After weeks of eating top ramen...

[asianhombre]

I am FINALLY getting my M8. I had purchased a Summilux 50 a while ago, which has been sitting on my desk, glaring at me, waiting for a body.

According to the sales staff, without having my lens 6-bit encoded, there are potentially some focusing issues.

Has anyone had these issues, ie, having to back-focus a bit using non-encoded lenses with the M8 body?

-M

[Jonas]

You will get no focus issues without 6-bit. Thats not what 6-bit is for. Congrats!

[Tuolumne]

Six bit coding is to compensate for vignetting with wide lenses. It's irrelevant for a 50mm lens.

/T

[Ken Shipman]

Focusing issues without 6-bit? The 6-bit code has no effect on focusing. It's there to 1) identify the lens in the EXIF data, and 2) guide the exposure processing particularly for lenses 35mm and wider. When having a lens coded it's common to also have the lens checked for focus accuracy with the M8 sensor. Maybe that's the source of mistaken association between 6-bit coding and focus accuracy. If you want the lens permanently coded DAG will do it for $75. Leica service charges a little more.

[hunghang]

Just enjoy the very well deserved M8 and 'Lux... don't worry about the coding issue or filter. You can always rectify that later.

[asianhombre]

When having a lens coded it's common to also have the lens checked for focus accuracy with the M8 sensor. Maybe that's the source of mistaken association between 6-bit coding and focus accuracy.

Yes, that's what I was referring to. But it seems people generally don't have any major problems focusing with the M8 sensor with a 50 'lux, so I suppose it doesn't matter.

[Double Negative]

I like the beef and chicken Ramen. Yummy.

[Benjamin Marks]

The sales staff is on crack. Or just embarrassed when they don't know something and are just making sh** up. The six bit coding 1) communicates which lens is being used to the M8 body (and as KEN says, id-ing the lens in EXIF data) and 2) tells the sensor how to compensate for light fall-off with wide-angle lenses. You can do the coding yourself with a sharpie, if you feel you must. Since you only have one lens, it would take forever to wear off. BTW, I would recommend getting the UV/IR filter for this lens. It will make color correction a lot easier.

BTW: Leica said for years and years that they couldn't make a digital RF, because of unacceptable optical vignetting with wide angle lenses (sensors=need photons hitting light sensors "head-on" as opposed to obliquely (acceptable with film), which was a characteristic consequence of the RF WA lens designs). Also there were different amounts of optical vignetting with different wide focal lengths and this gave the mechanical/optical engineers headaches. They hit upon a software fix for this vignetting, but the amount of required correction is different with each lens design -- this is why the 6-bit coding was born, to tell the camera how much to compensate for light fall off in the corners in a lens-specific way.

[Roger Hicks]

Righteous!

I once lived on muesli for a week (in the 1970s) in order to be able to afford a second-hand Stereoly. My late father in law lived on baked beans for 3 weeks (in the 1930s) in order to be able to afford a new Colt National Match.

Neither of us ever regretted it.

Tashi delek,

R.

[kxl]

Have you checked your blood pressure recently? :eek:

[LeicaMSeattle]

You're being fed a load of crap by your dealer. Manual focus is exactly what you and your eyes set it at manually. Coding is only important/critical for lenses wider than 35mm which allows the camera's software to corner correct a recognized (coded) lens for vignetting and color shift. Instant noodles contain a lot of MSG, use less of the soup stock powder.

[crawdiddy]

...at least it was Top Ramen and not Lowest-of-the-low Ramen.... you know, like fancy ketchup.

[Dave Wilkinson]

...at least it was Top Ramen and not Lowest-of-the-low Ramen.... you know, like fancy ketchup.
O.K.! - what's top ramen?....or even bottom ramen? :confused:

[dof]

Mmmm... Top Ramen. It's a cheap noodle dish. Top is one the best-known and high quality brands. It comes in a package containing the noodles and a small container known as " The Flavor Packet". It's mostly artificial flavoring and salt, but really is quite tasty - occasionally!

[crawdiddy]

O.K.! - what's top ramen?....or even bottom ramen? :confused:

It's a package of asian noodles with an envelope of seasoning. They sell for about 33 cents (or even less-- 5 for a dollar) at the supermarket.

The food of choce for starving students, artists, you-name-it.

Flavors include: Chicken, Beef, Pork. There may be a shrimp flavor, but I've never seen Lobster flavored.

[PhotoMat]

Righteous!

My late father in law lived on baked beans for 3 weeks (in the 1930s) in order to be able to afford a new Colt National Match.

Neither of us ever regretted it.

Tashi delek,

R.

After 3 weeks of baked beans, I'm sure your father-in-law was well accustomed to the muzzle blast of that .45!;)

There's just something about a nicely crafted 1911 -- kind of like the Leica of firearms.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3642/3552337928_4eb5d05037.jpg?v=0

[rogue_designer]

It only took *weeks* of ramen? We should be congratulating you on the bargain you found. ;)


@PhotoMat - i would have thought a nice Walther or Sig would be the Leica of firearms... something german anyway. :)

[PhotoMat]

While Walthers and SIGs are finely crafted specimens, they're still a little bit too modern!:D John Browining's design is 92 years old and it still gets the job done ... kind of Leica-esque, don't you think?

[asianhombre]

It was paradox for me really. Buying this M8 or going to Berlin this fall.

If I didn't have the camera, however, I wouldn't go to Berlin anyway since I would not be able to take great photos.

I think I shall buy the camera, go to Germany and eat Deutsche Ramen! Japanisch Lebensmittel aus Deutschland...was meinen Sie?

[maddoc]

I think I shall buy the camera, go to Germany and eat Deutsche Ramen! Japanisch Lebensmittel aus Deutschland...was meinen Sie?

Honestly, deutsche Wurst is better ! ;) Eating Ramen is good after drinking until early morning, must be the high concentration of salt :eek:...

[Atavistic]

Nice to see there's other people eating healthy/cheap to afford this wonderful camera. :) I've still got some time before I can start eating expensive meals again.

A bit off-topic, but what's reasonable to pay for a used M8 these days?

[mgd711]

While Walthers and SIGs are finely crafted specimens, they're still a little bit too modern!:D John Browining's design is 92 years old and it still gets the job done ... kind of Leica-esque, don't you think?

I agree with this, a Para 16-40 Special is my wife's weapon of choice.

Not a woman to be f***ed with :eek:

[Mattikk]

I wish I could get an M8 by eating cheap food for a few weeks. I'd have quite a bunch of them by now and damn I'm hungry right now as I'm writing this.

[asianhombre]

Going to pick up my M8 now!

[amateriat]

Congratulations! Now, watch that sodium! :eek:


- Barrett

[thinkfloyd]

i'm starting to want to eat ramen for the next year to get myself an M8 as well! :D

[Pablito]

John Browining's design is 92 years old and it still gets the job done ...

I shudder to think what that job may be.

[SteveM(PA)]

I was looking for some pasta in the cupboard last night and found some Top Ramen. I looked at the nutrition info and, holy crap, it says "2 servings." I also had a slightly larger Ichiban (those are awesome) and it says "3 servings." No wonder I gained so much weight in college.

[PhotoMat]

I shudder to think what that job may be.

The 1911 is an excellent and accurate platform for target shooting. Not everything regarding firearms has to be so ominous.

But this is a photography forum, so back to shooting, er, I mean taking pictures.

[jaapv]

It was paradox for me really. Buying this M8 or going to Berlin this fall.

If I didn't have the camera, however, I wouldn't go to Berlin anyway since I would not be able to take great photos.

I think I shall buy the camera, go to Germany and eat Deutsche Ramen! Japanisch Lebensmittel aus Deutschland...was meinen Sie?
Currywurst. The worst of two worlds....

[asianhombre]

M8 safely in my possession, now to read the manual.

[Atavistic]

Congratulations! How much did you end up paying?