We spend thousands upon thousands of our hard-earned money to get the newest and greatest cameras and the fastest glass, so we want it to do exactly what we want it to do, especially during the critical moments you’re trying to capture.

Unfortunately and frustratingly, at times, we find that our camera’s focus is off for no apparent reason. This might mean that your camera and certain lenses aren’t playing together nicely and it is time for a tune up. With the new cameras and their gigantic sensors, calibration is becoming more of a necessity because when your focus is off, it becomes quite obvious. Luckily, most of the newer model DSLRs allow you to be able to recalibrate your focus so that your focus point is always spot on.

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[REWIND: SIX TIPS FOR BETTER DSLR AUTOFOCUS AND SHARPER IMAGES – Q&A]

The last time I went in to the service center and had my camera and lenses calibrated, I ended up not only having to pay for it, but also having to leave my camera for a week or so, but this method is free, quick and can be done using a few simple household items. In the following video, John Greengo shows us how to recalibrate on a Nikon D810 using the AF fine tune feature. You can do this with other camera manufacturers as well, just look for the AF Microadjustment feature.

What You Need

  • A target to focus on
  • a ruler or other measuring device

*If you’re fastidious about your gear being precisely calibrated all the time, you might consider investing in this LensAlign Focus Calibration Tool * 

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Watch How to Recalibrate Focus on Your DSLR

Focus calibration doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult, try this method out and see if you can save yourself some money.

[Via CreativeLive]