About to start with Focal

[RGF]

Hi

I am about to get Focal Pro (based upon the comments I have read on this forum).

Before I begin the journey, I was wondering if there are any suggestions, tips, hints, etc I should know about.

I will be AFMA 2 1Dx and 5DM3, with mostly zoom lens and few fixed (ranging from 14 to 500).

Thanks

 

[neuroanatomist]

Stable tripod on stable surface (concrete slab is better than hardwood or carpet).

Lots of light, you want EV's above 10. Use tungsten/halogen, not fluorescent or LED.

 

[Velo Steve]

I just got the software a week or so ago. Here are some observations.

[list type=decimal]
[*]Read the manual. Maybe not every page, but there is some good information.
[*]The "fully automatic" adjustment is quite tedious on the 5D III and any other camera without support for AFMA adjustments by software.
[*]TurboCal is much faster than "automatic" - I can't say whether the results are consistently as good.
[*]For the big lenses you are going to need a big indoor space, or the ability to work outdoors when lighting is consistent. I had trouble with tree shadows moving across the target before I could complete a single calibration. It might also work to have the camera outdoors and the target in a controlled indoor space with an open door or window.
[*]My results were mostly similar to calibrations I had attempted by hand. I'm taking that as a good thing - what the software says agrees approximately with my eye. Probably the software is more accurate.
[*]Speaking of accuracy (or really, consistency) I did some "semi-automatic" testing and it was surprising how much the results varied from one shot to the next under identical conditions. There was often much more difference between consecutive shots at a single AFMA value than between two shots with an AFMA setting several units higher or lower. This suggests that taking several shots and choosing the best (when you have the luxury of doing so) will make more difference than a perfect AFMA setting. Of course what I saw with one lens/camera combination may not apply elsewhere. By the way, this test was not done with the 70-200mm lens mentioned below.
[*]The autofocus on my trusty 70-200mm 2.8L IS lens died while using the software! I suppose it was ready to die after 7 years of use and who knows how many hours with the shutter button half pressed. Still, it was a shock. Both autofocus and manual focus are now unreliable.
[/list]

If anyone else has tips about how big to print the target for various lenses and target distances, I'd like to hear them. Also, target setup with TurboCal seemed different than with the other methods, and I'd like to understand that better.

 

[dirtcastle]

Lots of light, you want EV's above 10. Use tungsten/halogen, not fluorescent or LED.

What about indirect sunlight?

 

[RGF]

Stable tripod on stable surface (concrete slab is better than hardwood or carpet).

Lots of light, you want EV's above 10. Use tungsten/halogen, not fluorescent or LED.

Should iturn IS off? Sounds like that you think that no IS is a good idea.

 

[neuroanatomist]

Sunlight is fine, as long as there aren't clouds changing the light levels.

Turn IS off.

 

[RGF]

Thanks NA

 

[Dylan777]

Stable tripod on stable surface (concrete slab is better than hardwood or carpet).

Lots of light, you want EV's above 10. Use tungsten/halogen, not fluorescent or LED.

+1...be careful when you change AFMA values during test, since 5D III is not fully auto. Extra firm tight on tripod head. Long USB cable - from camera to PC - will help from accidently bump.

 

[MaxPower]

I bough Focal some weeks ago, to use it with my 6D.
But I don't made a print of the target image, instead I used the screen of my macbook pro retina as target,
so I had no problems with light indoor.
The Automatic Calibration worked fine with all my lenses.

 

[MaxPower]

Turn IS off.

With IS on, I got an error from focal in auto mode.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Stable tripod on stable surface (concrete slab is better than hardwood or carpet).

Lots of light, you want EV's above 10. Use tungsten/halogen, not fluorescent or LED.

Should iturn IS off? Sounds like that you think that no IS is a good idea.

You should be mounted on a very sturdy tripod, so IS is not wanted or needed, it will tent to jitter the image if its on.. Just in case your IS does not recognize the tripod and shut itself down automatically, turn it off. You can sometimes get away with it being on, but why risk wasting time.

 

[Rienzphotoz]

I used the screen of my macbook pro retina as target, so I had no problems with light indoor.

Good tip ... thanks for sharing.

 

[Maxaperture]

Morning all, I'm a CR virgin poster.

I've recently purchased and used FoCal for my 5D3 and small amount of lenses.
Incredible difference to the clarity and sharpness of my 70-200mm 2.8 IS II, just by a small MFA of Wide+2 and Tele+4.

My Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC was seriously difficult at the wide end, but only for one reason, I didn't read the distance chart. :-\
So, please allow me to offer this tip........
Use the FoCal distance chart found here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11469157/FoCal/Docs/FoCal%20Test%20Distance_1.0.pdf

 

[Rienzphotoz]

Morning all, I'm a CR virgin poster.

Hmmm? that sounds suspicious, you sure you virgin? coz anyone named "MAXaperture" with a "500mm" prime tool oops I mean lens, cannot be a virgin ... just kidding, welcome to CR

So, please allow me to offer this tip........
Use the FoCal distance chart found here https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/11469157/FoCal/Docs/FoCal%20Test%20Distance_1.0.pdf

Thanks for sharing

 

[Viggo]

Take care with the setup, and make sure your doing all things right, target, sturdy surface, do not move the cam, keep it around 10 ev, no less and not a lot more.

I used Focal for the 24-70 II yesterday and it's the first time it has been way off! It said -5 at 70mm and +5 at 24mm, but it's clearly best at "0" at all focals. I've adjusted a lot of lenses and Focal has always been right, so I'm doing a retest today.

On a happy sidenote this copy is both sharper and more accurate AF (2012) than the 2013 copy.

 

[Zv]

I found it a bit difficult to line up the target at first. Then I switched on my electronic level on my 7D and used that to get my camera lined up. This worked so well that when I switch cameras, the tripod was still lined up correctly and I found the target in no time.

Also I recommend using a room with a lot of space and don't walk about or move while it's testing.

 

[Zv]

I used the screen of my macbook pro retina as target, so I had no problems with light indoor.

Good tip ... thanks for sharing.

I thought you could only use the printed target? Is any type of screen OK? This would be helpful as getting over 10EV indoors even on a sunny day is tough (without turning on florescent lights - which is a no no ... so ...).

 

[dlleno]

What flavor/price of focal are y'all using and why? Do u use the charts and features of pro?

 

[Rienzphotoz]

I used the screen of my macbook pro retina as target, so I had no problems with light indoor.

Good tip ... thanks for sharing.

I thought you could only use the printed target? Is any type of screen OK? This would be helpful as getting over 10EV indoors even on a sunny day is tough (without turning on florescent lights - which is a no no ... so ...).

Good question ... I too would like to know if this is ok. Anyone?

 

[J.R.]

I'm using a laser-printout of the target. I remember someone commenting in another thread that the printout should be taken using an inkjet printer - is this correct? If yes, why?