Any experience with Reikan FoCal?

I've contemplated AFMA (AF micro adjustment) of my 5D II and lenses, looking at the LensAlign II. On another site I was advised (by a former LensAlign Pro user) to instead use the Reikan FoCal software, apparently in beta thru Dec, 2011 but now already in version 1.3. Comments I read elsewhere seem quite glowing but thought I'd check here amongst the "pros". Note that one of my reservations was assuring proper alignment of the camera and printable target, ie lens axis perpendicular to target along BOTH horizontal and vertical axis. I haven't found much info yet other than a vague reference to the software "sensing" whether you are or aren't square to the target.

Any users with experience you'd like to share? Do you use/recommend the Standard, Plus, or Pro version?

If interested, here are some links I found useful:
Reikan FoCal home page: http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/index.html
Podcast 321 : Lens Calibration and Microadjustment with FoCal: http://blog.martinbaileyphotography.com ... ith-focal/

I have it using it on a Canon 50D. It does work. I did a 200 mm max kit zoom indoors at just short of the Canon recommended target to lens distance (calculated for effective focal length on a crop camera) which turned out to be 48feet but I used 40 feet as max available.

It was unstable for me on a USB cable extender over cat 5e of a 100 feet from indoors to the camera outdoor so I had to use manual mode where you operate at the proper distance through the AFMA range string storing fine jpgs (this feature is not camera model bound) and you run the manual analysis of the stored images in a sequence. There is another mode called AFMA remote adjust and that did work. That lets you adjust MFA manually looking at a a cropped live view image of the target on the PC as manually advance and retard the MFA adjustment with a PC slider control.

I just bought a notebook today for field use (image previews plus backup for the flashcard and looking at radar weather sites for approaching storms) and will now use that outdoors so I can use the normal USB cable to run the camera and run the full automatic modes.

The software license (non-commercial) allows up to five serial numbers and one system code. If your system matches the code than you can run any serial number and if any body serial number works you don't need the system code. He also placed on line a new license generator which allows you to change\add serial numbers and the system code up to six times generating a new license key.

The squaring off AND CENTERING of the target is snug but not super critical. The size in the frame must be within 20% to 90% of the full frame. Three size targets are provided including one for macro!

I am familiar with computer technology and I think the USB extender was not quite good enough for the critical return of the video images in full and semi-auto modes. That has nothing to do with the Focal software. I'll know in a few days for sure after I install the software on the laptop. There were other indications of the USB instability as well.

Fairly steady light is required although some luminance change is allowed.

The targets are recommended to be printed with an inkjet on heavy matte paper (laser toner is too reflective) I printed to letter size and mounted the matte surface print on the front of the glass of a picture frame. I glued a small level on it and ran a wire harness through the level hooks. It hangs from the stand for quartz shop lights adjustable like light stands but with a square part on top to fit the mounting wire. A piece of duct tape holds the bottom of the frame steady after leveling. I just turn the target standing behind it estimating when it is flat\perpendicular to the camera location. I then rotate the camera for level, then pan and tilt for centering. This will be easier with the target setup utility running on the nearby notebook. No more running in and out of the house to my desktop for checking. This is my outdoor setup and I did the image storage method (full manual) at 75 feet and the same for remote controlled MFA for my 300 prime f/4. In manual storage mode I did the 300mm with the TCIII 1.4x. It showed a shift of 4 points adding the TC.

You can print as a .pdf a full graph and table showing the IQ for each FMA step used in any mode and that .pdf has a linked index to each MFA point. That report is available in any comparison mode used (except the non-automated MFA tool.

Settings available for the various modes are ISO, duration of mirror lockup, choice of coming in from the front and back focus points for each snapshot for focus stability testing, etc. The only manual thing needed to do that can't be done remotely is to set single point focus mode but if you want you can remotely choose an off center point as of version 1.3.

Restricted Nikon support is now in version 1.3 and must be run on Win 7 for Nikon control. See the notes on the web site. The Canon 1D has some restrictions most Canon models with MFA are supported.

I recommend the Pro version as it has the target optimization in all functions. No sense on being limited.

The kit 18-200 zoom was off from the camera default (all lenses at +7) turning out the best image at -4. That really improved the cropped images of the test subjects. The 300 topped between 11 and 14 (up 4 to 7 from the default). So there is definite improvement.

There is some discussion about the tilt target type is better but doesn't take the flat field of the whole image into consideration. Focal lets you dynamically see more of the target in its .pdf report but does concentrate in the center.

Look at the slide show on the Reikan site to see the screen shots.

Ronzie,
Comprehensive review. Much appreciated. I hadn't considered the consequence of doing telephoto testing without availability of a laptop....and my office isn't 65 ft long!

I have the pro version, and did my 5dmk2 and 7d bodies with all the lenses I own...Whew! =). Needs a good bit of light, so testing indoors, I used a 400watt contant light source on the test target. Most of my stuff was previously calibrated using the technique by Northlight and in most cases, I was close, but a couple of times, I was way out!. We'll see how it goes,

Stu

Adding to my previous reply:

I acquired a Win7 HP laptop and did the 300 prime f/4L outdoors at 80 feet for the fl equivalent 420. It worked without having to use the USB extension which did cause problems as previously noted.

I ran it twice with slightly variable results but there was some light variance and mild wind gusts.

It just about agreed with the sequence I ran with large fine jpg images before it was capable of controlling the 50D fully in a much earlier version.

The difficulty was centering the image for the tight tolerance but I disabled require center focus point. It was still off the cross hairs but did work. CF was on the camera.

Next comes the TCIII 1.4x on it. Wednesday supposed to be cloudless and low winds.

Now in version 1.4 I belive...

I'm no pro... but I love the FoCal Software.

Can't say enough good things about it. AFMA calibrated all my lenses to both my bodies and have never looked back.

I used to fool around with the MA settings all the time. Now I never do. I get more shots in tack sharp focus then I ever used to before.

Go with the Pro version. More bells and whistles.... And still a bargain.

The biggest problem with Reikan is that it is Windows only. If they truly want to make a splash among photographers, they must have a Mac version or even an iPad version. The percentage of photo pros and advanced photographers that might invest in something like this that use MacBooks is very high.

Additionally, Nikon support is in manually assisted mode only. this product, right now is primarily a Canon/Windows product. Work arounds are needed if you have either Nikons, Macs or both. Until that is resolved, this will not be a mainstream product among professional photographers and advanced amateurs.

Mac version is in development with a target date at the end of this quarter. A Linux version also might be developed.
Certain Nikon cameras require manual assistance which is not really that complicated. The list is here:
http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/reqs.html
and you can get this support list:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11469157/FoCal/ ... ix_1.4.pdf

For the models restricted to MSC FoCal brings up the menu and then prompts you to change the setting to a specific MFA value and then continues its control. This is a restriction of the Nikon SDK control library. I understand it involves two or three button pushed on those Nikon models. Focal still does the focus setting and takes its reading as I under stand it.

FWIW before my Canon 50D was supported I used FoCal to analyze my stored fine .jpg images. The results were not that far off. Nikon restricted models use the full LV output and run everything including taking the image. All you need to do is select the guided MFA value as prompted.

I now use a laptop with FoCal as for the distances I use indoors is out of the question. A USB extender (CAT5) did not work to my desktop because of Windows .net timing issues I believe. I needed the laptop anyway for field use of previewing shots and also when a cell signal is available to avoid storms and also look at visible cloud satellite images. Since FoCal is licensed by camera body serial numbers (up to six I believe) or by the pc system number I still have it on my desktop for adjusting my 200mm zoom and outdoors for the longer lens and combos.

Incidentally, a provided target is sized for close-up/macro adjustments.

BTW. I am not involved with FoCal financially. I did do a 50D test for them. I paid the regular user prices. I am just an enthusiastic user.

I used Reikan Focal to calibrate my Nikon 500 VR to my D7000 and D700. For Nikon users, you still run the program in "Fully Automatic" mode. The program will recognize that the camera is a Nikon and it will prompt you to manually set AF fine tune values at each step. Once you click "OK" after you manually set an AF fine tune value, the program will take a few shots automatically. So I think the "manual" part is still very minimum. The automatic shots are done with mirror locked. You can configure the waiting time period after mirror lock but before the shot. The result is very good.

The program saves me lots of time as my eyes are not "pro" that I spent lots of time looking at the results of LensAlign and still went no where.

In the end, the program will output a chart showing you all the shots taken. You will get an idea how the shots spread out and know something about your camera's AF consistency. You will also see why it (the program) suggesting you the final AF fine tune value, which is also a knowledge I lack before I used it.

ronzie wrote:Mac version is in development with a target date at the end of this quarter. A Linux version also might be developed.

That's in two weeks

E.J. Peiker wrote:

ronzie wrote:Mac version is in development with a target date at the end of this quarter. A Linux version also might be developed.

That's in two weeks

That's a goal, not a conclusion.
As usual it depends on what bugs show up. Throw a dart.

With reference to Nikon, I see that two replies up a user is already got it working under Win, I presume. Nikon may have released the SDK update with added functionality to allow increased FoCal control and maybe it is under development.

It is also stated on the FoCal site that some Mac users have run FoCal under a virtual operating system as are EOS Utilities. Parallels is being used by some. I know from some printing forums that some Mac users are running the Win printing application QImage.

Sure you can run it under Parallels or Fusion or some others but all of them require you to aquire and install A new licensed version of Windows on your Mac thereby significantly increasing the cost of the calibration system and reducing the amount of disk space, and depending on which product you use, reducing the amount of memory and the number of cores available to the Mac OS. I think most Mac users would want to wait until the Mac version is out and fully debugged by early adopters