Lens calibration/AFMA; the "old newspaper trick" vs. FoCal vs. Spyder LensCal

[Scott Stephen]

Hi,

Just bought a camera body with AFMA, and naturally thoughts turn to using it. I wonder a bit about my new 85mm f/1.8 in particular, though I know that shallow DOF will test one's shooting technique. It seems to "hit" a bit less than my old nifty fifty, so I wanted to just go try to quantify things.

1.) A lot of people advocate the "old school" idea of tacking a newspaper on the wall and using that. Valid?

2.) The Spyder LensCal looks pretty straightforward. (So much so that I wonder if I could make one with a ruler and a shoebox, actually). Has anyone used that, and what do you think of it?

3.) The FoCal "automatic" system looks kind of neat. You have to shoot tethered, though? My computer is set up in a room too small to achieve those long shooting distances. The wife got an I-Pad for Christmas. Maybe I could use that whilst she is not looking. Anyway, are all those multiple shots and the bell curve plots, etc., really useful or helpful as compared to the simpler "manual" method with the Spyder device?


Thanks for any input.

[Vern]

Hi Scott,

I recently bought and used the Lens Align MKII (https://store.birdsasart.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=304) from the birds as art site. I found it easy to use and Art's instructions quite helpful. Keys for efficient use and accurate results for me were a large relatively level outoor area (my driveway) and mounting the MKII on a tripod w a leveling base and a height adjustable head. I used it with my 5DMKIII and 1DX w a variety of lenses - though I didn't bother with focal lengths below 85mm. I found that most of my telephotos needed some minor tweaks with both bodies. I have the 85mm 1.2L II and it was easy to test for AFMA. At $80, the MKII was a good value for me. I haven't tried any other options though.

[HDNitehawk]

Used all of your options.
FoCal will be the quicker method and you will be able to see your mistakes in testing faster.
I-Pad, unless I missed something, will not work. Maybe get a cart and roll your computer to a location that will work?

[Scott Stephen]

Used all of your options.
FoCal will be the quicker method and you will be able to see your mistakes in testing faster.
I-Pad, unless I missed something, will not work. Maybe get a cart and roll your computer to a location that will work?

No Mac support? Drag. Didn't think of that.

Ha. I can just see the neighbors looking out the window like I'm crazy with a camera and 70-200 on a tripod, a target on a light stand 50 feet away, and a big Dell desktop & monitor chugging away in my wheelbarrow on an extension cord.

[HDNitehawk]

No Mac support? Drag. Didn't think of that.

Ha. I can just see the neighbors looking out the window like I'm crazy with a camera and 70-200 on a tripod, a target on a light stand 50 feet away, and a big Dell desktop & monitor chugging away in my wheelbarrow on an extension cord.

Hey, you have to do what you have to do

I had straight enough shot in my house to get up to 200mm (32.8'). No farther.

They show a Mac Beta version on the site. I never could get it to download so I used the Windows version and Boot Camp.

[conropl]

No Mac support? Drag. Didn't think of that.

Ha. I can just see the neighbors looking out the window like I'm crazy with a camera and 70-200 on a tripod, a target on a light stand 50 feet away, and a big Dell desktop & monitor chugging away in my wheelbarrow on an extension cord.

To do my 100-400mm at 400mm, I put the target on the house and went down our long drive way with my truck. I used an inverter to plug in my laptop. It was a windy day so I opened up the back door and front door to the truck and set up the tripod between them and rolled down the front window to shot through it. Worked great... however, unlike you I have no neighbors. So I did not have that to worry about what I looked like shotting pictures at my house with a long lens. It is nice to live out in the middle of nowhere.

Pat

[neuroanatomist]

iOS isn't the MacOS - there's FoCal for the Mac, but not an iPad app...

Still, FoCal is the way to go, IMO. You don't have to shoot tethered - all of my 1D X testing was done manually, I just took shots of the target through the AFMA range, then used FoCal's manual mode (not sure if that's in the Standard one, I use the Pro version).

For a tool or a DIY option, check here:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/P...ment-Tips.aspx

I wrote that before FoCal came out, and I've since sold my LensAlign Pro...

[Joel Eade]

No Mac support? Drag.

The MAC version does work although they say it is a beta version. You can find it on the license management page at FoCal I think.

[neuroanatomist]

I believe you need FoCal Pro to access beta versions.

[Scott Stephen]

Thank you John for the well prepared and presented information. I will read that a second time after the kids are in PJ's and down for the night!