Approaching the Scene 088: How to Calibrate Autofocus For DSLR & Mirrorless
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- Опубликовано: 20 ноя 2024
- (Links Below) Most of us have some down time ahead. While I abide by Oregon's shelter in place law, I'm going to focus on things to do with extra time around the studio. This week I'll show you the easiest, most accurate way I've found to calibrate autofocus. I'll showcase Reican's FoCal system for both mirrorless and DSLR cameras. I'll also respond to a question about Nikon Z6 & Z7 autofocus settings and showcase a tiny, cool new remote camera control and bulb ramping system I'm testing.
Quick Covid 19 note: 00:20
Free interactive office hour meeting invitation: 02:10
Setting up the FoCal autofocus calibration system: 02:50
DSLR autofocus calibration (D850): 06:20
Mirrorless autofocus calibration (Z7): 15:46
DSLR vs mirrorless calibration differences: 23:09
Aperture sharpness testing (FoCal Pro): 27:20
Nikon Z6/Z7 FW 3.0 auto-area subject tracking AF method: 31:30
Introducing the Unleashed bluetooth controller: 34:13
Reican FoCal Pro: bhpho.to/347DT0h
Reican FoCal Plus: bhpho.to/2D1Ztrh
Foolography Unleashed: bhpho.to/39iMsHI (choose interface)
Office Hour signup site: bit.ly/2UgDaX4
Z6 & Z7 Firmware 3.0 AF video: • Approaching the Scene ...
Updated links to all the gear I use: bit.ly/HudsonsL...
Using my links helps support this video series. Thank you!
My Core Photography Course: www.hudsonhenr...
Thanks to everyone for the great questions you are sending in. Keep them coming either in the comments below or by emailing me directly. I hope to see you in the Tuesday Office Hours Session next week.
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I downloaded FoCal the other day, after watching this video. Couldn't get it to connect to my camera, no matter what I tried. Turns out Reikan have really good support and now it works like a charm. It was something to do with permissions.
I just received the Reikan FoCal software and target. I will be calibrating my Z6 and Z7 with my new and old lenses. I have felt that my older 70-200 is not as sharp as it should be, and this software will help me get it as good as it can be. I have ordered the Z 70-200 and, like others, am still waiting. Thank you for providing the insight and tutorial for this tool.
This software saved my day. Bought a Nikon D7000 way back in 2012 and been using it ever since. Bought another D7200 in 2019. Have a Nikon 18-140mm and 35mmm 1.8 both are tack sharp on both with no adjustments. Bought a newer D7000 last week and 18-140mm was tack sharp. But the 35mm was way off. Tried it manually with not luck and bought the plus version to try out my luck. After performing it gave a value of -13 and now it is tack sharp. I might also do the test on D7200 as who knows it might produce sharper results than now.
Thanks, for good video, been using FoCul for a number of years and have Sean great benefit especially on the DSLR's. With Nikon DSLR's I found most of them to back focusD850, D500, D810 and D5. The only DSLR I used that required no calibration was the Nikon D4. I have run it on my Z6ii with 300f2.8 vrii and 70-200 f2.8 vrii with FTZ and the adjustments were negligible. The DSLR that had the most difficulty calibrating is my D850. After returning it to Nikon agents the found the focus sensor to be fitted slightly off plain. after this it was fantastic. Great software
Good Morning Hudson, just found you on RUclips and I’m looking forward to working through some of your awesome videos for tips and tricks to help me improve mine:-) I’m a Wildlife & Nature photographer based in the United Kingdom and I’d just like to say well said on your opening lines, so true:-) thanks and I wish you and your family all the best and stay safe👍. Regards Richard
Thanks so much Richard! You too.
I think Focal software is great, been using it for a couple of years. To you and family, stay healthy and safe.
Hi Hudson, I always enjoy your informative videos! However, this one REALLY surprised me, for the simple reason that when I ventured into the mirrorless realm about 10 years ago, I was under the impression that AF-Fine Tune is ONLY required for DSLR systems (as it was for my prior Nikon and Pentax DSLRs) because the AF was done through the mirror box and reflected into an AF module. Thus, if the mirror was even very slightly misaligned, it would affect critical focus for a particular lens, hence the need for AF- Fine Tune. In a mirrorless camera though, since there is obviously no mirrorbox, the AF is acquired directly from the lens onto the sensor. There is nothing to "misalign", hence your image is either in perfect focus (for a given lens), or its not. In fact, this NIkon Z7 is the first mirrorless camera I've even heard of that has the "AF-Fine Tune" option!! Thus, I am a bit confused as to why that option even exists in a mirrorless camera, though you have demonstrated its' usefulness for a particular lens when the FTZ adapter is used. In any case, thanks again, sir, and be safe!
It's rare that with S glass a meaningful correction is needed. Usually it's 0, 1 or 2. I doubt it's too important on the Z's. It certainly is on the DSLRs though.
Thank you Thank you Thank you..some of my lenses, especially my Sigma 120-400, just hasn't been performing as well as I would expect. I have tried manual adjustment using a JJC calibration aid but wasn't happy with the results. After seeing this video I bought the FoCus pro and just finished adjusting all my lenses (7 of them). It was so easy. Off tomorrow to do a little bird photography while it is snowing and test out how the autofocus works now!! One thing I noticed is my thee Sigma lenses required calibration while the 4 Canon lenses either didn't or it was not severe and the application gave me the option. Anyway just thought that was interesting. Again thanks for this review.
I've had this software for a few years. I recently calibrated my Z9 and it also needed around -2.
Hi Hudson just purchased Unleashed would love to see your final thoughts on this small device! Loving Approaching the Scene learn so much from watching and you made me a convert to Manfrotto Fluid Head with Kirk upgrade awesome piece of kit.
Enjoyed this weeks "office hours" - good content and the restricted zoom meeting worked much better than I expected it would.
Thanks for the public service announcement and the tips.
Hi Hudson, short corse on set up and autofocus for Z6 and Z7 - Yes please!!!!
I would also be interested in this course.
Thank you very much for this in depth video. Very interesting... But(!) now I‘m a bit confused, behause somebody (I can‘t remember, who) told me, that AF calibration on a mirrorless camera is absolutely not neccessary and nonsens. 😟. Thank you again!
Well, I'm not saying much different. You get more bang for your buck calibrating for the old lenses on the adapter than those designed for mirrorless and even the legacy glass is pretty close by comparison.
Hudson Henry Photography the other guy said, it‘s „absolute nonsens“. And thats‘s a quite different. Anyway, your video was very interesting and informative. Thank you for sharing!🙏🏻
Thanks for the AF software, I also see you run a wide format Epson, I run a P7000, I am looking for a re set tool for the " maintenance box" This is the only non OME I would use with my printers.
Hudson, great video on Focal. I have the software and it is great. It is a little hard to use with long lenses with the distance that is needed. I also would be very interested in a short course on the Z cameras set up and autofocus. Thank you
You betcha Gary. Thanks so much for the feedback!
Great content! Subscribed. If you had walked on set in a robe I'd swear you were The Big Lebowski!
Interesting photo topic and great message about Covid19
Love the instructional videos. Priceless. Speaking of price. I know occasionally you sell some gear. How much for the hand sanitizer? (We all need to find humor for each other, right?)
NICE VIDEO !!! is necessary to calibrate lens on new Nikon Z6II ? TX
It's far less important than it is on a dslr, but yes I find there is often a very small correction on the Z cameras.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto ok.thanks !
Thanks a lot for another great instructional video. One question - how would this Focal thing work with a Zoom. A 24 - 70 mm or a 70 - 200 mm offers a large variety of focal options...! Thanks in advance for your time. Best, --P
If your camera (like my Nikon D750) can save only ONE value per lens then you would choose your mostly used focal length on your zoom and correct the AF for that. Many other cameras allow to save more than one value per lens and for the 24-70mm you could choose 24mm, 45mm and 70mm, respectively.
Hans is pretty spot on. Although if you test each major length and average the result, it probably a better option. Maybe weight it to your favorite focal length a bit.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Got it. Thanks a lot.
I've been banging my head against the wall trying to do this with my Z7 + FoCal + Tamron tap-in console. I can't get a straight answer as to whether I'm supposed to shoot at the Tamron distances and focal lengths in the Tamron software, or the FoCal default. I like the idea of being able to fine tune to each focal lenth.
I would do it at the Tamron distances! Time consuming but then you should get a great result. Will do my Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 G2 tomorrow. I belive Dustin Abbott recomended to do that!
@@hakanwassberg393 did calibrating make much difference on a mirrorless?
The Focus calibration has to do with the positioning of the focus sensor of the camera not the moving elements of the lens. The FoCul system indicate the lens focus issues related to the lens into focus accuracy, how consistent the lens focus each time. DSLR are build to factory tolerance especially the positioning of the Focus sensor. If this is not set 100% and it can still be in factory tolerance levels, you have a front or back focus issue. To adjust for this people open the aperture to create a bigger DOF to compensate for this. When you focus calibrate telling the Camera to front or back focus by -13 or +13 "shifts the focus plain to ensure it is set to the optimal point of focus. It cannot change anything on the lens or compensate for the the lens. It is correcting the focus position of the focus sensor in the DSLR.
Both the lenses and the cameras' AF systems have tolerances and sample variation. That's why each lens serial # records is own fine tune setting in each camera's memory. FoCal readings from one lens to the next on the exact same body, even two samples of the same lens can vary significantly in practice. It's calibrating the specific lens to the specific body. Great software.
Good AF fine tuning video. I'm guessing that the center of the target and the center of the lens should be lined-up exactly for best results. That would require that the target face is perpendicular to the floor, the lens face is perpendicular to the floor, and that the axis of the lens is at the same height as the center of the target. Does FoCal recommend being that anal about the setup?
When you run the target setup I do at the start, it will warn you if you aren't close enough on those parameters. :-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks. Good to know.
Hi Hudson, yes please for the autofocus video settings. Please thank you sir
Hudson, as always an informative Approaching the Scene. I have a few questions about FoCal. Have your tried it with zoom lenses at different focal lengths? (Never mind...I see you answered this question!) However, not this one: Does the camera automatically use the adjusted focus settings or do you have to manually select the setting every time you mount a lens? Thanks in advance, Ron
Looks like a great tool
I want to piggy back on Robert's question - how does one handle a zoom lens with this software? What is the correct focal length to use? This is a critical question that always stumps me when thinking about using a tool like FoCal. Thanks.
I'm pasting from my answer to Robert :) Ughhh, I meant to mention that. You test different focal lengths, log the results and average, perhaps weighted to your favorite end of the range. So if 24 is +10; 50 is +12; and 70 is +15... I'd advocate 12 or 13. Reican has an article I draw this advice from.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thank you, Hudson. Sounds like a reasonable approach. I will give it a try.
Make sure you get the correct interface of the Unleashed, a world of difference between the Canon and Nikon units ones large and ones tinny.
Hudon, just curious, I note a MAC icon on yr. screen. Have you switched back from the PC that you establish. Enjoyed the video although I am one on those "Fuji" folks. Tks for your efforts, hope to pop in to Office.
I've got a foot in both worlds. Macbook Pro and PC desktop. :-) I share one lightroom catalog between them on a Samsung SSD and it's seamless.
Great tutorial! Is this calibration only done once per lens or is it an every so often thing? If so, how often should it be done?
Is there any way to calibrate a DSLR using live view? Wouldn't that be similar to mirrorless?
In my experience, Nikon's DSLR live view AF went from dreadful to "meh" with firmware updates. It's not in the same ballpark as the Z camera's on sensor AF. I just never used it much. I used live view zoomed in with my reading glasses to manually focus the DSLRs, but not the live view AF. It was just too frustrating.
Am I correct in assuming that you need to do this separately for each lens-camera body combination? I.e., since I have both the Z7 and Z6, I would need to calibrate any single lens on each body? And, once a particular lens is calibrated to a specific body, does the camera remember the calibration when that lens is mounted on that body?
Yep. Each body, but the bodies remember the lenses by serial #.
do you have to back button focus on the target when you initially set up before you start everything? or does it not matter if its initially in focused on the target or not before you start. also do you set the aperture wide open?
just enough to be sure you are centered. The software takes control and autofocuses the camera for you. The software will guide you what mode to be in and take over all camera settings while it runs the calibration routine. It's pretty slick. :-)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto awsome! Thanks, Think I’m going to purchase it. Seems pretty good
Maybe I missed it and you did mention it, close or cover view finder so no extraneous light gets in.
Totally depends on the situation with a DSLR. If there's strong light behind, then yes. With mirrorless it makes zero difference. :)
Hudson Henry Photography I only mentioned it cause it’s recommended in the instructions that came with my software prior to mirrorless. Thanks for the heads up on not being necessary on the mirrorless. Stay safe...
Your header says AF calibration for mirrorless, but I can't find any Mirrorless camera manual that has AF calibration? I was told it doesn't need it because focusing is done straight off the sensor - so what gives Hudson?
It's in every Z cameras setup menu and Manual. I agree that it is rarely if ever needed with Z glass (+ or - 1 max, and usually zero) , but ive had improvements and significant settings changes using f glass on the FTZ. Look in the manuals' section on setup menu. You'll find it there or in the index for "AF fine tune" if you take a second to look. The latest Z's even added multiple focal length calibration for zoom lenses.
Hudson, why are the Reican products superior to the Lens Align system?
It's much much simpler. You point the camera at the target and the software does the work. It also generates really cool aperture sharpness reports automatically. :)
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thank you.
I have a Canon camera, but sometimes use a Tamron lens. Will this calibrate for the Tamron lens used on the Canon camera?
Yep! As long as it's a recent cabin with fine tune it sure should. :)
Hi Hudson great content how do I do a zoom lens like 24 70 do I do test at 24 then 70 and average the results
Exactly. Weight the average toward the long end a little.
Another question Hudson, just curious, what’s the Lumins on your light/s on target.
500
Hudson Henry Photography : Thanks again, I asked cause I use a gym and school hallway if outdoors is not an option. Good to have a teacher in the family. Be well.
So if you are calibrating a zoom lens, where do you set it ie a 24-70mm do you set it at 24? 70? or do you calibrate at different zoom levels?
Ughhh, I meant to mention that. You test different focal lengths, log the results and average, perhaps weighted to your favorite end of the range. So if 24 is +10; 50 is +12; and 70 is +15... I'd advocate 12 or 13. Reican has an article I draw this advice from.
@@HudsonHenryPhoto Thanks. I've got the time with the WA State stay at home order. BTW I think it is spelled Reikan.
Have you taken the time to calibrate all your lenses and body combinations? What kind of distance from the target does a 500mm lens require? I ordered the FoCal but living in the Greater Seattle area right now does not give me a lot of days outside without rain.
Timely content for me, thanks. BTW, the Plus version only goes up to 400mm lenses, if you need to calibrate a longer lens (I need to calibrate my Tamron 150-600mm), need to go with the pro version. As per the Reikan web site: www.reikanfocal.com/features.html
Does that work the same with the Z50?
Is this program also compatible with Olympus MFT
I'm afraid not.
Hey Hudson, how about testing/comparing Z lenses to F lenses for sharpest aperture using this software?
Great idea for unexpected downtime!
Do ML need calibration? The AF is already measured on the sensor. Strange, this option is available on MLs anyway.... Besides: since all photojournalist and event photographers like me are broke now, it’s quite offending to me, to find here a sales video, I expected a procedure at no costs. First video ever I disliked.
I have zero affiliation with Focal, except reaching out to them since I liked their software and wanted to share it with the community, but interpret it as you like. Yes, mirrorless can benefit from calibration, particularly with adapted lenses. I did intend only to show why I think it's better than other options and show how it works. Stay safe.