Messages

Sorry ; off focus...
Should be moved elsewhere.

@garry23

Thanks for sharing !
Always interested to see the improvements !

A1ex ideas are quite interesting too!
Was thinking of a variation where the user sets/indicates the positions/plans of sharp/blur focus needed (through AF) in the near field and far field : the script can then optimize the shots to be taken, display the curves ...or signal if some conditions are mutually exclusive.

Dumb question :
Stacking softwares choose the regions in each picture that contribute the most to a sharper final picture. The blur regions are the less blurred (at least it is what I think).
What about taking the blurred parts from a more/the most blurred picture or the most DoD ? (opposition sharp on blurred background) ?

Amazing !
The work of a master / reference in the field.

@Garry23

I am back  (thanks g3gg0) !

Say I zero out focus_pos

note that you cannot change the value of focus_pos as it is only a "returned" value.

If I then say attempt to move back using, say, step size 1, this time how does knowing I moved y micro units help me control the lens return position, as I can not position the lens using the finer units.

I think of focus_pos as a higher resolution ruler which gives (returns) you a finer value of the lens position, the 'micro units' position as you call it.
Till now, the only way to have an idea of the lens focus position was to question for the lens.focus_distance which is in the « object field » and which is not so precise as there are only few values, i.e.:

   (m)    0,3.....1.....3.....10.....infinity       depending on the lens, as can be seen on the lens barrel.

The focus_pos ruler is now in the image field, it has a lot of graduations (ticks ?) but you can only move the lens as before using lens.focus commands with step sizes 1,2 and 3.
Nevertheless, it is a great tool to know where the lens has moved (relative information, after a move) or where it is (absolute info - only known after you have found the ruler position (offset) when the camera was switched on and the total number of micro units for that lens from macro to infinity).

You can add or subtract micro units as you use lens.focus commands :
Let's take a simplified example:

Code Select Expand


To simplify, let's assume that all the moves of
- step size 1 with lens.focus are equal to 7 micro units in length in the image field.
- step size 2   ...       moves are equal to 30 micro units in length....
Let's assume there is no hysteresis.

We can then compute the position of the lens in micro units.

If the starting position = 0 micro units
If I ask, say, 7 times a move of step size 2 towards infinity, the position of the lens should be

0 + 7 x 30 = 210 micro units (or -210, if it is negative towards infinity, depending on the lens)

The returned value of focus_pos should then also be 210 micro units.

If I then ask a move of step size 1 towards macro end, the position of the lens should be

210 - 7 = 203 micro units.

Lest's now imagine I want to go to the very precise position of 150 micro units.
I have to go towards macro end by

203 - 150 = 53 micro units.

53 is not a multiple of 7 and
53 is lower than the Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)  (in french « plus petit common multiple » PPCM) of 7 and 30

the remainder of the integer division of 53 by 7 is not 0
53 < LCM(7,30)

So it is impossible to go directly to position 150 exactly without changing the direction (the hysteresis would have an effect here because the direction of the move would have to be changed)

I can decide to make a move of 7 or 8 stepsize 1 steps towards macro end.
The position should then be

203 - 7 x 7 = 154 micro units (error = 4 micro units from the target of 150)
or
203 - 8 x 7 = 147 micro units (error = 3 micro units from the target of 150 : better solution)

IMHO those errors are « normal » for such a lens (to be confirmed).


I also think this example is a typical move when autofocusing in liveview.
The lens makes a big move in one direction and then comes back, one step at a time, in the opposite direction until it "crosses" the maximum contrast and then stops.
This avoids the hysteresis problems.
   
As you can see, because lens.focus_pos is a returned value, the only way to go to a position given in 'micro units' is by "trial and error" especially as the stepsize can change more or less in the general case (more constant with L lenses).

With a trial and error algorithm, it should be possible to develop a goto function in Lua.

IMHO the number of micro units crossed when moving might be given by a sensor: say some Canon lenses have optical sensors (I am speculating here: light emitted, reflected or not, and sensed back); magnetic sensors (GMR) are present in Nikon lenses (AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-105mm f/ 3.5-5.6G ED VR) and even Tamron, Tokina.

As one might think, it is necessary to measure a few impulses from such sensors to get a precise enough move of the lens barrel.

@garry23

I see the latest Lua includes focus_pos, but as this is 'only' a get call, am I right in saying it has no lens control value?

You are right.

In fact, based on the step 'curves' I've seen in this thread, I'm a little at a loss to see the use of focus_pos.

The main purpose is to get a precise and repeatable indication of the lens focus position in the image field. It would then be possible :
- to know the lens position at a given moment and
- to be able to get back to that same position later (for instance with lens.focus() Lua commands), even if the camera is switched off in between.

The focus_pos value is one candidate.
Tests have been carried out to know more about it.

Carefully read the posts, especially a1ex ones.

Trying to summarize:
1) The variation of the focus_pos value is more precise than the number of steps of length 1 (obtained with lens.focus() Lua command) : this means this value varies faster, but the ratio

( focus_pos(2) - focus_pos(1) ) / (number of steps of length 1 to go from position 1 to position 2)

is not strictly constant (this may be even worse with length 2 and length 3 lens.focus steps).

2) It is not so repeatable because:
- the value is reset each time the camera is switched off;
- there is significant hysteresis between forward and backward moves : one guess is this hysteresis could be due to mechanical backlash.

This makes it is not easy at all to get back to a given focus_pos position and explains why there is still no available command to do so.

@Garry23
Thanks for sharing !
Very interesting to see the different curves you give.
I definitely need to get the equations of the global blur as a function of the object distance  .

Will you modify your focus stacking script to take a picture above the HFD, i.e. at an object distance = 2 or 3 times the HFD ?
IMHO, as for the HFD, the problem remains to translate this object distance into a known number of steps to move the focus motor towards the infinity end in the image domain.

@motionSOUL to help
Nothing to worry about : see my post #174 and A1ex reply #175 Question asked many times...

Very nice !

Restarted everything from new download.
Loaded only the mlv_lite.mo module
Everything seems OK !

Thanks a lot for the groundbreaking work !!! Keep going !!!!

[Deleted].
I don't know if it can help
...

Like in french : RESPECT !!!!

g3gg0 +1

Hi jkenny23 ! Welcome !

I would be very interested in the upload of good pictures of both sides of the 5DmIII PCB especially if they appear to change (little chance, but...) from oldest to newest cameras (for instance a change in the number of memory chips (buffer)).

Thanks in advance!

@ Gutterpump
Thanks for your feed !

@A1ex
I don't know how to save the debug msgs after a "manually started" cleaning process:

Before the log gets saved, you should try to perform the sensor cleaning, so messages about it will get included:

When I switch the camera on, the "auto sensor cleaning" is set to "disabled";
The bottom red led is lit a while and then a few times (blocks of data written to the card ?)
It ended at 14:42
I went to the Canon SETUP3 menu to start a manual immediate cleaning
The camera made some noise as if taking 2 pictures then this greyed menu item became yellow again.
I then went to "auto cleaning" item to set it to "enabled"
I then went in the ML DEBUG menu and pressed SET button with cursor on DebugMsgLog
The bottom red led was lit a very little while (but I saw no file on the card created at that time = 14:46).
Finally I switched the camera off.

The following file is generated just when the camera gets started (gets the creation time = 14:42):

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mjickmertwial3y/DM-0001.LOG?dl=0

@A1ex
Thanks a lot !
I will give it a try and report.

@A1ex

Could not reproduce

A good thing for other users : if you agree, I will edit my #155 post and remove the unnecessary warning about not switching on a camera without CF card


Sensor cleaning issue:

Maybe something interesting in the Debug menu: red dot in front of "memory patches"

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ap2zant3kn9vy2e/VRAM3.PPM?dl=0


memory patches, with a red dot:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cafc5h767gbqgdv/VRAM2.PPM?dl=0


Could it be of any help for fixing the cleaning sensor issue of my camera ?

@A1ex
Thanks for your assistance ! Don't hesitate to ask more if necessary ! I am not stuck  .

a) more infos about my problem:

    a.1) without ML card (I use the SD card for ML)
    a.2) CF card in camera (formatted in camera)
    a.3) I go to Canon menu : yellow settings menu / SETUP3 / "sensor cleaning" and set "auto cleaning" to "enabled"
    a.4) I switch off the camera : the sensor cleaning screen appears as before; the red bottom led is not lit.
    a.5) I then switch on the camera : the sensor cleaning screen does Not appear; the bottom red led is lit.
    a.6) if I go again to the Canon menu : yellow settings menu / SETUP3 / "sensor cleaning", the "auto cleaning" has been set to "disabled"

b) reinit all settings : no change

    b.1) Canon menu / yellow settings menu / SETUP4 / "reinit all settings"
    b.2) the "auto cleaning" feature is actually set to "enabled" if I verify in the Canon menu
    b.3) then I get the same as above in a.4) , a.5)  and  a.6)

[EDITED 2017/04/07]
c) circumstances ? no CF card ?

Unknown

I think (not sure at all) it may be due to the fact that I tried to repeat the problem I got with no CF card in the camera (silly thing : should not be done without further investigation): the camera got stuck; no message ; I had to remove the battery.
Investigated by A1ex (thanks a lot) : no such problem when switched on with no CF card (see post #156). 

Thanks !
So beautiful !

Without ML (SD card with ML removed) and only CF card (data card):
In Canon menu, the sensor cleaning gets disabled when the camera is switched on.
(I am with the 4th april build)

Thanks for those groundbreaking efforts  !!!!!!

Don't know if it helps. If I can remember...

I got just while moving in the menu but without CF card (only SD):
white flashing "[93] audio-common-task stack warning free=180 used=3016"
then red flashing "[91] clock-task st(don't remember the end of the word) free=36 used=8156"

@Jackyes
I met a swiss pro photographer using a small tracker on his tripod and looking for "polaris" with his smartphone to initialize it.
He told me he used to take "black pictures" to remove some of the noise.

@Levas
A quick edit makes a big difference with great skills. Beautiful work (white balance, colors, lighting of the mountains, low noise, very limited light noise from behind the mountains) !



 

Wait for the gurus' good ideas....

Meanwhile, I can share some raw pictures with the ML community (they are published under ML licence if it makes sense)
so that each one can figure out :
- what's wrong with them and
- what else could be done to get better results
and...
to challenge each one's image-editing skills....

They were taken from the "platform" near the "Gornergrat observatory" in the Swiss Alps (Zermatt) during the night 8th-9th of July 2016 (see EXIF data).
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ewfz2hyhy6ux6ct/_GOR0542.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v3rj7womjjvxhgh/_GOR0599.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/dww6opt1f3gyykd/_GOR0610.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jy186kk07sj6t70/_GOR0712.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nsduxvhl5jbf7xo/_GOR0858.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/b0f2v2xfv6z4yt3/_GOR0769.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/r8o8jrtesx5kwyk/_GOR0721.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/seejz6i9ax9co2q/_GOR0560.CR2?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/frz00ej2rj9yoxc/_GOR0678.CR2?dl=0

I am not a specialist nor do I have experience in repairing HDD.
Just trying to help!
Lest's suppose the disk plates, motor and the head mechanical parts have not been damaged (no special noises, no clicking heads...).
If you can find the same drive model (cfr part number), it may be interesting to replace the printed circuit of the damaged HDD with the printed circuit of a new working one.
Fingers crossed, this may help but it is impossible to be sure.

@A1ex

Did the camera have something to lock focus on?

I was holding the camera, pushing the buttons,... so there was no stable "object" to lock focus on but as I have not taken care to that, this answer is not binary.

Also, please remove the ROM links, as you don't have the permission to redistribute them (see FAQ).

I thank you A1ex.

@A1ex

I think I can help.
Sorry if I am late, I have many things "on the fire".

With the EF 50mm/1.8 II USM on the 5DmIII, the FOCUS menu reports at the bottom, either:
"Your lens does not report focus distance"
or
"Focus distance is only available in Liveview".

Now, hereafter, the results of the API_TEST.LUA :

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pf71t0rc372e3ls/LUATEST.LOG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/k1p90e06s5li30u/VRAM0.PPM?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8jpogrj3p3ymuop/MAGIC.CFG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q9fptenoefw7u8a/api_test.lua?dl=0

I hope it can help.

I can send you the lens (I live in Belgium), it will be more effective : PM me.

Cheers!

Very nice piece of work! Thanks!

Would be very happy to see how you made it !! (take a picture and process it or ...)

I am very interested in ways to help to focus near infinity : last holidays I spent two nights near the Gornergrat observatory in the Swiss Alps. In the cold and dark, a little too humid weather... I did not very well with focussing on the milky way... Still trying to get something (somewhat beautiful, certainly not correct) from the timelapse pictures taken (deconvolutions, ....)    ... because it's too late!