Micro Adjust Question

A quick question on micro adjusting a lens - if I were to micro adjust for one lens will it affect all ?

Or is this something that you need to change when using different lenses ?

Thanks in advance.

The Canon has a menu choice when doing the adjustments to allow the setting to be lens-specific, so the camera senses which lens is installed, and applies the correction you have determined for that lens. Not sure of the specifics without the camera in front of me, but check the manual.

Phototeacher wrote in post #15524046
The Canon has a menu choice when doing the adjustments to allow the setting to be lens-specific, so the camera senses which lens is installed, and applies the correction you have determined for that lens. Not sure of the specifics without the camera in front of me, but check the manual.

Thank You very much !

Depends on the camera...

All cameras with MA have choice of applying a single amount of adjustment to all lenses fitted to the camera (might be useful if the camera is out of calibration equally with all lenses and you aren't near a repair facility)...

Or, assuming your 1D3 is what you want to adjust, it's possible to do individual fine-tuning adjustments on up to 20 different lenses. This is based upon the lens model (so, for example, if you adjust one EF 50mm f1.4 lens, that adjustment will be applied to any EF 50/1.4 that's used on the camera). Most people don't have multiple copies of a particular lens model, so this isn't a problem and allows fine-tuning for each lens in their kits. You also might need to work out an average with a zoom lens, testing it at various focal length settings, since only one adjustment can be applied.

Some of the newer models have a bit more sophisticated MA system. It now can accomodate up to 40 lenses and is lens serial number based (so, for example, different adjustment would be applied to different EF 50/1.4 lenses). It also now allows two adjustments with a zoom lens... one at each extreme of the focal length settings.

Edit: MA is done with Custom Function III-7 on the 1D3... Definitely consult your manual and follow the instructions carefully. There's also a separate AF and Custom Function guide PDF for the 1D3 with some info. Probably some tutorials online, too. If you have trouble doing MA manually, you might check and see if Reikan FoCal software can be used with 1D3.

amfoto1 wrote in post #15524079
Depends on the camera...

All cameras with MA have choice of applying a single amount of adjustment to all lenses fitted to the camera (might be useful if the camera is out of calibration equally with all lenses and you aren't near a repair facility)...

Or, assuming your 1D3 is what you want to adjust, it's possible to do individual fine-tuning adjustments on up to 20 different lenses. This is based upon the lens model (so, for example, if you adjust one EF 50mm f1.4 lens, that adjustment will be applied to any EF 50/1.4 that's used on the camera). Most people don't have multiple copies of a particular lens model, so this isn't a problem and allows fine-tuning for each lens in their kits. You also might need to work out an average with a zoom lens, testing it at various focal length settings, since only one adjustment can be applied.

Some of the newer models have a bit more sophisticated MA system. It now can accomodate up to 40 lenses and is lens serial number based (so, for example, different adjustment would be applied to different EF 50/1.4 lenses). It also now allows two adjustments with a zoom lens... one at each extreme of the focal length settings.

Edit: MA is done with Custom Function III-7 on the 1D3... Definitely consult your manual and follow the instructions carefully. There's also a separate AF and Custom Function guide PDF for the 1D3 with some info. Probably some tutorials online, too. If you have trouble doing MA manually, you might check and see if Reikan FoCal software can be used with 1D3.

Very informative, yes I am doing this with my 1DmkIII and I'd like to fine tune my Sigma 50.

So is there a quick and easy way to tell if a lens needs some micro adjust ?

I've read a few articles and they seem very drawn out...

alexxn wrote in post #15525164
So is there a quick and easy way to tell if a lens needs some micro adjust ?

With camera on tripod - the simplest - place markers on a ruler -
cut sticky sections of post it notes - make them rap around the ruler.
Different colors would not hurt.

6 narrow markers placed in center of ruler at 1/2" - 1" marks.
Shoot a few at center marker.
Shoot a few at far & close markers.

Use white background to lay ruler on. Or tape it to the wall.
Position lens at different distance from end of ruler - 3' - 5' - 7' etc - well lit room.
Set in manual focus.
Perhaps a near wide open F-Stop.

Inspect images - and make notes - if focus is sharp where pointed - good to go.

I pretty much have to do the same process now - to make sure.

alexxn wrote in post #15525164
So is there a quick and easy way to tell if a lens needs some micro adjust ?

Camera on tripod facing a well-lit, high-contrast, flat target - parallel to the sensor plane (wall, newspaper taped to wall, focus test chart). Take one shot using normal AF then switch to live-view, ensure the focus mode is Live Mode (not quick Mode) and take the same shot.

If AF is working OK both should be equally sharp. If the LV shot is sharper then you may benefit from MA. If the LV shot is less sharp then you've done something wrong.

What I use...

alexxn wrote in post #15525164
So is there a quick and easy way to tell if a lens needs some micro adjust ?

I've read a few articles and they seem very drawn out...

Mimic this...something PLANAR to focus on, with no ambiguity to the AF mechanism about what exactly to focus on or where exactly on a curve to focus!

All great ideas, I'm imagining that lining up batteries at an angle is sufficient as well ?

alexxn wrote in post #15527691
All great ideas, I'm imagining that lining up batteries at an angle is sufficient as well ?

No, PLANAR (flat)

How are batteries lined up (similiar to the VHS tapes are set up in your photo) not correct ?

alexxn wrote in post #15527949
How are batteries lined up (similiar to the VHS tapes are set up in your photo) not correct ?

With any curved surface, how is the AF sensor supposed to simply 'know' that you want the front surface of the curve or 30 degrees along the curve or the edge of the battery (as seen in a 'projected' view)? Focus on A or B or C Not FLAT, unambiguous target!!!

That is a pretty exaggerated example, unless you were using a round car battery.

Doing a battery test will invariably cause the entire battery to fill up a single AF point, and granted there might be a single AF motor step one position or another due to what part of the label caught the AF's "attention", but it would still yield that battery in focus. It should get you pretty close anyways.