# AF Micro Adjustment valid in all modes?



## candyman (Jan 2, 2012)

I apologize if this has been answered before. :-[
I am just learning on AF Micro Adjustment. 

When I calibrate a Canon lens in my 7D, and set the value, and "save", is the adjustment valid in all Modes (TV,AV,M and *even the C-modes*)? I assume it is, since the Adjustment is lens specific and not Mode specific.

Is my assumption correct?


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 2, 2012)

Yes. Even if you are in manual mode, it will affect the AF indicator that shows attaining focus. I also believe it will affect at least some of the AF confirm chips, but I'm not sure of that, perhaps someone has info on that.


----------



## PaperTiger (Jan 2, 2012)

As far as I know though, it doesn't apply to Custom Modes. I noticed this with the 5D, but not the 7D. It could've been the order that I set up the Custom Modes (after or before AF adjustment).


----------



## neuroanatomist (Jan 2, 2012)

AFIAK, it applies in all modes including custom modes. When I change or turn off/on the adjustment, in a regular mode (Av, etc.), the change is reflected in all 3 custom modes, and vice versa. 

In fact, AFMA is a bit pernicious - if you reset the camera to default, it returns the main AFMA setting to default (0: no adjustment), but it doesn't delete the lens-specific adjustments previously stored. The only way to delete an adjustment is to set it to zero with the lens attached, or when you get to 20 stored. (I wonder if the 1D X will store more adjustments?)


----------



## handsomerob (Jan 2, 2012)

PaperTiger said:


> As far as I know though, it doesn't apply to Custom Modes. I noticed this with the 5D, but not the 7D. It could've been the order that I set up the Custom Modes (after or before AF adjustment).



On my 7D, it gets carried to all modes including C1/C2/C3.


----------



## smirkypants (Jan 2, 2012)

neuroanatomist said:


> The only way to delete an adjustment is to set it to zero with the lens attached, or when you get to 20 stored. (I wonder if the 1D X will store more adjustments?)


Damn! Twenty? I did not know this. I'm going right now to write down all the custom settings on my lenses. I don't have 20 lenses, butI rent and borrow lenses and I'm sure I must have overwritten some of mine without thinking. I wonder if this is responsible for a lens "not working as well as it used to" issue I've had....
+1


----------



## neuroanatomist (Jan 2, 2012)

Yep, 20 adjustments. Although the 1D X will distinguish different copies of the same lens by serial number, no other body does. Also, a lens + extender is a separate lens as far as AFMA is concerned (which is good, since a different setting is usually required).


----------



## candyman (Jan 3, 2012)

All of you, thanks for the info.
I will go along with it.

btw Did anyone of you ordered the FoCal software? http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/focal.html#FullyAuto

Or maybe even had a chance of testing the beta?


----------



## smirkypants (Jan 3, 2012)

candyman said:


> btw Did anyone of you ordered the FoCal software? http://www.reikan.co.uk/focal/focal.html#FullyAuto


Before doing anything else, just try the tape measure/tripod technique, and don't forget to shoot with the timer. It's pretty trivially easy and there's no need to get all OCD over every 1/32nd of an inch.

Remember, the micro adjustment matters most on lenses with a really shallow depth of field. It's critically important on your 1.4 primes, pretty important on your 2.8 zooms, but less so on your f4-5.6 zooms. 

I have a rebel that I hang onto that's permanently attached to a 28-135. I know that the camera front focuses quite a bit and that it can't be adjusted, but it's my "I don't care if it gets stolen, dropped or drowned" camera. It's pretty impossible to tell that there's a problem when you're out and about with it.


----------



## wickidwombat (Jan 3, 2012)

Another interesting thing regarding AF adjust i have been wondering about is are the +/-20 steps different between camera models for example all my canon lenses are basically spot on on both my 5D2s and my 1D3
but with my front focusing sigma the 5D2 requires +13 on the scale but only +6 on the 1D3 i wonder if the 1D has a greater total adjustment range but is still only represented as 20 each way.

Also note that the AF adjust settings are displayed in the exif data too


----------

