Reikan FoCal Automatic Lens Calibration

[Bob Serling]

Has anyone used this software which supposedly performs micro adjustment to lenses automatically?

Here's the link to the vendor's site:

http://www.reikan.co.uk/focalweb/

And here's a second link to a forum where a few people share their experiences with the software:

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/ind...?topic=2477.15

According to my currency converter, the Pro version would run about $112.

Thanks!

Bob Serling

[allanrube]

It is fully automatic only if you use Canon.

[Bob Serling]

I didn't realize that - but I do use Canon. Have you actually used it, and if so, are you satisfied with it?

[allanrube]

I have Nikon and did use it on a few lenses. I have tried other systems and my eyes tell me different adjustments at different times. User error of course. Also, on Nikon there is only 1 fine tune setting for zoom while (some) Canon cameras on lenses allow 2 - Canon users help me here. There are a couple of other problems using this device with Nikon - I think it would be much better with Canon.

Unless others who have used it more say negative things about it I would give it a try in your situation.

There is similar product coming out soon by the maker of lensalign so you might want to wait and then compare.

[Doug Schurman]

I have been thinking about this too. In addition to not needing to take each shot and look at the image I like that they suggest if any other aperture settings might be sharper than wide open.

fredmiranda.com has at least 15 threads on this topic and NatureScapes.net has multiple threads too.

[allanrube]

I mentioned the other product coming out soon. I just got an email - it is out now. It has a demo and has files showing you how it operates.

http://michaeltapesdesign.com/focustune.html

[Doug Schurman]

Thanks for posting the link Allan. I just watched the demo video.

Looks like the main difference is with Focus Tune you do all the shooting manually. With Focal the computer takes all the shots. Of course Focustune is a lot cheaper (only 19.95 if you already have lensalign).

[Bob Serling]

FoCal seems to have some very good reviews. And while it may seem like an advantage to have the software control the shots that are taken, because the target needs to be at 25x to 50x of your focal length, that can require a reasonably long distance. And if that's the case, then you're probably going to have to shoot and process outdoors. So what may seem like an advantage at first, could actually turn out to be somewhat cumbersome.

[Tom Rambaut]

After seeing this thread I bought it to try it out. After reading good reviews on the various links. Cost me $108 AUS and was loaded onto my computer within ten minutes.

To date I have tried the original cardboard box at an angle with target trick and have even given Roger Clark's method of using live view a go. The fact that the computer/software takes over and analyses the images was a real winner for me. I have not been that great at taking the images manually and checking them making little adjustments taking more images and so on. I had my 500mm with 1D MK4 set at -1 MA and the 500mm, 1.4ext and 1D MK4 set at -2 MA using methods above.

The target was taped to a wall outside and I set up at 19.2 meters. This is all the room I had and is about the average for distance to bird for me. I had my laptop sitting on a bin next to the tripod so could easily use it. The target finder was easy to use and it gave me a green tick when it was happy with alignment. I then closed this part of the program and pressed the start on the test. It took some 40 images and plotted them visually on a curve. I just stood there watching the screen and waited for it to finish. IT did shoot at a low shutter speed 1/200 and was using 200iso when the iso was set to auto - I did get a dialogue box telling me that iso 200 was not optimal and I was in a mode that I had not heard of before. I will run the test again once I can wok out what it was talking about. It gave me a MA for the straight 500mm of -6 ! Big difference to my original -1 but I would have done that original MA test at 25 times focal length so around 12.5 meters. The 500 & 1.4 combo was now -4. I ran the test a second time on the 500 & 1.4 combo and it got half way through and said that something was wrong and could not get an accurate reading. I had left the view finder open, it asks you to close it during a test, so think this may have affected the test. It does show you a side by side view of the before and after MA shots and asks you if you would like to accept the recommended MA. I could certainly see on the screen that there was a difference in clarity from both before and after applying recommended MA. The whole process, setting up and running the test, took about 20 minutes. So I guess it works but will want to see if my in the field images are sharper. I would like to give the lensalign a go as well.

So I now have the following setting for a 19.2 distance:

500mm & 1D MK4; -6 MA (This surprised me)
500mm, 1.4ext & 1D MK4; -4 MA

Thanks Tom