In math, "A > B" means "A is greater than B". In the current context, I figure that could mean "A is better than B". If you follow the previous discussion, and you think that CPS Canada is pretty darn good (as I do), you might think that the ">" symbols should actually be "<" symbols. YMMV.
p.2 #6 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
I personally think CPS USA has more options and services than CPS Canada (but then I do not know the extent of the discounts on gear that you guys get), so I stand by my "A is much better than B which is a bit better than C".
p.2 #7 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
rabbitmountain wrote:
I ordered a used 5DmkII, 14000 actuations. This is my first camera body with AF Micro Adjustment feature. So I can set the correct adjustment myself. My question is, whether or not I should send it in to CPS anyway along with my lenses for calibration.
I'm a silver member, so it doesn't cost me money. But I will have to go through the fuzz of packaging, sending costs, and I will have no camera and lenses for about one week. So it is a bit inconvenient.
CPS advises me to do it, but it's an independent company that works for Canon so they benefit from my clientele.
Just do it yourself unless you have a zoom that needs different values all over the range.
It probably comes out better doing it yourself anyway (unless as I said per a wacky zoom above or something that is way different between semi-near and far)
p.2 #9 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
mttran wrote:
Ralph, it's worth it to have CPS calibrate all your lenses with 5D2. I prefer MA setting = 0, this way you don't have dof problem when focusing in variable distance. You won't loose anything if no charge. Highly recommend it...make sure to get all lenses focus with zero MA preset or within +/- 4 setting. Just pack them well before shipping....
First: I only own 4 lenses
Second: After calibrating the new 5D II body (what I only did because all my lenses where fine with my 50D and my friends and collegues MK II) all Canons where fine again. I went to Sigma to let calibrate a new purchased 50mm 1.4 to get over the 23 mm front fokus.
Yes, I prefere MA 0, too. But if I buy a new lens and it does not work like expected, I will try to MA it first of course. Imo an MA setting up to +/- three is acceptable if focus hits the full distance range somehow acceptable (what is acceptable everybody has to decide him/herself).
If it is higher MA or it is not working on a zoom over the range, I would let it calibrate.
Usually I buy my lenses in my favorite shop. The cause: I take my body to it and test all (or a couple) of the lens I want to purchase they have in teh shelf. I check the pictures at home and compare which is the best and take this one.
I had no issues in test of three 70-200 4.0 Ls and no with the 100 L. They where all excellent with my body. I tested 7 50mm 1.4s there was a horrible difference between each of them.
p.2 #10 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
Ralph Conway wrote:
First: I only own 4 lenses
Second: After calibrating the new 5D II body (what I only did because all my lenses where fine with my 50D and my friends and collegues MK II) all Canons where fine again. I went to Sigma to let calibrate a new purchased 50mm 1.4 to get over the 23 mm front fokus.
Yes, I prefere MA 0, too. But if I buy a new lens and it does not work like expected, I will try to MA it first of course. Imo an MA setting up to +/- three is acceptable if focus hits the full distance range somehow acceptable (what is acceptable everybody has to decide him/herself).
If it is higher MA or it is not working on a zoom over the range, I would let it calibrate.
Usually I buy my lenses in my favorite shop. The cause: I take my body to it and test all (or a couple) of the lens I want to purchase they have in teh shelf. I check the pictures at home and compare which is the best and take this one.
I had no issues in test of three 70-200 4.0 Ls and no with the 100 L. They where all excellent with my body. I tested 7 50mm 1.4s there was a horrible difference between each of them.
p.2 #11 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
I highly recommend microfocus adjustment of lenses on any camera body which has the microfocus adjustment feature. I have two 5D II bodies, and they behave very different in the MA numbers using the same lenses (given one of my cameras is IR converted). As Ralph pointed out above, I have seen a similar trend - my 70-200/4 IS and my 100-400 IS lenses didn't need a lot of MA correction, but most of my fast prime lenses definitely did.
p.2 #13 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
There is a definite risk sending equipment to CPS. The camera or any one of the lenses may come back in worst condition (requiring you to send it back to Canon). EVEN AFTER SENDING YOUR CAMERA AND LENSES IN FOR CALIBRATION, THEY WILL STILL NEED AF MA ON THE 5DII WHEN YOU GET THEM BACK. For this reason, I would recommend trying AF MA first and only sending everything in if there is a widespread problem.
p.2 #14 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
Wow, different opinions all over. Regretfully, the camera delivery was delayed. Hopefully tomorrow and then I'll know how it performs. Whatever I do, I will first try whatever I can do myself. Hopefully it performs well on both ends of my important zooms (70-200ii and 16-35ii).
p.2 #15 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
Manufacturing tolerances being what they are, and with the MFA ability of the 5DII, you may be better off just performing the adjustments yourself. There are several methods available, from using the pattern supplied by Keith Cooper at Norhtlight Images here:
I just started using Reikan's FoCal with my new MKII and have found an improvement with all my lenses. My 70-200/2.8 IS II is now living up to it's reputation of being very sharp, as is my 400/5.6 (on a 7D).
IMHO, try the MFA feature first before sending all your gear out, with a little patience the results can be worth the trouble.
p.2 #16 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
You know with my 5D, before I had it calibrated by CPS, all of my lenses except for the 135L lived up to their reputations, my 70-200mkII included. I was troubled only by the inacuracy of the focusing screen and because the adjustment was totally free, and my 5D had not been cleaned as long as I have had it (6 years), I thought I'd just have it undergo a total package. Maybe I've been lucky all those years.
Now that I had it done, I'm very happy with the lenses sharpness (as I was before), but also with the focusing screen, that - miraculously - hasn't been touched at all by CPS. So there have been changes made to the combo's that's for sure. MF is spot on now.
And my sensor is clean again
Anyway I'll try AFMA first, and thank you for the northlight link. Very helpful.
p.2 #17 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
I took delivery of my 5DmkII. First thing that struck me was that it was just the camera and charger in a white box. No original box, no USB/video cables, no manual, no warranty card, no DVD's. I know for sure that this will knock off about 200 Euro's from resale value, though the shop denies that. Shouldn't be a big problem if I decide to keep it for a couple of years.
Anyway the camera looks pretty decent, just some minor scratches on top and back LCD, a tiny chip on the mirror box and some paint off the grip at the bottom corners. Shutter count 14000 confirmed with Eosinfo.
I do like this camera, coming from a 5Dclassic and 40D. It has the modern menu the 40D has (and better), I like the back LCD. As long as I'm looking through the VF, handling is very similar to the 5Dclassic. Slightly softer (more pleasant) mirror slap noise. Slightly better noise control.
I'll have to look into the colour differences because I'd like to use 5D and 5DmkII side by side for weddings and events. I believe this will be my main camera for everything else, like portraits, product photography, studio work, landscapes.
I expect to get used to the added benefits so soon that when the time comes to buy a 5DmkIII, and I need to decide which body the sell off (5D or 5DmkII) it will be the 5D. Unless used 5D prices are so low by then that I'll keep my 5D regardless and just have all 5D incarnations.
So this ends the gear time hopefully and starts the photography time, been looking forward to that because photography is what it's all about.
p.2 #18 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
After I heard that used 5D2 prices will drop due to the 6D announcement it initially made me think of returning it, but after doing some business math I decided to keep this 5D2. Here it is:
I have looked at two options:
1. Get 5D3 before christmas (purchase price €2800~€2999)
2. Keep this 5D2 now (purchase price €1309) and sell 5Dclassic in 1.5 years (spring 2014) for a new 5D3 (estimated €2500)
Option 1:
- I will use 5D3+5Dclassic for 5 years
- Total business cost for 5 years is €1444 *) see explanation below
- 5Dclassic is now 6 years old and has 60k actuations out of its rated 100k. It's not likely that this camera will suffice for 5 more years, so additional cost is imminent
Option 2:
- I can use 5D2+5Dclassic for 1.5 years
- Then after that I can use 5D3+5D2 for 3.5 years (and sell 5Dclassic when I get the 5D3)
- Total business cost for 5 years is €1181 *)
- 5D2 now has 15k actuations out of its rated 150k. Likely to keep working for 5 more years
Option 2 holds much more value. The costs are lower, I'll have 5D3+5D2 combo for 3.5 years as opposed to 5D3+5Dc for 5 years.
All I need to sacrifice is being able to use a 5D3 for the next 1.5 years. The number of images I should lose during that time for not having the 5D3 yet won't outweigh the cost saved. At least that is what I think.
*) Total business cost
Having a photo business, gear costs are lower because I get VAT back and I get tax returns each year for economic write-off. When calculating the cost, I estimate 4 numbers and count them together for total business cost:
1. Price of purchase, minus VAT (VAT is tax returned instantly)
2. Lost interest over the price of purchase, for 5 years
3. Write-off tax return during 5 years
4. Resale value after 5 years
So the total business cost is based on selling the gear after 5 years.
p.2 #19 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
I had my 5Dc calibrated a while back after noticing issues with a 400mm lens. Prior to using the 400mm, I was very happy just taking photos. The calibration did make a big difference with the 400mm, but also some small improvement in 50-200 ranges too. Glad I did it.
FoCal is so easy to use, I did not bother to send my 5DII in to Canon. I needed +6 for the 400mm lens and it is tack sharp in real world photos at f4. My other more standard lenses needed just +2 or +3 which probably would not be noticeable if I had left them at 0.
So I agree with some others, just go out and enjoy photos.
If you have a really long lens or shoot at f 1.2 and detect an issue, calibrate it somehow. If the focus is way off, definitely send it to canon - lens and body. If it is off a bit, I'd use FoCal.
p.2 #20 · New Canon 5DmkII: to calibrate or not to calibrate?
I don't understand why one would want to send their lenses along with the camera for calibration? Shouldn't the company have properly calibrated lenses to check the camer with, and make corrections based off a true calibrated lens? If the lenses are then out of calibration once the camera is good, then there is a seperate issue.
