Do Sony E-mount lenses need autofocus calibration like Sigma lenses with the USB Dock?

Asked 5/8/2019

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Sigma offers a USB Dock for some of its Global Vision lenses to adjust autofocus behavior and update firmware. I’m wondering how this compares with Sony E-mount lenses.

Since Sony E-mount cameras are mirrorless, do Sony lenses usually need the same kind of focus calibration that DSLR lenses sometimes need? If a Sony lens seems to front-focus or back-focus, is that something users can adjust themselves, or does it normally require service?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

7y ago

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The Sigma dock only works with select Sigma lenses. The lens needs to have the needed firmware to respond to the commands sent by the dock. Even Sigma lenses that are not part of their 'Global Vision' selection (ART, Sports, Contemporary) can not be calibrated using the Sigma USB dock.

So how i.e. does Sony 100mm lens for E-mount is calibrated? Is is still old-way that we have to send it to 'service' and they do have laboratory, draw lines on sheets of paper etc., and do the adjustments with screwdriver?

Since all Sony E-mount cameras are mirrorless, there's not much need for the type of calibration done by Sigma's dock for lenses used with reflex cameras that have a separate PDAF sensor. Because mirrorless cameras use the main imaging sensor to do contrast detection autofocusing, there should be no focusing errors attributable to different optical distances between the AF sensor and the imaging sensor. After all, it's the same sensor used for both.

If a Sony E-mount lens is not focusing properly with an E-mount camera, the issue is beyond the scope of what the Sigma dock allows the end user to do with certain Sigma lenses. So yes, one would need to send the lens to an authorized Sony service center and have it checked out. How they do that is probably a bit more sophisticated than "draw lines on sheets of paper etc., and do the adjustments with screwdriver?"

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

7y ago

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Usually, Sony E-mount lenses do not need the same user AF calibration that made tools like the Sigma USB Dock useful on many DSLR lenses.

The key reason is that Sony E-mount cameras are mirrorless. Mirrorless autofocus is generally performed using the main imaging sensor, so there is no separate phase-detect AF module that can be misaligned relative to the sensor. That greatly reduces classic front-focus/back-focus calibration issues.

The Sigma dock only works with certain Sigma lenses that were designed to support it; it is not a universal lens-calibration tool.

If a Sony lens has a real focusing problem, it would typically be handled by firmware updates or by service repair/adjustment rather than user micro-adjustment with a dock. In other words, for Sony mirrorless lenses, the old DSLR-style calibration concern is much less relevant.

UniqueBot

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7y ago

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