LensAlign (auto microadjusting tool)

[datadump]

anyone catch this posting?
http://www.rawworkflow.com/lensalign/

interesting.............

"LensAlign is the only solution that allows fast, accurate, and repeatable results that confirm and/or calibratethe auto-focus of all of your lens/body combinations"

PRESS RELEASE: http://whibalhost.com/la/pressroom/

[Ultimate CC]

wonder how much its going to cost?

[med007]

anyone catch this posting?
http://www.rawworkflow.com/lensalign/

interesting.............

"LensAlign is the only solution that allows fast, accurate, and repeatable results that confirm and/or calibrate the auto-focus of all of your lens/body combinations"It will be announced tomorrow. Essentially it is a device for accurately and unequivocally checking whether or not your lens back or front focuses and by how much so you can either not buy it, return it, send it to the service center or do the micro-adjustment in cameras with that capability. So fro the latter it would be the Pentax K20D, the latest Nikons and Canons and the new Sony full frame DSLR.

It's not software, it just uses the software and/ firmware supplied with the camera.

There's several movies that explain everything! What's in the move is beyond what I can even disclose until the NDA is lifted. However the movies will be much more helpful. The password and link is on the OPF thread.

Asher Kelman

Journeys to the Masterpiece (http://opfora.com)

[datadump]

tell Michael tapes that he did a nice "build up" of the product haha. the anticipation.. the yearning... ahhhh

[datadump]

its available now. reading...........

[marcm]

I am interested to see if 50D owners are planning to purchase this new product from rawworkflow.com:

LensAlign (http://www.rawworkflow.com/blog/2008/12/12/lensalign-launched.html)

I performed a micro adjustment on my lenses using the process found here:
http://blog.willshootphotography.com/2008/10/canon-50d-af-mi.html

It seemed to work pretty well, but was wondering if the LensAlign might work better.

Thanks for any insight.

[thegary]

Great product....canon should start offering these with there cameras...

http://www.rawworkflow.com/lensalign

thegary

[tekkie]

had me interested until I saw the $80 price tag, I wonder how this compares to the free sheet you can print out

[maxblack]

$80 for the light version, $140 for the pro version. Is kinda steep.

[datadump]

no one really knows.. it was JUST made public today

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=607762&highlight=lensalign

[datadump]

just saw the first few reviews of it

http://www.imaging-resource.com/ACCS/LA/LA.HTM
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/accessories/lensalign.shtml

with all the "is my lens front focusing????" posts in this forum, i'm surprised there isnt much interest in this post hehe

i for one, am excited.

[joepineapple]

Someone else will develop a DYI knockoff, give them a few weeks. This guy is charging a lot of money, no?

[datadump]

$80-140 is in absolute terms, expensive indeed. cant argue that.
(but relative to all your L's... is it ?)

[tekkie]

Someone else will develop a DYI knockoff, give them a few weeks. This guy is charging a lot of money, no?

agreed, 40 bucks I would buy one maybe but for 80 bucks I don't see it happening

[Pinto]

Those "reviews" look a lot like endorsements to me. And the pricing? Good luck.

[datadump]

i guess ppl cant get over the price (yes its expensive). but aside from price, looks like a handy tool. and i'm sure it will invoke more DIY projects.

i'll probably buy one eventually though.

[JWright]

wonder how much its going to cost?

Way too much...

[JWright]

Way too expensive...

[segal3]

POTW group buy? :)

The problem with this product is, unlike color calibration tools, it only needs to be used once with all your lenses/combinations to set the microadjustments. After that, sell or pass it along.

So, a group would buy one. 10 people @ $15 or 20 people @ $8, plus whatever shipping costs to send to the next person. I would think one of the lens rental places would find this one of their popular items, and quickly make back the buying cost...

[joepineapple]

POTW group buy? :)

The problem with this product is, unlike color calibration tools, it only needs to be used once with all your lenses/combinations to set the microadjustments. After that, sell or pass it along.

So, a group would buy one. 10 people @ $15 or 20 people @ $8, plus whatever shipping costs to send to the next person. I would think one of the lens rental places would find this one of their popular items, and quickly make back the buying cost...

I like that idea. So you really only have to use it once or very seldom? Maybe that's why the inventor is charging a lot of money for the device because he's banking on the "group buy" mentality. On that note, I don't really know what causes a lens to back/front focus. Normal wear and tear? Bumping and getting knocked around a camera bag? I've been experimenting with the microadjustment feature but it's really hard to see any difference on the lcd screen. I know I should be looking at the images through a computer, but when there's a lull, I like to play around to see if there's a difference.

[winky]

http://www.rawworkflow.com/lensalign/

[NeoTokyo]

First time I saw it; thanks for the post! :)
TeamSpeed thanks for posting the other thread too.

Thats a very interesting find! The price is a little high but if its better than those printed sheets then it might be worth it to some photogs.

-Eric-

[elitejp]

Atuallyit looks easy enough to just makeone yourself. That wouldbe my first choice. Worse case scenario if your doesnt work you could buy one

[tdodd]

Make your own : http://focustestchart.com/focus12.pdf

It has all the same fundamental elements in the design, although implemented slightly differently, but equally effective, as far as I can tell by looking at the design spec.

It's probably also worth pointing out that lens calibration should not necessarily be performed at or near MFD, but at a more representative subject distance. In the absence of any consistent shooting distance, calibration should typically be performed at around 40X to 50X the focal length of the lens. e.g. a 100mm lens should be AF calibrated at a distance of 50 X 100mm = 5m, a 200mm lens at 10m and a 400mm lens at 20m. This will accomplish two things.....

1. It will retain the focus target at a constant size within the frame and as presented to the focus sensors, regardless of lens focal length;

2. It will simulate use of the lens at an approximately typical subject distance, on the simple basis that a longer lens is used for subjects which are further away (sweeping statement but reasonable in the absence of any specific contradictory information). Of course, macro lenses and ultra wides are likely to break that trend but in a loose sense the argument holds good from perhaps 50mm and longer.

I have read somewhere that Canon will calibrate lenses at 50X focal length and Sony at 40X or 50X (I can't remember which for Sony but it is one of those figures). The issue with the 50X goal is that a focus target such as this, printed on A4, will probably not be large enough to be effective in isolating the focus target itself from the rest of the calibration sheet. But I'm sure that's no different to the limitations with the LensAlign product.

[clipper_from_oz]

Just bought one and will post up how it goes when I get it

[mickeyjuice]

Make your own : http://focustestchart.com/focus12.pdf

It has all the same fundamental elements in the design,

No, it quite clearly doesn't.

[tdodd]

No, it quite clearly doesn't.

So what's it missing? It has a focus target that is designed to be square on to the camera (or parallel to the sensor if you prefer to think of it in those terms), a system to ensure accurate alignment so that the target is indeed square (that's the element that's missing from most focus target designs) and, of course, the angled graduated scale.

The difference is that LenAlign (Pro) requires you to line up a target at the rear through a hole in the focus target itself, whereas the DIY solution requires you to line up some black marks at the edges of the target with corresponding marks on the paper behind the target. In my book that's an equivalent function, both relying on parallax for alignment, with a slightly different implementation, but no less effective.

I'm not seeing where the extra benefit comes from spending $140 on LensAlign. Clearly I'm the one in error so please help me out.

p.s. If you're calibrating a lens at a distance of, say, 5m just how much of an issue is it if the focus target is off by a couple of degrees? When AF accuracy is only designed to be within 1/3 DOF at best, with an f/2.8 lens or faster, does it matter hugely if the focus target is not absolutely perfectly square? For a 100mm f/2.8 lens at 5m on a 5D the DOF is +/- 20cm and 1/3 DOF is +/-7cm. I don't think that even a badly skewed target is going to be so shockingly bad as to be unuseable for calibration. If it's out by a mm or two I hardly think it's the end of the world. The error margin for the target will be vastly less than the error margin for the AF system itself. Then there's the small matter of zoom lenses and different focal lengths and subject distances to contend with. Again I'd suggest that if the focus target was not absolutely square on then the error will be trivial relative to the larger errors that might manifest themselves in the field.

[chauncey]

When you guys post your results, make sure you do it for various distances.

Getting it spot one for 10 yards doesn't mean it will be spot on for 3 yards and/or for 50 yards.
My Ds3/300 f/2.8 will vary 10 microadjustment clicks over that range, but the service center in NJ still says that's within spec's. :lol:

BTW, using a ruler or a yardstick is a lot cheaper.

[pknight]

A couple of the posts in this thread look like shills to me.

[tdodd]

This description by Canon's own Chuck Westfall of how to approach calibration of the 1D3 may be helpful. Note the reference to 50X focal length as a minimum distance to the target....

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=30317729

This post may also be helpful, especially where people have zooms and use them at differing focal lengths and subject distances, in explaining the difficulties of calibrating such lenses to cover all use cases....

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1019&message=30266258

[TroPhoto]

Agree that it is a cool device but is pricey. When my 50D comes in I think I am going to try and make one? Have a few prototype ideas bouncing around in my head. If successful I will surely post. If not Ill be 140 lighter in the wallet.

[paavor]

I hate you guys. :rolleyes:

Because of this and all similar threads ("is my lens soft/oof") I started to doubt my lenses and I spent nearly three hours shooting all kinds of charts. And the result was: Do nothing. Do not micro-adjust. Be happy.

"My head feels kind of soft and blurry right now - how do I microadjust it?" :lol:

[bluefox9er]

will this device make my images shot 24-70 f.28 L sharp at f2.8? :-( or was i duped by canon into buying an expensive lens supposedly good for low lighting only to be told it performs better at the utterly useless for low lighting f5.6 and smaller?? :-(

[DigitalSpecialist]

Just proves that anyone can copy an idea and put a price tag on it!!!

Like many of you, I will just print the calibration sheet that is found in other links and make my own adjustments.

[donaldjl]

But then you won't have the cool little plastic base... ;)

I get put off by hyperbole like, "LensAlign is the only solution..."

The only? Really? Srsly?

[garrykolb]

This looks awful tempting. Just got my 5DMkII. I'd really like to microadjust my 85mm F1.2L, since the DOF is so narrow as it is, being off by a little will show a lot.

[Pekka]

It's the same AF target configuration that Canon has used for years. There is a photo of Canon setup from 2003 in http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10526&highlight=10d+focus+target. I wonder how "LensAlign™ is a patent pending design. ", maybe the patent is for the plastic frame, not the idea itself?

[thebrewer]

In the past I have used a printed chart to align a lens with my 1d. pprice = $.05

I had a lens that was front focusing, in a pinch I used a brick wall approx 6 ft away. price - $0.00

Seems pricey for a ruler and a stand.

Perhaps the patent pending is for selling somethng really obvious to people with too much $$

Rich

[FreemanPhoto]

Some cardboard and plastic for THAT much? It is great technology, I give them that. But they have to realize the limit to the return they can expect. Especially since anyone can reproduce it on their own computer.

Hey all, why don't we start discussing that here! :)

BTW, I think I saw that guy in the video at a used car dealership last weekend. Yeah, yeah, I remember his blinding patterned polyester suit! ;)

[tekkie]

so did anyone actually buy one of these? I just watched the videos it looks pretty good, I agree its not ground breaking technology or anything but would be quick and easy to use

[blonde]

if anybody wants to do a group buy, i am in. i think that 4 people can easily pitch in each with $20 and then just calibrate their lenses and send it to the next person in line.

[clipper_from_oz]

so did anyone actually buy one of these? I just watched the videos it looks pretty good, I agree its not ground breaking technology or anything but would be quick and easy to use

Yes...I received mine yesterday. This is way easier to use as against the a4 sheet of markings. Reason being is that the lensalign has an alignment setup to get the angle exact. The flat sheet of paper on the table means you have to have a perfect 45degree? angle for the camera lens angle to paper which is hard to guage with the camera lens on a tripod. Unless you have an angle measurement device you never really know if you have it right or not. Thats why I kept getting different readings to the Canon jig at Canon Service as against the a4 paper markings I did at home... With the lensalign you can align by lining up back markerrs with front and then shoot. I checked my 24-70mm f2.8 and it was +10 out cosistantly over 7 of 7 checked shots

[clipper_from_oz]

Here is a pic of it . I lined up by centre and was too close to lensalign to be able to line up by outside markers also. at +10 on camera Im spot on according to the ruler. Was about 2 meters from marker. Maybe should go out another meter according to 50x rule?

[clipper_from_oz]

Pic Taken lining up the center alignment on lensalign. I was too close to get outer alignment marks but still about 1 1/2 - 2 meters away. Looks spot on at +10 on camera and on the ruler. As I was about 1 meter shorter than the 50x rule I might have another go and post results later if they differ

[ahopp]

I am in for a group buy...

[tdodd]

My version - 20p - no sharing required....

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_4_R8TkwT74w/SaJ-6cgpY1I/AAAAAAAA-mE/DB1BUFGwRGA/s800/MWSnap%202009-02-23%2C%2010_46_55.jpg

[Sauk]

so did anyone do a group buy? I would for sure be down for this! PM me if you are still interested

[stargazer77517]

Received mine to other day. Works good for primes and short zooms, but not so good for longer zooms (150-500mm) Using the 50x rule, Id have to be 82.5 ft away.

[tdodd]

Received mine to other day. Works good for primes and short zooms, but not so good for longer zooms (150-500mm) Using the 50x rule, Id have to be 82.5 ft away.
But if you follow the 50X rule that would be true for any focus calibration target.

It's worth pointing out that by maintaining a constant ratio between focal length and target distance the target will always appear the same size in the viewfinder and will always cover the same focus point(s) in the same way. If you want to be "lazy" and just shoot everything at 5m or something like that then each time you pick a different focal length your traget size will vary within the viewfinder. With a wide angle lens that might mean the focus point can see things other than the intended subject. With a superzoom at 5m you may not even see the angled scale at all. Whatever the reasons for the 50X rule, there is at least some logical argument to adhere to it.

In very general terms, ignoring landscapes and macro stuff as special cases, it would seem usual to use longer focal lengths to shoot subjects at greater distances. Wide angles are for shooting close up in confined spaces, while telephoto lenses are (generally) used for shooting things at great distances, like field sports or wildlife. Thus the 50X rule seems to have another argument to support it.

Of course, every rule has exceptions, and using a 10mm lens for a landscape would not be unusual, any more than using a 200mm lens for a headshot, or a 100mm lens for macro, but the 50X guideline (in general) makes sense. If your own shooting habits tend to fall into some unusual niche, like always using a 500mm lens to shoot birds at a feeder, 5m away, then you may as well calibrate your lens at 5m rather than 25m. The 50X thing is a recommendation. There's nothing to stop you choosing whatever distance suits you best.

[Nathan]

Lensrental.com has this listed for rent... I think $15 to rent... perhaps worth the rent?

[Sauk]

Lensrental.com has this listed for rent... I think $15 to rent... perhaps worth the rent?


ouch shipping costs 31 dollars! damn Might as well purchase the lite version for that much

[Nathan]

nevermind... i didn't look that closely. i'd be in for a group buy

[Sauk]

I would to for sure....

[x-evil-x]

i want it