses.

I used the 601 pretty hard and never had an issue with it locking up, using M lenses, SL lenses, S lenses and Nikon AIS lenses with appropriate adapters.

[Ken Abrahams]

Just now, davidmknoble said:

@Ken Abrahams, the SL601 is only 1 generation old.  THe SL2 and SL2-S essentially came out at the same time.  I think, like any computer based camera today, the current firmware is intended to be able to identify the lens so that proper lens firmware can transfer.  This is no different than updating M firmware so that 6-bit coding can be read for new lenses.

I used the 601 pretty hard and never had an issue with it locking up, using M lenses, SL lenses, S lenses and Nikon AIS lenses with appropriate adapters.

Thanks David and Olaf, I just wasn't sure what the old gal was going to do when I put the auto focus lens on

 

I have heard some horror stories with lens communication errors but the camera handled it fine. Its the only colour camera I have until my new SL2s arrives

Ken  

[Ken Abrahams]

ASDFGHJKL Minimum focussing distance for the 35 APO reads correctly The lens and 601 are working very well. I dont know why I am so surprised 

 

Ken 

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[dynaerik]

I use the 601 with the 50 SL APO and the 75 SL APO. They are engineered to work together perfectly. I enjoy it every time I use these outstanding lenses. Have fun

[dpitt]

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6 hours ago, Ken Abrahams said:

Thanks David and Olaf, I just wasn't sure what the old gal was going to do when I put the auto focus lens on

I have heard some horror stories with lens communication errors but the camera handled it fine. Its the only colour camera I have until my new SL2s arrives

Ken  

Old gal... How would you call my R8+DMR and M8? To me youngsters like your SL have just reached just enough maturity. The Leica SL is my youngest Leica since a few weeks.

[Chuck Albertson]

You'll be right. I use the 35 and 90 SLAPOs with the 601 quite a bit. The only problem I've ever had was a "lens communication error" lockup with the 35 - a trip to Wetzlar a couple of years ago seemed to cure it.

[Ken Abrahams]

50 minutes ago, Chuck Albertson said:

You'll be right. I use the 35 and 90 SLAPOs with the 601 quite a bit. The only problem I've ever had was a "lens communication error" lockup with the 35 - a trip to Wetzlar a couple of years ago seemed to cure it.

Thanks Chuck, These things do happen and it's what I was afraid of happening when pairing the APO 35 with the 601 last night. Having to send a lens or camera to Germany for six months is a traumatic experience in my view, which one could well do without. The lenses come with an orange sticker warning saying to make sure the camera is updated to the latest firmware before attaching. I dont know what happened when your lens had a communication error message but it had to do six months in Wetzlar for its trouble. Having M lenses takes the the "black hole" of lenses doing time in Wetzlar out of the equation. 

Ken

[Chuck Albertson]

23 minutes ago, Ken Abrahams said:

Thanks Chuck, These things do happen and it's what I was afraid of happening when pairing the APO 35 with the 601 last night. Having to send a lens or camera to Germany for six months is a traumatic experience in my view, which one could well do without. The lenses come with an orange sticker warning saying to make sure the camera is updated to the latest firmware before attaching. I dont know what happened when your lens had a communication error message but it had to do six months in Wetzlar for its trouble. Having M lenses takes the the "black hole" of lenses doing time in Wetzlar out of the equation. 

Ken

It was in Wetzlar a little under three months, and I have no idea what they did to it - the repair ticket only says "repairs as needed." I think it was solely a problem with the lens, not the body. The 90 SLAPO hasn't had the same problem, and both lenses work fine with the 601 and the SL2-S.