Setting Up and using FoCal (beta) for mac

[Noel]

I have just installed the FoCal Pro software, and it does launch. I get an error message telling me that it may not work properly with the MONO software I've downloaded, but I've downloaded all of the versions and I get the same message, so I am using the most current.
I launch the software and I get the screen that wants me to install my Camera (a Canon 7D), but how do I hook up the camera to my Mac Pro Tower so it is sensed by this program? Where can I locate the manual for the FoCal Pro program?
Needless to say, any help and/or direction is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

[neuroanatomist]

Connect it with a USB-to-miniUSB cable.

http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/ind...s-to-download/

[Noel]

Connect it with a USB-to-miniUSB cable.

http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/ind...s-to-download/

Thank you. Where can I find the mini USB port on the 7D?

[ahab1372]

on the left:http://content.reviewed.com/products...ports-open.jpg

[HDNitehawk]

Maybe it is an obvious thing to say, but it is the cable that came with your 7D to download pictures to your computer. Perhaps you always taken out the card to download pictures?
If you have never used your EOS Utility I would suggest updating your firmware if you have an older 7D.

Also, when I downloaded FoCal a few months back I entered the three serial numbers of my cameras on the site. I had one serial number wrong FoCal would not read that camera. If you have plugged it in and there are no cameras recognized check your account at Reikan and make sure you have the right serial number entered.

[Sean Setters]

Perhaps you always taken out the card to download pictures?

I tried FoCal for the first time yesterday and I had to go find one of my DSLR boxes to find the cable. I've been shooting for [several] years and had never shot tethered before. I always take out the card when transferring images to the computer. :-)

[neuroanatomist]

I tried FoCal for the first time yesterday and I had to go find one of my DSLR boxes to find the cable. I've been shooting for [several] years and had never shot tethered before. I always take out the card when transferring images to the computer.

So do I. I also do all my camera firmware updates using a CF card, and since I shoot RAW, I have no need to connect to load lens profiles, etc.

But...I have something like 20-30 of those USB-to-miniUSB cables, ranging from 4" long to 6' long, and a USB extension cable, too - the longer connection makes it easier to set up for FoCal.

[NFLD Stephen]

I tried FoCal for the first time yesterday and I had to go find one of my DSLR boxes to find the cable. I've been shooting for [several] years and had never shot tethered before. I always take out the card when transferring images to the computer. :-)

How did you find FoCal? I gave it a try ~1year ago when I first got my 7d and found it much simpler than trying to afma the old fashioned way...

I'm actually going to set up again and redo the calibration on my lenses. I'm wondering if the microadjustment could have changed (maybe bumping the camera/lens around could change it a bit?). Does anyone regularly re-check afma or is it just not necessary (unless obvious problems are noted)?

Stephen

[neuroanatomist]

How did you find FoCal? I gave it a try ~1year ago when I first got my 7d and found it much simpler than trying to afma the old fashioned way...

I'm actually going to set up again and redo the calibration on my lenses. I'm wondering if the microadjustment could have changed (maybe bumping the camera/lens around could change it a bit?). Does anyone regularly re-check afma or is it just not necessary (unless obvious problems are noted)?

I do re-test periodically. I dropped my 5DII one day - camera worked fine afterward, but all my AFMA values shifted 8-10 units in the same direction, so I infer that the drop altered the relative positioning of the image and AF sensors.

[Sean Setters]

How did you find FoCal? I gave it a try ~1year ago when I first got my 7d and found it much simpler than trying to afma the old fashioned way...

I'm actually going to set up again and redo the calibration on my lenses. I'm wondering if the microadjustment could have changed (maybe bumping the camera/lens around could change it a bit?). Does anyone regularly re-check afma or is it just not necessary (unless obvious problems are noted)?

Stephen

I really like the software so far. There were about 3 or 4 times the tests stopped because of an error. Something along the lines of "FoCal could not initiate Mirror Lockup" (even though the auto calibration test was almost finished). The bad part about it is that the program throws out all data from a test if it doesn't fully complete, so you can't even see the data it's already accumulated.

All I had to do was rerun the tests after the errors, though. I'm not sure if the error is common or if the fact that I'm running MagicLantern on my 5D Mark II had anything to do with it.

Otherwise, I thought the overall process was significantly faster, better, and less frustrating than having to do the process manually. I like the charts that are produced.

There were one or two instances where I thought the AFMA suggested value was 1 number off of what I thought the optimal value should be based on the test results. I think the program favors values based on the peak of the bell curve that it calculates using all the data points. If one side of the AFMA tested values tests significantly worse than the other side, then I feel the program over compensates by choosing a value closer to its calculated bell curve that may indeed be skewed slightly because of unbalanced poor values on each end.

That said, I only chose a number 1 off from where it suggested based on the charted data. I feel like it does a great job on the whole.