Out of focus 60D

Lbsimon wrote in post #15949493
No, I have not sent the 60D. But the Tamron lens is perfect with the T2i.

Lbsimon wrote in post #15951479
Usually the front/back focus issue is associated with a lens, not with a camera, whereas I have this problem with every lens that I have. But I will give it a try. Thanks.

Some good reading for you here:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-myths
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-facts
http://www.lensrentals​.com …lens-and-camera-variation

Just because a lens performs well on one body doesn't mean some variation in adjustment isn't still present on the lens. Unfortunately, neither manufacturer will generally adjust third party equipment, so it's not usually as simple as "send them both in" when you run into this sort of situation.

You can always try to send the body in to Canon and see if they can do anything with it; but any results may be minimal. Can't really hurt, though.

Personally I'd send the camera to Canon. I don't think we should doubt OP's testing.

If ALL of his lenses appears to be sharp on another body but NONE on 60D, then it has to be a problem with the body.

Okay, here's the deal:

Live view is the litmus test of autofocus. You'll need a tripod to properly test your camera, so get one if you don't have one.

Put the camera on the tripod and set up your test target. Then autofocus using the center point.

Now switch into live view and go to maximum magnification. Examine the sharpness of the center area at maximum magnification.

Now it's time to see if the autofocus is failing to focus properly. If your lens has full time manual focus, just turn the focus ring until the image is as sharply focused as you can make it. If it doesn't have full time manual, then it'll have a switch to set the lens to manual focus mode. Put the lens in manual focus mode and then turn the focus ring until the image is as sharp as you can get it.

If the image is significantly sharper, then either your camera or your lens is miscalibrated.

To tell the difference between a miscalibrated lens and a miscalibrated camera, perform the same test with different lenses. If they're all off, then it's almost certainly the camera.


You can even figure out whether it's frontfocusing or backfocusing using this method. To do this, Perform the steps as before, but after autofocusing and, if necessary, putting the lens in manual focus mode, slowly turn the focus ring in the direction towards infinity (most lenses have a distance indicator to make it possible to know which direction to turn the ring). If the image gets sharper as you turn the ring, even if only briefly (meaning, it hits optimal focus and then gets worse), then your lens+camera combo is frontfocusing (meaning: it is actually putting focus in front of the target). If it just gets worse, it means your combo is backfocusing (meaning: it's putting focus behind the target).

If turning the focus ring towards infinity just makes things worse (thus supporting the hypothesis that it's backfocusing), then you can verify that it's backfocusing by performing the autofocus step again, and then turning the focus ring slowly away from infinity (the opposite direction of the direction you turned it previously). The image should get better and then worse. If the image also just gets worse (meaning the previous test indicated backfocusing, and this test indicates frontfocusing), then it means that the autofocus is actually getting you close to optimum focus.


If the fuzzy image shown previously is the best you can get even after manually focusing in live view, then it means that there's definitely a problem with the camera.

Does anyone remember a thread, perhaps in the last year, that explained how to adjust a non-MFA Canon body? I can't seem to find it but wonder if the OP might find the procedure useful. It involved as I recall turning a very small Allen or Torx screw in the lens box, maybe even behind the mirror.

Since posting comment immediately above I found this procedure on how to do-it-yourself adust the body focus. https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=345457. That dates from 2007 but has been revived as late as 2012 which is what I saw.

John from PA wrote in post #15952516
Does anyone remember a thread, perhaps in the last year, that explained how to adjust a non-MFA Canon body? I can't seem to find it but wonder if the OP might find the procedure useful. It involved as I recall turning a very small Allen or Torx screw in the lens box, maybe even behind the mirror.

Ι remember reading it and deciding that if I need it, it goes to Canon...

I believe it was less than a year ago, since I am a member of POTN for a year and a half only...

amfoto1 wrote in post #15951862
Not even close to true.... both lenses and cameras have AF adjustments and both can be calibrated. If every lens on a particular camera is showing the same type of fault and they are all fine on another camera, it's the first camera that's out of adjustment.

The 60D's images aren't as inhernetly "soft" as the 7D's (the latter has a strong anti-alias filter), but the 18MP cameras do produce a softer image than earlier crop sensor cameras (such as the 15MP T2i)... however not so bad as your example (more post processing sharpening is needed). From your examples and the info provided, I'm almost certain the camera's AF is out of calibration.

Do the test for back/front focusing, as previously suggested. Also delve into your picture style to be sure that in-camera sharpening isn't dialed all the way down. I'm betting you'll find that sharpening is set to the default and that there's significant back or front focusing, which means the camera needs to go in for service.

You are correct, sharpening is at default on both cameras, as well as all other settings. I made sure of that.

BTW, the T2i and the 60D share the same 18MP sensor.

philwillmedia wrote in post #15951845
I'll ask again...
Can you post some ORIGINAL UNCROPPED images.

I don't think the uncropped images are relevant for this comparison, when you see two images side by side. Even if asked in all capital letters.

hes gone wrote in post #15951984
=he's gone;15951984]
how did you focus?

why not post the other shots?

you didn't even tell us what lens was used for the test shots you just posted.

what of the picture styles? just saying that you put it on standard doesn't cut it.
are each camera's standard settings the same?

I did many things: AF, MF, AF in live view with 10x magnification, and the same with the manual focus.

I already wrote here about the picture styles - neutral, with no extra sharpening, identical on both cameras.

I tested with the Tamron 70-300 at 70, 200, and 300mm, EF-S 15-85, EF-85, EF-S 18-250, and Sigma 30mm. I did not post the other test shots because they are the all same.

hes gone wrote in post #15951989
=he's gone;15951989]fwiw, i'm trusting your tests, and guessing that your camera is in need of some specialized work.

but you aren't really giving us the full picture.

The file is large, I cannot post it here. So I wanted to upload it to Flikr, but yesterday Flikr changed it interface, and I got completely lost there! On the other hand, what will the full picture change - it is the comparison between two cameras are important, and they are clearly seen on the crops.

ItsMike wrote in post #15952102
1/30 of a shutter speed is not ideal too.... But... I would send the camera in to get checked out...


And what's with the balloon knot of a mouth that doll has?

I was shooting from a very sturdy tripod, using a remote shutter release. 1/30 should be good. And again, it is consistently sharp on one camera and not on the other.

The whole doll is about four inches tall (10 cm). The mouth - about 2 mm. You tell me what the balloon is!

Snydremark wrote in post #15952128
Just because a lens performs well on one body doesn't mean some variation in adjustment isn't still present on the lens. Unfortunately, neither manufacturer will generally adjust third party equipment, so it's not usually as simple as "send them both in" when you run into this sort of situation.

Thanks.

The issue is that I have the problem with each and every lens 9seven of them), not just with one. Should I send a few lenses to Canon? Or should I assume that Canon will see that problem and will know what to do?

Guys, thanks a lot to everybody for your suggestions and recommedations. The camera is packed in a box, and will go out to Canon tonight. I will let you know the result when it is back.

Lbsimon wrote in post #15952834
Thanks.

The issue is that I have the problem with each and every lens 9seven of them), not just with one. Should I send a few lenses to Canon? Or should I assume that Canon will see that problem and will know what to do?

If it isn't too late, I'd send one of your Canon lenses that is having the problem with that body along with it. If you're having the problem with every, single lens that you throw on there, they'll probably see it and be able to do something about it. My concern is, that without a lens that is giving those results, they'll look at it and determine that it's "within spec" by itself and just send it back. Which isn't a useful outcome for you.

Lbsimon wrote in post #15951479
Usually the front/back focus issue is associated with a lens, not with a camera, whereas I have this problem with every lens that I have. But I will give it a try. Thanks.

Front/back can be the body's miscalibration as well. On my T1i, every AF lens I have front-focuses a bit, which tells me it's almost certainly the body and not the lenses. It's not severe, so I usually compensate by closing the aperture a bit for more DOF, or by focusing on a different part of the target (a bird's neck instead of its eye, etc).