QOTD: What camera do you prefer: DSLR or Mirrorless?? (or are you currently using both like me!) Share below!👇

I recently picked up a lens - and didn’t know this was even an issue! I had a friend tell me I could have a bad copy - wow! Thanks for the info!

I am glad you shared this. I've been micro-focusing for a while without the calibration tool. I will get one soon though. Great job.

You are so good at explaining please don't stop doing videos it helps me so much

Thank you so much, Chelsea, for sharing your knowledge. I ordered a calibration board (the 3rd) whilst watching your video. I can't wait to use it and follow your instructions. As to mirrorless or DSLR, I've never used a mirrorless, so would have to say that I'm a DSLR lover! Thanks again. - Tamara, Posh Shutterbug Photography

Great video. I calibrated all my lenses. Thank you!

Thank you for a very clear and comprehensive demo for lens calibration. I am having a difficult time calibrating a new lens and found your tip regarding 1/3 front focus and 2/3 back focus beyond a zero focus point very helpful.

Yes new video! Thank you so much for the info Chelsea - informative and super helpful as always 😅

Thank you for the tips. I’ve switched to mirrorless and i love it. Still learning

Although I am a landscape/macro guy, not a portrait shooter, I found this very helpful, especially with the finicky focus on the shallow depth of field when shooting super close macro shots, thanks for all the great info. Steve

Hi Chelsea, First timer watching your videos. Back in the 70's-90's, I freelaned in sports photography and promos for inspiring actresses and bands. Nikon gear included (4) F2AS, (4) F3HP, each with motor drives and 13 lenses (from 10.5mm-500mm, and a couple zooms) and Hasselblad 500c/m, 3 backs, 80mm & 150mm zeiss lenses. Gave F2/F3 bodies, some lenses, and Hassy gear to my daughter when she started her business in 2000 after high school. In 2015 and retired, I jumped back into landscape and now venturing into wildlife. Using a D7100 until I can buy a D500. Looking forward to warching more of your videos and training lessons. - Greg (Lodi, CA)

This is so helpful! Thanks Chelsea! I use both a DSLR and a mirrorless but I'm loving my Nikon Z6 more and more!

Great tutorial Chelsea!

There is still hope of finding channels on YT that teach photography. As soon as my portfolio allows it, I switch to mirrorless. Excellent video.

I shoot olympus mirrorless and I love it!

I have watched several videos about micro-adjustments. Your video was for me the most helpful. Thank you for sharing it. To answer your final question: I am using both, DSLR and mirrorless cameras (primarily Sony, e.g. A99, A77, A65, NEX-7, A7, A7S, A7RIII and ZV-1) and I will continue to use regularly my old DSLRs until these will be falling apart. When I will see an opportunity to get a reasonably priced A99II I will try to add it to my camera collection. My more modern A-mount glass I am partially re-using on my A7x cameras with the help of the LA-EA5 adapter. Most people will find this awkward: I am using my A7x cameras primarily for my huge collection of manual focus film-era vintage lenses and not for modern auto-focus lenses. For my style of shooting the A77 and A99 are just doing fine with auto-focus but there are some old auto-focus lenses where I have to take better care of the AF micro-adjustment for achieving best results.

That’s (one of several reasons) why I started shooting mirrorless back in 2011. I will never have to worry about that issue ever again.

I bought a second hand Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8, which was incredibly front focusing, and both the micro adjustment & Sigma’s calibration console weren’t enough to fix it. After sending it eventually to Sigma’s service for a calibration, where they didn’t do a great job, they at least brought it within the limits of the calibration console, so I could fix it myself. However Sigma’s software has 16 points to calibrate compared to just 2 on my Canon DSLR. 4 zoom levels, and 4 focal distances. The technique that I found to save me a great deal of time was this: I used a book as a target, perfectly perpendicular to a table, where I had my camera, and a measuring tape to ensure the focal length from the sensor to the book was right and that both their planes were parallel to each other. Then, I was switching to live view, which uses dual pixel phase detection AF, and it was always perfectly accurate. I was taking a picture and I was verifying that the book was in clear focus from edge to edge. The simple trick that I used, was to switch to the view finder, half press the shutter to refocus, and see if the focus barrel of the lens would move to front/back focus. Then I’d take out the lens, plug it to the Sigma’s console, adjust the correction value and try again until the barrel wouldn’t move at all between the two modes. Then I’d go to the next calibration point. Also one more tip, about the 4 infinity calibration points on Sigma’s software: You don’t actually want to calibrate infinity, but a much closer distance. It still has to be a few times further away from the previous point to work well, and in my case I used 1.5m. The reason for that is that when I tried at infinity with a building far away, many different correction values would work fine without any noticeable difference. However at closer distances, any wrong value that I’d use for infinity would have a major impact. Using this technique I managed to get the exact same focus using both AF systems, and the speed up compared to when I was using a target before, taking shots, and trying to figure out the adjustment value from the shot, was an order of magnitude faster.

A very interesting video. I've learned something today. Thanks for sharing your knowledge - I didn't know that live-view contrast detect AF was more accurate than the faster phase detect. Great job.

Thank you for your lecture, It was really good for me

Thank you for this video 🙏

This is a great video! I’m about to upgrade to mirrorless in a few months

Great video! Another option is the software based Reikan FoCal, I love it!

YES! Thanks for this

Great video. Super informative. My calibration tool is arriving today and I’ll be using this instructional to calibrate all of my primary lenses. Thanks 😊

Just found your channel and I'm loving the content. This particularly video really helped as I have a very sensitive 85mm Nikon which is really unforgiving 😂 thank you 😊

Thanks for including the mirrorless camera info at the end! I have a Sony mirrorless, so I may try the calibration with my Tamron and Sam Yang lenses but I am not in as much of a rush as before!

You're talking over my head right now, but this is a great video .

Great video

Great video! I was going to send my camera in for this.

Love Sony! But that new Nikon Z6 ii looks amazing!! Dual card slots finally!!! Great vid!!

Great video. I will need to calibrate my lenses

Thank you so much for the video. I still prefer DSLR (Nikon D750) The video was very helpful, but I still have several questions. Hope you’ll be able to help me out with them. 1. Do we need a separate calibration for each focal length? You calibrated at 200mm does it mean that we will be able to take advantage of the improved focus ONLY when we photograph at 200mm and we have to perform a SEPARATE calibration for other focal lengths if we wish for improved focus at THOSE focal lengths? 2. Similar to the above question but for various APERTURES. For example if I calibrate at f/2.8 does it improve focus for ONLY when I use f/2.8 or for OTHER apertures as well? Since we obviously use MORE than one aperture setting when we photograph. 3. What about the distance at which we perform the calibration? You used the distance that you usually photograph at while using 200mm but if I photograph at DIFFERENT distances all the time do I need SEPARATE calibration for EACH of the distances? I know it’s a lot to ask but would really appreciate if you can answer my questions. Thanks so much, Marianne

Thank you for this video, it was a really great help! I must say, I don’t care for the mirrorless cameras, I still prefer DSLR. I looking through a viewfinder, not a screen.

Fantastic video. I'm new to this DSLR world and have so much to learn. I had no idea we had to recalibrate our lenses every so often. Also, I haven't come across any other videos addressing lens calibration. They may be out there but I haven't seen them so thank you. This was very informative.❤

Thank you :)

Hi Chelsea, this is a great video and has answered many questions for more. However, I noticed that on your camera, the AF fine tune "Default" setting was set to -20. Is there a reason for this.

I have just found your channel and am enjoying it very much. Could you please think about doing a video on lighting groups. Thank you

Thank you for your helpful video. I haven’t calibrated any of my lenses yet, but watching your video gives me the confidence to finally get into it. However, when you placed your focussing target, you said “Right here should be good.”, with no indication where “here” is, so I have no idea how far the target/calibrating tool should be from the camera. I shoot with a DSLR, since I really like the optical viewfinder.

I used the same JJC tool you depicted in this video but ultimately decided that there is no way to ensure the focal plane of the target and the camera are parallel to each other. You identified the same problem with the pyramid tool but you did not say how you overcame the same problem. Yes, we can level the X axis, but how do you make sure the Y and Z axis fare the same? The target and camera might be at the same height but if I am off left or right, or the lens is pointing up or down, does it invalidate this process? Nikon Support recommended to let them do the adjustments for the same reasons. What are your thoughts on how to solve this adjustment problem. Thank you and please keep up with Nikon tips. If you switch to Sony, you might loose your audience as other KZfaqrs already have.

I shoot DSLR and ML. Nikon. The calibration issue is that the DSLR uses a separate sensor for autofocus. It needs to work "around" the mirror or it would be in the way of your optical viewfinder. Here the calibration relates to that AF sensor's distance to sensor and lens as well as its angle. In LiveView and Mirrorless you use AF sensors that are in the imaging sensor, or the imaging sensor itself (or both technologies combined). With zoomlenses you have the shallowest depth of field at the longest focal length (completely zoomed in). Old school manual focus with zoomlenses "we" did by first zooming in completely, focusing, and next zooming out to desired framing. This requires the lens to retain the focal plane exactly during zooming. So if a lens was made properly, then there should never be a requirement to calibrate at other focal lengths than completely zoomed in. Or, a manufacturer that offers calibration for different focal lengths of their zoomlenses must either make very bad zoomlenses or does not know what they are doing.

Hi Chelsea As you said don’t need to calibrate mirror less, if I use sigma art lens with adapter should I have to calibrate?

Hi thanks for the video info. Couple of points I would like to try and understand. Your video shows setup for camera and target at similar height ! Yet when you took image your camera was considerably higher. Also when I followed this video everything was set up correctly yet when viewing the image the centre line to ‘0’ was about 3 marks out ? Is there something I am not doing correctly? I was trying to calibrate a sigma 150-600 Thanks in anticipation of your help Steve (uk)

I'm using a Nikon D810 and am trying to calibrate my Nikon 105mm 2.8 macro lens, I was shown that you could use two rulers vertically on a whiteboard with a horizontal line in between the rulers at an angle to adjust the focus point, what do you think of that?

I'd like to add a little more. I think you should let the viewers know to have the camera setting at single point focus. Another mention is the difference of 'Saved Value' and 'Default' value. I had made the mistake of adjusting with the Default value, and made my other lenses that were working fine become off focus. 1. after mounting the lens, first go to 'List saved values'. assign a number to the lens. 2. Go to 'Saved Value' and adjust from there. This will allow the camera remember the lens that you have just adjusted, and it will adjust after lens changes. You should not touch 'Default' value unless you feel like all the lenses are off. And / or, when the lens is still not in focus after the allowed 20 fine adjustments.

Hi Chelsea, Thank you for the informative video. I plan to calibrate my lenses both for full frame and crop sensor bodies. With respect to telephoto lenses, since I shoot anywhere between 24-70mm on a f2.8 Tamron G2 or between 70-200 on Sigma f2.8 , is there any merit for checking calibration at both ends and taking an average? Perhaps one end of the zoom range will be fine, here's hoping. I shoot Nikon as well.

Like the three videos of yours I have seen so far. I have been playing around with the idea of "going pro". Currently shooting on Nikon D700, F5, and Pentax 645 Medium format film. Looing at D4 and D5 at the moment.

Hi do some video on oncamera flash share tips and techniques using exposure composition during indoor low light wedding event

Hi Chelsea! Thank you for the calibration video! I am shooting with the nikon D750 but would really love more info on the mirrorless version. My son just got a mirrorless sony and it seems a lot easier!!! Ugh! LOL!!! Maybe you could do a video on the Nikon Mirrorless?? :)))) Thanks for your great videos! You do such a great job explaining!

I have some older A mount Sony lens will micro adj work with them?

Beautiful hair, hard not to stay focus on it ! ;o)

To reduce camera vibration, would using the 'Mirror-Up' setting be better than setting the timer? I heard there's no Mirror slap on this setting.

Hi, nice tip. But how come if I use more lens, should I do calibration for each lens?

Thank you so much for all that information. I just got a Nikon Z7 ii Mirrorless and I want to make sure that my Sigma Art 1.4 is properly calibrated. Do the calibration settings apply to different lenses when different lenses are used? For example, my 70- 200 mm compared to this Sigma 1.4? How does it differ? I’m a little confused. Thanks so much.

Thanks for the tip. What happen when you swap lens? Does it automatically knows to switch to my saved settings?

Your video is very helpful thanks.I have a problem with my Nikon d4.on live view mode it perform very sharp focus but on view finder it's focus gone out.do you have any suggestions?

when using a mirrorless camera do lenses themselves still need to be micro adjusted? i know the camera itself doesn't as it uses the same sensor for af and image capture. not sure if the lens itself would need to be or does the af on a mirrorless deal with that by design?

I calibrate my lens 4 or 5 times a day, even if I’m not shooting. As my uncle Ned always says “put your money in the glass”!

nice video I understand it better the calibration part. I'm trying to calibrate my sigma 35mm f/1.4, but dont have the calibration chart. i guess have to ask my best frien Google were to get it for free.

so what about if i reach to 20+ and 20- and the lens still doesnt focus properly in the center but when i hit the AF bottom it bocus a bit off still

Thanks.I'm Sony Alpha shooting. Still shooting with my SonyA99V I want to go to Mirrorless Sony7RIV.

I used Sony mirrorless through 2020 and it was okay, but the Nikon colors, the ergonomics of the DSLRs and my previous knowledge and comfort with the menus and functionality of the cameras brought me back. I had kept my D500 when I switched to using Sony full time for clients, and I have since sent the Sony to sell/trade with one of the big box NY stores, and have bought a used D850 for now. I may decide to get back into mirrorless through Nikon when I am positive their system is reliable, but at the time I switched, the Z series was just too new and there was only one slot for memory cards, the autofocus didn't work as well as Sony, and it seemed like Nikon needed more time to get things right. All of my work in 2021 will likely be with the Nikon DSLRs unless I rent something else for a short time to try it out.

My focus screen was damaged on my canon 5D Mark IV so I sent it to Canon Repair and Support to have it replaced. I haven't used my camera very much since I got it back. I'm going on a trip and I wanted to make sure my camera gear was good to go and noticed my pictures are not sharp no matter what I do..... I shot in full sun and not sharp to my liking. I followed your steps and I am not satisfied with the results I'm getting. I feel that the "focus screen" is not right...... Do you think the focus screen has anything to do with it? Thanks

Mirrorless all the way

Very impressive. But i have'nt a camera. 😅

Its good that those new to photography, ya know the ones buying mirrorless cameras because they are easy to use. Well its good they dont have to do this anyway, could be the straw that broke the mirrorless users back, just playing relax, relax :) Now go learn your new laminated, exposure triangle, flash cards.

Super Camera Blondie

I’m relatively new to manual cameras. I’m currently using a canon EOSR. I’m fed up not being able to meet up with anyone to take their photo and I’m not very photogenic, plus it’s so much harder getting the focus in the right place when taking self portraits so I’m stuck for practicing my portrait taking T

What do you do when the largest possible number is not enough? -20 in this case

how i can af tune nikon d7500 lens 50mm f1.8g without calibration tools

So... focus micro adjustment is a setting saved in... the camera body?... the lens?... is it saved in the lens and that setting follows to other cameras you attach the lens to? Is this setting only important if you're using auto-focus? (because if you don't use AF, you just keep turning the focus ring until your subject is in focus, right?)

Hey, what tripod are you using?

Video was well done except for the audio when you raised voice being in that echoed environment it would be deafening

Really like your videos, just worried about that heavy lens dangling of your D4, when you could maybe have used the tripod mount on the lens.

You really should fill the frame with the pyramid no matter what focal length.

A decent video, but you weren't clear on how far away the camera should be from the focal target. On average, it is 30 X the ?mm. Example: 100 mm lens X 30 = 3000 mm. Converted to feet: 9'8". A simpler way is to drop the last number. In this case, the "0". 100 mm is 10 feet from the target. One other thing you failed to mention was that you use only a single (1) point of focus. Cheers.

Setting your camera to 1/60 sec. ... perhaps if you add more ambient light you'd be able to crank up your shutter speed to 1/125 sec. Having good lighting - beit natural or artificial is crucial when it comes to calibrating your gear. Don't settle for 'just enough' light. You don't want your AF to start hunting during this process.

Not working on the Nikon D810

Im still into film photography, anyone else?

Thank you fellow phtographer!

why it is shacking so much the video? :(

....I will keep using my dslr....tried mirrorless and did not like it .....

Anyone else annoyed that the stair rail protrudes further that the wall/bottom step in the background? No.... just me

Chelsea, please do fix that camera, those artificial movements (at the beginning of the video) of the camera are just awful and annoying. otherwise, thank you for preparing this video

I have tried this with my camera. I've not been very happy with my results. I have NEVER seen that "pin sharp" image. Tri pod? check. Image stabilization off? check. Timer ? check. Grumpy old photographer? CHECK! I'll have to try again. grump grump

I've noticed that you have placed the calibration tool many several feet in front of the camera... Because you're shooting with the 70-200 mm lens, it's important to know what the proper distance is between you and the cal. Tool in order to get proper adjustment results. (200mm x 25 = ____feet away) So for someone who has a 150-600 mm lens... I'd think that using the same calibration tool for the purpose of micro-AF Adjustment would be rather difficult to see at 30 feet away? I thought it would be better to pick natural items outdoors in your backyard ( fencepost, tree etc...) To calibrate with instead of the calibration tool.