M8 coder - simple manual handcoding of M lenses

Making life a little simpler, I roughed out the layout of the 6bit codes in Corel draw and tossed a sheet of cardboard in my laser, then a bit of glossy photopaper for the actual stencil. the result is a simply lock in place paper stencil. 

More pictures and layout for DIY types or purchase a ready to use template after the link.

Backside made from corugated cardboard to get a bit of grip on the edge of the lens mount, I made a tap for easy positioning.

The top side made from heavy glossy photopaper to prevent the sharpie from destroying it when used multiple times. The two little holes are for positioning when gluing the pieces together.

The result: CV 35 1.4 coded and ready to go, and yes it works.  
By the way, note the groove in the mount where the black marks is, this is a new feature on some Voitlander lenses, the recess protects the sharpie marks from being worn off when mounted on the camera..

DO IT YOUR SELF Click here for the original JPG file of the layout, you can print it and cut it out of a piece of cardboard with a xacto knife.     OR right click here and select save file, to download the coreldraw file. You can definitely make this template yourself in about 5 minutes with a printer and xacto knife. Enjoy.

READY TO USE. I have laser cut and assembled a couple of these.  PayPal me 5 bucks and I will toss one in the mail for you.  note this is only the template as pictured above, no suggestions for codes and no sharpie included.    NOTE - you REALLY don't need the template, download or follow Per's instructions.

M9 UPDATE: Just got my M9, clearly something have changed,  my coded lenses which works just fine with the M8 mostly did not work with the M9... until I socked on a bunch more ink.  they must have changed the sensor to require more contrast, as a single layer of sharpie don't seem to do the trick anymore.    this will be a easy fix on the new grooved lenses, I'm heading out in town for black model airplane enamel..  on my 15mm I have a coding strip and this worked, but the same strip on the CV 35 1.4 did not work, probably because it was a bit more worn, I updated it with a fresh one and now that lens also works.

Conclusion... soak on more ink, paint or whatever you are using for black.  The M9 have a more picky sensor, I'm almost wondering if they did this new calibration to bug people doing sharpie codes.

NOTE unfortunately we no longer have time to make code templates.  
We can't get them manufactured in a timely manner and don't want you to have to wait.
This is why the order option is now removed. 

 

NOTE - PLEASE allow 30 days for delivery, we do not make profit on these templates and produce them once a month only when we have the time.  We do not make money on these, and don't mean to be grumpy about it, but we do not have time to deal with email exchanges about expedited processing and tracking for these, if our schedule is not suitable for you, please do not order.
NOTE - INTERNATIONAL - I am not able to ship to Malaisia and Indonesia as most of the templates send to these areas do not arrive. orders from either of these contries will be refunded. 

 

The current list of Leica Lens Codes, you will need these to code your lens correctly
Carsten Whimster original list of lens codes Click here for M lens codes
You will need these codes for coding your lenses manually.

Here is a very straight forward way to code your lens by hand Click to read post on LUF.

There are more than one way to skin a cat - read about my experiment with sticky coding-strips.

For those with no fear, pull out your Dremmel tool and make groves for coding. Click to read post on LUF.

Original tread about lens coding on the Leica User Forum  Click to read

DPreview have a posting of the original press release about Leica lens coding. Click to read

There is also a excellent code kit from Match Tech
which includes the list of codes and a sharpie in a very nice case.

Comments

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hey Achim, unfortunately we have not been making these the last maybe 5 years,

Bo

[Achim]

Are you still selling these templates? Would be interested to buy one!

[RWS]

Are you still offering coding templates?

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hey Philip, unfortunately not, I got tired of wasting my time cutting and mailing them only to have morons tell me the template did not work and ask for a refund on PayPal. just dont have time for this. :-)

[Philip Thomas]

Are these still available? Thank you

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hey Gels, you need to scale the image so that it become the dimension before printing, try a couple times until you get it right, with the right scale you can use the jpg printed to mark the codes on your lens.
I dont supply the templates anymore as too many boneheads figured it was funny to cancel payment on $5 items. I made them as a public service and its simply not worth my time seeing if I may or may not get paid.

[gels]

Hi, Does anyone have any current links to where I might get a template or a code kit? MatchTect is not supplying them anymore and the jpeg template is massive when printed (i might be doing something wrong though). I'd really like to have a go at coding my voigtlanders but not having much joy. most of the posts seem quite old. Any help with this is greatly appreciated.
All the best

gels

[Kaniel]

Thanks for the stencil, worked perfectly on my Nokton 50mm f1.1 and 35mm f1.4, Elmar 90mm f4, also on my Zeiss 28mm f2.8. However, on my Summicron-C 40mm f2.0 the screw is right where the sharpie mark goes and did not work so well. I'll try to fill the screw countersink with white or clear nail polish flush to the flange.

[Jan]

Hi Bo,
Just received my template today--works like a charm on my 50/2 'Cron and 35/2.8 Summaron. Thanks!
- Jan, Cph, Denmark

[Jerren]

Just ordered mine! I can't wait!

[Julien]

Hi Bo,

Just ordered the template for my M8 shipped in France. Thx.

Julien

[Taufan Dalijono]

Hi Bo,
I've just ordered a template to be delivered to Berlin, Germany.

Thanks
Taufan

[David]

HI Bo
thanks for the fast delivery. works very well!

[David Lee]

Hi Bo,

I have just ordered one for my M9. Thanks

David

[Kenneth]

Hi Bo,

Just ordered the template for my M8. Thx.

Kenneth

[van loi CABROL]

Hi Bo,

I've just ordered the template, I don't quite understand your explanation, but I just want to precise it's for a M9 body.

Sincerely, vl Cabrol

[Loic Sans]

Hi Bo,
I've just ordered a template to be delivered in London, UK.
Could you let me know when you shipped it.
Thanks

Loic

[Matthew Chu]

Hi Bo,
I have just ordered the template from you. However, the M-lens code website (http://whimster-photography.com/leica_m_lens_codes/index.html) does not seem to be available. I have tried for the last couple of days. Do you know of anywhere else I can get the code for M-lenses. Thanks for your help.

Matthew

[Antonio]

Hi, I've already paid a Paypal to send it to me Valencia Spain. I'll tell you how it goes. Please send it soon.
Greetings

[Kevin]

Hi Bo. Just received the template over here in Blighty (england :).

Incredible !! This thing actually works. So simple, yet so effective.

Have coded a CV 35mm f2.5 Skopar II and a Jupiter 8 50mm f2 with M-Adapter. No problems whatsoever.

Good to hear they're selling like `hot cakes`.

Kev

[Martin]

Hi Bo,
Just ordered the template. i have been trying to find the list of actual codes for the lenses-whimster site doesn't open. Do you have the list or suggest where I can find the list? Thanks, Martin

[Vo]

Hi Bo,

I'm in Australia and just ordered one.

Cheers,

Vo

[sheikh rizuan]

Hi Bo,

I just ordered the template to Malaysia
looking forward to code it to my lenses

Thanks
riz

[Gary]

Got it today, thanks -- works great!

[Loopbug]

Hi Bo, just placed an order for international shipment to Qatar!

Can't wait!

Thanks!

Regards,
Mac

[Cedric]

Hi, Just to let you know I used your template for direct adhesive paper for my old lenses on my M9 and... it works !! :oD
Thanks for sharing your vector based file, I figured a way to import it to Illustrator and filled the blacks to code my own lenses.
http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/leica-m9-forum/119178-ez-homemade-6bit-coding.html
I don't know if it will last long, first try !

Regards

Cedric

[Brice]

Hi Bo,

Just wanted to check the shipping status of the coder that I've ordered on Feb 10 to be shipped to Hong Kong.

Regards,

[Christian Lindberg]

Hi ! I just ordered one template to Sweden !
Keep up the good work!

Cheers
Christian Lindberg

[Eric Kad.]

Hi Bob,
The coder arrived in France.

Thank you.

Eric.

[DRE]

Hi Bo,

Just received one. It looks nice. Thanks for the fast delivery.
I will try it later on Zeiss 21/f4.5 and Voigtlander 50/f1.1.
Guess the 6-bit codes should be 000001 and 011111 ?

Regards and Merry Xmas.

DRE

[Bob Mackay]

I have an early 35 mm summicron, because the screw refered to elsewhere in this forum is in line with the code reader on the M8.2 Leica advised me that it can not be coded. I tried using the coder kit on my 50mm lens, for use with a fairly late M8.2,the fit seems so tight that the coding only lasts for 1 maybe 2 attatchments to the camera even using a black enamal finger nail polish, so I gave up before damaging the camera coding unit.

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hello Joe,

I have a lens like that, at first I could not make it work, but then I sacrificed a good new medium sharpie, and simply pushed the pen tip into the screw, the trick were to fill ink in all the screw lines and the ring around it, so I pushed the fibers so they became like a paintbrush... the lens work now. :-) I am not sure that will work for everybody, but it worked on my 75lux and also on a cv 35mm 2.5

The problem seems to be that there is a little bright spot somewhere in the screw, the leica sensor is very sensitive for any reflection of the IR signal, a little damage to the paint and it will not work. NOTE, the M9 seems to be MORE sensitive, with the M9 you really gotta go back and paint all the marks again a second time on top, carefully to get perfect function.

Bo

[Joe]

Hi Bo, I purchased your coder a couple of months back (had a friend purchase it for me). It worked for my Voigtlander 15 M-mount, but
I'm having a lot of trouble coding my Leica 35 Summicron Pre-asph. There's a screw at the place where I need to put the 2 marks, and I think that might be the problem?

I'm not sure if you've had experience coding this particular lens. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[Chris Simonsen]

Just ordered one, so stoked on finding a nice alternative to sending it in to a Leica dealer! Cheers from Norway!
Chris.

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hello YPC,

I have just added a paypal link for international. See above.

Bo

[Yow Peng-chee]

Hi Bo,

I am in Singapore and wish to buy one from you. Please let me know the total cost including international air mail charges.

Regards
YPC

[Joe]

Hi, how long does delivery usually take? I'm in San Francisco and need to have it by the 9th. Hope to hear back!

[dan valente]

hey I just sent you paypal for one of your encoder cutouts. That's awesome! I just purchased a pre-asph 28mm elmarit and going to self-code it for my M*

[Karel Swinnen]

Hi Bo,

how much would you charge for the m8 coder to send to Belgium?

best regards

[Markus Puustinen]

I would like to get one shipped to Finland. Is $6 enough?

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hello Petur,

The template is really small and is shipped in a regular envelope with a piece of cardboard for protection, PayPal me $6

REMEMBER - avoid the "fine-point" sharpie and stick to the traditional one as it make a more juicy mark.

Bo

[Pétur Geir]

Hello Bo, I want to buy one of these but I live in Iceland. Would you ship there and how much would that cost extra?

Regards,
Petur.

[Franc de Vocht]

Hi Bo,
I would like to order your M8 coder.
If I use the Buy Now button I can pay with paypal.
However, I live in The Netherlands - should I not add shipping costs?
Thanx.
Franc.

[Howie Feller]

I just ordered the template from you.. My exacto days are long over!

tks, howie

[Howie Feller]

Hey Bo... when i print out those jpg's the size is bigger in the cutout than the lens... trying to code the CV 35 f2.5 sokpar PII. Thanks, Howie

[Bo Lorentzen]

Hello Mark,

You are the first to have a problem with one of these, Im sending you replacement right away, no need to order another.

Thank you for the feedback.

Bo

[Mark Blumer]

Bo,

I received the stencils that you sent me. One did not work the other worked perfectly on my CV 35mm f/1.4. Thank you very much. Since they are delicate the way you make them, I am going to order another pair to hold for the occasion of my next non-Leica lens; probably a Zeiss 50 planar.

Thanks again,
Mark