Funny story about Front focusing...

I just bought a used Canon 85mm f1.8 lens. It is in excellent condition but I noticed that it is front focusing. I thought instead of trying to do it myself, I'll just call the local camera store that has been in business for over 30 yrs, they would know how to do it. I called, I said "do you do micro adjustments"... pause, she said "micro what?", I said my lens is front focusing, can you adjust my camera for front focusing, she said "front what?"... she had no idea what I meant. I tried to explained what the camera was doing then she said, "what camera do you have, I said I have the 7D, she said, if you push this little button and put it in the middle, that is where you get the best focus, do you want me to explain how the move the little red box in the view finder, etc... Anyway, I started laughing and said never mind. I'll figure it out

I could believe that they had never heard of Back/font focusing.

Not surprised really. A lot of businesses sell stuff, might at least know how to turn things on and say A, B and C are pretty good together for certain things. But that doesn't mean they are gear heads who actually use the stuff to the same degree as an enthusiast. Sometimes there is someone in the group that they reference for that stuff. But most of them probably won't know the little details like this. Again, they're in sales mostly. This is true for most things out there.

Luckily you don't need a store to do it for you. Your 7D has MFA and it's pretty easy to use. Set up a static subject in good light. I use an inexpensive cardboard device that gives you a high contrast target and a 45 degree angle measuring board so you can see if your camera is front/back focusing and by how much, so you can hone in the MFA to a value and get it in the ballpark, then adjust +/- a little bit until you like the result. It's best to do this wide open, mirror locked up, fast enough shutter to avoid any potential blur from vibration, in very good light, tethered to a laptop/computer so that you can instantly see the results in high resolution, and not try and use the LCD on the camera for this purpose. There's a big difference between using Live View's contrast detect method for AF (as in, don't do this for MFA purposes) and using your phase detect method for AF (the view finder; this is what you want to use for MFA purposes as this is where the discrepancy is).

For the 85mm you'll want to do this at approximately 12 to 16 feet to the subject.

More info:

https://learn.usa.cano​n.com …roAdjustGuide_d​esktop.pdf

I use these $5 boards. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com …_detailpage?ie=​UTF8&psc=1

Very best,

It used to be, a very long time ago, that photography stores were mostly filled with folks KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT photography. Now photo retailers (I no longer think of the average place located in a mall as a 'photography store') hire folks and pay them little, you might as well be shopping in a big box store. In my area one of the last truly knowledgeable stores, one which had been around for about 50 years with professional quality sales personnel and with a strong trade for professionally oriented needs, closed it doors recently.

It is hard for local stores to provide well paid and knowledgeable staff when the store has to compete against NYC volume prices.

My local brick & mortar photography store (Harmon's) is a small business unique to our area. They mostly specialize in printing these days. They cannot compete with big box retail stores and online sales for selling high dollar camera equipment and stuff. So while they have some knowledge about photography in general, they're not a group that can diagnose an issue on any digital camera that is brought into the store (think about how hard it would be to know every system out there, not just the big trio names, that people would shuffle in with). So I'm used to it too. These days, the internet has the answers compared to a store. YouTube is quite amazing for the crazy volume of exact how-to videos for your exact camera and issue.

But again this is not unique to the photography business world. Automobile dealerships are just as bad and its their product.

Very best,

Last night, after the call, I came home and did it myself. I think I got it but I'll have to test it outside. I had taken a photo of my daughter on top of a water fall. I locked focus on her but when I checked, her face was out of focus but the rocks under her were tack sharp so I knew something wasn't right. I'll try to post the pic tonight

I don't think that this is unique to photo retailers. Pretty much every business has the least expensive folks on the floor to guide people around the store but few know much about the product they are selling.

It's nice to know that 'American' customer service applies to the entire continent, not just the US.

anitaw2 wrote in post #18479695
I could believe that they had never heard of Back/font focusing.

I think you mean that you could not believe it. . Is this the case?

I would actually be surprised if someone working at a camera retailer did know something technical like this.

The folks who I have encountered at camera retailers know practically nothing at all about cameras. . But they are good at overuse of words like "amazing", and at saying cliches, such as, "This is the camera that will set your photos apart".

Ask them how the camera will set your photos apart, and they give you a blank stare and then fumble to try to come up with something that sounds knowledgable.

They are also really good at trying to get you to buy extras, such as another memory card, a picture frame, or a soft case to put the camera in. . Now if you ask them a detailed question about any of these extras, you will again get the blank stare.

.

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18479739
I think you mean that you could not believe it. . Is this the case?

I would actually be surprised if someone working at a camera retailer did know something technical like this.

The folks who I have encountered at camera retailers know practically nothing at all about cameras. . But they are good at overuse of words like "amazing", and at saying cliches, such as, "This is the camera that will set your photos apart".

Ask them how the camera will set your photos apart, and they give you a blank stare and then fumble to try to come up with something that sounds knowledgable.

They are also really good at trying to get you to buy extras, such as another memory card, a picture frame, or a soft case to put the camera in. . Now if you ask them a detailed question about any of these extras, you will again get the blank stare.

.

yes, sorry, I could not believe...

Tom Reichner wrote in post #18479739
The folks who I have encountered at camera retailers know practically nothing at all about cameras.
...
They are also really good at trying to get you to buy extras, such as another memory card, a picture frame, or a soft case to put the camera in. Now if you ask them a detailed question about any of these extras, you will again get the blank stare.

And then ... out of the blue ... you are suddenly pleasantly surprised.

I bought my 85L f/1.2 at a UK airport photo/electrical store (very good discount but the last place you would expect to find either good service or knowledgeable advice). Plus, you are in a hurry and it's easy to make mistakes.

Good service ... the salesman checked the first specimen out of the box, looked it over carefully, and said he wouldn't sell it to me. He thought it might have taken a knock. He ferreted around, found another, once again checked it over very carefully, and pronounced himself happy to let me pay for it. I'm grateful for that attention to detail. It would have been months before I was back in the UK with a chance to exchange it ... and it might not have been any too easy to demonstrate it was actually the store's problem and not my own carelessness.

Good advice ... Next, of course, he plays the accessory card. "You will want a neutral density filter to go with that ... ND4 should be about enough." I'm not sure and ask why. He explains that anyone who buys a fast lens like the 85L is going to want to be able shoot it wide open (or why bother?) and, in bright light, I'll need an ND filter to do that. I bought one (he gets his commission) and I soon found out he was right.

It's particularly pleasing to get good service and advice where you least expect to find it.

Hi Anita, I use Dot-Tune (free and precise MFA procedure).
Here's the link:
http://www.fredmiranda​.com/forum/topic/11872​47
Hope it helps.
Paul

MalVeauX wrote in post #18479707
My local brick & mortar photography store (Harmon's) is a small business unique to our area. They mostly specialize in printing these days. They cannot compete with big box retail stores and online sales for selling high dollar camera equipment and stuff. So while they have some knowledge about photography in general, they're not a group that can diagnose an issue on any digital camera that is brought into the store (think about how hard it would be to know every system out there, not just the big trio names, that people would shuffle in with). So I'm used to it too. These days, the internet has the answers compared to a store. YouTube is quite amazing for the crazy volume of exact how-to videos for your exact camera and issue.

But again this is not unique to the photography business world. Automobile dealerships are just as bad and its their product.

Very best,

The sad part is... when we first moved to Gainesville in 2004, Harmon's had two locations... the one they still have and a shop located in the strip mall at 43rd and 34th. They have Very knowledgeable sales people there. They workshops every week for people to get acquainted with their new cameras, etc. They couldn't compete with companies shipping into Florida where the Florida sales tax was not collected. I only know this because I talked to the owner for over an hour one day. Very nice man.... I felt sorry for him because I understood his dilemma.... but wished he'd have found a way to have an online presence like Allen's Camera did in PA. If he had, we'd still have a great camera shop here.

Phoenixkh wrote in post #18480179
The sad part is... when we first moved to Gainesville in 2004, Harmon's had two locations... the one they still have and a shop located in the strip mall at 43rd and 34th. They have Very knowledgeable sales people there. They workshops every week for people to get acquainted with their new cameras, etc. They couldn't compete with companies shipping into Florida where the Florida sales tax was not collected. I only know this because I talked to the owner for over an hour one day. Very nice man.... I felt sorry for him because I understood his dilemma.... but wished he'd have found a way to have an online presence like Allen's Camera did in PA. If he had, we'd still have a great camera shop here.

I still print monthly from Harmon's. They do great print work. Their online submission system works great, prices are good, I don't bother owning a printer, I get 30x20's sometimes, they always do a great job and it's so affordable we just keep doing it. But that's all they can really excel at for me, printing.

Very best,

MalVeauX wrote in post #18480187
I still print monthly from Harmon's. They do great print work. Their online submission system works great, prices are good, I don't bother owning a printer, I get 30x20's sometimes, they always do a great job and it's so affordable we just keep doing it. But that's all they can really excel at for me, printing.

Very best,

I've seen their work hanging at a friend's house. They got excellent results as well. I don't print much but next time I do, I'll give them a try. Thanks for the head's up.