Microadjustment question

I just got a 135 f/2L in a trade, and on my 6D I had to microadjust it to +5. On my 7D it seems to be fine at 0. I haven't done any microadjusting on any other lens with either camera, and they seem to be fine at 0. Is this normal, or should I be adjusting all lenses on my 6D to +5?

No, all lenses will be different.

Some many need more,less, the same or even none.

Bodies will also be different.

If it's an issue with that particular lens, it should need to be adjusted on both cameras though, right? If it's an issue with that particular camera body, all lenses should need to be adjusted on it?

Say you have a camera out of tolerance at -3, then you have a lens that is +1 but another at -3.

If you see it to +1 on all the lenses then the one at -3 will still be off.

The other camera might only be out of tolerance at -1, so when use lens #1(that is at -1) it won't need any because the lens off sets it.


That's why it best to calibrate each lens for each body differently.

Perfectly normal; as long as you have an adjustment value that works, don't overthink it. Especially with that little of an adjustment needed, there's nothing wrong with the gear.

My 85L II needs -17 on the 1D4 but takes +4 on the 5D Mark III. And the really funny part is that it works just fine on the old 5D I gave my daughter that does not even allow for MA.

shedberg wrote in post #16586424
If it's an issue with that particular lens, it should need to be adjusted on both cameras though, right? If it's an issue with that particular camera body, all lenses should need to be adjusted on it?

You might think. And I've seen it explained this way. However, the reality is that it varies between lenses and bodies in no obvious pre-defined manner.

I have 3 MA bodies and several primes and nothing is consistent. In other words I cannot say one body is 'off' or even that a particular lens is 'off'.

For instance my Sig is +12 a near distances and 0 at infinity on both my 7D and 5DII. On the 5DIII it is 0 near and far.

My 135L is 0 on the 5DII, -5 on the 7D and 0 on the 5DIII.

135 + 1.4 TC is -5 on the 5DII, 0 (or +3, I don't remember, but I know it goes the opposite way as the 135 without the TC) on the 7D and untested on the 5DIII.

My 50 1.4 is zero on all 3 (within AF accuracy)

My 100L is zero on the 5DII, +5 on the 7D and 0 on the 5DIII

Now if you can make sense of that from a 'lens is out by this much and camera out by this much perspective', then good luck. The 135L with and without the TC dispelled that myth for me when I first got the 7D and tried to compare with what it did on the 5DII.

Have a quick read through these, as good explainations:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …lens-and-camera-variation
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-myths
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-facts

My 24-105 needed +5 on my 7D, the Sigma needed -15.

On my 5D3, the Canon lens is spot on @+-0 yet the Sigma needs +5.

Don't sweat it and just adjust as required and go shoot (IMHO).

ejenner wrote in post #16586491
You might think. And I've seen it explained this way. However, the reality is that it varies between lenses and bodies in no obvious pre-defined manner.

I have 3 MA bodies and several primes and nothing is consistent. In other words I cannot say one body is 'off' or even that a particular lens is 'off'.

For instance my Sig is +12 a near distances and 0 at infinity on both my 7D and 5DII. On the 5DIII it is 0 near and far.

My 135L is 0 on the 5DII, -5 on the 7D and 0 on the 5DIII.

135 + 1.4 TC is -5 on the 5DII, 0 (or +3, I don't remember, but I know it goes the opposite way as the 135 without the TC) on the 7D and untested on the 5DIII.

My 50 1.4 is zero on all 3

My 100L is zero on the 5DII, +5 on the 7D and 0 on the 5DIII

Now if you can make sense of that from a 'lens is out by this much and camera out by this much perspective', then good luck. The 135L with and without the TC dispelled that myth for me when I first got the 7D and tried to compare with what it did on the 5DII.

This is very comforting. Still, I think I'll run all my lenses through the paces just to see.

Snydremark wrote in post #16586504
Have a quick read through these, as good explainations:
http://www.lensrentals​.com …lens-and-camera-variation
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-myths
http://www.lensrentals​.com …s-is-soft-and-other-facts

"So for those of you who spend your time worried about getting “the sharpest possible lens”, unfortunately sharpness is rather a fuzzy concept."

Good line from the first article...

Spuddyd wrote in post #16586509
My 24-105 needed +5 on my 7D, the Sigma needed -15.

On my 5D3, the Canon lens is spot on @+-0 yet the Sigma needs +5.

Don't sweat it and just adjust as required and go shoot (IMHO).

My concern was that there should be some kind of constant involved... I guess there isn't one after all!

Spuddyd wrote in post #16586509
My 24-105 needed +5 on my 7D, the Sigma needed -15.

On my 5D3, the Canon lens is spot on @+-0 yet the Sigma needs +5.

Don't sweat it and just adjust as required and go shoot (IMHO).

How did you go about adjusting the 24-105, im kind of confused about MFA zooms...any advice would be much appreciated.

You can spend a few £\$'s on a gizmo that is basically 2 rulers at near right angles to each other. the idea being that the (near) horizontal ruler gives an indication of how far "out" your lens is having focused on the vertical ruler.

I stuck a stick in the ground and focused the lens on it having laid a tape measure on the ground beside it. that way, by looking for the sharpest point on the tape measure, you can MFA your lens with ease although you might need several shots to confirm absolute tack sharp focus adjustment.

Use your lens on a tripod, IS off, at the normal aperture you would use and both minimum zoom + full zoom to get the stick in the center of the focus field. Full zoom as a starting point as this gives the shortest effective DOF.

Hope this is clear enough and helps.