I received the download link and registration for both my 5D MK II and my 7D Monday. I was too busy to spend much time with it, but did print and read both manuals that came with it. Fairly good manuals for a first edition. I was impressed at the understanding of the Canon AF system that the author demonstrated, and expect to shorten my time to calibrate lenses by a huge amount. Some of the tools included will also help to identify lenses which do not autofocus consistently and let me make a decision as to whether repair is needed.
One thing that is not well covered, is how to physically mount and align the target. Its silent on some of the possibilities. Mounting the target on a wall is one obvious method, but I do not have any walls that happen to be good places to mounnt the target, they need to be well ligkhted, and I need to be able to have a clear view for up to 20 or 30 feet.
So, today, I came up with a tripod mount that will give me freedom to place them, as well as adjust height and perpendicularity to the camera body. I had some heavy lucite photo holders that I never used, that are letter sized, so I printed the targets on Epson Exibition Fiber (heavy) paper and mounted them to the lucite. Then I tapped a 1/4-20 thread into the bottom of the holder so that my tripod quick release would screw into it.
Thats as far as I got today, I did, of course install the software and verify that it recognised my camera properly. So, I'm ready to start testing lenses, I'll tether the camera to my PC in my studio mounted on a sturdy tripod and with the target on another tripod, I'll get them in alignment and see how it goes.
Here are a couple of photos of my target holder.
1. The two targets with the lens align tool between for comparison
2. My 30 year old tripod is excellent for this use, but no good for a DSLR. The target is attached to the lucite with a couple of strips of 2 inch double back tape.
3. The tripod quick release threaded into the lucite stand and attached to the tripod. The tripod is tilted forward so the target is vertical.
4. Tripod with target mounted on a table. I'll sit it on the follr for actual use.
In a day or two, I hope to compare my lens-align settings with those developed by the FoCal Unit.
