The SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid from Datacolor is a focus test chart, designed for use with select DSLRs that support autofocus adjustment. The chart allows you to test the autofocus accuracy of your camera, making it easy to fine-tune it for optimum performance.
The SpyderLensCal features a built-in level and tripod mount, allowing you to create precise testing environments. Cameras that support autofocus adjustments include the Canon 50D, 7D, 5D Mk II, 1D Mk III, 1D Mk IV, and 1Ds Mk III, the Nikon D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3s, and D3x, Sony A850 and A900, the Olympus E-30 and E-620, and the Pentax K20D, K-7, and K-5.
| Requirements |
Camera with autofocus adjustment capability Partial List: Canon: 50D, 7D, 5D Mk II, 1D Mk III, 1D Mk IV, 1Ds Mk III Nikon: D300, D300s, D700, D3, D3s, D3x Sony: A850, A900 Olympus: E-30, E-620 Pentax: K20D, K-7, K-5 Please consult your owner's manual to see if your camera supports autofocus adjustment. |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
A Simple, Effect Focus Aid
The Spyderlnescal is a well-constructed, easy to use device to help fine tune the auto-focus systems on select DSLR's which have that feature. I found it very easy to set up and use with ...Read complete review
The Spyderlnescal is a well-constructed, easy to use device to help fine tune the auto-focus systems on select DSLR's which have that feature. I found it very easy to set up and use with a Nikon D300. The scale was clear enough that I was able to make fine adjustments just using the camera's rear screen.
The kit is all self-contained. It is constructed of heavy plastic which folds into position or flat for storage. It has a built-in bubble level and a brass 1/4-20 thread for a tripod. There is a product manual and a video on the Datacolor site for suggestions on using the Spderlenscal.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good tool but not for everybody
SpyderLensCal is a good tool if you can get around the sales pitch, find the basic instructions and have a basic knowledge of technical photography. If you own one of the few cameras that ...Read complete review
SpyderLensCal is a good tool if you can get around the sales pitch, find the basic instructions and have a basic knowledge of technical photography. If you own one of the few cameras that have the capability of lens to film plane adjustments and if you work a lot on location were you bump and bang your gear constantly, it can be very useful. If you are an average weekend shooter, this tool is not for you, unless you like to play with toys. The pros: Once the pieces are in the correct place the correction process is quick, straight forward and accurate! The cons: The equipment comes with no manual, you have to download it from their web site, then the link to the manual doesn't work, your best bet is to Google SpyderLensCal, this will take you to the site where you can download a printable manual. The video is nothing but a sales pitch, telling you how "easy" it's to calibrate your lens, you will not miss anything by skipping it. Your best choice for camera to target support is a long table or any long surface that will keep your target and camera on the same plane, if you have "plenty of time" in your hands, you can use two tripods or a tripod and a light stand. Follow the basic instructions to focus on the target according to the lens that you are calibrating, then, you have to use the most important tool, (not included in the kit) "a tape measure". To fine tune your focusing you have to measure the minimum distance of the lens in use from the film plane (marked in your camera body) to the focusing plane of the target (the vertical face) with a tolerance error of no more than 0.25" in. After this, everything else is peachy. I would have given this tool a higher score, but the lack of proper instructions and the deceiving "anybody can do it" took some of the bang from it. I will recommend this instrument to people that have a good technical grasp of lens to camera relation. Definitively not for amateurs or photographers with no knowledge on the subject, at list, until you read a few things before diving in to it.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 68 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
B&H were very quick to deliver the product ordered.
This is a great product that's easy to use and gives the ability to make adjustments in your lens focus.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
great product and great price
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I recently purchased a new body that provides the ability to perform AFMA (auto-focus micro adjustments). Naturally, I just HAD to put the camera through its AFMA paces with each of my lenses (3 zooms, one with a teleconverter, and 2 primes). To this purpose, I purchased a SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid.During testing, the only lens that needed adjustment was my 24-105 zoom (on the wide end), but since its max aperture is only f/4, the adjustment wasn't critical.The SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid performs exactly as advertised, and is an excellent tool for its intended purpose. I paid for mine with the B&H 2% Reward from the camera I had just purchased. Not sure I would have spent "real" dollars to buy one for more than [$]
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
It works as intended but it is the most expensive piece of plastic I've ever bought
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
B&H were very quick to deliver the product ordered. Exactly what was expect when ordered. I couldn't believe how fast this was delivered. They stand behind their word!
The product is great for properly testing the AF on all digital cameras. Other charts which only use an angle are inferior. This completes the job perfectly!
Would definitely use them again!
Great job! Thank you.
Tony Patzalek
Nortown Photo Service
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
this is very easy to set up and light wight.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This is a great product that's easy to use and gives the ability to make micro adjustments in your lens' focus. Instructions are well written.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I give this 3 stars because the instructions are unclear on how to use them and there are conflicting reports on the web. Its a great idea and I think perfect to get piece of mind if you shoot wide open. My only gripe is the conflicting reports on where to aim the focus point and the distance to shoot from. This device needs to be as perfect as possible when set up to ensure accuracy and I don't feel 100% confident I have done so correctly. granted it could just be me but canon and datacoour have conflicting distances and a few places conflict with aiming the focal point on the kain target vs the small target left of the ruler.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Does what it's supposed to, it's a good check to do as a part of cleaning your gear. Folds flat and stores into my airport sized backpack very well. I took it overseas with me.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Works well in helping to calibrate all my lenses. I used it with 6 lenses on a Nikon D800 body. One lens (85mm 1.4) required a major adjustment and it has made a huge improvement in the focus accuracy of that lens.
Very expensive for what it is. You could easily make your own calibration aid!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Used it for my 50/1.2 to 5d3, took a bit to dial in. Have not used it on my 70-200/2.8 IS 2 because I don't really know what specific range I use the most and haven't had any problems with the focus DOF on it. This product really helps in the 1.2 - 1.8 range where the razor thin DOF increases the chance of a focus miscalculation. The margin of cost mark up has to be huge on this as the materials are mostly plastic.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This little gizmo is amazing and if your camera supports it, it's a great tool to have to make sure your lenses are tack sharp on that camera. The camera remembers the adjustment you make for each lens.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
If you have a DSLR this is a must to have.
Calibrate twice a year all of your lenses and thats a lot of money saved.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I have spent several thousand dollars to date on expensive lenses (Nikon 14-24 f/2.8, Nikon 24-70 f/2.8, and Nikon 70-200 f/2.8), and haven't felt--really felt--that I was getting the sharpest possible pictures. In fact, over the last year or so I'd transitioned to taking an initial shot to set composition then switching to Live View to manually focus the shot. I just knew I could get more from these lenses!I saw this on Datacolors site, and decided to make the purchase after reading the reviews here.I set up the calibration aid, set my camera with the 24-70 on my tripod, made sure the camera was level with the aid, and took a shot. True to my suspicion, the lens was back focusing. I made an adjustment in the menu, and the next shot was worse. Hmmmmmm...... Not to give up, I made an adjustment the other way, and the shot got better. I shot again, dialed in some more correction, and things looked much better, just not right on. I made one more correction, took one more shot, and now it looked just about right (which was good, since there wasn't much more correction left).I've used the lens for the last three weeks in full autofocus in bright and low light, and every shot has been tack sharp, straight out of camera. I've had to apply very little sharpening in post-process.I've since corrected my other two lenses, and all three are nice and sharp.The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the instrutions aren't terribly clear. I watched the videos on Datacolor's site, but they didn't clear anything up (pardon the pun). It took a little trial and error. But it was certainly worth it.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I purchased the SpyderLenscal to calibrate AF several lenses on my Nikon D7000. I would consider it to be well constructed (plastic) and easy to setup. I found that using the LCD on the back of the camera to make critical judgements difficult. So I opted to tether my camera to my computer so I could see the results at 100%. This made determining the point of focus much simpler.
The device has a built in tripod mount and level. I was not impressed with the documentation that came with the device. However, I was able to find a useful video on Youtube by the manufacture that describe it's usage.
Once setup, I was able to calibrate the AF on 4 lenses in less than an hour. I'm pleased with the results. I would recommend this product.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I found that my image sharpness was getting a little unreliable and I was getting quite frustrated with my results, but Google came to the rescue. I found a number of options and tried calibrating my lenses using a variety of printed charts available for free around the web, but generally found them difficult to manage and difficult to interpret the amount of adjustment required. Then I found this device by the same company that makes the Spyder colour calibration device for monitors. It still has it's difficulties, but that's more to do with the process of checking sharpness on a little digital display, rather than the Spyder device itself. Once i got it right, I re calibrated all my lenses and all but one needed a little fine tuning. Note: Useful only if you own a DSLR with the fine tuning adjustment option in your cameras menu. Many cameras don't have this option so buyer beware. The only down side is that it's mostly plastic. Would have been 4 or 5 stars if it was more sturdy.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I bought this to verify the focus on my various lenses. While it's easy to set up and well made it's hard to use. There's few instructions on how to use it and honestly it's hard to see the markings on the rule. I did adjustments on one lens, taking pictures of a highly textured surface (stained oak wood grain) before and after the adjustment. I thought I had the lens spot on after adjustment but when I took a picture of the oak it was significantly out of focus. I went back to a 0 setting and it was then fine.
Tape a piece of newsprint to the wall and use that. Cheaper and maybe more effective.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This unit is compact. (it folds flat) and is very simple to use. I can easily adjust the focus on my Nikon bodies to perfection with this tool
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Awesome!! Helps calibrates your lenses to your camera body. Awesome
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Used the device to adjust the microfocus on my Canon 50d/Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 wide angle lens. Able to do so quickly and the adjustment showed a marked improvement in image quality on my landscape photos.
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
A Simple, Effect Focus Aid
The Spyderlnescal is a well-constructed, easy to use device to help fine tune the auto-focus systems on select DSLR's which have that feature. I found it very easy to set up and use with ...Read complete review
The Spyderlnescal is a well-constructed, easy to use device to help fine tune the auto-focus systems on select DSLR's which have that feature. I found it very easy to set up and use with a Nikon D300. The scale was clear enough that I was able to make fine adjustments just using the camera's rear screen.
The kit is all self-contained. It is constructed of heavy plastic which folds into position or flat for storage. It has a built-in bubble level and a brass 1/4-20 thread for a tripod. There is a product manual and a video on the Datacolor site for suggestions on using the Spderlenscal.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Good tool but not for everybody
SpyderLensCal is a good tool if you can get around the sales pitch, find the basic instructions and have a basic knowledge of technical photography. If you own one of the few cameras that ...Read complete review
SpyderLensCal is a good tool if you can get around the sales pitch, find the basic instructions and have a basic knowledge of technical photography. If you own one of the few cameras that have the capability of lens to film plane adjustments and if you work a lot on location were you bump and bang your gear constantly, it can be very useful. If you are an average weekend shooter, this tool is not for you, unless you like to play with toys. The pros: Once the pieces are in the correct place the correction process is quick, straight forward and accurate! The cons: The equipment comes with no manual, you have to download it from their web site, then the link to the manual doesn't work, your best bet is to Google SpyderLensCal, this will take you to the site where you can download a printable manual. The video is nothing but a sales pitch, telling you how "easy" it's to calibrate your lens, you will not miss anything by skipping it. Your best choice for camera to target support is a long table or any long surface that will keep your target and camera on the same plane, if you have "plenty of time" in your hands, you can use two tripods or a tripod and a light stand. Follow the basic instructions to focus on the target according to the lens that you are calibrating, then, you have to use the most important tool, (not included in the kit) "a tape measure". To fine tune your focusing you have to measure the minimum distance of the lens in use from the film plane (marked in your camera body) to the focusing plane of the target (the vertical face) with a tolerance error of no more than 0.25" in. After this, everything else is peachy. I would have given this tool a higher score, but the lack of proper instructions and the deceiving "anybody can do it" took some of the bang from it. I will recommend this instrument to people that have a good technical grasp of lens to camera relation. Definitively not for amateurs or photographers with no knowledge on the subject, at list, until you read a few things before diving in to it.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 68 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
B&H were very quick to deliver the product ordered.
This is a great product that's easy to use and gives the ability to make adjustments in your lens focus.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
great product and great price
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I recently purchased a new body that provides the ability to perform AFMA (auto-focus micro adjustments). Naturally, I just HAD to put the camera through its AFMA paces with each of my lenses (3 zooms, one with a teleconverter, and 2 primes). To this purpose, I purchased a SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid.During testing, the only lens that needed adjustment was my 24-105 zoom (on the wide end), but since its max aperture is only f/4, the adjustment wasn't critical.The SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid performs exactly as advertised, and is an excellent tool for its intended purpose. I paid for mine with the B&H 2% Reward from the camera I had just purchased. Not sure I would have spent "real" dollars to buy one for more than [$]
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
It works as intended but it is the most expensive piece of plastic I've ever bought
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
B&H were very quick to deliver the product ordered. Exactly what was expect when ordered. I couldn't believe how fast this was delivered. They stand behind their word!
The product is great for properly testing the AF on all digital cameras. Other charts which only use an angle are inferior. This completes the job perfectly!
Would definitely use them again!
Great job! Thank you.
Tony Patzalek
Nortown Photo Service
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
this is very easy to set up and light wight.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This is a great product that's easy to use and gives the ability to make micro adjustments in your lens' focus. Instructions are well written.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I give this 3 stars because the instructions are unclear on how to use them and there are conflicting reports on the web. Its a great idea and I think perfect to get piece of mind if you shoot wide open. My only gripe is the conflicting reports on where to aim the focus point and the distance to shoot from. This device needs to be as perfect as possible when set up to ensure accuracy and I don't feel 100% confident I have done so correctly. granted it could just be me but canon and datacoour have conflicting distances and a few places conflict with aiming the focal point on the kain target vs the small target left of the ruler.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Does what it's supposed to, it's a good check to do as a part of cleaning your gear. Folds flat and stores into my airport sized backpack very well. I took it overseas with me.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Works well in helping to calibrate all my lenses. I used it with 6 lenses on a Nikon D800 body. One lens (85mm 1.4) required a major adjustment and it has made a huge improvement in the focus accuracy of that lens.
Very expensive for what it is. You could easily make your own calibration aid!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Used it for my 50/1.2 to 5d3, took a bit to dial in. Have not used it on my 70-200/2.8 IS 2 because I don't really know what specific range I use the most and haven't had any problems with the focus DOF on it. This product really helps in the 1.2 - 1.8 range where the razor thin DOF increases the chance of a focus miscalculation. The margin of cost mark up has to be huge on this as the materials are mostly plastic.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This little gizmo is amazing and if your camera supports it, it's a great tool to have to make sure your lenses are tack sharp on that camera. The camera remembers the adjustment you make for each lens.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
If you have a DSLR this is a must to have.
Calibrate twice a year all of your lenses and thats a lot of money saved.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I have spent several thousand dollars to date on expensive lenses (Nikon 14-24 f/2.8, Nikon 24-70 f/2.8, and Nikon 70-200 f/2.8), and haven't felt--really felt--that I was getting the sharpest possible pictures. In fact, over the last year or so I'd transitioned to taking an initial shot to set composition then switching to Live View to manually focus the shot. I just knew I could get more from these lenses!I saw this on Datacolors site, and decided to make the purchase after reading the reviews here.I set up the calibration aid, set my camera with the 24-70 on my tripod, made sure the camera was level with the aid, and took a shot. True to my suspicion, the lens was back focusing. I made an adjustment in the menu, and the next shot was worse. Hmmmmmm...... Not to give up, I made an adjustment the other way, and the shot got better. I shot again, dialed in some more correction, and things looked much better, just not right on. I made one more correction, took one more shot, and now it looked just about right (which was good, since there wasn't much more correction left).I've used the lens for the last three weeks in full autofocus in bright and low light, and every shot has been tack sharp, straight out of camera. I've had to apply very little sharpening in post-process.I've since corrected my other two lenses, and all three are nice and sharp.The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because the instrutions aren't terribly clear. I watched the videos on Datacolor's site, but they didn't clear anything up (pardon the pun). It took a little trial and error. But it was certainly worth it.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I purchased the SpyderLenscal to calibrate AF several lenses on my Nikon D7000. I would consider it to be well constructed (plastic) and easy to setup. I found that using the LCD on the back of the camera to make critical judgements difficult. So I opted to tether my camera to my computer so I could see the results at 100%. This made determining the point of focus much simpler.
The device has a built in tripod mount and level. I was not impressed with the documentation that came with the device. However, I was able to find a useful video on Youtube by the manufacture that describe it's usage.
Once setup, I was able to calibrate the AF on 4 lenses in less than an hour. I'm pleased with the results. I would recommend this product.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I found that my image sharpness was getting a little unreliable and I was getting quite frustrated with my results, but Google came to the rescue. I found a number of options and tried calibrating my lenses using a variety of printed charts available for free around the web, but generally found them difficult to manage and difficult to interpret the amount of adjustment required. Then I found this device by the same company that makes the Spyder colour calibration device for monitors. It still has it's difficulties, but that's more to do with the process of checking sharpness on a little digital display, rather than the Spyder device itself. Once i got it right, I re calibrated all my lenses and all but one needed a little fine tuning. Note: Useful only if you own a DSLR with the fine tuning adjustment option in your cameras menu. Many cameras don't have this option so buyer beware. The only down side is that it's mostly plastic. Would have been 4 or 5 stars if it was more sturdy.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
I bought this to verify the focus on my various lenses. While it's easy to set up and well made it's hard to use. There's few instructions on how to use it and honestly it's hard to see the markings on the rule. I did adjustments on one lens, taking pictures of a highly textured surface (stained oak wood grain) before and after the adjustment. I thought I had the lens spot on after adjustment but when I took a picture of the oak it was significantly out of focus. I went back to a 0 setting and it was then fine.
Tape a piece of newsprint to the wall and use that. Cheaper and maybe more effective.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
This unit is compact. (it folds flat) and is very simple to use. I can easily adjust the focus on my Nikon bodies to perfection with this tool
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Awesome!! Helps calibrates your lenses to your camera body. Awesome
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Datacolor SpyderLensCal Autofocus Calibration Aid:
Used the device to adjust the microfocus on my Canon 50d/Sigma 10-20mm f3.5 wide angle lens. Able to do so quickly and the adjustment showed a marked improvement in image quality on my landscape photos.