Where / How to DX code a Zeiss lens?

[Rogier]

Thinking about buying some Zeiss glass for my M8.
Do the Zeiss lenses come coded or is this something exclusive to Leica?
Here / how can I have a lens coded?

Thanks,


Roggier

[Tim Gray]

I think you mean code, not 'DX code'. DX codes are the codes on film canisters used so cameras know what ISO the film is.

Zeiss lenses don't come coded. You have to pick a Leica lens code to apply. Some people use markers/paint to apply codes themselves. I think there kits for this. Others send the lenses to places like DAG for coding.

[jsrockit]

Which focal lengths are you thinking about? Certain ones don't really require the coding IMO... namely anything longer than 35mm.

[jgeenen]

Zeiss lenses are not coded. Wide angles can benefit from coding when using equivalent Leica lens codes (see reference list at http://whimster-photography.com/leica_m_lens_codes/index.html). I can recommend Tim Isaac's coder kit (http://matchtechnical.com/coderkit.aspx) for hand-coding Zeiss lenses. Works perfect for both M8 and M9.

Current Zeiss/Voigtlaender production lenses do have a groove in the bayonet flange (at least the Voigtlaender Nokton 1,4/35mm bought 2009 and the Zeiss Biogon 2,8/21mm bought recently are grooved) that helps to apply permanent coding to a lens (I believe that this is Cosina's answer to the restrictions applied by Leica). On older lenses you can use a dremel to apply the few grooves required (note: it is sufficient to apply the black coding patches only, you can omit the white patches).

I coded all of my Zeiss and Voigtlaender lenses (although for standard and telephoto lenses it is more a convenience factor than a must).

Searching for "lens coding" in this forum or with Google gives a lot of additional information. There are some threads in the Leica forum (l-camera-forum.com) that are very detailed, too.

Johannes

[Rogier]

Thanks for the quick reply's

Ah the added "DX" code threw off my search results in Google.

I am looking into buying new Zeiss lenses.
Initially I was going for the 28 but might buy the 25mm
Also want a 35mm perhaps a Zeiss or might keep on saving for a used 35mm f1.4 from Leica witch also will have to be coded

[f16sunshine]

Which focal lengths are you thinking about? Certain ones don't really require the coding IMO... namely anything longer than 35mm.


I would even take this one further and say anything 35mm or longer does not much benefit from coding.
i could not see any difference after coding a Biogon 2/35 to being a summicron 2/35.
Wider lenses do benefit for certain.