Physically turning off lens detection. Works 100%.

[Sjstudio]

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The lens detection function has caused some problems to some of us M11 users. Turning it off in the menu doesn't truly work because if you attach a coded lens, the camera will detect it and display the focal lens in the menu IF WHEN YOU EXPLICITLY TURNED IT OFF. So I though, "why you don't do what I ask you to do? Stop looking for 6 bit code when I told you not to look". 

Solution: easy, just blindfold your M11. 

How to: cut a piece of silver 3M tape that has a white sticky face facing the code reader. The shape has to be exactly correct so that no light passes through. The sticky face facing the reader has to be white or silver. It's removable and won't leave a trace when I take it off. It's a non permanent blindfold for the lens code reader. Works 100%.

Now no matter how hard the camera tries, it won't recognize any lens I put on it even if it's a coded lens. I just set up a few manual lens profiles to match the lenses I use, and select the correct profile when I change lenses.

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It did help me reduce the occurrences of freeze-ups. 

I hope this helps you all. Cheers. 

Edited July 25, 2024 by Sjstudio
change of information.

[swatch]

4 hours ago, Sjstudio said:

The lens detection function has caused some problems to some of us M11 users. Turning it off in the menu doesn't truly work because if you attach a coded lens, the camera will detect it and display the focal lens in the menu IF WHEN YOU EXPLICITLY TURNED IT OFF. So I though, "why you don't do what I ask you to do? Stop looking for 6 bit code when I told you not to look". 

Solution: easy, just blindfold your M11. 

How to: cut a piece of silver 3M tape that has a white sticky face facing the code reader. The shape has to be exactly correct so that no light passes through. The sticky face facing the reader has to be white or silver. It's removable and won't leave a trace when I take it off. It's a non permanent blindfold for the lens code reader. Works 100%.

Now no matter how hard the camera tries, it won't recognize any lens I put on it even if it's a coded lens. I just set up a few manual lens profiles to match the lenses I use, and select the correct profile when I change lenses.

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

It did help me reduce the occurrences of freeze-ups. 

I hope this helps you all. Cheers. 

Would painting cover it work (white or silver colour)?

[jaapv]

The only potential problem being that the foil will twist the lens minimally out of the optical axis if you don’t cover the reader precisely,  which will, on some lenses, cause Italian Flag discoloration I.e. green/red discoloration on the edges of the image. The suggestion of removing all black dots would work as well, but that will inhibit lens recognition in all circumstances. 

[Sjstudio]

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

The only potential problem being that the foil will twist the lens minimally out of the optical axis if you don’t cover the reader precisely,  which will, on some lenses, cause Italian Flag discoloration I.e. green/red discoloration on the edges of the image. The suggestion of removing all black dots would work as well, but that will inhibit lens recognition in all circumstances. 

Won't happen. The tape is thinner than the height of the depression into the mount. Open your camera and look at it. The reader is set about half a millimeter into the mount, which is more than enough for a thin layer of tape that's about 0.1-0.2mm thick. Therefore the lens itself does not come into contact with tape, let alone be tilted by it. 

[Sjstudio]

3 hours ago, swatch said:

Would painting cover it work (white or silver colour)?

You could, but it becomes a bit more permanent. Be mindful of the type of paint and solvent. You might want to take off the paint one day. Just don't shoot yourself in the foot. 

[Sjstudio]

 

1 hour ago, jaapv said:

The only potential problem being that the foil will twist the lens minimally out of the optical axis if you don’t cover the reader precisely,  which will, on some lenses, cause Italian Flag discoloration I.e. green/red discoloration on the edges of the image. The suggestion of removing all black dots would work as well, but that will inhibit lens recognition in all circumstances. 

My problem with removing black dots on the lens is 2 folds. 1. What if you also use that lens on another camera(s) that can read 6 bits and has no problem with the reader? 2. I've noticed that even for uncoded 3rd party lenses, the uncovered code reader can glitch, meaning it will jump between wrong detection/no lens attached/manual entry quite randomly. Covering it gives the reader a very consistent reading of 0-0-0-0-0-0, which doesn't prompt it to do its own interpretation. 

[jaapv]

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As long as the covering does not protrude above the level of the flange. 

[Sjstudio]

9 minutes ago, jaapv said:

As long as the covering does not protrude above the level of the flange. 

Of course, as you can see on the first picture, it is below the flange. 

[lct]

10 hours ago, Sjstudio said:

[...] I just set up a few manual lens profiles to match the lenses I use, and select the correct profile when I change lenses.

This way the M11 will behave as if lenses were coded. What difference does it make to you if i may ask?

[Sjstudio]

15 minutes ago, lct said:

This way the M11 will behave as if lenses were coded. What difference does it make to you if i may ask?

On some copies of M11/P/M, the reader is glitchy. By blindfolding the reader and choosing the profiles manually, the manual setting will be stable and not glitchy. Before the tape intervention, I've had occurrences of the reader glitching by jumping between "no lens", some wrong lens, and my selected manual lens profile. The tape intervention eliminates those glitches. Therefore, if you select lens detection OFF, it will stay OFF. If you select a manual lens profile, it will maintain it. No more glitches. 

[ianforber]

10 hours ago, Sjstudio said:

The lens detection function has caused some problems to some of us M11 users. Turning it off in the menu doesn't truly work because if you attach a coded lens, the camera will detect it and display the focal lens in the menu IF WHEN YOU EXPLICITLY TURNED IT OFF. So I though, "why you don't do what I ask you to do? Stop looking for 6 bit code when I told you not to look". 

Solution: easy, just blindfold your M11. 

How to: cut a piece of silver 3M tape that has a white sticky face facing the code reader. The shape has to be exactly correct so that no light passes through. The sticky face facing the reader has to be white or silver. It's removable and won't leave a trace when I take it off. It's a non permanent blindfold for the lens code reader. Works 100%.

I hope this helps you all. Cheers. 

Interesting that it works 100%. I assume that the camera would still be going through the process of looking for a lens. I wonder what that means for the way the camera is working to eliminate freezing?

[Sjstudio]

6 minutes ago, ianforber said:

Interesting that it works 100%. I assume that the camera would still be going through the process of looking for a lens. I wonder what that means for the way the camera is working to eliminate freezing?

It doesn't eliminate freezing completely, but it did reduce a lot. I know this works because I've had problematic coded lenses, and some glitchy reading on uncoded lenses. I find it quite frustrating that the manual setting or the "off" setting does not override automatic lens detection when a coded lens is attached. Why can't Leica just turn off the reader and let the manual settings override the reader... Anyways, my method is to ensure a manual override with no glitch. 

[pippy]

4 minutes ago, ianforber said:

...I assume that the camera would still be going through the process of looking for a lens...

Wouldn't the camera's 'brain' just assume that the lens fitted is uncoded and not give the matter a second's thought? I don't have an M11 but if I set lens detection in my M Monochrom to 'Auto' and fit, say, the LLL 8-Element the display 'Info' simply reads 'Uncoded'.

Philip.

[Sjstudio]

Just now, pippy said:

Wouldn't the camera's 'brain' just assume that the lens fitted is uncoded and not give the matter a second's thought? I don't have an M11 but if I set lens detection in my M Monochrom to 'Auto' and fit, say, the LLL 8-Element the display 'Info' simply reads 'Uncoded'.

Philip.

Ideally it would be like that, but on some M11 cameras, it jumps between "uncoded", "no lens" if you are on auto, which would cause weird glitches that can cause a freeze. I've not had any problem with other M cameras (M9, M10), but M11's seems to be weird. We've also seen plenty of other people complaining about this issue. 

[lct]

When lens detection is set to off it remains so when changing uncoded lenses for other uncoded ones. No problem here with 30+ coded, uncoded and pen coded M lenses...

[Sjstudio]

3 minutes ago, lct said:

When lens detection is set to off it remains so when changing uncoded lenses for other uncoded ones. No problem here with 30+ coded, uncoded and pen coded M lenses...

Cameras vary. As you know, the M11's are quite unstable. The 558xxxx batch differ significantly from the 566 batch, and even more from the 588 batch. The later being more stable generally speaking. Some never froze or rarely freezes, some freeze 5 times a day. In your case, you might not need anything related to the 6bit reader. Some of us face the problem of a glitchy reader. My solution is for those affected. 

[lct]

Just now, Sjstudio said:

[...] In your case, you might not need anything related to the 6bit reader [...]

Most of my lenses are coded or pen coded, hence my question. I simply don't understand in what practical circumstances 6-bit coding can cause freeze, glitch or whatever issue with the current firmware. Sounds like a kind of myth to me but i may be wrong...

[Sjstudio]

6 minutes ago, lct said:

Most of my lenses are coded or pen coded, hence my question. I simply don't understand in what practical circumstances 6-bit coding can cause freeze, glitch or whatever issue with the current firmware. Sounds like a kind of myth to me but i may be wrong...

In my case, I can give you an example. I have a Lux 50 ASPH black chrome 11688. It is natively coded as 11891/892 which is the regular version of the retractable hood summilux asph. When I have this particular lens attached to the camera, the camera freezes much more. I can have 5 freezes a day. However when I have other lenses, mostly uncoded lenses, I don't experience this many freezes. After the tape intervention, the occurrences of freezing on this 11688 is on par with other lenses. 

I have no technical explanation for it since I have no idea what really causes those glitches, but this solution seems to solve the 6bit code related problems.

Edited July 25, 2024 by Sjstudio

[lct]

17 minutes ago, Sjstudio said:

I have a Lux 50 ASPH black chrome 11688. It is natively coded as 11891/892 which is the regular version of the retractable hood summilux asph.

Does your flange look like this?

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[charlesphoto99]

Wow, the work arounds and excuses made for this camera are bordering on the delusional. I feel bad for Leica dealers, as they are going to take a bath when the M12 comes out and everybody is jumping to trade in their 11's (assuming the M12 has worked out the M11 flaws and has yet more 'features' nobody really needs in an M but drives the need to upgrade to something 'shinier'). Who would want to buy a used M11 at that point when there's a choice between a new M12 or a used but stable M10 and its variations?