AF micro-adjust made easy

Just had a pop at this with the 5D3, and being able to set for both ends of the zoom is very handy.
I ended up using a cereal box as a target, and used the confirmation beep as an indicator to focus, I noticed a lag in the confirmation beep when getting towards the limit of focus range. When I could get an instant beep, using rapid half presses of the remote, I was happy, it seemed to be just as good as waiting 5 seconds for a steady light. I did do the final half press for 5 seconds just to be sure.
It seemed to work very well, and there was no shift in focus when testing live view focus against viewfinder when finished.

I'll take some shots tomorrow, and see if my focus hit rate has improved...
 
I'm gonna finally give this a go when I'm off work week after next.
Only the primes though as it'll drive me mad if I ever find out there's a difference on the zooms :D
 
Is there anyone out there who has used another technique, eg LensAlign, that would do a comparison test for us?
 
PickleB said:
Is there anyone out there who has used another technique, eg LensAlign, that would do a comparison test for us?
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If you read back through some of the earlier posts I'm sure there have been people who have used other methods as well and ended up with pretty much similar results.
 
Yup. Like James says, when done properly, all the different methods will give similar (i.e., within the margins of experimental error) result. If you use a well-lit, high-contrast, suitably-sized target that is parallel to the sensor of a camera that is on a decent tripod, then you really can't go wrong.
 
PickleB said:
Is there anyone out there who has used another technique, eg LensAlign, that would do a comparison test for us?
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Flashman said:
I 'DotTuned' three of my lenses a couple of months ago and have just bought a LensAlign Pro (2nd hand from the classifieds). Gratified and reassured to find that my results from the LensAlign are almost identical to my DotTune results... I guess it works then!
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James Thomas 75 said:
If you read back through some of the earlier posts I'm sure there have been people who have used other methods as well and ended up with pretty much similar results.
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Flashman said:
...
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Pointed me to:

Flashman said:
I 'DotTuned' three of my lenses a couple of months ago and have just bought a LensAlign Pro (2nd hand from the classifieds). Gratified and reassured to find that my results from the LensAlign are almost identical to my DotTune results... I guess it works then!
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Thanks guys ... I don't think I need to splash out on LensAlign tools.

Now to have a read of ...
STARRIDER said:
MicroAdjustment Software Found this interesting bit of software for microadjusting lenses with your PC ...
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I think i need to watch and read all this again as all me lenses appear to need to adjustment what so ever :thinking:
 
I did this for my 85mm 1.2 L II on my 5dM2 - I am much more confident shooting 1.2 now :) I LOVE it!
 
I have tried and tried to sort my lenses, I only have 2 and both need some adjustment, trouble is once adjusted, when used at a distance pictures are still clearly out of focus compared to live view mode, but close ups are fine, no happy medium so have contacted Nikon, going to let them sort it, £1000 worth and can't nail focus is not good enough.
 
Ivan S said:
I have tried and tried to sort my lenses, I only have 2 and both need some adjustment, trouble is once adjusted, when used at a distance pictures are still clearly out of focus compared to live view mode, but close ups are fine, no happy medium so have contacted Nikon, going to let them sort it, £1000 worth and can't nail focus is not good enough.
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What distance was your set-up target? Using too close distance, as recommended by some websites, is very likely to throw things out at normal range.
 
dave_bass5 said:
I must admit my 50mm f/1.4 is more usable wide, and close to wide open now. After all these years of finding it a bit too soft below f/2.8 its better, although i'd still not use it at f/1.4 outdoors.
This was using FoCal though.
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Have you tried using this method since Dave. To see if it's made any difference?
Looking into getting the 85mm 1.4 instead of the Canon 1.2 (with fingers crossed :) ) and thought about the 50mm too.
But I haven't heard a single good thing about the 50mm at wider apertures.
 
To be honest I'm quite happy with my 50mm most of the time now. I've yet to use it outdoors wide open, I just can't find a need, but i tend not to fret over things and I'm not on a quest to get things perfect, as I don't believe this lens can be at f/1.4.

I have found it behaves much better on my 5D than any other body I've had. It's always been very sharp and useable once stopped down a little, but it needs less on my 5D now I've calibrated it.

Although I find FoCal to be a bit unstable I trust it enough to just leave things as they are, so I've not bothered with this method.
 
My AF fine tune technique has worked 100% for me, send it back, im not doing the manufacturers QC checks for them.
 
Gary Coyle said:
My AF fine tune technique has worked 100% for me, send it back, im not doing the manufacturers QC checks for them.
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That's fine if you but brand new bodies with kit lenses, but otherwise doesn't really work...!
 
Okay, first off I'm tired, so if this is a totally blonde moment (no disrespect to any hair colour intented :D) I beg your forgiveness.

Dot tune method - given that it's using the camera's focus indicator, to verify focus confirmation, how would this help if you are back or front focusing? Surely in either case, the whole point is that the camera believes you are getting focus, but in reality you are focusing either in front or back of the subject?

Prepares to be embarrassed :oops: :$:rolleyes:
 
Because you manually focus using zoomed in live view and then turn off AF
 
landwomble said:
That's fine if you but brand new bodies with kit lenses, but otherwise doesn't really work...!
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Of course it works, if you buy someting new you have the right to send it back, if i buy anything new and its not up to the job it goes back either for a replacement or refund.

UK consumers drive me bloody mad, they'll put up with any old crap.
 
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Sorry, typo - should have read "if you *buy* brand new bodies".
What I'm getting at is if I buy a body and a lens from different places then both can be in tolerance but still need MA.
The lens isn't necessarily from the same manufacturer, either. Good luck asking Canon to MA a body to fit a sigma lens, for example.
 
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