CPA with CPS?

[atolk]

I signed up for CPS Gold and, while I look forward to my 5 lenses/cameras cleaned, what I am really after is CPA: Canon Precision Alignment of my two main lenses to my main body. I do have a backup body, but assume that asking to align two lens to two bodies does not work. Please correct me if I am wrong on this.

How do I know if I need CPA, how do I know how much it will be, and how do I request it? I do live near service center, so I am temped to walk in with all my gear and ask for clarifications there, but I get an impression that they only physically accept orders, but all arrangements must be main online.

Is CPA considered a repair, and do I just get 20% off from my Gold CPS membership?

I tried going through the steps of requesting CPA, and I got:
$239 for one lens
$239 for another lens
$89 for the body
before discount.

At no point did I see the option to specify that I want two lenses calibrated to one body, or any "package discounts". Am I really looking at $567 to calibrate my gear? I don't even know for sure that I need it. I have a 20 year old 70-200mm, which is my workhorse and fairly sharp, a newish RF 100-500, which seems to have a lot of focusing/sharpness issues, but could also be user error, and an almost new R6 Mk2 to go with them.

Do I want to go through CPA? Is it possible to send them all for free maintenance and request an answer whether they need CPA? Or do people only do CPA when there are clear focusing issues?

Thanks!   

[ebiggs1]

I wouldn't do it. I was a Gold member for years and never saw a need for it. The fact is most L lenses do not need AF adjustment of any kind but if they do all pro level cameras have the ability to do it yourself. 

What if you have two, or three, cameras? You can't use the adjusted and calibrated lens on the other body(s).

RF Canon lenses can now be updated by you at home. This allows corrections and improvements to be made without the need to return the lens to Canon. Some Sigma and Tamron lenses are customizable by you at home.

[atolk]

Thank you! What does RF adjustment at home look like?

And how do you know if your older EF lens and your brand new R6 Mk II need to be adjusted to each other (most likely the lens to the body)? Do all photos have to come out misfocused? Some? Most? I have an acceptable percentage of shots misfocused, and I chalk it up to user error or bad luck. But I keep hearing from all the photographers who have their lenses calibrated and I don’t know whether they do it because they perceived an issue or because they strive for perfection at all costs. 

[ebiggs1]

Hmmm, I don't think any of my photography folks have had CPS adjust their lenses. And, yes, most OOF issues are user caused. I used t teach DSLR 101 classes so I saw a lot of problems form newer photographers and almost always it is attributed to the person and not the gear.

You can check the specific R series camera's manual for full instructions on how to do MFA.  Same for your pro level DSLR. The entry level cameras do not have that feature.

You can do a test yourself with a good tripod and a yardstick or some other calibrated measuring device. It is time consuming and critical measurements must be made. Keep in mind focus adjustment does not make your lens or any lens sharper. It is as sharp as it will ever be once it is manufactured. 

[Anonymous]

Correct me if I am wrong (I don't own a mirrorless camera), the mirrorless R series cameras wouldn't need to be adjusted to the lens, as it is similar to a DSLR's live view focusing system. DSLRs needed to be adjusted to a lens sometimes because of slight differences between the cameras viewfinder focusing system, which is a separate system from live view focusing. Is this correct?

[FloridaDrafter]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Correct me if I am wrong (I don't own a mirrorless camera), the mirrorless R series cameras wouldn't need to be adjusted to the lens, as it is similar to a DSLR's live view focusing system. DSLRs needed to be adjusted to a lens sometimes because of slight differences between the cameras viewfinder focusing system, which is a separate system from live view focusing. Is this correct?

---

Yes, Bob, you are correct. Although the newer R's sensors are a little more sophisticated in the way they handle autofocus... Still, basically the same 🙂

Newton

[atolk]

I guess I will hold off on messing with the lenses (or cameras) and shelling out the $$ until I see an actual issue that needs correcting.

[Anonymous]

Since you have an R series mirrorless camera, there would be no AF micro adjustment for your lenses to camera body calibration to be done by Canon (unlike a DSLR).

[FloridaDrafter]

---

@atolk wrote:

I guess I will hold off on messing with the lenses (or cameras) and shelling out the $$ until I see an actual issue that needs correcting.

---

What I've noticed with my R's (R5, 6, and 6 mark II) is that, when zoomed in in post, they are a bit soft (I use all RF L glass), not terrible and probably not noticeable to most, but noticeable to me at 100%+. I handle it to my satisfaction by tweaking unsharp mask, and by adding a little contrast and clarity in post (I use DPP 4). I found this tip somewhere, probably in one of the many books I have, to overcome the low pass (AA) filters on these sensors, and it seems to work for me.

Newton

[ebiggs1]

"... a newish RF 100-500, which seems to have a lot of focusing/sharpness issues,..."

As I stated above AF adjustment of any kind whether it is on a DSLR or mirrorless in lens or in camera does not make any lens sharper or give it better IQ. This seems to be a common fallacy from folks even some on this forum. A lens is as sharp as it will ever be the day it is made.

Usually, when you have an AF miss focus something else in the picture will be in perfect focus. This could be do to the fact the AF locked on to the wrong subject. However, if everything in the photo is bad that is user technique error, usually.

It's a fact some lenses are not as sharp as others. The 50mm f1.4 Sigma Art vs the Canon ef 50mm f1.4 for example.  Even when comparing two lenses of the exact same model there can be small differences. And, zooms tend to be less sharp then primes although that gap is diminishing.