Lens Micro Adjustment

[Speed]

I bought this software last week & would recommend it to anyone whose camera is supported. http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Canon EOS 1D Mark III (Some limitations)
Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III (Some limitations)
Canon EOS 1D Mark IV
Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Canon EOS 7D
Canon EOS 50D
Canon EOS 5D Mark III - supported in development builds, due for initial release April 2012

Nikon D3s
Nikon D300 (MSC mode)
Nikon D300s (MSC mode)
Nikon D700 (MSC mode)
Nikon D7000 (MSC mode)

Really easy to use & in my experience seems right on the money.
Out of the 12 lenses that Emjay & I own we only have 3 that don't need any micro adjustment.....at the focal lengths I tested at, at least.

[Speed]

This software also gives a graph reading across all apertures with quite surprising results.
Most of my lenses are sharpest not too far from wide open & the graph is usually fairly flat from a third of a stop off wide open, mostly through to around f8-ish.
That last wide open setting really drops off on just about every lens. Checkout how much the 135mm drops off between f2.2 & f2.0
The micro adjustment quality figures are lowish because that test is carried out wide open

The micro adjustment graph here shows that my 135mm is sharpest at -20 which is by far the worst of any of my lenses. Realistically it probably should go back to Canon.
That being said it's our second sharpest lens only being beaten by the 85mm 1.2.

I've attached jpgs of the graphs in case my explanation isn't easy to understand.

135mm aperture test.JPG

135mm - micro adjustment.JPG

[DexterPunk]

Cheers speed. Might give this a look. Gave micro adjusting a go once on a lens test target with little luck. But found it a rather tedious process. This software might help.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

[Speed]

Yeah, I have a Lens Align system which is pretty good but I was never 100% confident.
Most of my adjustments were pretty close but some were definitely off. This system is fully automated & the computer even makes all the adjustments to the camera....just setup the target & press the shutter button.

The recommended distance from the target is 50 times the focal length & the lens align system is 25 times which can all make a pretty big difference.
I ended up setting the camera to target distance at about what my estimated most common shooting distance would be.
A couple of my zooms I tested at different focal lengths & distances from the target & just averaged the two.
Looking forward to the 1DX which can be micro adjusted at both ends of the zoom....a function that the 5DIII shares.

I would also recommend having plenty of light.

[DexterPunk]

Cheers. Thanks for posting.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.