M8 and Non-Leica lenses

[leif e]

Hi!
This question has probably been up already - I haven´t had the time to read through all the posts. My question is; will it be possible to code Non-Leica lenses (for M8 to recognise and utilize them). For that part; what about LTM adapters, and via them; screw mount lenses? Does anybody know?
leif e

 

[umana]

Leif,

Yours is a really clever and interesting question !
I can't answer right now, but I will (try to) inform me, and will let you know...

Ciao, Luigi

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Perhaps we don't have the time to answer! But interesting question, nonetheless, true.

I'd think you could code your LTM adapter, but then you've coded it for only one lens.

 

[MP Guy]

I am working on a solution for coding non leica lenses. The only advantage that this would provide is transfer of exif data regarding the lens.

 

[Tom Diaz]

I am working on a solution for coding non leica lenses. The only advantage that this would provide is transfer of exif data regarding the lens.

Jorge, I may be a little behind, but is that the case? I thought there was special processing magic that the camera does if the coding says, for instance, that a 21mm lens is mounted. Does the magic work only for Leica lenses for some reason?

 

[thurows]

The six bit coding is not only used for the exif data, but also for the software written in the camera that interprets the file and corrects for divergence of colors in the corners. If you are going to be shooting JPGs this is necessary however, I've read that there are ways of changing the lens settings post processing - RAW files.

 

[Ben Z]

Henning Wulff's stated on his thread of his M8 review that he had not seen any vignetting from the M8 that wasn't there on film too. That included Leica lenses and a couple of Voitlander lenses as well including very wide ones. That was with the pre-production firmware still. I'm even more resolute than ever I'm going to need solid proof in front of my own eyes before I'll cough up the dough to have my lenses coded.

 

[thurows]

Nothing to do with vignetting, has to do wth prperly focusing all color s so they line up properly.

 

[leif e]

Well, I´ll stay tuned - that´s for sure

Well, I´ll stay tuned - that´s for sure

Thanks for the flattery regarding my question - I am a journalist as well, after allhttp://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif. And I´ll follow the discussion - if I can use what I´ve got; then that´s one (even more)tempting camera

leif e

 

[jaapv]

Jorge, I may be a little behind, but is that the case? I thought there was special processing magic that the camera does if the coding says, for instance, that a 21mm lens is mounted. Does the magic work only for Leica lenses for some reason?

I would imagine the coding is for vignetting and CA problems mainly. Whilst the coding will be Leica- lens specific, it might well be close enough to do some good for non-Leica lenses.After all, Zeiss or CV have similar aberrations for the same focal length as Leica has, albeit with different (more??😉 ) severity. If the coding for third-party lenses is desirable is another question. These corrections can also be done -and for CV-ZI more exactly- in post-processing and don't require superhuman photoshop abilities.

 

[Mark Wood]

Whilst it would be a more cumbersome and slower solution than coding the lenses, it would be rather nice if the lens type could also be manually selected through the menu set-up. (Apologies if this has already been discussed or explained.) I don't reckon that would be too much to ask in a £3,000 camera although as the old saying goes, if you have to ask the "miles per gallon" for a Bentley, you can't afford it! Doesn't the Nikon D200 have such a facility?

 

[jaapv]

As far as I can make out, the M8 menu structure does not provide this option. The corrections are for Jpeg shooting only- I imagine most users will be in RAW mode anyway.

 

[jaapv]

I am working on a solution for coding non leica lenses. The only advantage that this would provide is transfer of exif data regarding the lens.

Jorge - the camera will try to correct the files from such lenses to the equivalent Leica specs. I'm not sure that will be a good thing in all cases!

 

[Tom Diaz]

Jorge - the camera will try to correct the files from such lenses to the equivalent Leica specs. I'm not sure that will be a good thing in all cases!

Hmm... I guess Leica has still not spoken with crystal clarity about just what this coding accomplishes. Time will tell! Meanwhile we are still speculating.

I certainly do not think $125 per Leica lens is an excessive price if it delivers any value, though. After all, we are talking about lenses and a camera body that cost tons of money.

I agree with others that a firmware feature to select this manually (overriding the coding or setting it in the absence of coding) would be good. Hope that is in Leica's v1.0 or some upgrade.

I assume we all grok the fact that this option would affect only JPG files. I almost always shoot RAW files myself, in my brief experience with digital cameras, but I have heard that busy photojournalists like to blaze away with jpgs and then upload them all to their agency or whatever. For those of us who are willing to toil in the "digital darkroom" with every image, the coding really is not an issue, eh?

 

[Grober]

I am working on a solution for coding non leica lenses. The only advantage that this would provide is transfer of exif data regarding the lens.

Jorge,

One of your most important tasks: find a way for the ZM 25mm Biogon lens to invoke the 24mm frame in the M8. Transferring the exif data too is a nice plus but secondary to calling up the "correct" frame on the M8. (As it stands now, an unmodified 25mm Biogon will only deploy the 28mm frame in the M8.)

When you get this figured out, tested and ready to sell, please let us know. I want to be able to use the Biogon without the nuisance of a cluttering extra viewfinder on top of the M8.

Thanks!

-g

 

[phototone]

The six bit coding is not only used for the exif data, but also for the software written in the camera that interprets the file and corrects for divergence of colors in the corners. If you are going to be shooting JPGs this is necessary however, I've read that there are ways of changing the lens settings post processing - RAW files.

Yes, in Photoshop, the Adobe Camera Raw window has a couple of "chromatic aberration" sliders that allow you to converge mis-registered colors at the edges of the frame. I use it all the time for shots I make on my Kodak 14mp Full Frame DSLR's, which exhibit this problem with various lenses.

 

[E_Aiken]

Use of the ZM 25/2.8 would be my primary concern as well. I'd hate to have to tie up my left hand manually shifting frame lines.

 

[thurows]

You will either need to find a service center that is willing to encode your non-Leica lenses, do it youself or use the raw software provided by Leica to select which lens you used.

Yes, in Photoshop, the Adobe Camera Raw window has a couple of "chromatic aberration" sliders that allow you to converge mis-registered colors at the edges of the frame. I use it all the time for shots I make on my Kodak 14mp Full Frame DSLR's, which exhibit this problem with various lenses.

Not so much for "chromatic abberation", that usually only affects wide angle lenses and is sided to side, from what I've read, that's read, the Leica correction is for the corners of the image; similar to vignetting but with color spectrum not brightness.

DP Rreview has a diagram of the ccd lens configuration to compensate for the shorter lens to film plane distance of Leicas and demonstrates why the camera needs to know what lens is being used. Further explains that it only records the data from RAW however, if you're shooting JPGs you'll need the coding. http://www.dpreview.com/articles/leicam8/

 

[thurows]

Use of the ZM 25/2.8 would be my primary concern as well. I'd hate to have to tie up my left hand manually shifting frame lines.

Framing lines are not changed in the camera as a function of the 6 bit data, this is stll done when the lens is attached to the camera through a cam mechanism.

 

[sunsworth]

Jorge,

One of your most important tasks: find a way for the ZM 25mm Biogon lens to invoke the 24mm frame in the M8. Transferring the exif data too is a nice plus but secondary to calling up the "correct" frame on the M8. (As it stands now, an unmodified 25mm Biogon will only deploy the 28mm frame in the M8.)

File down the prong that currently brings up the incorrect fames