Microadjusting zoom lenses

Is there any point microadjusting zoom lenses, given their performance varies depending at which end of the zoom you are working?

I ask this as I've been experimenting with my 24-105L on my 5DMKII...and it appears to me I see a marked improvement at the 105 end when I shift the adjustment to around +15...but the improvement is negligable when I start to work between 40-80mm focal lengths.

Frankly, I don't think I can be bothered dialling in +15 of microadjust every time I want to work at the lens's longest focal length.

My feeling is this feature (microadjust) offers more for those working with primes.

Well sometimes for zooms, people microadjust to benefit the focal length they shoot with more.

How about in the middle of the range, say 50mm? Another strategy is to MA at the focal length you use the most, or is most important to you.
If none of these approaches satisfy you can send the lens back in, but unless it is off at the desired zoom position, there is no guarantee it will be better.
Mike K

I think its just a zoom thing, they are shaper at one end or the other.

malla1962 wrote in post #10935547
I think its just a zoom thing, they are shaper at one end or the other.

Yes...but as per the original post...is there any point microadjusting for this discrepancy?

malla1962 wrote in post #10935547
I think its just a zoom thing, they are shaper at one end or the other.

Sharpness is a different thing to being out of focus.

I agree a lens can be sharp at one end or a bit soft at the other, but not focusing where it should is a seperate issue. At least if it focuses properly it will be at it's best.

Personally I don't have any zooms with real problems, but my 24-105 was slightly out and was noticeable at the long end, this was calibrated at the long end (105mm) and it made a world of difference without appearing to affect the wide end. At the wide end it's not so noticeable anyway.

MatthewW - I'd send it in for calibration personally +15 is quite a way off and Canon can calibrate at about 6(?) different focal lengths I believe.

I have found MA to be a pretty useless feature for two reasons.

There is no 'right' setting for a zoom. A little + setting seemed to make my 70-200 sharper at 200mm, but at the same time it got worse at 70mm. This result has proven typical for my zooms.

Even if you have primes, it seems that the 'right' MA setting is not the same with varying subject distance.

I use nine Canon lenses on a 1D Mark IV with MA and on a 5D which lacks the feature. Lack of MA is not a problem on the 5D.