canon lens calibration?

[blueweed]

Hi! I have a 70-200mm f2.8 and 100-400mm and a couple other lenses that I would like to get calibrated for hopefully better sharpness. Was wondering if anyone have any experience with this? how are the after service sales force and any recommendation on person to look for?

Your replies much appreciated.

thank you.

 

[dEthANGeL]

Simply put - you need to bring both your camera and body down (this is preferred as either 1 might be the culprit) IF you only leave your lens and they'll use their own.

No charge if lenses/body are ok.

Do take note that canon service now takes 2 weeks . Unless of course you pay an "express" charge.

 

[The Oracle]

I dont think there is any charges for calibration. I have calibrated twice and no charge after my camera expired. Great service!

 

[ST_sg]

I dont think there is any charges for calibration. I have calibrated twice and no charge after my camera expired. Great service!

Really? I just discovered that my 20D suffer a slight bit of back focusing either on 17-40 f/4L, 50 f/1.4 and the latest 100 f/2.8 Macro USM.

Should I bring all to Canon service center for checking or most likely is just my 20D need calibration? :dunno:

 

[solarii]

Calibrate only if you discover issues which affect your usage/image quality, as in ST_sg's case assuming it is back focusing. In other words, the equipment is not working according to spec

If you're sending in to "tweak" adjustments for hopefully an extra bit of performance (ie being KIASU), don't waste your time.

Of course if you belong to that "I pay top dollar so I want to squeeze every ounce of performance out of my equipment and even more so" group, go right ahead.

Be warned that its this kiasu attitude that led to Canon and many others charging for basic services like sensor cleaning etc. People abuse the service by sending in stuff that requires no work/maintenance/servicing, wasting time. So to deter these folk, many service centres introduce charges for virtually everything that involves them touching the camera.

FYI this is the tech equivalent of Munchausen's syndrome and is the bane of service centres.

Slight variations in equipment performance is to be expected. Unless it's broken, don't send it in for the sake of "seeing if they can make it even better".

 

[ianpaice]

Charges of from $40 to $60 advised by Canon service personnel when I checked.

No charge? Maybe goodwill service sometimes ... ... dont bet on it. If one is kiasu and tried sending all their non-warranty lenses for calibration, be prepared to pay if you want perfect calibration (Example: 3 lenses can cost you close to $200), dont go there insist/demand best calibration only to retreat after hearing the total cost - embarass oneself.

Very slightly front/back focusing sure have one ....rarely everyone have the most perfect calibration.

I dont think there is any charges for calibration. I have calibrated twice and no charge after my camera expired. Great service!

 

[ST_sg]

ya, heard of and aware of front-back focusing issue, since the thin DOF shift is not significant if shooting non-macro subject. And all the while I just ignore it, when only happens to me when testing out the 1:1 shot, it could affect the end result. Furthermore if one no good at manual focus...

 

[contaxable]

For calibration, CSC do charge. I paid >70 to calibrate one lens.

When i got it back, i asked them for details. The service advisor looked blur blur, and then asked a lady (techie) out to talk to me. I asked again what they had done to my lens since i paid for professional calibration. The answer was general cleaning. I told them off that i did not sent it in for cleaning, but calibration as indicated specifically on the receipt. Then the lady replied hessitantly that she probably projected an image over an OHP and did some correction where needed, but she had no clue what had been done cos she could not recall. Penz... cos she was the one who supposedly did mine according to the Service advisor.

Haha, anyway, the lens came back tack sharp. So i was glad CSC did a good job. But i have to say the customer experience was not as good as what i experienced elsewhere. Paid apple, got apple. Cant complain more.

Cheers

 

[Rangie]

Sorry if this is OOT. But what is back/front focus? I am still coming to grips with photography.

I do have a EF100mm Macro lens just purchased so it would be nice to know something here. This is something I don't get to read in books.

Thanks all...:thumbsup:

 

[kayheem]

Before anyone of you go rushing down to Canon Service Centre, do your own testing first. Some info are found here:

http://www.canon-dslr.com/Canon_Jan05/Canon_SLR_Focus_Test.htm

http://www.focustestchart.com/chart.html

Professional DOF chart:
http://www.edmundoptics.com/onlinecatalog/DisplayProduct.cfm?productid=1485

Try not to test your lens too near the close-focus limit of your lens. Do use a tripod with shutter release. Take a few pics (cropped if necessary) to show them what you are referring to. If the object is within the depth-of-field at widest aperture, then don't waste time going down. Their specifications for focus is within the DOF for non-professional setups. In such cases, they will not do any adjustment.

When doing such tests, let the lens starting focus point be from both in front and behind the object. Sometimes you will end up with front AND back focus, depending on your start point. This may be due to the braking ability of the lens so as not to over-shoot the actual focus point.

Sigma does the testing at a distance of 20 times the focal length in mm. i.e. for 100mm lens, test at distance of 2m. I am not sure what is the test distance for Canon.

Sometimes comments about a particular lens not being sharp could be due to front or back focussing of the lens.


Kay Heem