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Cobra

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Has anyone used these? https://www.reikanfocal.com
are they worth the money? is it better to send the lens off to an approved service agent?

One of my lens took a bit of a knock, recently, and it seems that its not as sharp as it used to be.
(but then could that be my imagination? )

Rather than use the "Pyramid" as I'm not sure I'd trust myself TBH,
I thought that if it truly is fully auto, then its gotta be worth 40 quid? ( or 70 quid depending)

Any downsides to it?
 
I have FoCal and got mixed results. Admittedly I haven't tried the newest versions so things may have improved.

I got more consistent results using the dot tune method.
 
I find the latest incarnation to be very good, takes my old eyes out of the equation ... fully auto for Canon, very minimal interaction for Nikon.
I would like to think that a service agent could do a better job with camera and lens supplied but it would cost every time it needed doing and it does mean you have to hope its not done on a Friday! :rolleyes:
 
I've used the pro version on my 5d3. TBH it was hit and miss, however the 5d3 didn't support full auto. Providing you have decent light on the target it works well.
 
I've used the pro version on my 5d3. TBH it was hit and miss, however the 5d3 didn't support full auto. Providing you have decent light on the target it works well.
Cheers Chris :)
Any idea if the 7DII does?
 
OK I found it, it seems its like the 5DIII "User assisted"
 
I've just it this week and seems to work pretty well. I've had one result I'm a bit unsure about where it keeps saying the lens cannot be calibrated which I thought surprising as it appears sharp enough when I've tuned it myself.

I bought the £40 quid version which seems adequate enough.
 



I use a simple ruler and my eyes
are still 20/20… touch on wood!
 



I use a simple ruler and my eyes
are still 20/20… touch on wood!

Can I ask? Is your avatar picture "you", if so I note you are wearing spectacles.........hence wearing corrective lenses. AFAIK when someone speaks of having 20/20 vision that means it is the reading/measurement of your eyes 'uncorrected'. In other words a person with 20/20 vision does not need corrective lenses.
 
In other words a person with 20/20 vision does not need corrective


A common thing when one gets fifteen (I meant fifty! :whistle:)
is that
the minimum focus distance is changing and require-
res dioptric lenses to read or sow. I don't sow but I work on
screen.

So, FYI dear Laurence, I have a 20/20 vision when the tar-
get is at tree feet at least
. I need dioptric assistance under
the tree foot mark…
 
In other words a person with 20/20 vision does not need corrective lenses
To my surprise (and confusion tbh) this is apparently not so - I wear corrective glasses but according to my optician (or should that be optometrist?) I have 20/20 vision ...

@Cobra I use the latest Pro version of Focal and it has proved its worth a few times, I generally only bother with longer focal length lenses. The trick (it's not really a trick ;) ) is to use consistent lighting at a reasonable ev level, a modelling lamp of a studio flash or some form of continuous lighting work well and make sure the camera is square to target and on a stable tripod or base.
 
That leaves me with a bit of a quandary, the official definition:

"20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet.
If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance".


I have always considered myself to be "long sighted" I can't read a newspaper under my nose, so I need corrective lenses to do so.
But hold it 20 feet away and I could read it no problem.
So I guess my eye sight is not the problem, its my arms that are too short :thinking:


@Cobra I use the latest Pro version of Focal and it has proved its worth a few times, I generally only bother with longer focal length lenses. The trick (it's not really a trick ;) ) is to use consistent lighting at a reasonable ev level, a modelling lamp of a studio flash or some form of continuous lighting work well and make sure the camera is square to target and on a stable tripod or base.
Thanks Paul (y)
 
"20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet.
If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance".
I was told at my eye test last week that I have 20/20 vision. But that only relates to distance vision. I need glasses to read a book, or look at a computer screen, but I can clearly see from my window the summit of Coniston Old Man, which is 70 miles away.
 
but I can clearly see from my window the summit of Coniston Old Man, which is 70 miles away

At night I can see the moon (250,000 miles) and during the day I can even manage 93 million miles! :)
 
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I was told at my eye test last week that I have 20/20 vision. But that only relates to distance vision. I need glasses to read a book, or look at a computer screen, but I can clearly see from my window the summit of Coniston Old Man, which is 70 miles away.
Its all rather ambiguous isn't it?
I can clearly see the moon @ 384,400 km away, so there is nothing wrong with my night vision. :D
And as per the quote from the web ..
If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance".
Who actually knows what should be normally seen?
 
^^^^^ Timing is everything... crossposted
 
I had to upgrade to the latest version (2.43) in order to use Focal with my new camera. My previous version was very old and I found the current version to be a lot better, it is less critical in terms of target lighting and a lot more consistent with the calibration results.

There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can't see the sun, the moon or Coniston Old Man from my window!

Chris
 
I had to upgrade to the latest version (2.43) in order to use Focal with my new camera. My previous version was very old and I found the current version to be a lot better, it is less critical in terms of target lighting and a lot more consistent with the calibration results.

There must be something wrong with my eyes, I can't see the sun, the moon or Coniston Old Man from my window!

Chris

That's good the hear, I may give it another try. Lighting was always my problem in the older versions.
 
That's good the hear, I may give it another try. Lighting was always my problem in the older versions.

It still needs good light, but a big improvement over my previous version. I used a desk lamp shining at the target from about 1 foot and it didn't object to target illumination at all. It feels a lot more user friendly too, whilst still providing lots of detail, much of which is probably overkill for a casual user like me.

Chris
 
Its all rather ambiguous isn't it?
I can clearly see the moon @ 384,400 km away, so there is nothing wrong with my night vision. :D
And as per the quote from the web ..

Who actually knows what should be normally seen?

I understood the 20/20 refers to a standard opticians chart. I.e. You can read all 20 letters of it at 20 feet
 
I know this is an old post.

I’m thinking of purchasing Focal as I think my Sigma 150mm-600mm is soft over 300mm. Will Focal help sort this and is it easy to use?

It is easy to use but you must follow the instructions, particularly the need to perform the test in good light.
Focal cannot give you a result for all focal lengths of the lens though, you will need to test it at the length that you intend to use it most ... some folks would suggest dong it at 300 and 600 and using the average of the two but there is no basis for believing that would provide an accurate result.
 
I know this is an old post.

I’m thinking of purchasing Focal as I think my Sigma 150mm-600mm is soft over 300mm. Will Focal help sort this and is it easy to use?

Focal will only adjust at 150 and 600mm. Get ourself the sigma dock and use the dot tune method. The dock allows you to adjust at a number of focal lengths.
 
It is easy to use but you must follow the instructions, particularly the need to perform the test in good light.
Focal cannot give you a result for all focal lengths of the lens though, you will need to test it at the length that you intend to use it most ... some folks would suggest dong it at 300 and 600 and using the average of the two but there is no basis for believing that would provide an accurate result.

Thanks. I normally use this lens at its longest length. Would you suggest the Pro version?
 
Thanks. I normally use this lens at its longest length. Would you suggest the Pro version?
Of the versions I would recommend the 'Pro' ... Elliott may well have a point about the Sigma dock, using Focal readings and the dock could well provide specific accuracy at various focal lengths but if you only really need its longest length than Focal alone will be fine.
 
I know this is an old post.

I’m thinking of purchasing Focal as I think my Sigma 150mm-600mm is soft over 300mm. Will Focal help sort this and is it easy to use?
Is that a C or a S Phil my S version is just under 3 yrs old I.e still under warranty ,and I was suspicious that it was goin* a bit soft ,so I sent it to sigma for a once over ,they came back with they couldn’t get the resolution right and it’s been sent back to the factory in Japan to be sorted out .
As mine was one of the first ones yours if a u.k model and bought new and registered should still be in warranty if so send it in for a check over
 
Is that a C or a S Phil my S version is just under 3 yrs old I.e still under warranty ,and I was suspicious that it was goin* a bit soft ,so I sent it to sigma for a once over ,they came back with they couldn’t get the resolution right and it’s been sent back to the factory in Japan to be sorted out .
As mine was one of the first ones yours if a u.k model and bought new and registered should still be in warranty if so send it in for a check over

Hi it’s the C version and just over a year old. I think I registered it with Sigma UK
 
COBRA
did you buy the pro version ?
how does it work with your lens's
 
I bought it to use with the Tamron Tap in console (like sigma dock).

I like it because it takes the guess work/uncertainty out of the calibration procedure. Just expect lots of lost time frustration etc but it is worth the results.
 
COBRA
did you buy the pro version ?
how does it work with your lens's
I didn't bother in the end, I decided that the lens needed a service anyway.
So it went to fixation, and its all good now :)
 
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