DIY on-camera focus micro-adjustment or calibration at Canon Service Centre (1 Viewer)

[mikenott]

On-camera focus micro-adjustment or calibration at Canon Service Centre

I posted this question deep, deep down in a thread on delays in the 500/600 lenses but I think it may be of more general interest so started it as a new thread. I have a particular interest as I think my new 600/1dIV combination needs some fine tuning on focus.

The question is which is the "better" option (and why) to calibrate your camera/lens combination:

1. on-camera micro focus adjustment (prone to errors, but free)
2. Canon Service Centre calibration service (expensive, but is it worth it?)

To be honest, I do not know how the Canon Service Centre "calibrate" focus and whether they adjust the body and/or lens. It was inferred to me in a call to a CSC that they tweak the lens, but how? If instead they only do a microadjustment in camera that is something I could do myself.

Anoter question is whether 1.4 and 2x extenders require a recalibration? If so, it is getting to be an expensive and/or time consuming process.

If anyone has any informationor experience I would be grateful to hear!

Michael.

 

[h14nha]

Micro adjust is the best option for the reasons you have already stated - cost. You can fine tune all your kit for free. You do require MA on teleconverters too so again, at no cost to yourself.
Canon will tune a lens if it falls outside its tolerances, as they will your camera. If you send them both in they will callibrate them together. Not sure about whether a TC will req work or not but I assume so at some point..........

 

[GYRob]

Hi Mike
i think that Canon calibration service is more for if MA is outside the ajustment in that case you would have to send it to them but if not just spend half an hour and do it yourself.
Yes it does need doing again if you add a tc but the camera remembers all this so you only do it once.
Rob.

 

[Hor Kee]

One advantage of Canon's calibration instead of your camera is that the lens should accept all and any camera body once calibrated. Should you use your camera body's calibration, the same body may have to be re-calibrated for other less problematic lenses.

 

[SJC]

I had a problem with a Canon 800 f5.6 front focusing on a 5D II. After micro-adjusting at a distance of around 8m I found the lens sharp at that distance but progressively softer at distances further and further away from the calibrated distance (8m). For example taking a shot at 30m away would give me a very soft image.

Therefore despite Canon's claim that micro-adjusting at a distance would solve the issue of front/back focus at any distance I do not think this is true. My sharpest lenses were the ones that needed no micro-adjusting.

From my experience I would imagine that if there is a way of Canon fixing soft/back focus issues without micro-adjustment it would be a better option.

 

[mikenott]

Rob (and others). Thanks for your replies.

I have just spent a couple of hours playing with MFA on a new 600 isii + 1DIV. What I found was that the 600 on its own needed negligible MFA. With a 1.4x III extender it needed +5 MFA and with a 2x III extender it needed +10. Thi was done using the EOS Utility "tethered method" which utilises live view to allow you to adjust MFA on screen and then input you "best" settings into the Canon menu system manually with the body automatically remembering teh lens/extender combination. Very good method - but if only it showed how much you had adjusted rather than having to count clicks it would be much better (i apprantly suffer from very, very short term memory loss/distraction ).

Tried it at two distances (about 10 metres onto a bank note and about 25 metres onto the small print on the back of a cereal box. Not much difference in settings, but the bank note was easier as it was inside the house and less prone to climatic changes on the cereal box being at the bottom of the garden,

No doubt more to play with, but I think I am beginning to get a handle on it. Will ring Canon to get some info on what their Canon Service Centres do, but you always have to go through their d**n so-called Canon Help Desk.

Michael.

Hi Mike
i think that Canon calibration service is more for if MA is outside the ajustment in that case you would have to send it to them but if not just spend half an hour and do it yourself.
Yes it does need doing again if you add a tc but the camera remembers all this so you only do it once.
Rob.

 

[GYRob]

Pleased your getting some results so it must be within the genral spec range .
Rob.

 

[seaspirit]

One advantage of Canon's calibration instead of your camera is that the lens should accept all and any camera body once calibrated. Should you use your camera body's calibration, the same body may have to be re-calibrated for other less problematic lenses.

Unless I misunderstood something in your post your statement is completely off.

- If you use microfocus adjustment in cameras that offer this feature the adjustment is only applied for the specific lens for which the adjustment was made (lens is ID by its chip). All other lenses are not affected by the adjustment, even the same lens with a TC is dealt with as a different lens. Each lens will have its own adjustment value saved in the camera and applied whenever it is attached. If there is not adjustment value stored in the camera for a lens no correction is applied. If you have two 500mm f4 in use, both will be recognized and have their individual adjustment values stored by the camera.

- Manufacturer recalibration of the lens can only fix an out of tolerance issue with the lens, however microadjustment on different bodies may still be required as there is a certain range in tolerance that is considered acceptable in bodies and lenses. Lets just assume -in arbitary units- 0 to be perfect and everything between -10 and +10 is considered within the norm.
In the worst case scenario these individual tolerances in bodies and lenses work against each other and error sums up (lens off +10 and body off +10 = total error +20), in the best scenario both are 0, and in a third they balance each other out (lens off +10 and body off -10 = 0 error) and nobody will ever know that both parts are borderline .

- Manufacturer recalibration of both lens and body, i.e. tuning the pair to work perfectly, can result in other lenses that worked fine before on the particular body to develop issues. So to be on the save side one will have to send in ALL the gear to make sure it will work perfectly, and with the next body upgrade one may have to do all this over again. That's were micro AF adjustment in the camera saves us from a lot of trouble.

So if microadjustment can solve front- or backfocus issues I use it, and so far it was always the case

Ulli

 

[mikenott]

I managed to speak to someone on the Canon CPS help desk who knew something about the Canon Service Centre focus "calibration". What he told me (hope I get it right!) is that they adjust the lens/camera to bring them back into manufacturers tolerances. It is mainly intended for used equipment where tolerances may have drifted away from the manufacturers limits through use/abuse. As my lens/body are virtually brand new, there should be little value in using the CRC calibration service.

He also pointed out that if there were focus issues with new kit, it should be sent back for a calibration check along with a CD with sample shots.

Michael.

 

[GYRob]

More or less what i thought Mike.
Rob.

 

[mikenott]

Has anyone tried this MFA software for birding? It has been discussed on various forums but interested in any experiebces from Bird Forum Members http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/af-info.html

Looks too good to be true. As my use is with fixed focal length lenses rather than zooms it seems very good.

Michael.

 

[mikenott]

Bit the bullet and bought the pro version - which tests, analyses, advises on the best MFA and then updates the camera body software for that body/lens/extender combo. Uses a target that you print out and then have to centre on the live screen image it shows within the PC software. Ran it on my laptop. Very simple to use. Fifty shutter clicks and five minutes later - a recommendation to adjust the bare lens by +3. Then -3 with the 1.4x and then >20 with th 2x (all MkII's) which explains why I am gettng frustrated with the performance of the 2x !D 2x combination. Will be contacting Canon tomorrow for a check/repair at the Canon Repair Centre - accompanied by a printed report showing the MFA at various settings and the associated "image quality".

Some of you may be able to do this stuff by eye, but I cannot. And being an engineer I am a sucker for some anlaytical evidence! It may have its flaws, but i must admit it has helped give me confidence in my lens + body and highlighted an issue with the 2x. I am very happy.

I have no asscoiation with FoCal either professionally, commecially or personally. Just thought it might be of interest.

Michael.