Fine tune Lenses - what do you use ?

John Young

John Young

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I have used the usual lines on paper and camera at 45% and I have used the slanted box with lines on to fine tune my lenses and they both seem to do the job OK

I have just got my D750 and I think I will certainly fine tune one of my lenses (just like I had to with my D610) but I see there are now other options to tune your lens like the Dot-Tune method and another which uses the screen to calibrate


Just wondering what anyone uses and has anyone used the methods above - are they any good and any better than the old lines on paper method :thinking:
 
John Young said:
I have used the usual lines on paper and camera at 45% and I have used the slanted box with lines on to fine tune my lenses and they both seem to do the job OK

I have just got my D750 and I think I will certainly fine tune one of my lenses (just like I had to with my D610) but I see there are now other options to tune your lens like the Dot-Tune method and another which uses the screen to calibrate


Just wondering what anyone uses and has anyone used the methods above - are they any good and any better than the old lines on paper method :thinking:
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Have used a few different methods have found this to be the most reliable and easiest to do.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zE50jCUPhM
 
I use the marked lines (+/- 5 IIRC) at 45 degrees, and then double check by shooting some real life and making sure I'm happy with the results.
 
I used a free chart linked on the photographylife blog (think that's what it's called) yesterday. The adjustments I figured out myself by shooting at +/- 5 then going with which end was sharper, and taking more photos at single increments on the + . Hope that makes sense.
 
And for anything over 400mm (Inc tc), you need the more expensive pro version.
 
htid said:
Hmm I've never fine tuned a lens but have been thinking about doing it recently. In the video he says to be 50xfocal length away. If I'm using a 300mm with 1.4tc on crop body does that mean I need to be 31m away???
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Yeah I was thinking the same and do I move in and out with a zoom ???



GHP said:
@John Young
Focal is a software made by Reikan.
It semi automates the process of fine tuning.
Have a look here :

http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/

It is good, and I have it, but it is a bit frustrating at times.
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Ahhh right so its £40 - does it ever come down in price (offers)
 
I actually got the Pro version, as it gives a few more bells and whistles, so that was £70.
I've never looked for a discount code, so not sure about that.
To be honest, I had very mixed results at first, with all my lenses.
You need good lighting on the target, which must remain constant, and good set up. Whwn it's right, it works.

Eventually got them all tuned perfectly, the only pain was the 135 DC, which was really hard to get consistent. (But that is a fussy lens which needs to be nurtured !)

I have (In a bored moment) also used the Dot-tune method on a couple of lenses, which pretty much confirms what Focal tells me !
The other benefit of Focal is the other test you can run, eg focus consistency, focus point checks, and others.
But, the best thing is to go and take some piccies. Only start messing with AF micro adjust if you need to.

It's a frustrating, slippery slope, I tell ya !!
 
Sorry to jump on here hope you don't mind John.

Isit a good idea to fine tune a zoom lens? I've read u should fine tune zooms at the focal length you use the most......with this said what about a walk about lens 24-120mm

Cheers Kellett
 
kellett said:
Isit a good idea to fine tune a zoom lens?
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Maybe, if you've noticed issues with it.

kellett said:
I've read u should fine tune zooms at the focal length you use the most......with this said what about a walk about lens 24-120mm
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I suppose whatever is your most used focal length. I believe most cameras will allow you to tune at wide and tele settings for a zoom lens.

I messed around with all of this a few years back when everyone started going crazy for it. That's one afternoon I won't get back...
 
kellett said:
Sorry to jump on here hope you don't mind John.

Isit a good idea to fine tune a zoom lens? I've read u should fine tune zooms at the focal length you use the most......with this said what about a walk about lens 24-120mm

Cheers Kellett
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If I remember right when I did mine I just adjusted it at either end of the zoom with the lens wide open ( f2.8 ) its a faff but it does help in my opinion and I can see straight away this same lens needs tuning on the D750. I first tried the 750 and thought what's all the fuss about its not even that sharp then I remember the lens I had put on needed tuning on the D610 and hey presto a small tinker and its sharp but I do need to check other lenses
 
htid said:
Hmm I've never fine tuned a lens but have been thinking about doing it recently. In the video he says to be 50xfocal length away. If I'm using a 300mm with 1.4tc on crop body does that mean I need to be 31m away???
Click to expand...

FoCal

I use x 20 ............400mm would therefore be 8 metres ....... I also do the test at the distance that I normally use the lens at and check if there are any differences, (but that is normally about 20 x the FL anyway) ....... I then do the test three times until I get a constant result as changes, (particularly light), can influence the test

I have tuned my 300mm (f2.8 and f4) and 600mm f4 with and without the x 1.4 and x 2 TC and with 2 Bodies - all the lens have needed adjustment

I have also used the SpyderCal ruler black and white type target ..... the results are a lots more difficult to interpret, IMHO

The FoCal software and UI has improved considerably to what it was 2 years ago .......... it seems to work would be my assessment
 
Another Focal user hear and pleased with the results from the new version (V2) which is very good.
Focal can work with long lenses without needing the 50x distance, (which is difficult for many to do), using a downloadable distance/lens chart.
For me it was a question of the 'free' options relying on my old eyes, whereas Focal takes all of the criteria away from my eyes and puts it onto the software, a winner in my situation :)
 
FoCal is also quite logical and the Reports and Charts that you see on your Laptop screen allow you to understand what is happening and the quality of the test
 
Trouble is we can't all justify 70 quid on calibrating a lens ;)
 
My "toy" camera does not have a fine tuning option. :(
 
Focal user here too.. I do mine at work in the function room when not in use. Plenty of good even light is a must. I also use their own printed targets.
 
htid said:
Trouble is we can't all justify 70 quid on calibrating a lens ;)
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Chris
You will go through the process of the Dot-tune thing, making your own target, buying a SpyderCal target and generally buggering around ........ after which in the back of your mind you will think well is that "right" especially when you do all this work and produce a few "duff" shots which are OOF.

FoCal bring "science" and logic into the process which if nothing else acts as a base point for you to consider. I have found that if you are careful with the FoCal test procedure and look at the results carefully, retesting if you are unsure has improve the IQ of the images that I take particularly as close ups of small birds are critical to sharpness and correct focus.

I suppose I effectively calibrate at least 18 lens - 2 bodies, (well three if I count my D700), 2 x 300mm and 1 x 600mm with each of the TC's - so that is 9 tests per body x 3 bodies

I would not think it is so critical with say a 50mm or 16 35mm lens when most of your shots will be at distance and at tighter Av's
 
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gramps said:
You only have one lens? :jawdrop:
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I'm young, I live alone in London and trying to save for a deposit for a house so yes I only have one lens ;) as much as I'd like to get more it ain't going to happen lol. Plus I've just come to the train station and found my bike has been stolen so there's another unforeseen cost!
 
htid said:
I'm young, I live alone in London and trying to save for a deposit for a house so yes I only have one lens ;) as much as I'd like to get more it ain't going to happen lol. Plus I've just come to the train station and found my bike has been stolen so there's another unforeseen cost!
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so sorry to hear that, there's some t***s about.. you'r time will come.
 
htid said:
I'm young, I live alone in London and trying to save for a deposit for a house so yes I only have one lens ;) as much as I'd like to get more it ain't going to happen lol. Plus I've just come to the train station and found my bike has been stolen so there's another unforeseen cost!
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That bloody bad news Chris, don't know what to say apart from a good old Yorkshire word F...ing T w a t s
 
htid said:
I'm young, I live alone in London and trying to save for a deposit for a house so yes I only have one lens ;) as much as I'd like to get more it ain't going to happen lol. Plus I've just come to the train station and found my bike has been stolen so there's another unforeseen cost!
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Okay, I apologise, I should not have assumed and as such my attempt at a joke remark was poor :(
I am also very sorry to hear about your bike, I have a bike here in my garage in Bristol that is in 'as new' condition but probably needs new inner tubes as it hasn't been ridden for over a year and the tyres are flat ... if you could arrange collection you can have it free of charge
 
I have always used Royal Mail Special Delivery, to send the lens back where it came from, im not paying Nikon silly money and then doing their quality control for them
 
Gary Coyle said:
I have always used Royal Mail Special Delivery, to send the lens back where it came from, im not paying Nikon silly money and then doing their quality control for them
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Gary, but isn't it tuning the lens to a particular body that's also important?
 
Gary Coyle said:
Then send the body back, its all down to one thing, Nikons sloppY and lax QC, they are continually making acceptable tolerances bigger and bigger
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Whilst I am sympathetic to the view, in practical terms I wonder if (a) the replacement equipment would be any less likely to be a lottery than the original and (b) if it would make any difference to Nikon, comparable to the inconvenience to yourself in having to do this, possibly repeatedly, before getting a chance combination that was a perfect match :)
 
gramps said:
Whilst I am sympathetic to the view, in practical terms I wonder if (a) the replacement equipment would be any less likely to be a lottery than the original and (b) if it would make any difference to Nikon, comparable to the inconvenience to yourself in having to do this, possibly repeatedly, before getting a chance combination that was a perfect match :)
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They're not swapping out random bits of kit. They're calibrating them to each other.
 
Jayst84 said:
They're not swapping out random bits of kit. They're calibrating them to each other.
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I suppose if you are buying directly from Nikon or sending back directly to Nikon that might be the case but if you are...
Gary Coyle said:
I have always used Royal Mail Special Delivery, to send the lens back where it came from, im not paying Nikon silly money and then doing their quality control for them
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then surely it's going back to the supplier?
 
gramps said:
Whilst I am sympathetic to the view, in practical terms I wonder if (a) the replacement equipment would be any less likely to be a lottery than the original and (b) if it would make any difference to Nikon, comparable to the inconvenience to yourself in having to do this, possibly repeatedly, before getting a chance combination that was a perfect match :)
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We dont buy new cars and expect to be messing about with the fuel/air mixture or engine timing/management settings (unless its a Volkswagon) so why should we have to mess about with camera calibration, if people are happy to do it the fair enough, im not.
 
Gary Coyle said:
We dont buy new cars and expect to be messing about with the fuel/air mixture or engine timing/management settings (unless its a Volkswagon) so why should we have to mess about with camera calibration, if people are happy to do it the fair enough, im not.
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just to add a note, Nikon have provided some kind of "in camera" fine turning to the menu in the D5 and D500, or is it on just one of these
 
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BillN_33 said:
just to add a note, Nikon have provided some kind of "in camera" fine turning to the menu in the D5 and D500
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I saw that, if cameras and lenses are manufactured to such slack tolerances then this should be built into all new releases, im sure it will but they will charge an extra £500 for it, yet another scenario where the consumer has to put up with sloppy manufacturing and be charged through the nose to get it right
 
Gary Coyle said:
We dont buy new cars and expect to be messing about with the fuel/air mixture or engine timing/management settings (unless its a Volkswagon) so why should we have to mess about with camera calibration, if people are happy to do it the fair enough, im not.
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As I said, I agree with your sentiment but how do you guarantee that your supplier will check and match another for you rather than just sending out another random lens, especially if they don't have your camera body to check with?
 
I bought FOCAL and found that I was getting inconsistent results, probably due to the lighting. I think the lighting has to be very consistent for Focal to work correctly.

I also tried the screen method with the moire pattern and whilst this works well with shorter FL lenses, the further you get away from the screen with longer lenses the more difficult it becomes to check the pattern. I also found the image to be far to small once you have moved the recommended distance for long lenses.
It may work if you take your 50 inch telly down to the football field.

DOT Tune for me now. It's not reliant on light and very quick and easy to do.
 
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