Camera/ lens calibration software?

The goblin

The goblin

<span class="poty">POTY Winner 2015</span></br>
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Name
Marsha
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Hi,

Has anyone used Focal software (reikan.co.uk) to calibrate their camera and lenses?

My 5D iii is not quite 3, with a shutter count of just under 38,000. But nearly all my images are coming out soft/ oof :(

I have tried tweaking settings and all sorts, even tried shooting in auto, still soft.

I have the 24-70, 16-35 IS, 70-200 IS (all MK ii's) and the 100mm macro.
I tried yesterday taking shots of my son at really odd angles/ close to obstructions and the focus seems fine. But when I shoot at someone straight on its pants! When you've got over £4K of camera/ lens it gets quite disheartening!

I can't send it off to Canon as I'm in Cyprus and I don't trust the Cypriot workmanship! I sent it off last year with my 70-200 with back focusing issues. It came back great. But I've just noticed the micro adjust setting was to +7 for all lenses so wondered if that's what they did?

So I am thinking of trying to calibrate the camera and lenses. Anyone else done this?

I can post sample shots later.
 
I tried Focal some years ago and found it just wouldn't work, my D3S bodies just couldn't be calibrated for some unknown reason and I got a refund.
However I recently tried the latest update (v2) and it has worked a treat on my D7200 and D810 ... there can be some quirks if you try to calibrate with insufficient light or at the wrong distances (guidance charts are available) but well worth it for me :)
 
gramps said:
I tried Focal some years ago and found it just wouldn't work, my D3S bodies just couldn't be calibrated for some unknown reason and I got a refund.
However I recently tried the latest update (v2) and it has worked a treat on my D7200 and D810 ... there can be some quirks if you try to calibrate with insufficient light or at the wrong distances (guidance charts are available) but well worth it for me :)
Click to expand...

Thanks I'll give it a try. I'm going straight to the pro version, find out just how bad my sensor needs a clean too! I did get that 'cleaned' by Canon last year, and it came back in the same condition! If we're here for most of 2016 I'll be back for the kids summer holidays, I'll be sending my camera off to Canon UK for some much needed TLC!
 
So I took this just before Christmas, the focus is on the girl at the front 1/200, F5.6 ISO 200. I know for groups I probably need a smaller aperture but I'd expect the girl at least to be sharp as well!



This is with my 24-70.

Shouldn't this be sharper? Or am I just mad?
 
Sharpness depends on no movement of the subject, and the camera not moving, he says stating the obvious. The photo looks as if it was hand held which might have been the reason for your concern. You can always play with the photo in PP anyway to see if you can get it as you want.

Or you could swap to using Nikon instead. ;):nikon:
 
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It doesn't look too bad at full res on Photobucket but a lot of factors come into play ... unfortunately I know nothing about Canon so can't comment on the image reproduction quality of your equipment. :)
 
I'm trying to see if anything is pin sharp..... this would indicate a sharp plane of focus and eliminate other factors, camera-shake, etc.

Can't quite say that anything is so, a rough guess it's not AF issues.... maybe you have other shots with more details in depth to check against.
 
Do you have to be a member of photo bucket to see the full resolution image? The only image I can see as a non member looks to be at least pretty badly downsized and compressed. I agree that if it's been well downsized the original image must have been apallingly unsharp all over.
 
chris malcolm said:
Do you have to be a member of photo bucket to see the full resolution image? The only image I can see as a non member looks to be at least pretty badly downsized and compressed. I agree that if it's been well downsized the original image must have been apallingly unsharp all over.
Click to expand...
No idea, I only use it for sharing images with issues!!!

I'm just uploading them to my website full res so you can see them there!
 
Original shows up a universal softness, my eyes can't detect any front/back focus issue so I suspect it's just plain missed focus ... at 64mm f5.6 it should be pretty spot on, ISO 200 is fine which just leaves 1/200th which could be an alternative issue, depending on your hand-holding ability :)
 
I know, but there's a lot with this issue even at high shutter speeds! I'm going to use a tripod for the next family shots and see how it goes.

But even under studio lights it's the same! I may switch to the 7D ii for a bit and see if it's any different!

As for the hand holding, I know I'm not as strong as I was last year, but I'm not weak either!
 
I do wonder if it's me that's the problem? Am I snatching at it and causing the blur? When I remember to do it, I try and take photos like firing a rifle, hold breath and squeeze gently on the button!

I think I'll just hit the weights for a bit, try and beef myself up! See if it's me being a weed!
 
Hi, Marsha, I've used Focal and find it quite easy. I understand the latest software update is easier to use but I haven't used it yet.

My 24-70 was quite a way it and results after the tuning were much better.

Cheers.
 
looking at the exif on the picture

Camera EOS 5Dmk111
lens EF24-70mm f2.8L11USM

shutter speed 1/200"
Aperture f5.6
Distance 65.0mm
sharpness 29
ISO 200
Edited in lightroom 6.3


So going by that I would say the shutter speed was a bit slow which could be the problem


Sent full exif data to your conversations section
 
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The goblin said:
Lol, I may be tempted to the dark side!

I have sharpened this shot in PS, this is the unedited version!

But the camera is set to AI Servo so it should track focus!

I never had focus issues until recently :(
Click to expand...
It could be that your in Al Servo for subjects that arent moving. It sometimes can do odd things as it hunts for movement and when there isn't any, I've heard it said it can produce odd results as it cant predict and track anything. Try on centre spot focus and 'one shot' focus mode. It shouldn't make a difference but worth a try.

I never use Al Servo unless subjects are moving and even then you have to be sure you have the right type of setting for the subject. The Manual states this also. Worth a go...
 
The goblin said:
Lol, I may be tempted to the dark side!

I have sharpened this shot in PS, this is the unedited version!

But the camera is set to AI Servo so it should track focus!

I never had focus issues until recently :(
Click to expand...
AI Servo on a static subject? This might be your issue. Normally I'd use one shot AF for anything static or not moving quickly.

Do a factory reset to get rid of any micro adjust rubbish affecting things, then try locking focus with one shot on a static subject. If you've MA'd any zooms this could be an issue, together with Servo AI on static stuff with a moving background it's asking for an oof shot IMO!
 
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posiview said:
Hi, Marsha, I've used Focal and find it quite easy. I understand the latest software update is easier to use but I haven't used it yet.

My 24-70 was quite a way it and results after the tuning were much better.

Cheers.
Click to expand...

Hi Andy, thank you. I was about to hit buy when I tested my focus on a tape measure, it was exactly where it should be! I am still tempted though, just to check everything is good.
 
realspeed said:
looking at the exif on the picture

Camera EOS 5Dmk111
lens EF24-70mm f2.8L11USM

shutter speed 1/200"
Aperture f5.6
Distance 65.0mm
sharpness 29
ISO 200
Edited in lightroom 6.3


So going by that I would say the shutter speed was a bit slow which could be the problem


Sent full exif data to your conversations section
Click to expand...

Thank you for that, can't say I've ever looked 'that' closely at the EXIF data before! Interesting that half my email address is missing from it!

Oh and I have updated the firmware too!

As for shutter speed. I always try and keep above the zoom length! So with my 70-200 I try never to go below 1/200! I would have thought 1/200 would be OK? I was fairly steady!
 
sk66 said:
The best focus looks to be nearly a meter in front of them... I'm going to guess it's technique.

How do you know the focus was on the girl? How did you achieve that?
Click to expand...

Obviously I always focus on the people I'm photographing! I try and focus in between them if there's a group to get them all in focus!

I have the plugin in LR that shows where you focus. Obviously it can't show if the point of actual focus is anywhere along the line of trajectory from the camera! I'll post it later when the PC is on.

Oh and now I have it showing in camera too!
 
sk66 said:
The best focus looks to be nearly a meter in front of them... I'm going to guess it's technique
Click to expand...

Agreed, looks like that amount of front focus to me too. There's also what looks like low contrast detail smearing of the kind typical of too severe noise reduction, in both versions of the image, which is odd given the ISO of 200.
 
The goblin said:
As for shutter speed. I always try and keep above the zoom length! So with my 70-200 I try never to go below 1/200! I would have thought 1/200 would be OK? I was fairly steady!
Click to expand...

That's what I used to do with film. Now I've got a higher resolution sensor than any film I ever used, the greater magnification of a crop sensor, and sharper lenses over 50mm than I used to have, I find that I need to double shutter speed over that old SLR rule of thumb. Unless I'm using OS and careful stabilised hand holding, such as when I'm leaning against a tree or propping elbows on a wall, when I can sometimes with luck go down to surprisingly much longer shutter speeds. But my general rule for hand holding without special extra measures is 1/2xfocal length shutter speed. And if I want best sharpness I turn OS off and use a tripod. The advantage of OS is being a lot sharper than without it, but it's never as sharp as no OS and a perfectly stable camera, where perfectly stable means you don't touch the camera to fire the shutter.
 
The goblin said:
Obviously I always focus on the people I'm photographing! I try and focus in between them if there's a group to get them all in focus!
Click to expand...
There are many ways to mess up focus even if the selected focus point is/was in the right place...
But if it was on the girl and focus was actually locked/achieved, that amount of error would be rather extreme. Given that it is (more) accurate in following tests I have to guess it wasn't actually locked/achieved.

I know Nikons will hunt for focus in continuous AF mode with a static subject once the focus tracking time has expired... Others have indicated the same for Canons. That is a very likely cause for the focus to have shifted that far.
 
The goblin said:
Lol, I may be tempted to the dark side!

I have sharpened this shot in PS, this is the unedited version!

But the camera is set to AI Servo so it should track focus!

I never had focus issues until recently :(
Click to expand...
Ai servo is unreliable for static subjects as the camera expects movement and continually refocusses. Have you noticed the unsharpness on single shot af?
 
chris malcolm said:
Agreed, looks like that amount of front focus to me too. There's also what looks like low contrast detail smearing of the kind typical of too severe noise reduction, in both versions of the image, which is odd given the ISO of 200.
Click to expand...
Most of this shoot have 'that look'! No idea why! I understand the grain in the shadows when they're strongly backlit with lots of dark shadows!
 
sk66 said:
There are many ways to mess up focus even if the selected focus point is/was in the right place...
But if it was on the girl and focus was actually locked/achieved, that amount of error would be rather extreme. Given that it is (more) accurate in following tests I have to guess it wasn't actually locked/achieved.

I know Nikons will hunt for focus in continuous AF mode with a static subject once the focus tracking time has expired... Others have indicated the same for Canons. That is a very likely cause for the focus to have shifted that far.
Click to expand...

I have my camera set to not take the shot if it's not in focus! Although it'll obviously take the shot if it has focused elsewhere!
 
Brachytron said:
Ai servo is unreliable for static subjects as the camera expects movement and continually refocusses. Have you noticed the unsharpness on single shot af?
Click to expand...
I've used AI Servo nearly all the time! But I'm usually photographing kids! But I have quite a few shots that are absolutely pin sharp with static subjects! I will test this though and see if there's a difference.
 
andyscott said:
90% of focus issues are caused by the organic interface.
Click to expand...
And this is what I am trying to figure out! I have only noticed this issue in the last few months and wondered what I've suddenly started doing wrong :(

I did do some test shots last night with my studio lights. Not uploaded them yet, but I was holding the camera one handed (holding the reflector in the other hand) and was giggling with my daughter! They looked sharp in camera but I'll check them later.

Happy New Year everyone.

Thanks for all your help here.
 
The goblin said:
I've used AI Servo nearly all the time! But I'm usually photographing kids! But I have quite a few shots that are absolutely pin sharp with static subjects! I will test this though and see if there's a difference.
Click to expand...
Seriously, for static subjects, don't use it!
 
The goblin said:
I have my camera set to not take the shot if it's not in focus! Although it'll obviously take the shot if it has focused elsewhere!
Click to expand...
There are many ways to set/use a camera to where that setting is ineffective... My Nikon D810 doesn't seem to listen to it regardless when in continuous AF.

You might want to try using back button focus. It allows instant switching between continuous/single/manual autofocus behaviors.
It's also a setup that allows the camera to fire regardless of the focus setting, but used correctly it is very versatile.
 
sk66 said:
There are many ways to set/use a camera to where that setting is ineffective... My Nikon D810 doesn't seem to listen to it regardless when in continuous AF.

You might want to try using back button focus. It allows instant switching between continuous/single/manual autofocus behaviors.
It's also a setup that allows the camera to fire regardless of the focus setting, but used correctly it is very versatile.
Click to expand...

I've used BBF before and was getting a lot OOF, probably technique! I will try it again.
 
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