Which frame line does ZM 21 bring up on M8?

xthunder

xthunder

Member
Local time
10:12 AM
Joined
Mar 24, 2008
Messages
33
The Title says it all....

I am waiting for my Zeiss Biogon 21mm/2.8 to arrive soon and I am wondering which bright line it will bring up on M8...

I know that I should be using 28mm external view finder for this lens but if it is not much of hassle, I am planning on using the built-in finder with this lens hopping the 24mm bright line comes up with this lens....

Have any one used this lens on M8?

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
Apparently there's been a recent change in which framelines are brought up; at least Tony at PopFlash has arranged to receive the 21 Biogons that trigger the 28/90mm framelines rather than the original 50/75.

The reason is a little confusing to me, but it certainly makes no user difference in the viewfinder, as there are no framelines in the M8 intended for 21mm use. Apparently, though, according to Tony, the 28/90 cut on the lens flange works somehow in coordination with the 6-bit coding to convince the camera of the lens's identity.

PopFlash is now advertising these lenses as "modified for M8" though not 6-bit coded. I just bought one, and had Tony ship the new "modified" lens directly to John Milich for the flange coding, and arranged separate payment for Mr Milich.
 
That is good news. Thanks for the update. As you can see the thread I pointed to is over a year old. The reason for the flange change is that the M8 uses both the frameline setting and the coding for lens recognition. If either is incorrect the lens will not be recognized. Previous Zeiss lenses brought up the 50 mm frame (which for framing is indeed irrelevant) but prevented coding. So now we have the correct 28 mm mount which can be coded. For the 21/2.8 the same code as for the Leica 21/2.8 aspherical. Works perfectly.
 
Thank you jaapv for the link!

".....However Zeiss brings up the 50 mm framelines, and Leica 21 mm lenses the 28 mm frames.
The M8 needs both the code and the right mount to recognize the lens (or a 21 at any rate) so the mount must be changed to the 28 mount and coded as 21....."

I am too sure if my 21mm is the newer 28/90 flange or 50/75 flange - I have a feeling that it is the older 50/75 flange :(

Jaap, do you know if there is a significant difference in the result with 6-bit-coded vs. not-coded with 1.201 firmware?

None of my 15mm/28mm/35mm/50mm are coded but with UV/IR(except 15mm) and with 1.201 firmware, the results are good~

Thank you.
 
I do get cyan vignetting on mine with the IR filter on. As these lenses are often used for landscape the filter is indispensible imo, to get the greens right, even with the new firmware. Of course, shooting RAW, another must imo, the firmware does not influence the colourbalance anyway. The newest C4 profile is better than all other rawconvertes in that repect, I find.
For instance here (not the Zeiss but the Nokton 35!) I would have been hard pressed to get it right without IR filter and C4.
wild_rose.jpg
 
Last edited:
xthunder said:
Jaap, do you know if there is a significant difference in the result with 6-bit-coded vs. not-coded with 1.201 firmware?

None of my 15mm/28mm/35mm/50mm are coded but with UV/IR(except 15mm) and with 1.201 firmware, the results are good~

Thank you.
Click to expand...

I have 1.201 firmware and with the Zeiss 21 f/4.5 with IR-cut filter mounted but not coded (don't think it can be) I haven't noticed any cyan drift/vignetting:

311437419_vCzAT-XL.jpg
 
Jaap & akiralx, thank you very much for the pixs!
Based on the pixs, I am going to try our 21 w/ UV/IR w/o coding and see how it turns out. If it is good then I will work on the frame line.

If using the edge of the viewfinder for approximate framing is suitable and the 50/75(or 28/90) frame line bothers me then I will see if the mount flange can be replaced with 24 frame flange.

Worst case, I just have to pick up a 28mm viewfinder and live with it~

Thanks again for the input.
 
I use the 21mm biogon with the Voightlander 28mm round external viewfinder. I do not do much landscape work with this combination but I do not have the lens coded nor do I use an IR/UV filter. I shoot RAW only so outside the colors are quite good. Indoors can be unpredictable at times, but usually is objectionalble only when mixed lighting sources mess up the auto white balance. In a pinch I will frame though the rangefinder using the entire frame as the border.

For some examples, almost all my London trip (two weeks ago) was shot with M8/biogon/VC 28mm external finder because I left my bag with 15mm and 50 on one of the buses. Here is the link to that gallery, just click on "slideshow" and it will cycle through all the photos: http://www.ocgarzaphotography.com/gallery2/v/PhotoswithLeicaM8/.

BTW, I really like the biogon/M8 combo, it makes a great 28mm on the M8.

O.C.
 
victoriapio, I am glad to hear that you like ZM Biogon 21mm.

I will take one step at a time and after I receive my ZM21, I will experiment with it to find out what I should do for coding(if I want it) and viewfinder...

Thank you.
 
O.C., very sorry to hear of your loss of the bag with 15 & 50mm lenses on the bus! Expensive experience; my sympathies... I enjoyed looking through your photos of London, and was watching the quality of the 21 Biogon (f/2.8 version I assume) and for signs of colors shifting due to IR.

Some pesky people keep wearing artificial-fabric clothing with certain IR reflecting dyes, eh! I experienced the same in a trip this Spring to Malta & Sicily, not using IR filters. Mostly ok, but certain color patterns begin to look like a trend after viewing a lot of pics.

attachment.php
 
Doug said:
O.C., very sorry to hear of your loss of the bag with 15 & 50mm lenses on the bus! Expensive experience; my sympathies... I enjoyed looking through your photos of London, and was watching the quality of the 21 Biogon (f/2.8 version I assume) and for signs of colors shifting due to IR.

Some pesky people keep wearing artificial-fabric clothing with certain IR reflecting dyes, eh! I experienced the same in a trip this Spring to Malta & Sicily, not using IR filters. Mostly ok, but certain color patterns begin to look like a trend after viewing a lot of pics.
Click to expand...
(Snip of photo)

Thanks Doug. I was the last person on the bus on my second day in London when I was jet lagged to the max. I got off with my camera and a windbreaker but left my small bag. The biggest loss was not the CV 15 or the 50, but a card I had already shot on the first day I was in London. That was irreplaceable. There is an upside, I am looking to upgrade to a Leica 35mm cron and perhaps a 50 lux. It will just take some time to get them.

Back on the IR issue, yes it sometimes is a real problem. I shot a photo at a friend's wedding over the weekend and everyone with black pants suddenly turned violet. Time for the color replacement tool :)

O.C.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom