Lens calibration - Focus Tune software
Posted 27/04/2013 - 10:07
Link
JohnX wrote:
Seeing the recent spate of posts regarding AF fine tuning, anyone seen/used this software?
Essentially, (and this appears to be just one of it's functions), you take a series of shots of a standard test target at different AF adjustments and use the software to determine the optimum adjustment.
Takes the subjective out of the equation.
From the Lens Align people; works stand-alone.link
John, thanks for the hint! Reading reviews on the net it seems to work fine. I never get around to do the adjustment with "manual" methods, so I will download the trial version and try it.....
Seeing the recent spate of posts regarding AF fine tuning, anyone seen/used this software?
Essentially, (and this appears to be just one of it's functions), you take a series of shots of a standard test target at different AF adjustments and use the software to determine the optimum adjustment.
Takes the subjective out of the equation.
From the Lens Align people; works stand-alone.link
Posted 27/04/2013 - 10:44
Link
Seems a lot of work..... several shots at each ADJ
value It's cheap though at £20.
I wish I knew the algorithmn they are using. It could be
largest file size, but unlikely and it isn't that
accurate.
There is a fully auto program (UK made) for Canon, been
out some time. link The software is able to control the camera
'
value It's cheap though at £20.
I wish I knew the algorithmn they are using. It could be
largest file size, but unlikely and it isn't that
accurate.
There is a fully auto program (UK made) for Canon, been
out some time. link The software is able to control the camera
'
Half Man... Half Pentax ... Half Cucumber
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Pentax K-1 + K-5 and some other stuff
Algi
Posted 27/04/2013 - 10:49
Link
Algernon wrote:
Seems a lot of work..... several shots at each ADJ
value It's cheap though at £20.
'
Don't forget the £4 VAT they will add, but do not show a VAT number. A US company collecting VAT - I wonder how that gets to the UK Government?
Seems a lot of work..... several shots at each ADJ
value It's cheap though at £20.
'
Posted 27/04/2013 - 10:58
Link
giofi wrote:
As far as I know the demo software only uses' their files; you can't use your own. As they say themselves, if you could use your own you'd simply calibrate your lenses using the demo software and not buy the full retail package
JohnX wrote:
Seeing the recent spate of posts regarding AF fine tuning, anyone seen/used this software?
Essentially, (and this appears to be just one of it's functions), you take a series of shots of a standard test target at different AF adjustments and use the software to determine the optimum adjustment.
Takes the subjective out of the equation.
From the Lens Align people; works stand-alone.link
John, thanks for the hint! Reading reviews on the net it seems to work fine. I never get around to do the adjustment with "manual" methods, so I will download the trial version and try it.....Seeing the recent spate of posts regarding AF fine tuning, anyone seen/used this software?
Essentially, (and this appears to be just one of it's functions), you take a series of shots of a standard test target at different AF adjustments and use the software to determine the optimum adjustment.
Takes the subjective out of the equation.
From the Lens Align people; works stand-alone.link
Posted 27/04/2013 - 11:01
Link
Algernon wrote:
Seems a lot of work..... several shots at each ADJ
value It's cheap though at £20.
I wish I knew the algorithmn they are using. It could be
largest file size, but unlikely and it isn't that
accurate.
There is a fully auto program (UK made) for Canon, been
out some time. link The software is able to control the camera
'
But in order to calibrate your lenses manually you'd be taking a fair number of shots anyway wouldn't you? Seems a lot of work..... several shots at each ADJ
value It's cheap though at £20.
I wish I knew the algorithmn they are using. It could be
largest file size, but unlikely and it isn't that
accurate.
There is a fully auto program (UK made) for Canon, been
out some time. link The software is able to control the camera
'
A single shot per adjustment is no good on it's own due to 'normal' af drift. Take a number of shots of the same thing with no changes and af will vary slightly every shot anyway, hence their method where the software averages the variations and rejects the outliers.
As to FoCal, doesn't include Pentax
Posted 27/04/2013 - 11:14
Link
That does seem like a lot of work and I'm not sure you'd end up with a different result than if you'd used a page of newsprint or a cornflake box, especially if it has a word search puzzle on the back.
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
John K
Posted 27/04/2013 - 11:28
Link
JAK wrote:
That does seem like a lot of work and I'm not sure you'd end up with a different result than if you'd used a page of newsprint or a cornflake box, especially if it has a word search puzzle on the back.
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
I suppose the 'beauty' of the software is that it takes me out of the equation. Could I tell the difference by eye between a shot at -2 adjustment and one at -3? What about AF drift? And as to lot of work, just how long does it take to reel off 4 shots per adjustment? That does seem like a lot of work and I'm not sure you'd end up with a different result than if you'd used a page of newsprint or a cornflake box, especially if it has a word search puzzle on the back.
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
At the end of it, however, if you're happy with your shots, however you arrived at them, that's all that counts.
I think I'm just persuading myself to buy the software.
Posted 27/04/2013 - 11:47
Link
Very interesting, it has something in common the way it works with Imatest, used by EPZ and others for lens testing.
That should do the trick very nicely and produce better results more easily than what we have been doing up to now.
It's worth noting that spurious values do appear and that's a good reason for doing four shots rather than one. As in all experiments, there's a degree of error in the experiment itself.
That should do the trick very nicely and produce better results more easily than what we have been doing up to now.
It's worth noting that spurious values do appear and that's a good reason for doing four shots rather than one. As in all experiments, there's a degree of error in the experiment itself.
Best regards, John
Posted 27/04/2013 - 11:55
Link
JohnX wrote:
I suppose the 'beauty' of the software is that it takes me out of the equation. Could I tell the difference by eye between a shot at -2 adjustment and one at -3? What about AF drift? And as to lot of work, just how long does it take to reel off 4 shots per adjustment?
At the end of it, however, if you're happy with your shots, however you arrived at them, that's all that counts.
I think I'm just persuading myself to buy the software.
Try the newsprint/cornflake box method first. If you can get consistently good results after testing it that way having proved it was off before, what more do you require? The mission is accomplished.I suppose the 'beauty' of the software is that it takes me out of the equation. Could I tell the difference by eye between a shot at -2 adjustment and one at -3? What about AF drift? And as to lot of work, just how long does it take to reel off 4 shots per adjustment?
At the end of it, however, if you're happy with your shots, however you arrived at them, that's all that counts.
I think I'm just persuading myself to buy the software.
John K
John K
Posted 27/04/2013 - 13:21
Link
There's no doubt that it's possible to get a bit obsessive about lens calibration. I'm sure there's more need for it now with more complex lenses and possibly more batch testing that keeps costs down, but so far all my lenses and images look sharp and enlarge still looking sharp.
That being the case, I don't fret about it.
That being the case, I don't fret about it.
Best regards, John
Posted 27/04/2013 - 18:47
Link
JAK wrote:
That does seem like a lot of work and I'm not sure you'd end up with a different result than if you'd used a page of newsprint or a cornflake box, especially if it has a word search puzzle on the back.
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
I'm with John on this. Like their lens align thingy ( which I did make my own version of once ) this software is utterly pointless.That does seem like a lot of work and I'm not sure you'd end up with a different result than if you'd used a page of newsprint or a cornflake box, especially if it has a word search puzzle on the back.
I'm sure that program was written by a former civil servant! Having to take shots in quadruplicate, then repeat the process even though the graph makes it obvious where the optimum is.
Perhaps OK if you have nothing else to do!
John K
Just use the back of a cornflake packet or anything else with print on.
[i]Bodies: 1x K-5IIs, 2x K-5, Sony TX-5, Nokia 808
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
Lenses: Pentax DA 10-17mm ED(IF) Fish Eye, Pentax DA 14mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8, Pentax-A 28mm f/2.8, Sigma 30mm F1.4 EX DC, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.2, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-FA 50mm f/1.4, Pentax-A 50mm f/1.7, Pentax DA* 50-135mm f/2.8, Sigma 135-400mm APO DG, and more ..
Flash: AF-540FGZ, Vivitar 283
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2470 posts
17 years
South London
Essentially, (and this appears to be just one of it's functions), you take a series of shots of a standard test target at different AF adjustments and use the software to determine the optimum adjustment.
Takes the subjective out of the equation.
From the Lens Align people; works stand-alone.link