What’s New in This Update

Welcome to FoCal 2020 Beta 1. This is the first beta release of FoCal 2020.

The previous release (2020.1 Alpha 1) was very much a test release to confirm basic operation of the software and we’ve had lots of great feedback showing that fundamentally the new system is working on both Windows and Mac.

This Beta release contains nearly 200 fixes to implement final missing features and fix usability issues. This version will not be hugely different from the general availability release of FoCal 2020 which we hope to have available soon.

Version Details

Headline Features

• Over 200 bug fixes and improvements since the previous FoCal 2020 release
• Added beta support for lots of extra cameras, including Nikon Z5, Canon EOS RP and many cameras that do not support focus adjustment but can still run calibration check, af consistency, aperture sharpness, dust test and more.
• Addition of Target Distance Tool available without a camera connected
• Finishing of Dust Analysis, AF Consistency and further development of File Explore modes.

Known Issues

All Platforms

• There is an issue where tests can sometimes just stop without any indication of why. This appears to be cause by a memory issue and only seems to occasionally affect high megapixel cameras (e.g. Z7, D800/D810/D850). We are investigating this issue.

Windows

• The installer has been modified to allow FoCal 2020 to be installed alongside FoCal 2.x. If you have installed FoCal 2020 Alpha 1, you will need to uninstall that version, and re-install FoCal 2.x (your license and preferences will not be affected – they are stored separately for FoCal 2020 and FoCal 2.x). Then install this version and it will be installed alongside FoCal 2.x.
• The Windows installer is fairly rudimentary. It should install all the necessary prerequisites but it’s difficult to fully test across a range of computer types. If you get problems, please review the Windows Prerequisites section below.

Mac

• User Interface Zoom setting on Mac does not work well.

Windows Prerequisites / Installer Problems

The Windows Installer should automatically install any necessary missing prerequisites on the first installation, but if you have problems with the installer you could manually install the following:

.NET Framework 4.8: https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-framework/thank-you/net48-web-installer

Visual C++ Redistributables (x86 version): https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vc_redist.x86.exe

If you download and run the installers for both of the above, and then re-run the FoCal installer it should fix any issues.

Blog Post

There is a blog post associated with this release available here.

Previous Release Notes

• Current latest Stable release is: FoCal 2.13

Changelog

The Changelog below shows the issues fixed since FoCal 2020.1 Alpha 1:

• Can't read aperture list if camera is in Tv (to show available apertures for test settings in FA and AFC etc)
• Add definitions for other Canon cameras
• Add help link to beta support cameras
• Add Alert to link to release notes on first startup of new version
• Add info: settings can be changed while info msg shown on test startup.
• Clarify One Shot / AF-S msg on test startup
• AFC: Setting focus mode to "Both" only sets CDAF.
• CalCheck on 90D - Reports failed to get LV data after starting on second or third shot
• Permission failure shows blank camera screen on Mac
• Fix Pentax camera recognition for File Mode
• ImageInfo - data is not refreshed on loading a new file
• EOS-R: AFC defaults to PDAF even though it doesn't support it (or show in the list)
• MultiQ analysis progress stops at 77-88%
• Fix processing of Sony SLT metadata for File Mode calibrations
• Fix erroneous warning about unrestored settings on disconnect from a camera
• Show warning to restore AFMA for UAM cameras on open settings restore
• Start new MT test - crop information (under crops) was not cleared
• TS: Fix button enable state for zoom/focus controls.
• Camera/Lens info is not refreshed on the UI until redraw.
• No focal length range reported on Z7 with Z lenses
• AFC DPRaw Median line doesn't look like it's in the right place.
• Synchronise UAM dialog and speech
• Honour Focus Adjustment Active flag for lens information
• No help links for CalCheck or MultiTest
• Add indication of test running as footer
• Fix handling of expired licenses
• Improve look of Typical page warning icons.
• The vertical axis of the Image Motion Chart (drop down #4) on the Focus Consistency Test shows all "0's" instead of a numerical order (0,1,2,3,4, etc.).
• MT: Very first shot has no crop image
• Crops not displayed during early stages of MultiTest
• Incorrect display when one crop image is unavailable
• Fix dev mode warnings in UI
• MT: time estimate is not shown
• Hide "time to next user interaction" for HFM cameras (MT)
• Allow entering of a new license if current one has been revoked.
• Add option for selecting Camera Interface type (Mac)
• Add something to dust analysis test to indicate first few shots won't produce a result
• Add support for Pentax cameras in file mode.
• Apply (file mode) user metadata for tests other than File Explore
• Fix jump to wrong web page when no FoCal IQ data is available.
• Improve user metadata parsing.
• Improve robustness of History page
• Improved feedback during history loading
• Online help not available (from the Learn More button) when a camera is not open
• ImageInfo Help page, active state is incorrect
• Show chart help link for Summary charts
• Show Alpha/Beta on the Splash screen
• Get disabled reasons for tests (e.g. Pro Only, Not supported by camera etc)
• Fix "Send Feedback" button on Mac
• Fix help links on Mac.
• Better logging of user interaction in debug log
• Better display of history summary in tests and history window
• Make MultiQ analysis multicore
• DA - add Setup Check.
• DA failure if save path doesn't exist. Check this on start of test
• Pre-load UI sounds for better playback
• Add search for results by Test ID
• Update conflicting process list on Mac for EOS Lens Registration tool
• Reduce excessive debug logging on Mac
• About menu item (on Mac)
• Refresh camera option is not available when NO cameras detected.
• Rename Settings menu to Help
• CalCheck - fix result confidence
• CalCheck should use Median CDAF and Median PDAF crops on Summary
• CalCheck - text in Calibration State card is not updated during test
• MT - change shot order for all cameras to present information quciker
• MT - fix "Settings Saved" state display
• Remove "enable file mode" panel when enabled.
• Target Distance Tool needs to be available in file mode (with no cam attached)
• Test times are UTC
• Speed up Nikon closedown
• Ensure in-progress flag is reset on test exception
• Show sensor area (in mm2)
• No warning on 1D4 when aperture range is limited
• Make sure CalCheck not available to Z7 (i.e no PDAF or no CDAF)
• Display crop/image if target cannot be found
• Incorrect dialog when Target Optimisation is enabled
• FA: Logic of Target Validation dialog is incorrect
• Add warning to use TS if it hasn't already been used this session.
• Indicate calibrate at other end of zoom for zoom lenses
• Crash when selecting image motion chart if no data is available.
• Allow manual lenses for aperture sharpness
• TS Focus controls are available for MF lenses
• Improve Canon camera settings restore after use of manual-aperture lens
• If in a test when camera disconnects, then return to camera page.
• For UAM cameras, warn that AF fine tune is changed if terminating the test.
• Nikon D6 support
• Add Z5 support
• Don't show Av / Tv if not available (eg in Av or Tv mode)
• Display clear user warning if opening BETA camera (e.g. D6 and Z5)
• Show System ID on initial login page
• Show release type (Alpha, Beta, Stable) in About window.
• Make Start/Stop button more obvious on footer bar.
• Change build type to Beta
• Implement better handling of no ADS data cases (e.g. no data for lens, no subscription etc)
• Rename FA report
• Add license information to report (licensed user name for instance)
• Common filename filter generation (across Win + Mac for JPEG/Raw/All)
• Continue implementation of file naming for saved files
• Use Lens Serial Number (camera / metadata)
• Make TS more prominent in tests.
• Add TDT page under last menu
• CalCheck shouldn't show a result until at least 3 measurements taken.
• More feedback in CalCheck
• Zoom text size and extra description in welcome message
• Extra initial help on home screen
• Test notes in report
• No warning shown before changing license (e.g removing bodies)
• Change UAM button from OK to Continue.
• MT - better summary
• Improve MT results (See desc)
• Error on overall max chart for MT
• Reorder help menu options,.
• App does not terminate after applying initial login details (Mac)
• UI can be closed mid-test. Disable Close button during test.
• libc.dylib error on Mojave
• Issue saving reports (Mac)
• Centre window if no last position stored
• Store last window position and size
• Reimplement "Reset Permissions" from the UI on Mac
• Increase chart resolution
• Stop changing collapse state on clicking "Incorrect Lens Name" link
• Update AFC test to handle data sets. Charts, results, reports updates.
• Add CDAF/PDAF crop selection, charts and results in new AFC test
• Show other charts for data sets in AFC. Needs thought (see desc)
• If more than 1 data set, then show extra results
• Adjust AvS and FA Astig charts to non-absolute HVR
• Increase chart axis label text size
• Show a zero line for charts that run from e.g. -25 to +25
• History window - allow lookup of a test from UTID
• Mac - not opening PDFs after generation even if option is enabled.
• Add FoCal IQ links from typical comparison page
• Add Typical Comparison tab
• Improve ADS data display formatting and basic content
• Camera page - collapse when open as an option
• Improve colour consistency across UI
• Implement crop information for DA test
• Implement summary crops for DA test
• Show largest/darkest as crop options in DA.
• Filename not shown in shot detail on DA test
• Add indication of beta tethering support to about page in UI
• Add source mode to test overview
• No warning if crops aren't saved during DA test
• DA: Can't choose save folder
• Clearer indication of camera connected
• Make dismissable panels consistent
• Add warning for image save enable
• Show logging warnings only for real state change.
• Confirm browse/file selection operates correctly
• Show image if Many Dust Spot warning is fired
• Implement a setting to adjust parallelism
• Add DA test task to show aperture being analysed (file mode)
• Make DA analysis parallel
• Focal length unavailable in DA test history
• Make default button more obvious on modal msgs
• Implement tagged UI settings store
• Make a sound when a modal msg is shown in the UI.
• Shot Detail panel is empty in FA when no shot selected
• Increase font size
• Better "Open" buttons when camera not opened.
• Consistent target setup icon
• Improve definition of test settings
• Sort out general settings - remove FA/Test specific ones specific
• MLU shows as 2000 sec in AFC
• Improve history contents (FA, and others)
• Sort history by date
• Fix splash maximum size even if window is very large.
• Spelling mistake: "Distace" to "Distance"
• Change to UAM text in Settings page
• Renamed "Contact Support" button to "Send Feedback" for pre-release builds.
• Pre-release text does not specify correct location for reporting errors
• Can disconnect while a test is running
• Reword "Settings Store" UI text
• Fix Windows side-by-side install (see notes)
• No voice on UAM dialog
• Add RB chart
• Error shown on adding camera to license when it already exists on server license.
• Implement OS specific voice handling for speech.