Budnjax Loc: NE Florida

I saw this mentioned on another discussion site and wonder if any Hogs have tried it, and if so, which version do you use and your comments on it.

http://www.reikan.co.uk/

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I use it on every lens I own and have found it extremely accurate and useful. A recent example is a 50mm f2.5 macro that I purchased that required -16 MAF calibration. Without the accurate calibration provided by FoCal, I would have returned the lens because the AF would have been essentially useless, while after calibration, the AF was tack-sharp. As I mentioned in a previous post, of my 7 Canon lenses ( including 5 L series ) all but one required substantial AF correction. If you 're investing thousands of $ in lenses and bodies, $60 (for the mid-grade version) is a very small % to insure that the AF is spot-on. I would recommend either the mid grade or the high-end edition, depending on what your budget allows. The mid-grade provides much more detailed reports than the entry-level for a few $ more, and the high-end version has many additional features. I purchased the mid-grade initially, but am going to upgrade to the high-end package shortly as the mid grade limits calibration to lenses no longer than 400 mm (although that may not be an issue for you).

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Let me ask you does the program make the changes or do you make the changes in the camera. and are the changes just made the in camera micro adj. Or if you can just explain how its done to the camera?

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Very interested as I keep having the nagging thought that my photos are not as sharp as I feel they can be.

Thanks for this post.

Sarge69

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

The process is:
1) you purchase, download and install the SW on your computer. You then print the target (with the best quality printer and paper you have available)
2) you attach the camera to a tripod, mount the target on a vertical surface, illuminate it evenly and attach your camera to your computer via USB. The distance to the target depends on the focal length of the lens and is specified in the instructions.
3) you initiate the aiming program, and once correctly aimed at the target, you start the calibration routine.
4) Depending on the camera (there's a list in the instructions) the adjustments are either made completely automatically or semi-automatically (you are prompted to change the MAF setting on your camera in steps by both on-screen and audio prompts)
5) after each adjustment, the SW defocuses the lens, refocuses several times, and plots a point on the graph, which displays IQ vs MAF correction.
6) the SW does a curve-fit to the available points, refining the curve as more points are added. When the curve is complete, the best IQ and the associated MAF correction is shown and set on the camera. If the camera supports completely automatic setting, then the entire hands-off procedure takes minutes. If the camera only supports only semi-automatic operation, then you will need to change the MAF about half-a-dozen times and the procedure takes about 5 minutes. At the end you get both an IQ vs MAF curve and a before-and-after picture of the target (and the difference can be quite dramatic).

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Thank you for the input which takes place in a camera much appreciated.

sarge69 Loc: Ft Myers, FL

Just did some checking and it works at this time with my D7000.

Also the PRO version is 69.95 Euros if ordered from the FoCal Site in UK. This translated to $100.04 for pound sterling conversion.

Also the PRO version is $134.88 if ordered from B&H Photo in US.

Wish it was Euros because then it would be $78.88

Oh well. I think I'll order the PRO version at 69.95 Pounds Sterling.

Happy Fathers Day to me

Sarge69

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

You're welcome. Take a look at page 2 of this thread - there's a screen shot of a typical lens calibration showing tHe curve and SW interface (for some reason, I can't paste it into this response).
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-386053-1.html

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

I'm firmly in favor of buying yourself a Father's Day present (that way you get what you want). I ordered myself a set of Kenko extenders 😀

rpavich Loc: West Virginia

Love it. (when I had digital cameras) and used in on all of my cameras and lenses. The developer is also very helpful too.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

So you've gone back to film 100% no more digital?

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

If one orders this software package, can a longer than standard usb cord be used to connect camera and computer with no degradation of the test results? I have no table I can set close enough to the tripod to connect them at the length of the USB cord for my camera. I have a 3 meter extension cord originally used to connect my laptop and printer when I carried them both in my semi.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

For a passive USB cable, the max length is 5 meters (16'-5"). If you need to go longer than that, there are active cables available. You could use the 3m extension cable as long as the other cable doesn't exceed 2 meters (Max). The limit is pretty strict - you can get some very flakey results if you exceed it by much or if you use more than 2 cables to construct the 5 meters (reflections from the impedance mismatch from multiple connectors in the line can also cause flakey operation).