Lens align pro or Spyder lenscal

[Loswr]

Stay away from the Lens Align MkII version, it's an expensive piece of junk. Leaving the tool setup for a short period of time on a tripod, you will find that the rule sages to a point where your measurements will be off. I'm sure this is why the pro version and metal ruler became available.

?

Actually, the MkII vesion replaced both the LensAlign Pro and the LensAlign Lite (both of which have been discontinued), although the MkII does seem to be more of an updated Lite version. Personally, I have the LensAlign Pro.

 

[RC]

Stay away from the Lens Align MkII version, it's an expensive piece of junk. Leaving the tool setup for a short period of time on a tripod, you will find that the rule sages to a point where your measurements will be off. I'm sure this is why the pro version and metal ruler became available.

?

Actually, the MkII vesion replaced both the LensAlign Pro and the LensAlign Lite (both of which have been discontinued), although the MkII does seem to be more of an updated Lite version. Personally, I have the LensAlign Pro.

Not sure which version replaced what and when they were released. This is the version I bought and I would avoid it:
http://www.amazon.com/LensAlign-MkII-Focus-Calibration-System/dp/B004G3PANY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346769490&sr=8-1&keywords=lens+align+mk2

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I have a lens aligh, but it now stays packed away in its box. I was a early adopter of Reikan FoCal Pro, its automated for my 5D MK II (semi automated for 5D MK III and 1D X).
Its by far the easiest and most accurate, since it does not require you to make a guess at the sharpest image.
It does require that you print out a target and mount it to a flat surface. Once you have it setup, the only thing is to be careful not to vibrate the camera while its shooting, and have enough light so the AF system can be at its most accurate and have the least variation.

 

[JEAraman]

Stay away from the Lens Align MkII version, it's an expensive piece of junk. Leaving the tool setup for a short period of time on a tripod, you will find that the rule sages to a point where your measurements will be off. I'm sure this is why the pro version and metal ruler became available.

?

Actually, the MkII vesion replaced both the LensAlign Pro and the LensAlign Lite (both of which have been discontinued), although the MkII does seem to be more of an updated Lite version. Personally, I have the LensAlign Pro.

Not sure which version replaced what and when they were released. This is the version I bought and I would avoid it:
http://www.amazon.com/LensAlign-MkII-Focus-Calibration-System/dp/B004G3PANY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346769490&sr=8-1&keywords=lens+align+mk2

mine's been on the tripod for the past 5 months and i've not experienced what you've mentioned. Which ruler do you have? I have the regular one.

 

[RC]

Stay away from the Lens Align MkII version, it's an expensive piece of junk. Leaving the tool setup for a short period of time on a tripod, you will find that the rule sages to a point where your measurements will be off. I'm sure this is why the pro version and metal ruler became available.

?

Actually, the MkII vesion replaced both the LensAlign Pro and the LensAlign Lite (both of which have been discontinued), although the MkII does seem to be more of an updated Lite version. Personally, I have the LensAlign Pro.

Not sure which version replaced what and when they were released. This is the version I bought and I would avoid it:
http://www.amazon.com/LensAlign-MkII-Focus-Calibration-System/dp/B004G3PANY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346769490&sr=8-1&keywords=lens+align+mk2

mine's been on the tripod for the past 5 months and i've not experienced what you've mentioned. Which ruler do you have? I have the regular one.

The one in the link above is what I have. It's just a flimsy plastic ruler, same material as the tool--probably polystyrene. I did find a post on Michael's website suggesting to remove the ruler for storage.

I had it setup for about a week as I was going thru all my lens. Never looked at the tool up close until I was finished with my last lens. That's when I discovered the top end of the ruler sagging backwards.

 

[Briand]

Thanks for the input about FoCal. Rather than buy windows 7 and parallels, I will wait for mac version, which company states it almost ready for release.

http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/index.php/2012/08/focal-mac-update/#

 

[bkorcel]

I tried out the latest version (1.6) of Focal this past weekend and it definitely is an improvement over 1.5. Takes far fewer shots than before and actually gave me an AFMA that I can agree with based on the graph and test images. They really kicked it up a few notches.

To everyone else, don't bother with all of the other testers unless you want to have a second opinion as a sanity check. Reikan Focal 1.6 Pro is what you want (make sure your camera is supported though).

I have a lens aligh, but it now stays packed away in its box. I was a early adopter of Reikan FoCal Pro, its automated for my 5D MK II (semi automated for 5D MK III and 1D X).
Its by far the easiest and most accurate, since it does not require you to make a guess at the sharpest image.
It does require that you print out a target and mount it to a flat surface. Once you have it setup, the only thing is to be careful not to vibrate the camera while its shooting, and have enough light so the AF system can be at its most accurate and have the least variation.

 

[Jim K]

Where, in the USA, can one purchase the FoCal software?

 

[Loswr]

Where, in the USA, can one purchase the FoCal software?

It's download only, no box version. PayPal converts US$ to British £, since they're based in England.

 

[nismohks]

I stumbled upon this thread and was previously looking at tools to adjust my lenses too.

Ive got 2 bodies, a 7d and a 5d3 and a bunch of lenses etc.

For the Focal software, is the Pro version worth the premium over the Plus version?

I don't do photography for a living, it's just a hobby (albeit an expensive one) so was wondering which version i should get.

Also, does the software offer a full step by step guide on how to microadjust my lenses? How easy would it be on a 1 to 10 scale to do it via FoCal compared to the lens align and other similar product?

thanks

 

[kaihp]

I stumbled upon this thread and was previously looking at tools to adjust my lenses too.

Ive got 2 bodies, a 7d and a 5d3 and a bunch of lenses etc.

For the Focal software, is the Pro version worth the premium over the Plus version?

Also, does the software offer a full step by step guide on how to microadjust my lenses? How easy would it be on a 1 to 10 scale to do it via FoCal compared to the lens align and other similar product?

Upgrading from the Plus to Pro version is just the cost difference, so starting at Plus and later upgrading is the same as buying the Pro from the start.

Yes, the software guides your through the setup step by step. Also, detailed and (imho) excellent manuals are provided.

For the 7D, your print the target, put it on a wall, light it, put the 7D on a tripod connected to your PC and follow the Target Setup instructions and then run the fully automatic test. First lens may take you 10-15 minutes, from then on it's less than 5 minutes per lens/focal length/distance.

 

[nismohks]

I stumbled upon this thread and was previously looking at tools to adjust my lenses too.

Ive got 2 bodies, a 7d and a 5d3 and a bunch of lenses etc.

For the Focal software, is the Pro version worth the premium over the Plus version?

Also, does the software offer a full step by step guide on how to microadjust my lenses? How easy would it be on a 1 to 10 scale to do it via FoCal compared to the lens align and other similar product?

Upgrading from the Plus to Pro version is just the cost difference, so starting at Plus and later upgrading is the same as buying the Pro from the start.

Yes, the software guides your through the setup step by step. Also, detailed and (imho) excellent manuals are provided.

For the 7D, your print the target, put it on a wall, light it, put the 7D on a tripod connected to your PC and follow the Target Setup instructions and then run the fully automatic test. First lens may take you 10-15 minutes, from then on it's less than 5 minutes per lens/focal length/distance.

Ah ok, that sounds pretty good

So for the 5D3, it's a similar affair but i have to enter in the microadjustment settings myself after it calculates it, is that right?

Another question, for my zooms (24-70, 70-200) does it have to to adjust for a variety of focal lengths? What are the steps needed to do this?

Also, i only have access to a laser printer, would that be ok for printing the test sheet?

Cheers, much appreciated for the help!

 

[snowweasel]

Totally agree with FoCal. It was fantastic on the 7D, and not much more difficult on the 5D III. I just upgraded from, I think, ver. 1.4 last weekend, but I haven't run any new tests to see the difference, but from everything I've heard, it's much better now than when I used it. I recently got my 70-200 2.8L II IS USM, and am looking forward to running it with both the bodies soon. I went ahead and got the pro version (as I recall, it wasn't much more than any of the physical lens testing ruler devices).

 

[kaihp]

Upgrading from the Plus to Pro version is just the cost difference, so starting at Plus and later upgrading is the same as buying the Pro from the start.

Yes, the software guides your through the setup step by step. Also, detailed and (imho) excellent manuals are provided.

For the 7D, your print the target, put it on a wall, light it, put the 7D on a tripod connected to your PC and follow the Target Setup instructions and then run the fully automatic test. First lens may take you 10-15 minutes, from then on it's less than 5 minutes per lens/focal length/distance.

Ah ok, that sounds pretty good

So for the 5D3, it's a similar affair but i have to enter in the microadjustment settings myself after it calculates it, is that right?

Another question, for my zooms (24-70, 70-200) does it have to to adjust for a variety of focal lengths? What are the steps needed to do this?

Also, i only have access to a laser printer, would that be ok for printing the test sheet?

Cheers, much appreciated for the help!

For the 5D3, FoCal will ask you to set the microadjustment amount to the value it needs, for each step (usually, it goes <existing value>, -20, -10, 0, +10, +20, and then a 3/2/1-value stepping depending on the fit quality. Maybe 15 datapoints in total.

For the 7D, you can only enter a single AFMA value, which is used for all focal lengths. For the 1Dx and the 5D3, there are two values: Wide and Tele. I usually do four tests: max Wide/ and max Tele (e.g. 24mm and 70mm on my 24-70mm Mk I) and two distances (2m and 5m to target). It all depends on how much effort you want to put into the calibration.

I used a laser printer for the target as well (I don't have easy access to an inkjet) and while I can see that the glare/reflection causes some loss of accuracy, you should be OK.

I like the Pro features and since it was just £30 more than the Plus (£70 vs £40 for the Plus), I went for it. Again, you can start with the Plus for £40 and if you regret not getting the Pro then just pay the £30 to get the extra features.

Cheers!

 

[Dylan777]

Hi guys,
I'm thinking about Reikan FocCal Pro, do they provide setup distance for each lens?

Thanks

 

[bkorcel]

For longer lenses I printed the target on A2 paper and just made the target size measurement adjustment under settings. I've found it also helpful to print the target on a full page Avery address label. I then stick that onto a black foam board. Keeps the target flat and stable. Easy to affix to a fence, wall, tree or train trestle (without the train going by).

Upgrading from the Plus to Pro version is just the cost difference, so starting at Plus and later upgrading is the same as buying the Pro from the start.

Yes, the software guides your through the setup step by step. Also, detailed and (imho) excellent manuals are provided.

For the 7D, your print the target, put it on a wall, light it, put the 7D on a tripod connected to your PC and follow the Target Setup instructions and then run the fully automatic test. First lens may take you 10-15 minutes, from then on it's less than 5 minutes per lens/focal length/distance.

Ah ok, that sounds pretty good

So for the 5D3, it's a similar affair but i have to enter in the microadjustment settings myself after it calculates it, is that right?

Another question, for my zooms (24-70, 70-200) does it have to to adjust for a variety of focal lengths? What are the steps needed to do this?

Also, i only have access to a laser printer, would that be ok for printing the test sheet?

Cheers, much appreciated for the help!

For the 5D3, FoCal will ask you to set the microadjustment amount to the value it needs, for each step (usually, it goes <existing value>, -20, -10, 0, +10, +20, and then a 3/2/1-value stepping depending on the fit quality. Maybe 15 datapoints in total.

For the 7D, you can only enter a single AFMA value, which is used for all focal lengths. For the 1Dx and the 5D3, there are two values: Wide and Tele. I usually do four tests: max Wide/ and max Tele (e.g. 24mm and 70mm on my 24-70mm Mk I) and two distances (2m and 5m to target). It all depends on how much effort you want to put into the calibration.

I used a laser printer for the target as well (I don't have easy access to an inkjet) and while I can see that the glare/reflection causes some loss of accuracy, you should be OK.

I like the Pro features and since it was just £30 more than the Plus (£70 vs £40 for the Plus), I went for it. Again, you can start with the Plus for £40 and if you regret not getting the Pro then just pay the £30 to get the extra features.

Cheers!

 

[Loswr]

I'm thinking about Reikan FocCal Pro, do they provide setup distance for each lens?

You choose the distance. Canon recommends 50x the focal length, LensAlign recommends 25x the focal length (i.e. about 16' and 8' for every 100mm of focal length, respectively).

Personally, I test all lenses at both 25x and 50x the focal length (and multiple focal lengths for zooms, wide, tele and 1-3 in between), then look at the overall results to decide the AFMA value(s). It's going to be a compromise, more data drives a better decision. I take into account the subject distances with the lens (close for the 85L, far for the 100-400, etc.), the usual DoF (weight close distance more with wide lenses). It means lots of testing, which is why the automation is great.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I'm thinking about Reikan FocCal Pro, do they provide setup distance for each lens?

You choose the distance. Canon recommends 50x the focal length, LensAlign recommends 25x the focal length (i.e. about 16' and 8' for every 100mm of focal length, respectively).

Personally, I test all lenses at both 25x and 50x the focal length (and multiple focal lengths for zooms, wide, tele and 1-3 in between), then look at the overall results to decide the AFMA value(s). It's going to be a compromise, more data drives a better decision. I take into account the subject distances with the lens (close for the 85L, far for the 100-400, etc.), the usual DoF (weight close distance more with wide lenses). It means lots of testing, which is why the automation is great.

For fast lenses, f 1.8 and faster, I tend to prefer the 25X distance, but for telephotos that are used mostly on far away objects, I use 50X if I can.
My Canon 100mm L is a puzzle. A totally different AFMA at close distances of a couple feet or less than at normal 7-20 ft distances.

 

[Studio1930]

I'm thinking about Reikan FocCal Pro, do they provide setup distance for each lens?

It means lots of testing, which is why the automation is great.

Which is why I am not happy that Canon took out the ability to change the AFMA via the SKDs meaning that programmers can't automate the 1DX and 5D3.

 

[Loswr]

Which is why I am not happy that Canon took out the ability to change the AFMA via the SKDs meaning that programmers can't automate the 1DX and 5D3.

Ditto. Honestly, I haven't tried the MSC mode - I did almost all my lenses before the 1D X was supported, only have the 70-200 II plus 1.4xIII and 2xII left. I found that it was pretty easy to use the manual mode - I took two shots each from -20 to -12 and +12 to +20 in 2-unit steps (misfocused in both directions), and 3 shots each from -10 to +10 (misfocused in both directions, third shot without moving the focus ring). Sounds like a lot, but it actually only took ~10 minutes per set to capture the images. Then I ran them through the Manual Mode in FoCal Pro.