Lens Fine Tune Adjustment

Thanks to Johnx & i-Berg.

Sorry, I don’t know how to link your posts to this.


The debug.
Not an option for me then, cannot risk that, because if it can go wrong, it will go wrong for me.
Mine is the glass that is always half empty.

Also I think it would be beyond my computer skill level.

Many thanks for the info though.

Take care.

Chris R.

As I understand it use of the debug software is very straightforward, and although iBerg is right regarding risk I get the impression that it's virtually risk-free insofar as it runs from the SD card and does not make permanent changes to the in-camera software.


Anyone (Smeggy)care to comment please?

That may be so, but it is delving into the camera firmware in a way that was never intended. I would leave it to the engineers.

If it was not intended they wouldn't have put it in it
That users now know how to get in, is another story...

It was never intended that users would hack their way into the firmware. It means that unpredicatble things may have been done to any digital camera, and to be honest to some extent it puts me off buying bodies second hand.

Like i said, that's another story.

Simply reinstall the firmware and you're done.

But it isn't hacking!

When the camera starts up it reads the SD card, and looks for a certain file. If present, it reads that file, and certain keywords in that file are used to set specific functions on or off. It is just a normal technical interface set up by the designers of the software, and one of those functions is to enable debug mode. Debug mode in turn allows the owner to fine-tune the focus adjustment.

On some bodies it doesn't need the control file at all, it simply needs the button sequence like 'menu', 'menu', 'info' after starting the camera with AEL and 'info' held down. It is all the way the software was intended, and gives more technical setup features a place away from the already-cluttered menus.

This is NOTHING to do with hacking as karma mechanic rightly says.

It's just enabling some extra custom parameters for the camera. Nothing is hacked.

It's not beyond anyone's skill level.

Simply create a text file on your SD card called MODSET.TXT which contains ..


[OPEN_DEBUG_MENU]


Put the card in the camera and leave the card door open. turn on the camera. you see the debug menu. enable it. Job done.


You can now see the AF adjustment parameter in your custom settings.

There's no debug software being run on the card. All it is, is a simple text file containing a command to turn on debug mode, which enables a couple more parameters in your custom settings. one of which is the AF adjustment.

Don't be put off by words like 'hacking' which is a complete misunderstanding of the process.

Hacking is actually CHANGING the firmware code. Enabling the debug mode is nothing to do with that.

Hi all.

Sorry to stir up a hornets nest, re hacking software or not etc.
All I was trying to do, was to thank everyone, for their input re the K10 lens focus adjustment, and to point out that not all of us have computer skills.

I was an Industrial Electrical Engineer, (now retired), when it comes to heavy / high power, distribution I am in my comfort zone, but I don’t expect, everyone to have skills in that field.

Take care.

Chris R.

Like said, if you can type you can enable the debug menu, it's really that simple.
And in there you've the option to fine tune the AF.
There is so from memory nothing scary you can put on that will be dangerous.

Only when you start to write more commands in the text file then you might get into trouble but you don't want that and it isn't needed.

Sorry Stefan, but you are not getting the point, you are I assume completely computer competent, I like many others are not.

Anything is simple if you understand it, I do not understand computers. I am able to type a comment but that’s it.
Computers were not around in late 1940/early 1950, when I was at school.

That is also the reason that I have no images uploaded to this site or the other site I log into, (The Disabled Photographers Society).
I do not have the know how, I am sorry but that's the way it is.



Take care and, thanks for trying to be helpful.

Chris R.

Chris, typing a comment here on this forum shows that you have the skills you need.

Open the program Notepad if you're a windows user.
type: [OPEN_DEBUG_MENU]
Save it as MODSET.TXT
Put it on your SD card.

That's it.
If you can type a letter on your pc then you can do this.

Chris - not everyone on here is au fait with computer stuff. But they do know how to follow in the footsteps of others. If someone says 'I didn't understand it at first, but I did this and it worked' then would you do the same thing?

What I'm saying is if you want to follow some very precise instructions then we can help. If you aren't confident following them, or if the fear of the potential consequences is too much, then that makes it more difficult. I'd be happy to set your K10D up to give the exact autofocus with the lenses of your choice - except I'm in Hampshire not Cornwall... Likewise I think that you would be perfectly able to upload images once you have been given some appropriate instructions, it is hard if you don't know where to start but easy once you've been given the know how.

Can you make toast? Uploading is the same - a series of things you need to have and a sequence of things to do in order. I know it is unfamiliar, but you'd get the hang of it. Don't forget that this is the friendiest community of Pentax users on the planet!

I have never fiddled with this either. What is the best way to test the lens? I am assuming Live View would work best? Am I right in presuming it's only neccessary on AF lenses? Where is debug mode in the menu? Is it the same as the AF Fine Adjustment setting? Aplogies for all the questions,I have probably missed a thread on this somewhere, but would appreciate any link to concise instructions on how to do this, as I think my Sigma 10-20 is a bit out in the focus department.