Camera/Lens calibration

[pelliott1954]

Hi All,

For those more technically minded than me, which will be everyone!

What size of subject, or should I say how small a subject would be required to see a difference in camera / lens calibration.

What difference would it make for my usual choice of subjects such as Aircraft, Owls, Kingfishers, Hares etc.

Is it a case of relying on exact focus on such as the eye, and if not calibrated correctly, the focus will be at a point a couple off mm away? is the difference so fine?

I know I haven't worded the question very well, just trying to get my head around it a bit better, the real reason I ask is that I have never been super happy with the sharpness of my images with my 1DXii and have often looked back and thought for example my Kingfisher shots taken with my old 7Dii were sharper. Indeed one member on here made just that suggestion.

Any thoughts anyone

Paul

[Trev B]

For those more technically minded than me, which will be everyone!

Paul, please don't include me in the 'Everyone'

So, I can't help you, but looking back at your shots whether Aircraft, Owls, Hares or Kingfishers I can't see an issue with them, in fact I think they are superb.
But if you think you have an issue Colin C is your man I think - where ever he is.

[Alan_H]

Paul i agree with everything that Trev has said about your images only wish i was that good, looking at your Yet another Kingfisher images the third one is a bit softer than the others which i don't think could be sharper, have you checked where the focus point was on the third image?

Alan

[SpringfieldPhoto]

Paul
I have just spent some time looking at your images and I can't see a problem but there is only one way to be certain and that is to use a calibration chart to check the accuracy of the calibration of your lenses on each camera body. I do this with every lens on every camera body. Recently did it for the EF lenses on the R6. It takes time to do it properly but it will show up any problems. Remember that a zoom lens needs to be tested throughout the zoom range. It is worth noting that a lens may be perfect on one camera and off on another.
Alan

[Brian Sugden]

I use a chart that you can download at https://1.img-dpreview.com/files/p/E...029d4ac66e5191 You can either set the chart at 45 degrees or mount the camera/lens on a tripod and set that at 45 degrees, which is what I do and put the chart on the floor. I do this in the living room for all my lenses. I don't worry about camera to subject distance and it's always worked for me. I hope this hepls.

[Hereford_EOS]

Hi Paul

I saw this post and thought I would reply.
Going back several years ago, around 2009 (unsure which camera, maybe original 7D or 5DmkII) I was a little unhappy with the quality of my images. It was as if they were very, very slightly out and not pin sharp, well not as pin sharp as I would expect especially when using "L" lenses. All that expense in getting top quality equipment and things were not as great as I would of expected. This could easily be user error but I was not 100% happy.
I took my camera and "L" lenses to the Canon Professional Service Centre for calibrattion (address below).
I drove the 140 miles with my gear to the centre (I was too scared to use a courier) and after calibration Canon sent the gear back (well packed) via their chosen courier.
I believe they use a machine (don't know the name of the machine, too technical for me) to calibrate the camera with the lenses (or is it the lenses with the camera?).
I must admit that I was much happier afterwards.

Here's the address:
Canon Professional Service Centre
Unit 160 Centennial Park
Centennial Avenue
Elstree
Hertfordshire
WD6 3SG

As others have already said, your images are superb.

ps
I am still without a camera but maybe next year.

[2Beers]

You could also use Reikan focal to calibrate your lenses with the camera

https://reikanfocal.com/

[pelliott1954]

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful replies, I have done calibration with my usual combo, the 300mm and 1.4 ext. I tried with a calibration chart set at 45 degrees and with a target of a flower, I checked all settings from minus 20 through to plus 20 at 5 point intervals, each shot was loaded of the computer and analysed and I came to the conclusion the sharpest was between +10 and +15 then I took individual shots, am not sure if the difference was in my imagination to be honest but I settled on +11 and have not changed since. Whether it's the right thing to do or not I don't know but I set the targets up about 30m from the camera, set on a tripod with the front of the lens checked for vertical.

My question was really about how much difference it makes except on really small targets, like a birds eye for example?

Thanks again

Paul