# AFMA 7D with Sigma 150-500mm.



## Valvebounce (Jun 7, 2013)

Hi guys.
I have just AFMA'd my lenses on my 7D using the Dot Tune method.
Canon E-FS 17-85mm +3, seems reasonable.

Cosina 100 - 300mm tried it at both ends and in between, out of range in different directions at each end, out of patience! Older cheapish lens bought for film camera. Oh well! :'(

Sigma 150 - 500mm out of range at 500mm, +18 at 300mm. :-\

My questions are,
How do I know if it is the body or lens that is out? I am thinking lens as I was suspicious with it on my 40D and the 
E-FS 17-85mm is only slightly out. 

I do know that a pool of 2 lenses is not a good sample. I am discarding the results of the Cosina as it visibly moved in opposite directions at opposite ends of the zoom range when changing from contrast detect to phase detect focusing.

Anyone have experience with this lens, are they generally ok, can they be adjusted, local shop or back to sigma?

I would like to get the Sigma adjusted but it I have had it a couple of years without having the body with AFMA to test it with, prior to this I thought I was causing the OOF pics.

I think I will get one of the software products, probably FoCal, to make sure I have the right figures for the lenses. 

Thanks in advance for any insight or ideas.

Cheers Graham.


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## TheJock (Mar 16, 2014)

Did you ever find out about this Graham?
I'd also be interested to know now that I have a body with AFMA, plus I'd just be interested in learning how to do the process from start to finish!

Cheers mate

Stewart


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## Valvebounce (Mar 17, 2014)

Hi Stewart. 
No I didn't, I bought FoCal, and that was when the problems started! Laptop too decrepit to run it, borrowed her laptop, target not light enough indoors even with all the extra light I could muster short of bringing home an oily dual 500w halogen tripod from my workshop! First opportunity to borrow laptop on a bright cloud free day and it wouldn't download the image from the camera, a windows update had crashed, €¥€<\^€ windows. 
I was hoping to try today, but too much housework to do! ;D
Maybe get to have a go Wednesday. 

Cheers Graham.


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## philmoz (Mar 17, 2014)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Stewart.
> No I didn't, I bought FoCal, and that was when the problems started! Laptop too decrepit to run it, borrowed her laptop, target not light enough indoors even with all the extra light I could muster short of bringing home an oily dual 500w halogen tripod from my workshop! First opportunity to borrow laptop on a bright cloud free day and it wouldn't download the image from the camera, a windows update had crashed, €¥€<\^€ windows.
> I was hoping to try today, but too much housework to do! ;D
> Maybe get to have a go Wednesday.
> ...



Try mackguyver's manual method described here http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=19742.msg372127#msg372127

I've found the latest version of the FoCal software to be pretty unreliable (Mac version) - crashes a lot on my laptops.

The manual method separates the capture from the analysis - if the program fails you can just restart it and re-run the analysis of the captured images.

Phil.


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## ahab1372 (Mar 17, 2014)

+1 on Manual mode, I now prefer it over the semi-manual mode.

I also noticed that FoCal results can be very different if you have the RGB analysis enabled - I went back to the old method (RGB disabled). RGB analysis is supposed to be better, but I have yet to verify that against real world tests (with a DIY lens-align type set-up)


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## TheJock (Mar 18, 2014)

I found a DIY pattern and printed it and made the item yesterday, it looks identical to a SpyderLensCal and I tried to see what this AFMA is all about last night with my (new to me) 24-105L, like you Graham it was far too dark so I just turned settings up which then made things "grainy", I was back at 2.6 meters from the Cal as I have read that you can calculate focal length at 25X, but I couldn’t see any immediate front or back focus issues at all. I think I'll need to investigate this further on YouTube this weekend!!!!!
If I go back 50X as some articles say then I'll need to do it outside with the 105, I'll need to find an unused football field for the Sigma 150-500!!!!!!!!!


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## Valvebounce (Mar 18, 2014)

Hi Stewart.
Not sure about a football field, but a fair sized area yes! Far enough to get infinity, FoCal seems happy to use the target less than full screen from what I have managed to find from the small results I have had with it.

Cheers Graham.


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