Leica CL TL Lens Firmware Demise

[Don Morley]

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Can anyone tell me what the latest firmware is or was for the various TL CL Lenses? I used to be able to check this quite easily via Leica's own web Site but it has changed, massively for the worse and all I can come up with now is such as the latest CL Camera body firmware even if I do click for lenses only. I have also tried Leica UK where it says I can chat to a virtual assistant but so far have not managed to get a reply.  Ugh!  I have thus wasted over half a day already simply trying to find out if 1.1 is in fact the latest firmware for my 55-135mm TL/CL Zoom lens?

Any help would be most welcome please. Thanks Don

Edited July 11, 2023 by Don Morley
poor english

[mikeLD]

 

1 hour ago, Don Morley said:

Can anyone tell me what the latest firmware is or was for the various TL CL Lenses? I used to be able to check this quite easily via Leica's own web Site but it has changed, massively for the worse and all I can come up with now is such as the latest CL Camera body firmware even if I do click for lenses only. I have also tried Leica UK where it says I can chat to a virtual assistant but so far have not managed to get a reply.  Ugh!  I have thus wasted over half a day already simply trying to find out if 1.1 is in fact the latest firmware for my 55-135mm TL/CL Zoom lens?

Any help would be most welcome please. Thanks Don

Yes Don I ran into the same issue when I went back to shooting a CL.  The answer is that since the CL is essentially an L-Mount all of the L-Mount compatible lens firmware is now the same and is incorporated into the updates of any L-Mount camera.  In our case CL Version 4.1 has all the updates for each of my L-Mount lenses.  It should work correctly with any L-Mount or TL lens.  For example my TL 18mm, TL 18-56mm and a couple of Sigma L-Mount lenses all work fine.

Edited July 11, 2023 by mikeLD

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[wda]

Sigma lenses definitely do require updating and supply a USB hub for the purpose . It is also a means for correcting focusing errors. Leica have no such provision and rely on camera body firmware updates. I doubt we will see any more for the CL or T.

[jaapv]

Leica regularly issues updates for discontinued cameras; not to add features but to keep them compatible. Leica  series L lenses are kept up to date by the (Leica) camera firmware automatically.

[wda]

Well if so, I must have missed them.

[Le Chef]

4 minutes ago, jaapv said:

Leica regularly issues updates for discontinued cameras; not to add features but to keep them compatible. Leica  series L lenses are kept up to date by the (Leica) camera firmware automatically.

Jaap, can you tell us where to find the list of updates? I see no list on the Leica website and do not recall any announcement either.

[jaapv]

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They started this with the DMR and continued for the M cameras when introducing new lenses. As I said, on L cameras the process is integrated in the camera firmware. If you use a lens that needs updating the camera (provided it is on the latest version) will do so on startup. 

[Don Morley]

1 hour ago, mikeLD said:

 

Yes Don I ran into the same issue when I went back to shooting a CL.  The answer is that since the CL is essentially an L-Mount all of the L-Mount compatible lens firmware is now the same and is incorporated into the updates of any L-Mount camera.  In our case CL Version 4.1 has all the updates for each of my L-Mount lenses.  It should work correctly with any L-Mount or TL lens.  For example my TL 18mm, TL 18-56mm and a couple of Sigma L-Mount lenses all work fine.

Thanks for the reply Mikel, but I do also have several Sigma and Panasonic L mount lenses which I also use on my CL and they do occasionally get new firmware updates which quite definitely have to be downloaded specifically from Sigma or Panasonic's own web sites, and those sites also say if using a Leica lens rather than their own, then you should go to Leica's own site for updates instead. Best regards, Don

[Don Morley]

25 minutes ago, wda said:

Sigma lenses definitely do require updating and supply a USB hub for the purpose . It is also a means for correcting focusing errors. Leica have no such provision and rely on camera body firmware updates. I doubt we will see any more for the CL or T.

I agree. Don

[Don Morley]

13 minutes ago, jaapv said:

They started this with the DMR and continued for the M cameras when introducing new lenses. As I said, on L cameras the process is integrated in the camera firmware. If you use a lens that needs updating the camera (provided it is on the latest version) will do so on startup. 

Hello Jaap, You have said this before, but this just is not happening with any of my L Mount cameras, and yes my SL,CL and Panasonic S5 are all on the latest camera firmware? Don

[Don Morley]

15 minutes ago, jaapv said:

They started this with the DMR and continued for the M cameras when introducing new lenses. As I said, on L cameras the process is integrated in the camera firmware. If you use a lens that needs updating the camera (provided it is on the latest version) will do so on startup. 

I wish!

[Don Morley]

21 minutes ago, Le Chef said:

Jaap, can you tell us where to find the list of updates? I see no list on the Leica website and do not recall any announcement either.

Yes please Jaap. Thanks in anticipation. Don

[jaapv]

There won't be a list of specific lens firmware updates as it is integrated in the camera firmware. If the lens does not update it does not need an update. Do your lenses work properly?

[Don Morley]

Hello again Jaap,

Yes my Leica CL lenses do work properly on my CL and also should I wish to so use them on my SL but not on my Panasonic S5  which is why I was looking into if I had missed a Leica firmware update, and most especially for my 55-135 which I do otherwise find very useful even with reduced m/pixels on the latters full frame sensor.

Best regards, Don

 

[Le Chef]

What happens if the lens firmware has been updated since the last camera firmware release or a new lens has been introduced? 

[jaapv]

8 hours ago, Don Morley said:

Hello again Jaap,

Yes my Leica CL lenses do work properly on my CL and also should I wish to so use them on my SL but not on my Panasonic S5  which is why I was looking into if I had missed a Leica firmware update, and most especially for my 55-135 which I do otherwise find very useful even with reduced m/pixels on the latters full frame sensor.

Best regards, Don

 

The TL lens firmware is here:

https://leica-camera.com/en-US/downloads?download_area_category=1702&field_media_document_topic=1074&field_media_document_language=984

[Don Morley]

Thank you Jaap for trying to help however I had already found that link when I first started to solve my problem but it refused to download or open or anything else on my computer. Later on and just out of curiosity I decided to try a different computer, and yes this time it did download, but I then could not find any way of opening the file or getting it to work? Hence my posing my original question here. Best regards, Don

[Le Chef]

Do you not just transfer the file to a memory card and insert that into your camera? It may upload automatically, or it may ask you if you want to install this software. Maybe Jaap can confirm.

[Don Morley]

The link Jaap does not seem to be a firmware, it might even be some form of document. I just do not know as I cannot seem to be able to do anything with it. Best regards, Don

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Hallo,

Look here: Leica L-Mount

[Boojay]

On 7/11/2023 at 4:57 PM, Don Morley said:

Hello again Jaap,

Yes my Leica CL lenses do work properly on my CL and also should I wish to so use them on my SL but not on my Panasonic S5  which is why I was looking into if I had missed a Leica firmware update, and most especially for my 55-135 which I do otherwise find very useful even with reduced m/pixels on the latters full frame sensor.

Best regards, Don

 

Hi Don,

What is the problem you are having with the 55-135 on the S5.  Don't have that lens but I do have the 18TL and the 35TL, plus a couple of Sigma aps-c L mount lenses that I use on the Pan S5II without any issues.