What’s New in This Update

Welcome to FoCal 2020 Beta 2 / 2.1. This is the second beta release of FoCal 2020.

This release again contains nearly 200 fixes to implement fixes for issues raised from user testing and internal testing, as well as adding FoCal Plus support, off centre focus points and Remote Mode.

Note: There was a bug found in the Windows version which raised a “VC Runtime” error on startup for some users. This has been fixed and released as FoCal Beta 2.1 for Windows only.

Version Details

Headline Features

• Many bug fixes and improvements to operation and usability
• FoCal Plus support
• Support for non-centre focus point testing
• Correct naming of Live View focus modes (including detection between Hybrid/CDAF where possible)
• Improved settings restore reliability and information

Known Issues

All Platforms

• There is an issue where tests can sometimes just stop with a “Failed to get data” error. This is caused by a memory issue which we are investigating and have put steps in to mitigate while working on a proper fix.

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.
• Processing of meta.json file in file mode does not appear to work on Mac.

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 Beta 1:

• Fix user-interface zoom option
• Unhelpful error message when connecting to Nikon Z 50 which is switched off
• Mac: Provide more information if cameras fail to open due to permissions.
• Show alert when revisiting test pages with old data
• Catch opening camera state, report changes to user.
• Out-of-date camera list issues
• Verify shutter count operation on 6D
• Focus display in reports is wrong for Live View shots.
• Explanatory text in CalCheck report
• Missing Help tab / "Learn More" for File Explore tool
• Improve program Help page (Help > Help)
• Enable setting and operation for Remote UI
• Issues with text entry control - value lost when focus moved away
• CamInfo report filename needs more detail
• Focus information image shown for Shot Detail in Aperture Sharpness
• Focus information shown in shot detail for MultiTest with no focus
• Add message to say to check RAW/JPEG setting after calibration
• Fix Battery Warning display
• Fix unreliable hotkey operation on Nikon Z 50
• Update Z series camera warning to include 3.11 (Z6/7) and 1.01 (Z5)
• Automatic control of more settings for Nikon cameras
• Add Help Pages for ImageInfo and MultiFile
• Automatically change left crop to "Selected" if a point is selected
• CalCheck: Defocus direction option should not include "Both"
• CalCheck: Highlight non-default settings in Status tab
• Add FoCal IQ link to lens in History Selected Entry panel
• Improve date/time format across the user interface
• Improvements to test unavailable message
• Add help suggestions to "No Camera Detected" panel
• Target Distance Tool - panel should not be collapsible
• Should not be able to save empty DB
• Cancel import of FoCal DB leaves UI in wrong state
• Settings: Colour Temperature should have Auto as an option
• CalCheck/AF Consistency - update Contrast Detect / CDAF nomenclature
• Report: Change logic of serial number to match license name
• Show AF Area Mode (e.g. pinpoint, spot AF) in shot details and under crops where necessary
• Hide PDAF point when showing Live View focus area display
• Settings: Disable general test settings when a test is running (but not Target Setup)
• Target Setup: Honour changes in settings (e.g ISO) for each Environment Check operation.
• Improve Camera Busy icon on top bar of UI
• Settings switch (check) controls are sometimes unresponsive
• Improvements to option to remove cameras from license
• Inform if Image Format (raw/jpeg) has changed since opening camera on settings restore
• Improved settings change msg (friendly names for metering mode etc.)
• Change Camera Settings Change message to show when the settings were captured
• Improve explanation of Peripheral Illumination Correction warning
• Fix camera settings are not restored after some warning messages shown
• 7D, 5D3, Exposure Level Increments
• Get shutter count display working on 7dII
• "Change" is unclear in file/folder chooser options in Settings
• Link to Target Setup from Aperture Sharpness help does not show focus controls
• Target Setup can be opened from help links even when camera is not open.
• User Zoom setting not actioned on startup
• Switch (check) settings don't stick when changed
• Nikon Z cameras - no warning if not using centre focus point.
• Show active focus point in Image Info where possible
• Target Setup - move away from page and return while test running and results are missing.
• Validate File Mode support in FoCal Plus
• Startup failure after running separate version
• Add support for showing information about specific camera/fiwmare versions
• Persist window positions across version updates on Windows.
• Add information message for bug in Nikon Z camera latest firmware
• Remove "Are you sure you want to close without saving report" from FoCal Plus.
• Disabled settings options not very clear
• Issue when connecting to camera, restoring settings but saved aperture is no longer available (e.g variable aperture zoom lens)
• Failure to connect if cameras are swapped and list not refreshed
• Camera eye piece covered etc msg improvements
• Instability with more than 1 camera connected
• Add chart information description for MultiTest Report
• Chart Help icon click does not open correct page after changing chart type
• PDF improvements for MultiTest
• Improve report text related to focus points and analysis area
• Store CameraDB and LensDB versions in test data
• Improve unrestored settings/different camera msg
• Remove shutter count warning level
• Under crop info not updating during test or when loading history
• Don't show median line in blue ADS area for charts
• Re-implement off-centre focus point operation.
• Aperture setting on variable-aperture lenses
• Warn if pinpoint is active for Z series cameras (allow run)
• Auto detect SpotAF on Canon cameras
• Add Show Live View option in settings
• If ContinuousAF is enabled on Canon cameras, defocus doesn't work
• Shot Details not updated when shot changed using keys (Z,X)
• 90D FocusInfo doesn't report selected/JIF focus points correctly.
• Persist camera serial number mapping independently of main settings.
• License state is shown as "Unknown" for new cameras with commercial license
• Failure if camera is in Movie mode
• TS (Focus Mode) on EOS-R starts showing green bar (PDAF)
• EOS R - Target Setup shows irrelevant warnings
• Off centre FP on EOS R (and other cameras)
• Target Setup crash after camera changed between Nikon/Canon in same session
• Calibration: Add option for quicker result for UAM cameras.
• Add diff comp, vig corr and other validation popups to TS2 and remove popups.
• Add link to common test settings from individual test settings pages
• Show Vignette and Distortion warning in Target Setup
• Show Focus Points in target setup where possible
• Add support for Live View calibration on D780
• Add supported calibration modes to cameras definitions
• Improve reliability of camera comms
• +/-20 Failed to Take Shot issue, D500 (#1443)
• Show low battery warning on connect
• Stop request to restore UAM AFMA if test validation fails.
• Erroneous centre focus point warning, D500
• Allow option to force close with test running from dialog
• Don't show shot failure message for user termination
• D500/D850 focus point report issue
• Indicate if non-centre analysis is enabled.
• Add missing AE Mode definitions for some Nikon cameras
• Camera controls left in disable state sometimes
• D500 + 18-105 shows "can't check VR" when starting AFC.
• No best/worst point shown during AvS test
• Rename CDAF to LVAF
• Add specification of lens for fixed-lens cameras (e.g. X100)
• Add SensorType to camera details
• Add X100 variants
• Check if license has changed on refresh.
• Improve license messages
• Feedback for saving FoCal History
• Occasional crash accessing history data
• Show focus adjustment under crops in CalCheck
• "Missing description" shown in shot details for no AFMA cameras (e.g. EOS-R)
• Save image from ImageInfo test in report.
• Save report from camera info (from panel)
• Save report from ImageInfo data
• Add min & max markers to File Explore charts
• Aperture setting should be in the Pro tab.
• Remove unrestored settings alert when settings have been restored.
• Fuji shows focus mode as PDAF in AFC
• No help icon on the Summary chart
• No need to restart when changing cameras in license.
• Don't show AFMA in shot list/details for cameras that don't support it
• EOS-RP focus point warning in TS (same as for EOS-R)
• EOS-R TS warning about focus point
• Improve AF Point display
• Correct CDAF and Hybrid determination for Z cameras
• Show AF Area Mode in camera information
• LiveView AF improvements for Z cameras
• Restructure camera interface to correct namespaces
• Don’t delay for mirror lockup on mirrorless cameras
• Add type and version to window title
• Occasional situation where test stops without explanation
• Improvement to AFMA range selection in FA test (example)
• MultiTest: Allow settings for min/max AFMA
• Inform of update on startup
• Remove need to restart after application of first license
• "Unknonw defocus" spelling error for AFC charts
• Window title bar shows "Reikan FoCal Unknown..." when no license installed.
• Login screen squashed vertically at smallest height (default?)
• Restore AFMA for UAM cameras when restoring settings (See desc)
• Fix resolving of one-shot AF mode name for different cameras.
• JSON definition for DefocusAmount is incorrect in UserMetaConfig
• No explanation why raw files can't be added to File Mode (Plus)
• No explanation about why untethered cams can't be used in file mode (Plus)
• Don't display suggestion for Target Setup in status panel in File Mode
• Show type (plus/pro etc) and version in title bar like 2.x
• Reorganise common test settings
• Base ISO listed twice in ISO list
• Settings link in Welcome to FoCal panel causes UI crash
• Updates to "hide panel when open"
• Separate out camera hotkey operation help pages so they can be linked from the UAM dialog
• Improve UAM dialog text
• Make Aperture Step Size setting clear
• Make camera refresh button more obvious
• Test in Progress dialog typo
• Can't scroll to very bottom of Target Setup page.
• Status Target Setup link should be removed when test is running.
• Remove Target Distance Tool from status tab links
• UI Zoom not sticking
• Move Metric Distance & UI Zoom to general settings
• "Selected" as an option on crops should be disabled when no point is selected.
• FoCal Online Help link redirects to nothing
• Ensure filename of File Mode images are on the image data point page in Reports
• Add support for Fuji cameras in File Mode
• Add support for loading RAF files (Fuji Raw)
• A7r2 file mode not working AFC and Aperture Sharpness
• History doesn't complete loading on Win 7
• TS link in AvS alert panel doesn't redirect to right TS (no focus controls)
• Improve indication of unrestored settings
• Correct Sony AF Micro Adjustment name
• Silent closedown - A7 28-70 AvS files
• File analysis fails if AF mode is not Single
• Improve display of Release Notes alert
• Add camera/lens and further info to Summary page in an overview panel