Hi all.
I got this software to perform calibration on my lenses specially for the 85mm f/1.2L II. However, I am finding the results for the 85mm not in line with what I was expecting, that is, the AFMA that I got does not serve my needs. I will explain.
I have performed the calibration as it is suggested with the exception of the target in which the one I used was a printed version of the physical targets that they sell. I have performed the calibration just out of curiosity whilst still waiting for the delivery of the targets but don;t know if it will make a big difference.
I have used a very well lit room with artificial lighting. The shutter speed was around 1/125s.
The recommendation to perform the test for the 85mm is around 3.5m but because on the room I was I didn't have enough space I did it at 2.9m and also tried at 2.1m.
Picking up the 2.9m test the AFMA came out to be +5.
Went out and tried some shots. Being a portrait lens you expect to take picture at 1.5m or so from your subject if you want shoulder or half-chest. Somewhere around that. Not a surprise the images didn't come out in focus. On the other day I went out and did some shots wide open and also at f/2 to test the lens out and the images were not in focus as well. Felt like it just needed a couple of mm to be in focus. At that time the lens had +5 in the AFMA settings but that is because one day, to my eye, when I went out to try the lens for the first time I have put it at that setting because the image looked better in terms of focus. It was strange the software returning that same setting. But that is a question that I have, does the software do anything else besides setting the AFMA value? If so, ok. If not probably putting there +5 would make sense.
Nevertheless, after the calibration like mentioned above did some shots to try the new AFMA (was assuming the software did more that just putting the AFMA setting) and the images were not in focus.
In the past I have had tested the lens manually at a given distance, closer that 3.5m, and the AFMA came out to be +17. I did change the +5 to +17 and repeated the shots and they were bang on.
Can someone tel me what is going on here?
I question the efficacy of this software. Probably for people that use their lenses for targets well above the minimum recommended distance probably this isn't an issue because the far your subject is the wider your DoF is. Probably this might work very well for you.
What about for those that use lenses for distances below the calibration distance?
Is this normal I am experiencing?
Does really FoCal make a difference?
Just as a side note in regards to future calibration test that I will be doing:
1. Increase lighting to have high shutter speed.
2. Perform the test at the recommended distance.
3. Repeat the test at around 1.5m from the target.
Another thing. When I performed the AF consistency several times the results changed a bit. One time it was basically 100%, another time it was on the lower end of the tolerance, on the other test it was bellow the minimum of the range another time it was within the range, etc. Is this normal and expected for some reason?
One more thing. When performing the test the astigmatism was out of the optimal value although below 10%. It was averaging 6%. Probably there are a lot of variables that come in to play from the positioning of the target against the sensor and all that. But one thing I have noticed on the AF consistency check the astigmatism was lower like 3/4%. Is this normal or expected?
Any comments and advice? Thanks in advance.
I got this software to perform calibration on my lenses specially for the 85mm f/1.2L II. However, I am finding the results for the 85mm not in line with what I was expecting, that is, the AFMA that I got does not serve my needs. I will explain.
I have performed the calibration as it is suggested with the exception of the target in which the one I used was a printed version of the physical targets that they sell. I have performed the calibration just out of curiosity whilst still waiting for the delivery of the targets but don;t know if it will make a big difference.
I have used a very well lit room with artificial lighting. The shutter speed was around 1/125s.
The recommendation to perform the test for the 85mm is around 3.5m but because on the room I was I didn't have enough space I did it at 2.9m and also tried at 2.1m.
Picking up the 2.9m test the AFMA came out to be +5.
Went out and tried some shots. Being a portrait lens you expect to take picture at 1.5m or so from your subject if you want shoulder or half-chest. Somewhere around that. Not a surprise the images didn't come out in focus. On the other day I went out and did some shots wide open and also at f/2 to test the lens out and the images were not in focus as well. Felt like it just needed a couple of mm to be in focus. At that time the lens had +5 in the AFMA settings but that is because one day, to my eye, when I went out to try the lens for the first time I have put it at that setting because the image looked better in terms of focus. It was strange the software returning that same setting. But that is a question that I have, does the software do anything else besides setting the AFMA value? If so, ok. If not probably putting there +5 would make sense.
Nevertheless, after the calibration like mentioned above did some shots to try the new AFMA (was assuming the software did more that just putting the AFMA setting) and the images were not in focus.
In the past I have had tested the lens manually at a given distance, closer that 3.5m, and the AFMA came out to be +17. I did change the +5 to +17 and repeated the shots and they were bang on.
Can someone tel me what is going on here?
I question the efficacy of this software. Probably for people that use their lenses for targets well above the minimum recommended distance probably this isn't an issue because the far your subject is the wider your DoF is. Probably this might work very well for you.
What about for those that use lenses for distances below the calibration distance?
Is this normal I am experiencing?
Does really FoCal make a difference?
Just as a side note in regards to future calibration test that I will be doing:
1. Increase lighting to have high shutter speed.
2. Perform the test at the recommended distance.
3. Repeat the test at around 1.5m from the target.
Another thing. When I performed the AF consistency several times the results changed a bit. One time it was basically 100%, another time it was on the lower end of the tolerance, on the other test it was bellow the minimum of the range another time it was within the range, etc. Is this normal and expected for some reason?
One more thing. When performing the test the astigmatism was out of the optimal value although below 10%. It was averaging 6%. Probably there are a lot of variables that come in to play from the positioning of the target against the sensor and all that. But one thing I have noticed on the AF consistency check the astigmatism was lower like 3/4%. Is this normal or expected?
Any comments and advice? Thanks in advance.