1. Making Sharper Images Workshop
Focusing Materials Required By
Bob Bone

2. Make the following target from foam board
Make the following target from foam board. Bring this to the Making Sharper Images Workshop along with a “Yardstick” or scale to the workshop, see slide #3
Front side
Back side
Draw cross hatch pattern, ≈ 1/4” spacing,
As shown on front side of form board
Mark thick black line as shown on back of
foam board
Form Board ≈ 16” X 20”
Glue foam board piece to backside of
larger form board, ≈ 2” X 4” as shown
Bob Bone

3. Calibrating or Verifying Your Focus Set-up
Focusing target X
Field of view
in view finder
Camera with
Lens / Extender, etc.
Scale / yardstick, etc.
Adjust focus for DOF zone here
Rear focus
Front focus
Side view
Target and shelf
for scale
Focus Point
Sharp focus
Test Scale
Front view
of target
Foam Board
90°
Scale / yardstick, etc.
Focusing Point
DOF
Use largest aperture possible to perform this test, keeping the DOF small - 1” to 2” max
DOF=Depth of Field
Bob Bone

4. Workshop’s Post Presentation Hands-on Activities
Review your camera’s AF settings
AI Servo* 1st image priority set to focus
AI Servo 2nd image priority set to focus
One-Shot AF release priority set to focus
Discover where your camera focuses (Use backside of focus target, slide #7)
Does your lens / camera front or rear focus? (Use front side of focus target, slide #3 and #8)
Adjust or verify where your camera focuses
* Continuous focus for Nikon cameras
Bob Bone

5. AF Priority Settings Example*
Your camera’s default setting are not focus priority
*Canon 7D II example
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6. Discovering Where Your Camera Focuses
With Camera on a tripod and pointing to the left of the focus target’s vertical line (Backside of target, Slide #7)
Press the shutter button; no exposure should take place
Slowly pan the camera right towards the vertical line while pressing the shutter button
As you approach the vertical line, the camera should release the shutter, as soon as this happens stop the panning
Draw a line on a piece of paper where the edge of the focus zone in your viewfinder is vs. the vertical line on the target
See example to the right.
Is it scenario “A” or “B”?
Repeat for opposite side, panning to the left
Rotate target and repeat for the two vertical sides, top and bottom, see next slide #7 A B
See next slide
Bob Bone

7. Discovering Where Your Camera Focuses
Four steps with simulated results.
Final results should
resemble this
Step #1
Step #2
Step 4 results
Note: Your camera should not
release the shutter until the
focus square touches the black
mark
Step 2 results
Step 1 results
Step #3
Step #4
Step 3 results
This will show where your
camera really focuses
Bob Bone

8. Calibrating or Verifying Your Focus
Set-up focus target, front side towards camera, make sure the target is 90 degrees and perpendicular to the camera
Place yard stick / scale on ledge as shown
Align the “yard stick” so the ≈ 18” mark or center scale of scale is at the front edge of the target
(Note: red down arrow) This is your focus reference mark
DOF = Depth of Field
Use largest aperture possible to perform this test, keeping the DOF small - 2” to 3” max. Move camera closer or further away as required
DOF
Side view
90° X
Field of view
in view finder
Camera with
Lens / Extender, etc. on tripod
Scale / yardstick, etc.
Adjust focus for DOF zone here
Rear focus
Front focus
Camera’s focus zone
Front view
Bob Bone

9. Calibrating or Verifying Your Focus
- adjustment
values move
focus in this
direction
Use largest aperture possible.
Set image quality to and record your current micro-focus settings if available
Take one image of the target. Is your camera front or rear focused?
Adjust micro focus setting by two increments and repeat step #2, “+” values move the focus further away from the camera. See scale figure at right.
Repeat steps 2 & 3, adjusting the micro focus values to obtain the reference mark in focus. Record this value on a sheet of paper.
Take 9 more photos – do not touch lens’ focus ring.
This will give you a total of 10 photos for the final adjustment value / review.
Review the images to determine if they are centered around the focus reference mark. Repeat test as required to obtain “B” distribution by changing settings.
Focus reference mark
Back focus zone
Front focus zone
“A” “B” “C”
Camera’s focus zone
Yard stick / Scale
*Tape scale to
table top
+ adjustment
values move
focus in this
direction *
Bob Bone