Testing and calibrating 50D focus

[Wayne Nicholas]

Can anyone point to where to find an actual target to use or describe how what is needed to make one, and how to set it up to test focus on the 50D?

Without a proper target, I have it set at -5 for 500mm, -4 for 500 + 1.4x, +2 for Sigma 180 macro. On the 500, I am getting mixed results and need to verify my focus tests. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Alfred Forns]

Hi Wayne Hi are you doing ...... Sensory Overload !!!

We just had a thread on calibrating Will try to find and post. I ordered the target and should have it a day or so. Seems like the easiest way to go about it. The hardest thing about calibrating is keeping track of what you are doing ... thats why I went for the calibrating device.

Here is the link http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=32325

[Wayne Nicholas]

Hi Wayne......The hardest thing about calibrating is keeping track of what you are doing ... thats why I went for the calibrating device.

Here is the link http://www.birdphotographers.net/for...ad.php?t=32325

Exactly! Thanks for the help.

[Deborah Harrison]

Wayne -
Just to confirm that I found the lens align simple to set up and use, the results seem to be reproducible and the price more than worth the hours of trying other methods. The video demos online are clear and easy to follow, if you have more than one lens to calibrate this is the system I personally have found the easiest to use.

[Tim Dodd]

50D Calibration Thread

[Lance Peters]

Hi - got mine the other day - works fine - simple and easy to use.

[Wayne Nicholas]

I decided to go another route on adjusting the lens calibration. This is based more on light and physics; basically how the pixels from the lcd screen react with the photocells on the sensor. I calibrated my 500 f/4 L IS, 400 f/5.6 L, 24-105 L, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX, Sigma 180 macro EX, Tokina 12-24 AT-X Pro, and sigma 300 f/2.8 EX. Each took just a few minutes and they're spot on. Best part, no charge! I highly recommend trying this method prior to laying out more cash for hardware that does the same thing in a different way. You won't necessarily even have to leave your camera to calibrate with this method. I only uploaded two images before I decided to trust the method. Give it a shot.

Northlight-Images

[Dug Threewitt]

I decided to go another route on adjusting the lens calibration. This is based more on light and physics; basically how the pixels from the lcd screen react with the photocells on the sensor. I calibrated my 500 f/4 L IS, 400 f/5.6 L, 24-105 L, Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 EX, Sigma 180 macro EX, Tokina 12-24 AT-X Pro, and sigma 300 f/2.8 EX. Each took just a few minutes and they're spot on. Best part, no charge! I highly recommend trying this method prior to laying out more cash for hardware that does the same thing in a different way. You won't necessarily even have to leave your camera to calibrate with this method. I only uploaded two images before I decided to trust the method. Give it a shot.

Northlight-Images

I did that with my 50 and 10-20, but I couldn't with my 70-200 or 400. My computer room is only about 12x12 and I don't have a laptop. I couldn't get 10-20 meters away for optimum results. Now if I can get my hands on a laptop, I will redo my 400(it still seems just a touch off to me).
Dug

[Wayne Nicholas]

I did that with my 50 and 10-20, but I couldn't with my 70-200 or 400. My computer room is only about 12x12 and I don't have a laptop. I couldn't get 10-20 meters away for optimum results. Now if I can get my hands on a laptop, I will redo my 400(it still seems just a touch off to me).
Dug

That really helps. I did all of my lenses on my Macbook Pro.