Unfortunately MFA can be quite frustrating and time consuming if you do not rely on a solid method. I’ve been myself quite close to buying focusing system products but I just couldn’t justify the cost.

I have since found 3 reliable and free methods to adjust the focus of my lenses

Method 1: Sharper is bigger

In short this method relies on the fact that a sharper image will yield larger file size.

You will need for this a target with a lot of patterns and details I simply printed this resolution chart on A3 paper.

The setup

1. Make sure your target is completely flat
2. Set your camera on tripod with MLU 2 second timer or remotely triggered
3. Set your camera to be perpendicular to the target
4. Let your target fill the frame
5. Set ISO to be in max 400 (lower is actually better)
6. Set your lens to its widest aperture
7. Set your image quality to fine large JPG or RAW

The test

For a corresponding micro focus adjustment value

1. Defocus your lens completely
2. Focus using 1 shot Auto focus
3. Take the shot.
4. Repeat from step 1 twice
5. Pickup larger file size between the 3 delete the others
6. repeat the whole process for another micro focus adjustment value

Finally the value giving the bigger file size is the best one for this lens.

Of course you don’t have to do this for all available values you can quickly check first using live view what range is giving the best autofocus results and use the above for fine tuning.

Method 2: Moiré interference pattern

I wouldn’t know how to explain this from a technical perspective but the idea is to focus on an LCD screen (not a paper) and pickup the micro focus adjustment value giving the most moiré interference pattern, the whole procedure is explained in details at northlight-images and reference images can be found here and here.

Method 3: DIY Focus charts

These are actually cheap free alternatives to the products you can find on the net. All you have to do is print the focus chart, do some folding and then test the accuracy of your autofocus system.

Here you are no longer relying on file size but on a ruler to know if you have any front/back focus issues.

2 charts are available for free download and use, the first provided by focustestchart.com with full and detailed instructions, the other is curtsey invisicord.com (also available in .doc format), also with instruction of use.

Well hope this well give you more confidence next time you are trying to calibrate a lens.

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I just completed testing my new DIY Egg Crate Grid for my floor to ceiling diffusion panel. Total cost was about $30.

The material used is actually called ‘egg crate’, it’s sold in 2 ft x 4 ft panels just like lighting panels themselves and can be found in the lighting department of Home Depot, Lowes, and some hardware stores. They’re made of white plastic and have a grid of about 1 inch x 1 inch. I primed the plastic and then painted in black, giving it a few coats to make sure that all the corners and insides of the ‘honeycomb’ were evenly covered.

For my grid I kept the 4 ft length and put 2 panels side by side, cutting one of them down to 16 inches so it would fit right over my diffusion panel width of 40 inches, with a grid size of 48 inches x 40 inches. The plastic is very easy to cut with a heavy duty scissor or cutter. The 2 panels were joined together with small nylon cable ties and I tied them every 5 squares. That holds them very tight against each other.

Then I took some vinyl J Channel which is normally used as an end or cap for 1/2 inch sheetrock and (I find it works great for DIY projects where you need a channel or groove) I cut 4 pieces that fit the sides of the grid using nylon cable ties again to join the J channel to the grid. I formed and tightened the corners the same way and didn’t have to use any hardware or fasteners. It is VERY solid.

I attached some nylon fishing line to the grid in 2 spots on the top and fastened 2 U-Bolts to the 3/4 inch PVC tube at the top of the diffusion panel giving me a hook to hang the grid from as well as a method of wrapping the line around the 2 bolts to tighten it up and raise it or lower it to the desired height. The black panel above the grid is just some foam core that is black on one side and white on the other. This helps contain the light more and prevents extra spill from above the grid. I found that placing black panels underneath the grid didn’t affect the background at all so that is why it’s left unmasked.

The grid is easy to hang, easy to adjust, and easy to take off so I can work quickly and change setups on the fly without wasting any time.

The results are outstanding and it looks great!
Here is the finished product.

This shows you the basic construction of the grid. In the top image you can see the how the J channel is attached to the grid as well as the vertical joining of the 2 panels.

The bottom image shows how I formed the corner.

Very easy construction and the only tool you need is a good cutter of some sort to cut the panel to size, the 4 pieces of J channel and then cut the ends of the cable ties.

These 2 images demonstrate the effect of the grid.

The first image is without the grid, the second with the grid. The shots are dark because I was exposing for the subject area to see how much spill was making it to the background.

Subject position is 6 feet from the background, the diffusion panel with the grid is 24 inches from the subject and the light behind the panel is about 24 inches from the panel to create a nice large, soft, diffused light source. I used barn doors to control the shape and adjusted them so the light covered the entire grid.

You can see that with no grid there is serious contamination of the background. With the grid there is little to no contamination and it is seen most in the exact spot that the grid was pointed as opposed to spread across the entire background. The light and panel were angled 45 degrees off the lens’ axis. Normally I use a larger angle but I used 45 degrees so I could really see the light hitting the background. If I did this test using a larger angle there wouldn’t be any light reaching the 10 ft background and it would be directed off to the side.

I took some test images of my stand-in mannequin but there’s nothing really to report or show. There is a very slight difference in the highlight to shadow edge transfer, most noticeably in the chin and neck area. Once a fill light is added you can’t tell the difference in the subject lighting between using the grid and not using it, other than the effect on the background.

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It is not exactly a ring flash but rather a flash diffuser done with milk-jug, so it is practically free

First here is what a milk-jug looks like

Picture by Duncan

And here is the dissection in pictures (Photos by James Harrison)

Results ???
well check this picture of Duncan.
Picture not reproduced here for copyright reasons

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The process is very easy to follow and, best of all, free, the only “investment” is a roll of film ” ((“No it is not digital”))”.

Material needed: Match box, soda/beer can, scissors, hammer, tape, piece of plastic and a film roll.

That guy even included in the video sample pictures he took with this cam and, if they are true, there amazing for a pinhole camera.

Definitely worth a try IMHO now enough talking enjoy the video

via yodyo

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Although I am aware that this tip is not new, but I think it is a must learn for any digital photographer.

Warning:If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. I cannot be held responsible for any problem you encounter, if you decide to follow this tutorial it is at your own risks.

Now that the “legal” part is over let’s see how to proceed
Method one:
1) Go to Start -> Run and type regedit then press ENTER
2) Browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft \ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Explorer
3) Create a DWORD value called ThumbnailSize and set its DECIMAL value between 32 – 256 (higher is bigger)
4) Create a DWORD value called ThumbnailQuality and set its DECIMAL value between 50 – 100 (higher is better)
5) Reboot your computer

Method Two:
If you don’t feel comfortable editing the registry by yourself
1) Open the notepad (Start -> Run type Notepad and press ENTER)
2) Copy paste the content of this file
3) Save the file as TweakThumb.reg
4) Double click on TweakThumb.reg
5) Reboot your computer
N.B.:TweakThumb.reg will set your Microsoft Windows XP thumbnails to the biggest size and best quality

Supported Operating Systems:
This tweak was tested working on
– Microsoft Windows XP
– Microsoft Windows 2003 server

This tweak was tested NOT working on
– Microsoft Windows VISTA

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Here is a tutorial about how to build your own Vagabond power pack

The functional components are a true sine wave inverter, a sealed lead acid battery, and a charger. You want to make sure that you’re using a true sine wave inverter. Cheaper modified sine wave inverters don’t put out clean power. If you use a modified inverter with your strobes, you’ll run the risk of either misfiring or frying your equipment. Blown caps smell bad.
The Vagabond uses a Samlex 150W 12V Pure Sine Wave Inverter that can be found here and here.

It’s a 150W Samlex. They’re cheap, but anyone that uses the Vagabond can tell you that the 150W continuous current can be limiting for recycle times especially for more powerful units (AB1600, X3200). I strongly recommend stepping up to the 300W Samlex. It’s not that much more expensive, and 300W continuous will cut down your recycle times.

If you have a Fry’s Electronics locally, they’ll have them for $130.

Next you need a 12V battery. Sealed lead acid is cheap so it’s the most economical way to go. The higher the AH rating, the longer it’ll last and the heavier it’ll be. It’s up to you to figure out what the best compromise is for weight vs battery life. The Vagabond uses a 15AH battery. In testing I’ve found that it’s best to stay above 10AH at a bare minimum. If you need them shipped, either one of these would work.

If you need something more heavy duty and don’t mind the weight, then pick up a motorcycle or car battery at your local auto shop. Another good place to check locally would be a hobby shop.

There are plenty of options for battery chargers. If you want to prolong the life of your battery, then go with a “smart” multistage charger. They adjust according to what charging stage your battery is in, and they’re safe to leave plugged in to maintain storage charge. The Battery Tender is a solid unit, and it’s international.

Then again, SLA batteries are cheap and life span is 3 years max. If you have more than 1 battery to charge at a time, going with cheaper chargers might be a more practical route.

I’d avoid fast chargers though.

Here is a simplified overview of SLA charging.

After that, all that’s left is to wire everything up and find something to store it in. Your local auto or electronic shop will have all the cables and connectors you need. Wire gauge from your battery to your inverter will depend on the length of the run. If it’s short then you don’t need anything super heavy duty – 14-16ga will be fine. For smaller capacity batteries, 1/4″ spade connectors (.250) will fit the battery terminals. Bigger capacity batteries will have ring terminals. It all depends on what you go with, but it’s not hard to find.

NEC requires a ground circuit. Local and state laws will vary, but the reason the Vagabond comes with a ground is a CYA. The Samlex instruction manual will show you where to attach a ground cable on the inverter chassis. Your auto store has ground cables and spikes for sale. Then again, it’s probably a good idea to avoid using faulty cabling and equipment in the first place.

Toolboxes work great for storage. Walmart has a 22″ plastic Black & Decker for under $10. Anything will work as long as it’s sturdy and waterproof (though I do recommend plastic in order to avoid shorting anything if your cables come loose).

This is what mine looked like when I got done. The wiring’s a little different because I used 5AH batteries in parallel. I also used fast disconnects for everything to make swapping batteries and plugging in chargers easier. They sell them at Fry’s.

And that’s about it. It’s fairly straight forward and it’ll save you money. A DIY power pack with 300W inverter, 12-18AH battery, charger, and misc parts should run you less than $250 easy (compared to $350 before shipping for the 150W Vagabond and $500 for the 300W version, which is 2 150W inverters instead of a single 300W).

In the end I’d like to thank Mike Wong for this very well written tutorial.

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Shwan Boyle, a fellow photographer, is the author of this DIY project.

The components needed for this Alien Bees strobes ready beeper are quite easy to find, those are a photo resistor, a relay coupled to a 555 timer and a buzzer to beep for about a second when the ready lamp comes on and is powered with a 9v battery.

As you might have already guessed that circuit will sense the light of the “ready lamp” to initiate the beeping process. Very simple idea yet effective that can be used with many photography studio lights.

This is how the end product will look like

Get the Alien Beeper schematic

More pictures about the building process can be found at Shawn Boyle website.

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LensHood.co.uk is offering free downloadable PDF files for a very vast collection of lenses including Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sigma, Tamron and Tokina with even and option of a “build it yourself” hood.

Although these DIY lens hoods are useless as lens protection, they do have some benefits with the best one being that they are completely free.
Just a few others
* Ultra compact – can be carried unfolded.
* No waiting to order one – simply download, print, cut-out and attach.
* Redundancy – don’t worry if you lose one; just print another!
* 100% recyclable.
* Can be modified to cater for different digital SLR sensor crop factors.
* Available in both ’rounded’ and ‘petal’ versions.

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Well fortunately here are two ways to diffuse the pop-up flash of the camera

1) You could simply invest in and buy a LumiQuest – Instant On-Camera Soft Screen Diffuser specially designed to for the built-in pop-up flash of many digital cameras and 35mm SLRs.

2) Or if you prefer the DIY option: get an old 35mm film case, white plastic, then cut in it an opening to fit your flash put that over the flash.

Buy your LumiQuest using the link above for a chance to win a rebate on your amazon order

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We have previously discussed a DIY softbox project but this one uses a simple, yet ingenious idea, to make them foldable and the end product sure looks professional

Read the full diy foldable softbox tutorial

Via | Strobist

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However the two most critisized aspect of the new Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKIINew generation over the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKIOld generation are its built quality, plastic mount v/s metal mount, and that the MKII’s lack of focusing distance scales.

Although there is not much we can do about the built quality of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKII, but we sure can make our own distance scales for it.

1) Download the full-sized image (5kB) – it is a greyscale TIFF
2) Print it on a sticker at exactly 600 dpi
3) Follow the detailed instructions on spyderman’s sitespyderman is the original owner of this idea
4) Enjoy

Here is a picture of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 MKII with its new distance scales

If you want to buy the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 and you’d like to support adidap please use the following link and enter the draw to win a rebate

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To use the ExpoDisc is pretty simple,
1. Put the ExpoDisc on your lens.
2. Set your focus mode to manual.
3. Take a picture from a well lit place in the scene where you are about to shoot
4. Set your camera to custom white balance
5. Select the image you just took took as the white balance reference
6. Set your focus mode back to Auto if you want
7. Use this white balance for all other shots in that place

Now here is a trick to achieve very good white balance results just the same way but free all you have to do is replace your ExpoDisc by a pringles can cover and use it the exact same way specified above, it will virtually work as well as the ExpoDisc.

I know there are many professional photographers out there that are going kill me for saying that the results are as good as the ExpoDisc, but for an amateur like me the results are more than satisfactory and will save me some bucks.

I read this trick somewhere on the web a few weeks agoI don’t remember the website for the credits sorry and tested it this weekend believe me it worth a try.

Here is another tips, if you prefer the white card manner you can also use the grey cover of the film protectors, it also works as a charm.

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I love to try different stuff in photography but one of my main problems is, like everyone else, MONEY. So I can’t always allow myself to pay for new material specially when I know it won’t be more than a fantasy.That’s why I love so much the do it yourself projects and I am constently seeking for them.

Here are 4 different resources for DIY project to build your own cheap flash ring

First is from jedrek it was posted on flickr and I got it from strobist. You can find here a bigger version of the project and a full discussion on the project on the Strobist Flickr group.

Second is from ReadyMade magazine and the third one is from DigiHack

The fourth and final is how to use your camera built-in flash as a ring flash and it was taken from photography on the net forum

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Well I think that I will finally have the chance to try once again panoramas with a higher chance of success for about $10

Arodrix is proposing a tutorial on how to build your own panoramic tripod head for just about $10, sure worth a try.

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