Sigma USB Dock / Calibration

Nazbit · 30 Apr 2019 at 13:05

Hi,

Used my Sigma 120-300 2.8 OS Sport last weekend after a bit of winter hibernation. Found myself using the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS ii more recently so it has not been used in a few months.

The Sigma seems to be front focusing on both bodies which it wasn't doing previously. It's been sat in a peli case so hasn't taken any physical damage or anything.

I've ordered a calibration chart and I'm thinking of getting the Sigma dock to update the firmware on the lens and do the calibration in lens rather than just trying to compensate with the bodies although I may still use the bodies for further refinement on top I suppose.

Does anyone have any experience with the dock? What sort of results did you have compared to in body compensation?

Watched a few YouTube videos but some of them are pretty poor and clearly using flawed technique.

Raymond Lin · 30 Apr 2019 at 19:07

I have the dock, only use it to update firmware and not calibrate lenses. I only own a couple of Sigma Primes so it should be easier than a zoom but even then, it seems I can make things worse instead of better. But mine is pretty good after body calibration anyway.

Nazbit · 7 Jul 2019 at 10:54

So I just wanted to post back that I had really good results with this.

If you've got a zoom then you really need to set aside a whole morning or afternoon for this because of the number of test shots you'll have to take at different focal lengths and focusing distances to get it right.

I would definitely recommend it. You can restore everything to default at any point so you can't really mess anything up.

I bought this for a bigger target for the longer distance tests.

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Abraxaz1 · 13 Jul 2019 at 19:42

Had it for my sigma 35mm, with its notorious and focusing plus pentax ****** focus managed to tweak it a bit.

Is it worth picking on up of Ebay, use it and resell it later?

Nazbit · 16 Jul 2019 at 14:00

Abraxaz1 said:
Is it worth picking on up of Ebay, use it and resell it later?

Suppose you could do. But if you change bodies you may want to do it again.

And my lens somehow creeped out of callibration over the winter in a foam lined peli case so not sure how or why that happened but guess you'd take a slight loss on an eBay sale so you wouldn't want to have to buy another one later on.

If your lens needs doing and requires more than what your body can offer then definitely go for it. It's worth the money, don't make do with a sub par lens.

Raymond Lin · 16 Jul 2019 at 15:27

BTW, i am going to put mine up for sale soon. Obviously not going to list it on this thread, will do it after taking some pics of it.

delta0 · 21 Jul 2019 at 21:28

I bought one to calibrate my 18-35 when I had that. I used a bank note at various distances. Watching the focus mark on the lens I focused and then refocused with live view for each distance. If it moved I would adjust it and retest.