On such small differences in focus, the thickness of the rulers starts to matter, though. Thick rulers bring farther numbers a little bit back into focus, so, your results may be off again minutely. Not hugely, but enough that it can matter again. That's why a printed ruler that's necessarily at the same height as the focused line is that little edge better than physical rulers.
Just did this with mew new Canon 500mm F4 Mark I. I had made a white board out of 4 pieces of A3 taped together and place my camera and tripod quite far on the floor in the distance. Focused on the line, then Manual focused to make sure it was not in focus, switched back to AF focused on the line, took a snap. then placed the rulers took a snap, both sides 10cm was pin sharp and 8 was blurry, 9 was sharper and same on 11 and 12. Fantastic guide. Subscribed!
This is literally the best video I’ve ever seen on the subject. Thank you so much because I could not figure out why my pictures are not coming out sharp with my new camera.
A lot of the same questions or comments keep coming up so I'm listing them here and pinning answers as unfortunately we don't have time to keep answering all the same questions: 1. Q. Mirrorless cameras don't need calibrating! 1. A. Yes we get it :) this video shows a DSLR, there are lots more DSLRs than mirrorless cameras and we're pretty sure the DSLR users will be happy as they're not all queuing up to buy a mirrorless. 2. Q. Can you AF calibrate zoom lenses? 2. A. Yes with certain cameras you can as they have two point lens calibration, check in your menu 3. Q. There's software and tools you can buy to do this! 3. A. Yes there is. That's why I showed you how to do it without. 4. Q. It looks like you pulled the focus back too far and the number 19 was sharper than the 20? 4. A. Maybe I did but that does not in any way detriment the effectiveness of this video in showing people what to do. 5. Q. I read that that calibration should be done at a much greater distance 5. A. I'm happier calibrating lenses at the distance i'm most likely to be shooting with them. 6. Q. Why did you use a thin line on it's own to focus and not the rulers? 6. A. To make sure the camera had no choice but to focus on the line and nothing else 7. Q. Did you then switch to manual focus before you took the shot, in case it refocused on the rulers? 7. A. Yes.
Hello!! I am VERY glad to see you do a complete video on this, as I have been getting contradictory information on the importance of this procedure for each lens that you have a focus issue with, isolating the possibility of camera damage! If a level of photographer such as yourself does not consider it rubbish, then I feel much better continuing to eschew the importance of knowing - and performing - this procedure to my “followers” who question best practices for obtaining the highest quality images they can obtain with their equipment. Take care, and I am looking forward to devouring all that you and your team is making available on your education site! BLAYZE! USA!
Many thanks Karl. That's exactly what I've been doing this week with some of my older but most liked lenses and everyone else simply makes it so extremely complicated and at the end tries to sell you some sort of tool of which I now have a collection of and enough to open my own online store. Thanks again.
Thank you, you have explained very well, how simply and inexpensively this process can be done! This tutorial has helped me to simply calibrate a rear focused lens on my camera. Cheers!
Why fuss with rulers? I use a yellow tennis ball with a large X mark and lay the ball on the grass or any rough surface, set the camera mode in Manual, open the aperture to max open, adjust ISO/shutter speed for a decent exposure, AF can be on either Single or Servo (I use servo as I shoot action sports), snap a shot focused on the X mark at about a 30-degree angle (distance from the ball depends on lens focal length and then zoom in on the LCD to view where the center of focus falls. If the center of focus is in front of the ball (front focus) or behind the ball (back focus), then make the adjustment as described in the video. If calibrating for a zoom lens, Canon gives the options to adjust for Telephoto and Wide). As a note, there might be a slight interaction in the extreme ranges, so additional fine-tuning may be required. For Nikon users, only a single adjustment for zooms, and I recommend calibration at the max zoom, where the depth of field is narrower than at wide-angle. Mirrorless cameras do not have such calibration adjustments as they AF at the image sensor, rather through the prismatic glass system into a separate focus sensor.
This technique works great AS LONG AS your camera has focus-calibration capabilities. I, like you, am a Hasselblad shooter, which, to my knowledge, does not offer focus calibration. Or does it?? I would presume our only option, should it ever be needed, would be to send it back to the factory for calibration.
Great video. So... once it focuses on the line, do you change it back to manual to lock it, or do you let the autofoucs try to focus the line between the rulers after you adjust the number?
Thank you so much Karl, this was very useful, so that I could avoid investing into an AF calibration tool, not to mention returning lenses along with a dispute procedure. The calibration tools I have seen always had the ruler stricktly set to a 45 degree angle relative to the plain of focus. In your tutorial there was little attention paid to that angle; does that setting play a critical role at all?
This has got to be the fastest and probably the easiest way to calibrate the lens. Because it's crucial NOT to move the white board or table, I would tape the corners of the white board down to the table so it helps prevent the smallest of shake when you re-position the rulers. If the table you're mounting the whiteboard to is sturdy and heavy enough, then just be careful you don't accidentally bump it with your knee or kick one of the legs and DEFINITELY do NOT rest your weight on the table either as it too could shove the table out of alignment. Now, my question is; what would be best used for a 150-600mm lens as far as a calibrating system (set up) is concerned? Obviously, it will have to be some distance away from the front of the lens in order to properly calibrate.
How often should we calibrate? I've heard also that when driving and the lens is packed away and shaking in the vehicle, that can throw out the focus also
For those of you still using DSLR's, you should know that lens adjustments like this are not necessary for mirrorless cameras at all - even when using a DSLR lens adapted to a mirrorless camera with an autofocusing adapter. This is also partly the reason why 3rd party lenses will work better on mirrorless than DSLR's (no adjustments necessary). In fact, many people who have had reservations about using 3rd party lenses on DSLR's in the past because of AF concerns, are now finding them focusing as well as native lenses. Mirrorless lenses can also autofocus at larger apertures than 2.8 (unlike DSLR's which have to stop down to 2.8 briefly). This itself can lead to more reliably sharp photos at wide apertures. I feel like a video about lens mirco adjustment in 2020 are remiss if they don't mention these points.
There are still many more people using DSLRs than mirrorless cameras so this is of course useful information to those. I use both systems (Sony, Canon and Hasselblad) and personally I still prefer seeing the actual photons compared with a small tv screen.
@@VisualEducationStudio indeed this is super useful information and well presented. I had trouble focusing a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 zoom on my wife's Nikon which was unfortunately because that was a killer lens and I missed focus on a ton of great shots while on a medical mission in Haiti. Part of the problem is that many DSLR's out there (probably the majority of them when you consider what DSLR's are top selling ones) are unable to make these lens adjustments because Canon and Nikon didn't see fit to provide this capability to the more affordable models (booo). The other part of the problem is that performing these micro adjustments doesn't always fully correct the AF issues with the lens. Anyway, I sold the lens and camera and now my wife shoots mirrorless along with me. I can't wait until Sigma makes version of their 1.8 zooms optimized for mirrorless cameras because I'm sure the well-known focusing issues of these lenses will be behind us and we can just focus on getting some great shots instead of worrying about micro adjustments etc. Great job on the video though. Cheers.
@@dancos2002 I've got a Sony A7 and I've shot with the Hasselblad X1D, both mirrorless cameras and there's lots of plus points but I still prefer a prism than an EVF, although as they improve I might change my mind. With regards the eye AF there were two Canon cameras the Eos-3 and Eos-5 that both tracked the photographers eye to see where he or she was looking and use that to activate a focus point. That tech was some 20 years ago but I hear that Canon are brining it back into one of their new mirrorless cameras maybe that will be interesting.
Great tip, gonna set up and run through all my primes. Now, the important question.....what about Zoom lenses? What aperture and what zoom ratio do you choose for the calibration......i.e. with an 18-300 for example do you set to 18 where the max aperture is or zoom in where the max telephoto effect it.........or does this even work with zoom lenses? Please advise, as I depend on zooms for wildlife photos! Thanks.......
This is very nice and simple. I have noticed my ef 50 1.8 on my rp tends to back focus a little bit. I need to acquire a tripod and use this method to calibrate. Good, simple video.
Love this super east way of doing the AF Tune. I just got a new 85 this afternoon... it was out by -18 right outta the box!! WOOF! Thanks for amazing content as always Sir! - J
Unfortunately it often differs between the focal lengths. My 100-400mm Canon lens is about -4 on the short end and -8 on the long end. Makes more work, but it is well worth it. Longer telephotos also degrade focus I find the micro adjustment needs readjusting every year or so, depending on how much you use the lens and camera.
Actually that is false. I have ran into some lens on my Sony and Nikon Z6 that needed adjustment. Mostly adaptive lens or off brand. So far not primary lens.
@@leifnilsen6107 Sony doesn't allow you to adjust lenses... A mirrorless camera can't miss focus in the same way a DSLR does because the autofocus is happening right on the imaging sensor. If you're missing focus it's either your settings, the lens itself doesn't have a good hit rate not good communication with the body, or the body itself doesn't measure that distance well. None of those issues can be fixed with the type of adjustments you make on a DSLR.
I went on a shoot today in beautiful cloudless sky in the Bavarian Alps and want to test my Sigma ART DG/DN 35mm f1.4 I bought it in Spring 2023 but hadn't used it much and then I had a big bike crash where my well padded camera bag containing my Sony A7 iii took a knock and I hadnt used it since then. To say I was disappointed with today's results is an understatement so I went looking in YT for help and BINGO we found each other. I found " AF Micro-Adjustments" in the gruesome Sony Menus so tomorrow is the day
Do you really want to refocus after adding the rulers, or should you switch to manual and keep the camera focused where it was when you only had the line to focus on? Maybe you did and I missed it.
To calibrate our AF lenses in lab we use Reikan software wich is really good even with zoom lenses and semi automatic. The soft gives also a correction chart at the end of the process.
Hi Karl! Once calibrated the lens. Only the calibration setting will be applied onto the lens calibrated. There is nothing to worry about when I am using other lenses. Am I right?
Great video! Much thanks, that is so useful! Do you happen to have a video on how to detect decentered lenses? Just asking, since I seem to have a 85mm lens that's sharp on the bottom and fuzzy on the top...
did I miss you talking about the angle of the camera that must be set up? or does it not matter at all? what about the distance of the target and the camera? greatly done though.
Yeah I remember that... almost every L lens I bought had some sort of back or front focus. I brought most of them to CPS for calibration, since the back and front focus is sometimes different depending on the distance to your subject, so in camera calibration didn't help that much. Its better with zoom lenses, where you can calibrate both ends individually, but still not optimal. Best solution: Go mirrorless! I don't have to deal with that sort of problem anymore :)
@@stevem.6557 mirrorless cameras have a slightly different focusing system, with a DSLR the phase array is not on the image sensor but under the mirror, mirrorless cameras are either contrast only or a hybrid contrast with a phase array built into the sensor, with a DSLR you can have back/front focus issues when focusing through the viewfinder, but in live view using contrast detect you usually don't, in less the lens elements are really screwed up
Hello. I know this was an old post, but could you explain to me how the mirrorless system helped alleviate you of front/back focusing issues? This may be the breaking point for me to finally “try” to purchase that new Nikon mirrorless I am eyeing! Thank you very much.
This wonderful and very useful. I have always doubted myself rather than the autofocus, but now I know it might be the camera not me. Does anyone know if Fujifilm X-Series have a similar feature of calibrating autofocus?
Thanks for the info! Wondering how this would apply to a 70-200mm lens or if you would do this any differently - Would it be best to shoot it at 70mm or zoomed in to 200mm to correct the AF? Thanks!
Really useful. How’s it done on a telephoto lens such as the 24-70 2.8L? I’ve noticed my lens is not pin sharp and had initially thought I’d damaged it.
Also lock up your mirror so it creates even less camera shake...you can also use the timer setting so you don’t actually press the button and cause shake...
That is not the case. Contrast detection focussing visually hunts until it finds focus and so doesn’t need this. Phase detect focusing calculates the focus point and goes straight there, so faster but does need this. Low end mirrorless have contrast detect. Top end, such as Olympus EM1 and EM5 mk iii, have both and uses whichever is best for the situation. Zoomed, live view focusing will always be contrast detect and accurate.
@@jamesalamb So where's the AF adjustment settings on mirrorless cameras? That's right, there are none. The focusing is happening on the imaging sensor meaning this specific type of misfocusing cannot happen and the types of problems that cause mirrorless cameras to miss focus cannot be fixed with micro-adjustments.
So glad I moved to mirrorless. Tech from the 1980s was great then but the problems it solved no longer have to exist. Best way to solve your calibration issues is to not use old out dated tech.
Hi, How did you calculate to calibrate to -15 point? well Minus I understand you came closer but how did you derived 15? How did you calculated that? Can you please put some light on that? Thank you.
Karl, have just one question. I guess you have looked at canon's guide for AFMA. They say we have to be around 50 X focal length of the lens being calibrated. Your method isn't showing this. What are the implications of doing it this way and not how canon recommends?
I'm only interested in making sure it's sharp at the distance I'm going to be shooting my subjects. If we take this lens which is 85mm and multiplied by 50 that would be a distance of 4.25m which is probably further than I'd be shooting most portraits with this type of lens. I'm not saying that what you've read is wrong but it seems to make more sense to calibrate it for how your are going to be using it.
After you placed the rulers back, did you switch out of AF and back to MF before taking the photo? Otherwise would the camera not have auto-focused again for that photo which defeats the point of earlier focusing on the line without the rulers?
Very good, thanks to you. But what if you change lens? You have to do the same everytime you change a lens? Or is this slmething you do one time and forget about it?
Thanks for this Carl, I think one of mine may be out now I've seen this. Can I ask if you're calibrating a zoom lens would you have it on full zoom, wide, or in the middle. Thanks again 👍
Thank you, Karl, for that excellent demonstration. Straightforward and easy to understand. A couple of points to consider, however. First, due to the inherent technology of PDAF focusing mechanisms, they are notoriously unreliable for consistent focus. Try this method 10 or 12 times and you will probably get 5 or 6 different calibration readings for optimal focus. Focus can be different each time you engage AF at the same distance and same subject. Second, did you take into account that when judging the optimum focus point that depth of field is 1/3 before the best focus point and 2/3 behind it? Picking the middle of what’s in sharp focus can be deceiving and inaccurate. Third, as has already been mentioned by other commenters, this doesn’t work well for zoom lenses as they often change the amount of front/back focus at different focal lengths and even different distances. Only Sigma and Tamron give a user a device and methodology to fully calibrate their zoom lenses.
That's not true though, for the overwhelming majority of focal lengths and distances to your subject the DoF is much closer to a 50/50 split, it's almost never 1/3 before and 2/3 after.
Thank you for the tutorial I have a question im sure its dumb but let's say I have 3 lenses and I collaborate each will my camera just rember this? I have a 5dmarkiii im new to full frame and I've bever collaborated before.
I've done calibrations many times using software, but never have I seen it done without software. Very useful, but unfortunately, not so useful for Hasselblad users :-(
I know for my mirrorless (EOS-R) you cannot calibrate lenses. I believe this is the same for all mirrorless. AFAIK calibration is only necessary for DSLRs.
thanks for the tips! one question: will this technique (with the exception of using the in-camera focus adjustment) work basically the same for calibrating my Tamron 150-600 lens, using my Tap-in console?
the calibration is saved to the the metadata of that lens within the camera. If you have 2 of the same lenses that you use on the same camera, well then, I don't know, but i'd assume itd be saved to the S/N of the lens and each lens would require its own calibration.
3 years old, and still extremely helpful today. Thank you for this key information at virtually no cost. 👍👍
On such small differences in focus, the thickness of the rulers starts to matter, though. Thick rulers bring farther numbers a little bit back into focus, so, your results may be off again minutely. Not hugely, but enough that it can matter again. That's why a printed ruler that's necessarily at the same height as the focused line is that little edge better than physical rulers.
It’s important to reinforce the need to assure your board and rulers are flat. Any bowing or curvature will impact your results.
put a piece of glass on the table, and work on the glass, thats 99.999% flat made, "flatter" then most tables at least
Just did this with mew new Canon 500mm F4 Mark I. I had made a white board out of 4 pieces of A3 taped together and place my camera and tripod quite far on the floor in the distance. Focused on the line, then Manual focused to make sure it was not in focus, switched back to AF focused on the line, took a snap. then placed the rulers took a snap, both sides 10cm was pin sharp and 8 was blurry, 9 was sharper and same on 11 and 12. Fantastic guide. Subscribed!
Thanks Ashley
This is literally the best video I’ve ever seen on the subject. Thank you so much because I could not figure out why my pictures are not coming out sharp with my new camera.
Make sure select calibrate 'by lense' and not 'by distance'. otherwise the other lenses will become out of focus I suspect.
A lot of the same questions or comments keep coming up so I'm listing them here and pinning answers as unfortunately we don't have time to keep answering all the same questions:
1. Q. Mirrorless cameras don't need calibrating!
1. A. Yes we get it :) this video shows a DSLR, there are lots more DSLRs than mirrorless cameras and we're pretty sure the DSLR users will be happy as they're not all queuing up to buy a mirrorless.
2. Q. Can you AF calibrate zoom lenses?
2. A. Yes with certain cameras you can as they have two point lens calibration, check in your menu
3. Q. There's software and tools you can buy to do this!
3. A. Yes there is. That's why I showed you how to do it without.
4. Q. It looks like you pulled the focus back too far and the number 19 was sharper than the 20?
4. A. Maybe I did but that does not in any way detriment the effectiveness of this video in showing people what to do.
5. Q. I read that that calibration should be done at a much greater distance
5. A. I'm happier calibrating lenses at the distance i'm most likely to be shooting with them.
6. Q. Why did you use a thin line on it's own to focus and not the rulers?
6. A. To make sure the camera had no choice but to focus on the line and nothing else
7. Q. Did you then switch to manual focus before you took the shot, in case it refocused on the rulers?
7. A. Yes.
Thanks, 2 has answered my question, and I learnt more from some of the others 👍
Thank you. I'm a very big fan of your work.
thank god i got both technologies
Thats sooo Useful tip, I have struggled with the same problem for a very long time and didn't know what the problem was. Thank you Guru Taylor !!
Hello!!
I am VERY glad to see you do a complete video on this, as I have been getting contradictory information on the importance of this procedure for each lens that you have a focus issue with, isolating the possibility of camera damage! If a level of photographer such as yourself does not consider it rubbish, then I feel much better continuing to eschew the importance of knowing - and performing - this procedure to my “followers” who question best practices for obtaining the highest quality images they can obtain with their equipment. Take care, and I am looking forward to devouring all that you and your team is making available on your education site!
BLAYZE!
USA!
Many thanks Karl. That's exactly what I've been doing this week with some of my older but most liked lenses and everyone else simply makes it so extremely complicated and at the end tries to sell you some sort of tool of which I now have a collection of and enough to open my own online store. Thanks again.
best photography teacher in the world. Thanks Karl!
My pleasure!
Thank you, you have explained very well, how simply and inexpensively this process can be done! This tutorial has helped me to simply calibrate a rear focused lens on my camera. Cheers!
Glad it helped!
Why fuss with rulers? I use a yellow tennis ball with a large X mark and lay the ball on the grass or any rough surface, set the camera mode in Manual, open the aperture to max open, adjust ISO/shutter speed for a decent exposure, AF can be on either Single or Servo (I use servo as I shoot action sports), snap a shot focused on the X mark at about a 30-degree angle (distance from the ball depends on lens focal length and then zoom in on the LCD to view where the center of focus falls. If the center of focus is in front of the ball (front focus) or behind the ball (back focus), then make the adjustment as described in the video. If calibrating for a zoom lens, Canon gives the options to adjust for Telephoto and Wide). As a note, there might be a slight interaction in the extreme ranges, so additional fine-tuning may be required. For Nikon users, only a single adjustment for zooms, and I recommend calibration at the max zoom, where the depth of field is narrower than at wide-angle. Mirrorless cameras do not have such calibration adjustments as they AF at the image sensor, rather through the prismatic glass system into a separate focus sensor.
This technique works great AS LONG AS your camera has focus-calibration capabilities. I, like you, am a Hasselblad shooter, which, to my knowledge, does not offer focus calibration. Or does it?? I would presume our only option, should it ever be needed, would be to send it back to the factory for calibration.
Great video. So... once it focuses on the line, do you change it back to manual to lock it, or do you let the autofoucs try to focus the line between the rulers after you adjust the number?
WOW! Probably one of the BEST educational photography clips I'd seen on RUclips since I'd been a photographer! Excellent video!
Thank you so much Karl, this was very useful, so that I could avoid investing into an AF calibration tool, not to mention returning lenses along with a dispute procedure. The calibration tools I have seen always had the ruler stricktly set to a 45 degree angle relative to the plain of focus. In your tutorial there was little attention paid to that angle; does that setting play a critical role at all?
This has got to be the fastest and probably the easiest way to calibrate the lens. Because it's crucial NOT to move the white board or table, I would tape the corners of the white board down to the table so it helps prevent the smallest of shake when you re-position the rulers. If the table you're mounting the whiteboard to is sturdy and heavy enough, then just be careful you don't accidentally bump it with your knee or kick one of the legs and DEFINITELY do NOT rest your weight on the table either as it too could shove the table out of alignment. Now, my question is; what would be best used for a 150-600mm lens as far as a calibrating system (set up) is concerned? Obviously, it will have to be some distance away from the front of the lens in order to properly calibrate.
Great video Karl.
I have EOS R5 but cannot find an option for micro adjustment at all to calibrate my lens
How often should we calibrate? I've heard also that when driving and the lens is packed away and shaking in the vehicle, that can throw out the focus also
For those of you still using DSLR's, you should know that lens adjustments like this are not necessary for mirrorless cameras at all - even when using a DSLR lens adapted to a mirrorless camera with an autofocusing adapter. This is also partly the reason why 3rd party lenses will work better on mirrorless than DSLR's (no adjustments necessary). In fact, many people who have had reservations about using 3rd party lenses on DSLR's in the past because of AF concerns, are now finding them focusing as well as native lenses. Mirrorless lenses can also autofocus at larger apertures than 2.8 (unlike DSLR's which have to stop down to 2.8 briefly). This itself can lead to more reliably sharp photos at wide apertures. I feel like a video about lens mirco adjustment in 2020 are remiss if they don't mention these points.
There are still many more people using DSLRs than mirrorless cameras so this is of course useful information to those. I use both systems (Sony, Canon and Hasselblad) and personally I still prefer seeing the actual photons compared with a small tv screen.
@@VisualEducationStudio indeed this is super useful information and well presented. I had trouble focusing a Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 zoom on my wife's Nikon which was unfortunately because that was a killer lens and I missed focus on a ton of great shots while on a medical mission in Haiti. Part of the problem is that many DSLR's out there (probably the majority of them when you consider what DSLR's are top selling ones) are unable to make these lens adjustments because Canon and Nikon didn't see fit to provide this capability to the more affordable models (booo). The other part of the problem is that performing these micro adjustments doesn't always fully correct the AF issues with the lens. Anyway, I sold the lens and camera and now my wife shoots mirrorless along with me. I can't wait until Sigma makes version of their 1.8 zooms optimized for mirrorless cameras because I'm sure the well-known focusing issues of these lenses will be behind us and we can just focus on getting some great shots instead of worrying about micro adjustments etc. Great job on the video though. Cheers.
@@dancos2002 I've got a Sony A7 and I've shot with the Hasselblad X1D, both mirrorless cameras and there's lots of plus points but I still prefer a prism than an EVF, although as they improve I might change my mind. With regards the eye AF there were two Canon cameras the Eos-3 and Eos-5 that both tracked the photographers eye to see where he or she was looking and use that to activate a focus point. That tech was some 20 years ago but I hear that Canon are brining it back into one of their new mirrorless cameras maybe that will be interesting.
Great tip, gonna set up and run through all my primes. Now, the important question.....what about Zoom lenses? What aperture and what zoom ratio do you choose for the calibration......i.e. with an 18-300 for example do you set to 18 where the max aperture is or zoom in where the max telephoto effect it.........or does this even work with zoom lenses? Please advise, as I depend on zooms for wildlife photos! Thanks.......
This post is from one year ago, have you tried this yourself yet?
This is very nice and simple.
I have noticed my ef 50 1.8 on my rp tends to back focus a little bit.
I need to acquire a tripod and use this method to calibrate.
Good, simple video.
Cheers.
Also it will help if one uses some masking tape to secure the white board to prevent movement.
Great video. Do I need to calibrate the Camera for instance Canon 5D? How do I do that if the lens isn't calibrated yet?
Super timing! I've been lately suffering from misfocus on some lenses. Great, thanks!
Thank you for the information and for taking the time to make a video to share it!
Explained very well. Let me share this with my list tonight.
Love this super east way of doing the AF Tune. I just got a new 85 this afternoon... it was out by -18 right outta the box!! WOOF! Thanks for amazing content as always Sir! - J
Your videos are such a great resource. Explained simply and precisely.
I appreciate that!
When calibrating a Zoom Lens, what focal length should I use, Wide, Midway, or Longest?
Unfortunately it often differs between the focal lengths. My 100-400mm Canon lens is about -4 on the short end and -8 on the long end. Makes more work, but it is well worth it.
Longer telephotos also degrade focus I find the micro adjustment needs readjusting every year or so, depending on how much you use the lens and camera.
I use the Dot Tune method, works really well, BUT getting into mirrorless eliminates any need for lens calibration.
Does it?
DSLR is prone to back and front focusing . Mirrorless system does not have this issue.
Actually that is false. I have ran into some lens on my Sony and Nikon Z6 that needed adjustment. Mostly adaptive lens or off brand. So far not primary lens.
@@leifnilsen6107 Sony doesn't allow you to adjust lenses... A mirrorless camera can't miss focus in the same way a DSLR does because the autofocus is happening right on the imaging sensor. If you're missing focus it's either your settings, the lens itself doesn't have a good hit rate not good communication with the body, or the body itself doesn't measure that distance well. None of those issues can be fixed with the type of adjustments you make on a DSLR.
I went on a shoot today in beautiful cloudless sky in the Bavarian Alps and want to test my Sigma ART DG/DN 35mm f1.4
I bought it in Spring 2023 but hadn't used it much and then I had a big bike crash where my well padded camera bag containing my Sony A7 iii took a knock and I hadnt used it since then.
To say I was disappointed with today's results is an understatement so I went looking in YT for help and BINGO we found each other.
I found " AF Micro-Adjustments" in the gruesome Sony Menus so tomorrow is the day
Sorry to hear about your camera gear I hope it isn't actually damaged.
Great idea, just wanted to ask what lens did you use for this video?
Do you really want to refocus after adding the rulers, or should you switch to manual and keep the camera focused where it was when you only had the line to focus on? Maybe you did and I missed it.
Excellent and clear explanation on how to do this, thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
I have tried these methods with other printouts, I will try your method today, I have a few lenses to get thru. hope it works.Thanks, great tutorial
To calibrate our AF lenses in lab we use Reikan software wich is really good even with zoom lenses and semi automatic. The soft gives also a correction chart at the end of the process.
Hi Karl! Once calibrated the lens. Only the calibration setting will be applied onto the lens calibrated. There is nothing to worry about when I am using other lenses. Am I right?
Thank you Karl this was really use full, I'll have to do this on one of my lenses I've had a bit of hit and misses with when it comes to auto focus.
Great video! Much thanks, that is so useful!
Do you happen to have a video on how to detect decentered lenses? Just asking, since I seem to have a 85mm lens that's sharp on the bottom and fuzzy on the top...
Thanks Karl. This video is very helpful for me.
You are welcome
So helpful wonderful video and so well presented straight to the point. Thanks so much for uploading.
Thanks a bunch, this helped me calibrate my 4 lenses. In particular my 100-400 mm with a 1.4X extender is VERY improved.
How far away was your camera to the target? I have same lens and extender and need to adjust it. thanks.
did I miss you talking about the angle of the camera that must be set up? or does it not matter at all? what about the distance of the target and the camera? greatly done though.
There is software calles FoCal for automatic calibrate the lens but that is expensive, this method is useful thanks Karl Tylor....
Very helpful and simply put video. Thanks for the info, hope it works for me!
Best of luck!
You're the best! I calibrated my lens perfectly thanks to your tips
Thank you, glad it was useful.
I had no idea it was this simple. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for taking the time to do this.
My pleasure!
Nice and simple, thanks for that. But how do I do it on my Nikon D500 camera, is there any tutorial please.
Thanks a lot Karl, I have done this before but your method is super easy, super handy. God bless you.
You also need af adjustment settings in camera which most begnier series camera lacks
Yeah I remember that... almost every L lens I bought had some sort of back or front focus. I brought most of them to CPS for calibration, since the back and front focus is sometimes different depending on the distance to your subject, so in camera calibration didn't help that much. Its better with zoom lenses, where you can calibrate both ends individually, but still not optimal. Best solution: Go mirrorless! I don't have to deal with that sort of problem anymore :)
How does going mirrorless solve this issue ? They still have autofocus lenses and autofocus sensor in the camera.
@@stevem.6557 mirrorless cameras have a slightly different focusing system, with a DSLR the phase array is not on the image sensor but under the mirror, mirrorless cameras are either contrast only or a hybrid contrast with a phase array built into the sensor, with a DSLR you can have back/front focus issues when focusing through the viewfinder, but in live view using contrast detect you usually don't, in less the lens elements are really screwed up
Hello. I know this was an old post, but could you explain to me how the mirrorless system helped alleviate you of front/back focusing issues? This may be the breaking point for me to finally “try” to purchase that new Nikon mirrorless I am eyeing! Thank you very much.
Thanks Karl, brilliant mate.
So useful. This video is perfect. Time to check all my lenses. Thank you for posting.
This wonderful and very useful. I have always doubted myself rather than the autofocus, but now I know it might be the camera not me.
Does anyone know if Fujifilm X-Series have a similar feature of calibrating autofocus?
There are a vast number of cameras in the "X Series", including mirrorless, so you need to be a bit more specific for an answer.
Thanks for the info! Wondering how this would apply to a 70-200mm lens or if you would do this any differently - Would it be best to shoot it at 70mm or zoomed in to 200mm to correct the AF? Thanks!
Really useful. How’s it done on a telephoto lens such as the 24-70 2.8L? I’ve noticed my lens is not pin sharp and had initially thought I’d damaged it.
Is your 24-70 a Tamron ? I had to send mine back. Mission impossible to calibrate that lens even with a TAP IN console.
Also lock up your mirror so it creates even less camera shake...you can also use the timer setting so you don’t actually press the button and cause shake...
Thanks for this tutorial. This is only for DSLR tech. There is no such problem with mirrorless cameras.
That is not the case.
Contrast detection focussing visually hunts until it finds focus and so doesn’t need this. Phase detect focusing calculates the focus point and goes straight there, so faster but does need this. Low end mirrorless have contrast detect. Top end, such as Olympus EM1 and EM5 mk iii, have both and uses whichever is best for the situation. Zoomed, live view focusing will always be contrast detect and accurate.
@@jamesalamb So where's the AF adjustment settings on mirrorless cameras? That's right, there are none. The focusing is happening on the imaging sensor meaning this specific type of misfocusing cannot happen and the types of problems that cause mirrorless cameras to miss focus cannot be fixed with micro-adjustments.
Brilliantly simple Karl. Great video!
So glad I moved to mirrorless. Tech from the 1980s was great then but the problems it solved no longer have to exist.
Best way to solve your calibration issues is to not use old out dated tech.
Is it so? One problem might solved, new introduced... Mirrorless is not the answer per se.
I've needed to do this for a while now and this is a perfectly simple explanation. Thanks!
Hi, How did you calculate to calibrate to -15 point? well Minus I understand you came closer but how did you derived 15? How did you calculated that? Can you please put some light on that? Thank you.
Karl, have just one question.
I guess you have looked at canon's guide for AFMA. They say we have to be around 50 X focal length of the lens being calibrated.
Your method isn't showing this. What are the implications of doing it this way and not how canon recommends?
I'm only interested in making sure it's sharp at the distance I'm going to be shooting my subjects. If we take this lens which is 85mm and multiplied by 50 that would be a distance of 4.25m which is probably further than I'd be shooting most portraits with this type of lens. I'm not saying that what you've read is wrong but it seems to make more sense to calibrate it for how your are going to be using it.
brilliant, just brilliant.
Will that mess up other lenses?
No way! I had no idea this was a thing! Shame I didn't do this before I went out and got my first kingfisher shot today. Thanks for the information.
Thank you for your nice video! Why you didnt use LCDfor outofocus? Is is because LCD is based on contrast detect AF?
Brilliant video and super helpful. It's all these little things that make a big difference.
Thanks Karl
After you placed the rulers back, did you switch out of AF and back to MF before taking the photo? Otherwise would the camera not have auto-focused again for that photo which defeats the point of earlier focusing on the line without the rulers?
Thank you very much Karl, I always appreciate your expertise. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Karl you just saved me 50. Thank you.
Thanks Karl,
One question. If I have 24-70mm lens should I use the 24mm or the 70mm? Thanks
Very good, thanks to you. But what if you change lens? You have to do the same everytime you change a lens? Or is this slmething you do one time and forget about it?
You do it for each lens and it remembers it.
@@VisualEducationStudio thank you 👏
@@VisualEducationStudio so the camera remembers the lens automaticly ? Ive heard that you have to dial in the lens serial nr...? I have a 7D mark1
Hi. Can you please tell me What tripod and ball head are you using in this video. Thanks
Thanks for this Carl, I think one of mine may be out now I've seen this. Can I ask if you're calibrating a zoom lens would you have it on full zoom, wide, or in the middle. Thanks again 👍
Seen several questions about zooms, but don't guess he answers..........did you ever find anything out?
@@billmeador215 He answers in the pinned comment at the top of the page just below the video
Is there any difference in executing this in Nikon?
Thanks so much for video helpful to much!
This helped me..thanks Karl 😊
Another brilliant video Karl. Thanks for sharing mate.
Thank you, Karl, for that excellent demonstration. Straightforward and easy to understand. A couple of points to consider, however. First, due to the inherent technology of PDAF focusing mechanisms, they are notoriously unreliable for consistent focus. Try this method 10 or 12 times and you will probably get 5 or 6 different calibration readings for optimal focus. Focus can be different each time you engage AF at the same distance and same subject. Second, did you take into account that when judging the optimum focus point that depth of field is 1/3 before the best focus point and 2/3 behind it? Picking the middle of what’s in sharp focus can be deceiving and inaccurate. Third, as has already been mentioned by other commenters, this doesn’t work well for zoom lenses as they often change the amount of front/back focus at different focal lengths and even different distances. Only Sigma and Tamron give a user a device and methodology to fully calibrate their zoom lenses.
Yes. And I should have read this before making my comment.
That's not true though, for the overwhelming majority of focal lengths and distances to your subject the DoF is much closer to a 50/50 split, it's almost never 1/3 before and 2/3 after.
Thanks my guy
Thank you for the tutorial I have a question im sure its dumb but let's say I have 3 lenses and I collaborate each will my camera just rember this? I have a 5dmarkiii im new to full frame and I've bever collaborated before.
I've done calibrations many times using software, but never have I seen it done without software. Very useful, but unfortunately, not so useful for Hasselblad users :-(
Will this work with a non-Canon lens?
This demonstration is for a prime lens. How does it work on a zoom lens?
Is it required for a mirrorless or just a DSLR?
I know for my mirrorless (EOS-R) you cannot calibrate lenses. I believe this is the same for all mirrorless. AFAIK calibration is only necessary for DSLRs.
thanks for the tips! one question: will this technique (with the exception of using the in-camera focus adjustment) work basically the same for calibrating my Tamron 150-600 lens, using my Tap-in console?
Thank you this is awsome
Thank you very much, Karl. This was a helpful video!
Great video with good information for a Sunday.
Incredibly useful, right to the point. Thank you!
Cheers
thanks so much carl, i always thought you had to go to specialists to calibrate your camera, now i can do it myself and save a packet.
Nice explanation Karl.
Karl, I have two lenses, do I have to do the same for each one, does the camera save each calibration? I will appreciate your help.
Yes you have to do it for each lens, cheers.
Do you leave af tune on when you finish or do you turn it off?
Karl is on point as usual////
Very clear tutorial , thank you Karl!
Then what happen to change other lens ? Do I need calibrate whenever change lens.
the calibration is saved to the the metadata of that lens within the camera. If you have 2 of the same lenses that you use on the same camera, well then, I don't know, but i'd assume itd be saved to the S/N of the lens and each lens would require its own calibration.
Thank you so much. That is soo Useful tip
Glad it was helpful!