Test guides

Your Kit Health Check

One guide for each FoCal test: what it tells you, how it runs and what the results mean.

Each FoCal test answers a different question about your camera and lenses, and once you’re set up to calibrate, it’s worth running them all.

FoCal Pro tracks every result: Kit Status and Maintenance Watch show what needs attention, and the Analysis trends pick up gradual decline or sudden changes in how your kit performs.

Lenses get knocked, drift and wear, and it usually happens gradually, so you don’t notice until a shoot comes back soft. A check every few months finds it first, and a monthly one gives FoCal the clearest trends.

The full check, and the trends, need FoCal Pro (or Commercial). FoCal Plus has calibration and CalCheck.

Every few months, while you’re set up

  1. Target SetupChecks distance, alignment and light before you start.
  2. Fully Auto calibrationYou're set up, so it's worth calibrating: CalCheck isn't much quicker and tells you much less.
  4. Aperture Sharpness or MultiTestMultiTest covers calibration and sharpness in one longer run.
  5. Stabilisation TestFor stabilised lenses or bodies.
  6. Dust AnalysisOnce per camera body.
Between checks, a quick CalCheck before an important shoot.

The test guides

Fully Auto calibration

Find the best focus adjustment for each lens

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check, and after a hard knock, servicing or a big temperature change, or before an important shoot.

CalCheck

Is your calibration still right? Find out in minutes

How often: Between Kit Health Checks, for example before an important shoot.

AF Consistency

How reliably does your camera hit focus?

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check.

Aperture Sharpness

Find your lens's sharpest aperture

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check.

MultiTest

Calibration and sharpness in one run

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check.

Stabilisation Test

How much does your stabilisation really help?

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check.

Dust Analysis

See what's on your sensor

How often: As part of your Kit Health Check.

Calibration also has its own triggers: after a hard knock, servicing or a big temperature change, and before an important shoot. New to FoCal? Start with your first calibration.