-=5D2 owners unite! Discuss and Post Photos! (Round 4)

Regards my newly aquired 5D Mk2 body, can anyone guide me through 'micro adjusting' Canon lenses please, I'm really not sure how to do this....(?)
I watched a short video on youtube and still couldn't understand it.

I'd need an idiots guide please, step by step advice would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks!
Peter

Amazing work everyone. Who needs a 5D3 eh?

Macvisual, are you having focussing issues on a specific lens?

Yes xpFloyd;

With these Canon lenses on my 5D/2 body;

EF 50mm f/1.8 MkII - EF 17-40mm f/4 L - EF 24-105mm f/4 L


I've recently switched from a 5D Mk1 body and had no focus issues, but seems using these lenses above I really find it hard to focus now, especially if I attach a Canon EF 12mm extension ring, weird....!

Regards;
Peter

Normally the micro adjust is used to sort problems with focus that are noticed when using fast lenses wide open as the narrow DOF highlights the issue. If you are getting AF issues at 17mm f/4 you may have other issues with the body. Check your lenses without the 12mm extension ring first to rule out any issues with the lens.

Below is a cut and paste of the dot tune method I used to sort my sigma 35. Ignore the fact I done 4 different distances. You should do it once at 50x focal length. I've found dot tune to be most accurate free method of MA. The magic lantern dot tune is even more accurate as its all automated.

Quote-

Ive had a couple of PM's about this too so heres a quick "how-to" for installing magic lantern + nightly build + carrying out the automated dottune to get the 4 values required from the dock (Its how I done it anyway and it seems to have worked)

1 - Get a good target - I downloaded this one here - http://chriscontiphoto​graphy.com/stu...test_​chart.jpg . I then printed it A3 and laminated it in work (laminating not required)

2 - Ensure your camera has the latest Canon firmware installed - These can be found on the canon website with instructions of how to update (very easy)

3 - Download magic lantern 2.3 from here - http://www.magiclanter​n.fm/download

4 - Install magic lantern onto your camera by following the installation instructions that are contained within the zip file.

Basically though you format your CF card in camera. Remove it and connect it to your PC. Copy the entire contents of the zip file onto the card. Put the card back in the camera. Power up the camera and run the firmware update process and follow the on screen instructions. Re-boot the camera and check that magic lantern installed correctly (user manual also contained in the zip)

5 - Download the latest magic lantern nightly build from here - http://nanomad.magicla​ntern.fm/nightly/

6 - To install the nightly build, remove the CF card from the camera and connect to PC. Copy the autoexec.bin file from the nightly build zip file on to the card (overwrite the one thats there). Put CF card back in camera and switch on. Dottune will now be an option in the magic lantern menus.

7 - Set up camera on tripod 0.3m away from wall (there is a mark on the body showing where to measure from). Make sure there is good light (outside is better). Make sure camera is level (I use a cheap hotshoe bubble). Make sure camera is square to the wall (I measure the distance from the wall to each side of the lens).

8 - Stick target onto wall making sure that centre of target is centred on your centre focus point.

9 - Switch to live view 10x and focus the target either manually or automatically. When in perfect focus switch the lens to manual focus taking care not to turn the focus ring.

10 - Go into the magic lantern menu and select dottune and click OK. Dottune will now be carried out without you having to do anything. At the end it will tell you the MA value. Write this down.

11 - Reset everything at the next distance from the wall. Reset the MA value in camera back to 0 and repeat the dottune process. Do this for each of the 4 distances (For infinity I focussed on a building away in the distance that had good contrasting lines)

12 - Now that you have your 4 dottune values load the lens up in the dock and enter them in.

13 - Set the MA in camera to 0. Your lens should now focus correctly. As a check I set up on a tripod again at a random distance and carried out dottune again and it came out 0 (which it should).

You can then uninstall magic lantern if you wish. Instructions of how to uninstall are in the magic lantern guidance documents contained in the zip file. If you want to revert back to magic lantern 2.3 (the current stable version without dottune) just copy the original autoexec.bin file onto the CF card again. If not you can revert back to the standard canon firmware.


Disclaimer - Magic lantern clearly states in their own disclaimer that it can damage your camera functionality if you do not install/uninstall it correctly. Be sure to read the instrucitons carefully and make your own decision. I dont want to be held responsible for you breaking your camera following these instructions. That said it has worked a charm on my camera.

I had never used magic lantern before. It took about 5 minutes to install then the whole dottune process took 10 mins.

My 5D MK II has firmware 2.0.8 see the currant version is 2.1.2 seems I need and update or do I? What are you all running?

photography By Evangelos wrote in post #16233478
My 5D MK II has firmware 2.0.8 see the currant version is 2.1.2 seems I need and update or do I? What are you all running?

The changes from revision to revision can be found on the canon site I believe. Some of them can be for things like large CF card compatibility etc. you may find that if you update to 2.1.2 that you don't notice any difference in functionality. You need 2.1.2 for magic lantern however.

xpfloyd wrote in post #16233486
The changes from revision to revision can be found on the canon site I believe. Some of them can be for things like large CF card compatibility etc. you may find that if you update to 2.1.2 that you don't notice any difference in functionality. You need 2.1.2 for magic lantern however.

Thanks for the info so I can just install it then, no issues I hope I usually update regularly but I got this camera used.

I just updated from 208 to 212 myself when I done the above method. Was straight forward, all instructions were on screen.

Are any of you guys going to try the magic lantern with the expanded dynamic range when it's released? Very interesting what they are doing. I don't know a lot about it though, tradeoffs, etc.

Jordan I've used the magic lantern auto bracketing which is pretty good. You take your EV 0 shot then it takes as many other shots as required to capture the entire dynamic range. I used to do HDR with -2, 0, +2 but I'm realising now that wasnt enough. The ML automated way usually takes between 8 and 10 shots giving more pleasing HDR. It makes it easier to make it not look like its been HDR'd.

Not sure if that's what you are referring to though? I can't remember if I have it due to the nightly build or if its in the proper release