The official Leica Press release on new lens info for M8

[MP Guy]

Press Release
June 2006 / No. 17e/06

Release date: June 6th, 2006

New 6-bit coding of Leica M system lenses for image optimization in connection with the planned digital camera model

Leica Camera AG, Solms will be giving the lenses of the Leica rangefinder system a new code on the bayonet ring in future to enable the planned digital Leica M camera to recognize the lens type. The information on the lens that is being used helps the camera to optimize image quality. All lenses leaving the factory from July 1st, 2006 onwards will have the new coding, although they can still be fully used with the current analog cameras LEICA MP and LEICA M7 as well as classic models built after 1954. Lenses in the current range as well as many earlier models can be retrofitted at the cost of the owner to benefit from the image optimization in the camera. The lenses are compatible with the planned digital M camera even without retrofitting, except that the additional features cannot be used.

The lens coding is called ‘6-bit coding‘ because six fields in the bayonet ring are marked in black or white to represent a number from 1 to 64 in binary code. The planned digital M camera reads this information optically and can identify the lens on the basis of this code. Apart from the improvement in image quality, this information is also written into the EXIF image file.

“On account of their legendary quality, nearly all Leica M lenses are ideal for digital use. However, the new 6-bit coding also uses the performance reserves in the image processing of the camera to give our customers the excellent image result they expect from Leica,“ says Rainer Bültert, product manager for the M system at Leica Camera AG.

Lenses bought in the past will be converted at the request of the customer for 95 euros at the Customer Service of Leica Camera AG in Solms or the Leica agencies of other countries. Many of the lenses made from 1963 onwards can be converted. A list of such models is available on the internet (www.leica-camera.com) or from the Leica Info-Service (Tel. 06442/208-111). The only lens in the current range that will not be given a 6-bit coding is the LEICA APO-TELYT-M 135 mm f/3.4. It is not codable later, either, as its extension factor of 1.33 makes it unsuitable for use on the planned digital M camera.

The launch of the digital Leica rangefinder camera is planned for the second half of 2006.

Contacts for your editorial team
Gero Furchheim / Extension –450 (tel.)/ –455 (fax)/ gero.furchheim@leica-camera.com
Sandra Looke / Extension – 404 (tel.)/ – 455 (fax)/ sandra.looke@leica-camera.com

[bmattock]

Interesting. Apparently, Leica is planning to apply a CPU-based tweak to the images, according to what type of glass is attached. Different lens, different tweak. If you don't get your lens bar-coded, it won't know what you have and won't apply the tweak (whatever that might be).

I suspect a) There will be a small market in third-party peel-n-stick bar codes and b) someone will start to figure out how to 'hack' the bar-coding to get different effects from lenses, not intended by Leica.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[a.black]

Originally Posted by bmattock

b) someone will start to figure out how to 'hack' the bar-coding to get different effects from lenses, not intended by Leica.

so this would be similar to trying out this film at the EI, with that developer, at this temperature for this time. (no bashing intended)
"I love the look of the 50'cron on TriX, when set to the 35'lux."

[bmattock]

Originally Posted by a.black

so this would be similar to trying out this film at the EI, with that developer, at this temperature for this time. (no bashing intended)
"I love the look of the 50'cron on TriX, when set to the 35'lux."

That's what it sounds like, eh?

[Socke]

Originally Posted by bmattock

Interesting. Apparently, Leica is planning to apply a CPU-based tweak to the images, according to what type of glass is attached. Different lens, different tweak. If you don't get your lens bar-coded, it won't know what you have and won't apply the tweak (whatever that might be).

I suspect a) There will be a small market in third-party peel-n-stick bar codes and b) someone will start to figure out how to 'hack' the bar-coding to get different effects from lenses, not intended by Leica.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

I think Kodak was the first who did that.
A friend has a DCS Pro and a SLR/n and both have some sort of a lens databse built in.

[trittium]

Looks like Leica is also looking to boost profits through charging an arm and a leg for black and white dots.

[Ben Z]

Isn't that the exact same text that was on the French site, except a better translation than the Google translation? It doesn't say anywhere that the coding will be required to actuate framelines, that's a huge relief.

[erudolph]

I can't seem to find the list of lenses that can be converted. Anyone have a link to it?

Ed

[John Camp]

"Looks like Leica is also looking to boost profits through charging an arm and a leg for black and white dots."

Nah. I understand it, they'll mill shallow recesses to take the paint and then, of course, get the paint right... If it takes half an hour each, to do all of it, plus check, unpack, repack and send, I doubt that there'll be much profit in it. A milling process for this kind of thing won't be cheap.

But let me ask this: I have seven lenses. Do I put them all in one Fed-Ex box and ship it off and then say rosaries until it comes back, or do I put them in (say) three separate boxes so I'd be unlikely to lose them all, should the package get lost? And take three chances of losing something, rather than one?

Also...a la Bill's suggestion...the codes will probably be on the Internet about a week after the first lenses are sold this summer, and I wouldn't be surprised if some carefully applied black and white nail polish wouldn't do the job. Anybody know a Goth?

And, of course, that would probably solve the problem of using Leitz lenses. Leitz might even tell you where to get those peel-off stickers, wink-wink, nudge-nudge...

When are they going to start doing the adaptions on the current lenses? Anybody?

JC

[bmattock]

And leave us not forget the gear-heads that will claim that once the paint is applied, the lens is no longer pristine glass and is now unworthy junk that should not bear the name Leica. And then those who will swear that when the lens goes back to Leica, they perform some sort of elf magic that no one else can properly do, so that if the lens is not converted by an actual gnome, the glass is horribly damaged and won't take photos anymore.

And everyone will claim that they can tell at ten paces in the dark with sunglasses on if a 4x6 print was made by a converted or unconverted lens.

Yep. I can see it now.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[trittium]

Originally Posted by bmattock

And leave us not forget the gear-heads that will claim that once the paint is applied, the lens is no longer pristine glass and is now unworthy junk that should not bear the name Leica. And then those who will swear that when the lens goes back to Leica, they perform some sort of elf magic that no one else can properly do, so that if the lens is not converted by an actual gnome, the glass is horribly damaged and won't take photos anymore.

And everyone will claim that they can tell at ten paces in the dark with sunglasses on if a 4x6 print was made by a converted or unconverted lens.

Yep. I can see it now.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

Bill,

I think that is exactly how it will go

[back alley]

i wonder if leica has programmed more 'glow' into the image enhancing capabilities of the camera?

does this mean there can be no more claims for leica glass characteristics?

[JohnL]

Maybe someone will figure out what dots are suitable for CV, Canon, Zeiss lenses too?

[MP Guy]

I am already thinking of ideas for an alternative and am just waiting for the specs.

[StuartR]

JohnL shares my question -- what about all the great lenses not made by Leica. I am a very dedicated Leica shooter, but I also have lenses from Konica, Zeiss, Voigtlander and Canon...so now what? Perhaps DAG or Sherry Krauter will start offering this as a service for 3rd party lenses?

[bmattock]

Originally Posted by back alley

i wonder if leica has programmed more 'glow' into the image enhancing capabilities of the camera?

does this mean there can be no more claims for leica glass characteristics?

Perhaps - but it will be replaced by Leica electron characteristics. Leica CPU characteristics. Fact - Leica electrons just 'flow better' than non-Leica electrons - and Leica photons will glow when properly encouraged by the Wizards of Wetzlar.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks

[Bertram2]

Originally Posted by Jorge Torralba

P The information on the lens that is being used helps the camera to optimize image quality.

There is a anti-vignetting variable in the software, for the wides ?

bertram

[bmattock]

Case in point.

[StuartR]

Yes, but assuming there is an anti-vignetting feature, how could it work, given that it varies dramatically with working aperture (which will not be transmitted)?

[StuartR]

I don't believe it will be the same sensor as the DMR, as the DMR sensor crop is 1.37, and the M8's is supposed to be 1.33. Also, even if it is the same, performance is likely to be different as Imacon wrote the firmware for the DMR, and Jenoptik is doing it for the M8.

[rolopix]

Originally Posted by Bertram2

There is a anti-vignetting variable in the software, for the wides ?

bertram

Yep, it's called Adobe Camera Raw. This M8 thingy is going to produce .DNG RAW files, isn't it?

rs

[Pico]

How about a gentleman's bet that it's a hoax?

H O A X ?

The date is 06/06/06 (666) and it uses a strange word length of 6 bits.

Dunno. It's worth a beer bet.

[blakley]

OK, Pico - I'll take that bet. Loser pays to have the winner's lens of choice fitted with Leica dots?

[Pico]

Originally Posted by blakley

OK, Pico - I'll take that bet. Loser pays to have the winner's lens of choice fitted with Leica dots?

Heck, I'll dot it for you!

We can even make dot-hack decals until we hack the chip.

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by Bertram2

There is a anti-vignetting variable in the software, for the wides ?

bertram

Besides correction of fall off, some lenses that are excellent on film, do new trcks on digital such as chromatic aberration, lateral chromatic aberration and because of the reflectivity of the sensor surface, a strange red dot in the center of the image (flare?). This is not to say that our Summicrons will behave strangely on digital, but things like this could be handled by firmware using a look up table using the mount codes or going into the menus (hopefully). I have found that digital can sort a lens collection better than any film could. I suspect Leica and/or their beta testers have encountered most of the anomolies. Let's hope they can identify where we might encounter image quality problems using non-coded lenses. I have gone through this with my E-1 and KM5D DSLRs with a collection of legacy lenses.