Micro Adjustments...

I have a question that I've searched and couldn't find a direct answer to:

Is Micro Adjustment meant to ONLY correct front and back focussing issues?

I ask this because if I have a lens that is not as crisp (not necessarily soft) when looking at photos SOOTC (or let's say that the lens is crisp), can you use Micro Adjustments to give you a better starting point (as far as sharpness) in post processing.

If anyone has some information that could help answer this question, please chime in. Hopefully this is not a "YES" or "NO" question and can spark a meaningful conversation.

-KRUSH

I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if you can use MA during your post processing to sharpen an image? You use it to fine tune a lens ( calibrate it to your body) so you can take sharper images.

To answere your question; MFA is only for front or back focusing. Of course if your lens is front or back focusing it will not be as sharp where you want it, but it will be sharp on some point of the photo.
The only thing that will help your sharpnes would be sharpning in post processing.

MA is only for front/back focusing. If you take a photo along a fence/wall at an angle you should be able to pick to plane of focus quite easily. If that sharpest spot is nice and sharp but your regular photos are soft then MA might be able to help you, but if that sharpest spot is still too soft for you then I'm afraid there is nothing MA can do to fix it.

Bradfordguy wrote in post #12705381
I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you asking if you can use MA during your post processing to sharpen an image? You use it to fine tune a lens ( calibrate it to your body) so you can take sharper images.

Let me see if I can clarify. I can almost see your confusion but not quite.

I was speaking in regards to the photo. Can MA give you a better starting point on your photo by having a "sharper" image straight from the camera even if your lens is not front or back focussing? I guess I was hoping and being a bit of an optimist by thinking that MA could possibly make your lens a tad bit sharper even if there are no focus issues.

Some others tend to think that MA is only used for focussing issues. I was hoping that this wasn't a "YES" or "NO" question.

KRUSH wrote in post #12705554
Some others tend to think that MA is only used for focussing issues. I was hoping that this wasn't a "YES" or "NO" question.

It IS only for focusing issues. A lens focuses on a specific distance and the MA adjustment moves that distance backward or forward from where you tell the camera to focus, to factor in for errors/margins.

You also must remember that every time you MA on a tele lens, you will loose sharpness throughout the focal range. Let's say, you MA your 70-200 on the 70 end, you will loose sharpness on the 200 end.

KRUSH wrote in post #12705554
Can MA give you a better starting point on your photo by having a "sharper" image straight from the camera even if your lens is not front or back focussing?

No.

KRUSH wrote in post #12705554
I was hoping that this wasn't a "YES" or "NO" question.

It is.

MFA won't fix a soft lens, it justs shifts focus 1/8th of the DOF for each adjustment value.

cassidyphuey wrote in post #12705780
You also must remember that every time you MA on a tele lens, you will loose sharpness throughout the focal range. Let's say, you MA your 70-200 on the 70 end, you will loose sharpness on the 200 end.

The way to do it is to MA at each extreme and split the difference.