AFMA for Beginners

[Ming-Tzu]

Now that I have the 500L and 300L, I need to do some AFMA. Never did this before as I found the focus of my other lenses were on point, but want to make sure my new toys are good to go.

Should I go out and start using it before doing AFMA? Or is it generally accepted that AFMA must happen before using these longer tele lenses? Also, any tips? FoCal Standard, Plus, or Pro?

 

[candc]

Try them and see. Its a luck of the draw thing. Put a target on the lawn and take some test shots. The grass will show where the focus plane is. Zero it in just like a rifle except its front/back instead of left/right up/down.

 

[Otara]

I have reikan pro and love playing with it, but what I most find is how many variables have to be controlled in order for the results to matter much. I would suggest just doing a series of shots using the reikan target you can print out and see if any major changes seem to be needed.

If you do get it, only pro does over 400mm lenses so your choice is easy.

 

[takesome1]

I have spent many hours using lens-align and focal.
I use both and both will work.
The big whites are the easist to do IMO.

But if you want to go out and just start shooting do it.
If you are shooting near wide open with with the narrow dof of those lenses you will know fairly quickly.
Shooting animals in a grassy field will tell you really fast where your dof falls.

 

[Jack Douglas]

I've found that during down time waiting in the forest I'll find a target and shoot it, for example a fallen log running away from me, having a small sharp stub or broken branch. It's pretty easy to see the result. It's also really quick to AFMA so just go +5, -5 with a target such as the stump and note what is happening.

Here is my shot with the 400 X1.4 a dried leaf split and placed perpendicular to me on my garden stucco wire fence. It seems no AFMA is needed. Sometimes I will deliberately set the lens to back focus slightly when it's tricky to get close enough to actually catch the eye of a bird.