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It won’t. There is so much scope for making mistakes with a ruler. With Focal it does it all for you and won’t work unlesss it’s happy.
and the site receives a small commission
FoCal
- Thread starter Cobra
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The most inaccurate way of doing it !!!!
Incorrect !!!!
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Nope that’s poor advice. Sorry.
The camera focus points are too large to be able to accurately focus on a ruler marking with consistency. This is why kits like lens spyder have a larger central area to focus upon so you know exactly where’s the camera is focusing.
Kits like lens spyder are poor because the user still has to squint at the results and try and determine which line/number is sharpest.
Focal just does it all for you and spits out the number.
Secondly you say minimum focus distance. Typically a lens on a camera body can only be adjusted at one focal distance so it’s best to set the distance at what you typically shoot. Mfd may suit a macro lens but not much else.
Of course if your lucky enough to have sigma or Tamron lenses rather than crappy oem ones you can adjust for all focus distances and all focal lengths.
Kodiak Qc
Suspended / Banned
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These reactions are justified as I mistook LENSCAL that I use
for FOCAL that I don't. Sorry for that! :banghead:
Gracious apology accepted. however it doesn't excuse the flawed advice of focusing on a ruler angled at 45 degrees at the MFD of the lens....
Kodiak Qc
Suspended / Banned
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Sorry again but this time, Phil, I describe the well experienced
used of the Lenscal not all of my students can afford — which
is btw a ruler at 45°.
LENSCAL does have a ruler but it is not used to focus on, there is a flat focus chart that you should use to focus.... Cheap alternative is to still use your ruler at an angle but placed next to a focus chart (suitable for your AF system), the chart should be parallel to the sensor plane... Bearing in mind that it may not be accurate to the nth degree...Sorry again but this time, Phil, I describe the well experienced
used of the Lenscal not all of my students can afford — which
is btw a ruler at 45°.
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You can use a printed target but I highly recommend the solid one from Focal as it helps keep the target level and therefore less likely to confuse the software when it tries to find/use the target. Focal works very well when used properly (good light, solid support, level with the target) as it takes out the 'human element' which can add further variations.
I recommend Focal Pro
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Thank you, can I print and mount on a board or should I order it with the target. It is £55 with the target and £39 without...You can use a printed target but I highly recommend the solid one from Focal as it helps keep the target level and therefore less likely to confuse the software when it tries to find/use the target. Focal works very well when used properly (good light, solid support, level with the target) as it takes out the 'human element' which can add further variations.
I recommend Focal Pro
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Honestly I would buy the target as it takes out the 'you' (or me in my case) but you can print and mount if you prefer the cost-saving
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Spent 2 hours trying to do a few of the lenses I have, 50mm was straight forward, 28-105 also seem straight forward, got a reading of -5 at 28 and -10 at 105, so set it at -7.
The main reason for getting focal was for my Tamron 28-75f2.8, worked fine at 28mm got -1 but could not get it to work at 75mm, said it was out of range.
When I did it with dot tune method I had it set at -2, so not that far out using focal, at least at 28mm.
Had to use two studio lights to get enough light, might have to try outdoor and a better sunny day.
Thank you
The main reason for getting focal was for my Tamron 28-75f2.8, worked fine at 28mm got -1 but could not get it to work at 75mm, said it was out of range.
When I did it with dot tune method I had it set at -2, so not that far out using focal, at least at 28mm.
Had to use two studio lights to get enough light, might have to try outdoor and a better sunny day.
Thank you
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I always do it outside(!) but if you use the lenses for studio work then inside plus lights seems sensible.Spent 2 hours trying to do a few of the lenses I have, 50mm was straight forward, 28-105 also seem straight forward, got a reading of -5 at 28 and -10 at 105, so set it at -7.
The main reason for getting focal was for my Tamron 28-75f2.8, worked fine at 28mm got -1 but could not get it to work at 75mm, said it was out of range.
When I did it with dot tune method I had it set at -2, so not that far out using focal, at least at 28mm.
Had to use two studio lights to get enough light, might have to try outdoor and a better sunny day.
Thank you
I have had lenses outside the parameters of the -20/+20 namely the Nikkors 50 and 85 1.8G.
Not a lot you can do really bar sell them on eBay...
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Thank you, will try out door. What is best to use as a target please?
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The ones you download from Focal?
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Thank you, might have to print a larger one.
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I printed them at A3,4,5
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Printer I have at home only does A4 at the largest size, I can do A3 at work but would have to roll or fold it to get it home.