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Welcome to our Technical Information Pages!
Replacing the Main Board

When a repair requires you to replace the Main Board, your first step is to download the Calibration Files from that camera using the Main Board Replacement plugin / Backup Calibration - if the camera still powers up.  

IMPORTANTThe original Calibration Files are so important that you should make it a habit of saving these files from every camera you service for any reason .. it is a simple one step process using our Canon Service Adjustment Software.  You can even offer this as a 'service' to your customes.

But repairs also involve cameras that are completely dead - bricked!  When you decide that the cause is a blown Main Board you need to know the things you can do / steps you can take, to get the camera to work like a new camera.  

 

You can work the steps in order or you can vary you’re technique depending on circumstances.  However, Step 1 is always you’re preferred choice!

 

 

Step 1:    Use the Original Data Files

  1. Retrieve the data files the you saved on your PC before the camera crashed - bricked.
  2. Upload the original Calibration Data File (.cal) into the new Main Board after Initialization.
  3. Or upload the original Camera (.cmr)  and Digital data (.dig) files sepearately into a good Salvage Board.

 

 

Step 2:     Retrieve what you can

If the Main Board is able connect to our Canon Service Adjustment Software, you may still be able to retrieve some of the calibration data. The backup and restore tabs on the Main Board Replacement plugin allow you to save and load all of the calibration data at once for convenience, but you can load separate chunks of data elsewhere:

  1. Save / Load Digital data (Main window) 
  2. Save / Load Camera data (Main window) 
  3. Backup / Restore AF Shift data (Auto Focus plugin) 
  4. Backup / Restore AE data (Automatic Exposure plugin) 

As an example, it may be the case that you can save camera data but not the digital data.

 

 

Step 3:     Rescue the Eeprom

If the Main Board can NOT connect to our Canon Service Adjustment Software, you can still retrieve some data. 

 

Unfortunately, the flash ROM cannot be removed from the main board without very special soldering equipment.  But .. the Eeprom is relatively easy to desolder. It is a small 8 pin package located near the main processor, usually labelled 514E or similar. 

 

CAUTION the Eeprom is heat sensitive, overheating can corrupt its data. If you are successful you can then swap the Eeprom for the Eeprom in the replacement board

 

Note:  This procedure requires some skill, and that the Eeprom itself may be faulty - a common cause of main board failure. If the Eeprom is faulty, transferring it to the new Main Board will cause the new board to appear faulty. But on the positive side, you will have diagnosed the fault of the old board, and can get it working again by inserting a good Eeprom, saving $$$.

 

 

Step 4:     Use data from other cameras as a template

Every time you get an EOS DSLR to repair, it's a good idea to save the camera and digital data using our Canon Service Adjustment Software. As well as 'fingerprinting' the camera for future repairs on that specific camera, this will allow you to build up a library of calibration data that you can use to load into New Main Boards in different cameras / same model.  This works well more often then you would think.

 

*  If you don't have any saved data for that model, contact SPT - someone will email you known good Data Files.

 

  • If you are using a brand New Main Board, you must initialize the new Main Board first using the Main Board Replacement plugin that is part of our Professional and Advanced Canon Service Adjustment Software.  After Initialization you can upload data files. 

 

  • If you are using a known good Salvage Main Board, you can proceed with uploading your data files.

    

  • Load the Camera (.cmr) and Digital (.dig) Data Files separately from other cameras until you find a set for which the camera operates reasonably well. 
  • Check that the image looks reasonable, especially noise in dark. 
  • Check that the camera doesn't hunt too much on AF. 

 

 

Step 5:     Use SPT Advanced software to calibrate AE, AF shift, and Shutter timing

  • Once the camera is operating reasonably well, you can perform the important adjustments with SPT software. Be sure to perform AE adjustment first - This will affect the histogram for shutter timing.

Even if you only follow steps 4 and 5, you should be able to get the camera to perform as well as, if not better than, it did before the fault.

Image with Good Digital File

 

Image with Bad Digital File

 

All our Canon Service Adjustment Software offers Help files linked to that Service or Adjustment Function!

 
Understanding How to Evaluate Lens Sharpness

The measure of a lens is optical sharpness!  Often taken for granted with new lenses, often questioned with used lenses.  There are numerious methods to test sharpness but most are time consuming and therefore expensive.  Testing Lens Sharpness is a great service you can provide for customers.  It is also your first step in creating a Test Lens for Canon Auto Focus Calibration.  It is an easy entry into the world of Canon Auto Focus Adjustments and Canon AF MicroAdjust. 

 

SPTs Canon Service Adjustment software gives you a quick and easy way to test sharpness.  With our software you can electronically measure sharpness, display the measurement as an easy to understand graph and give your customer a screen shot of the graph (Alt + PrtSc).

 

New Lenses

Expensive lenses are better, true.  Lenses cost more because they have better glass and have tighter tolerances.  But expensive or moderate in cost, every lens is different.  In any group of lenses some are better then others.  And your customer may be perfectly satisfied with a lens of moderate price if he knows that … The lens is sharp enough.   Our Canon Adjustment Software allows you to evaluate a single lens or pick the best out of a group ... quickly.

 

 

Used Lenses

Used lenses can be a great purchase or they may have focus problems!  When you are buying a used lens you want to know which is which.  SPTs Canon Adjustment Software lets you evaluate the mechanics of a lens without disassembly... quickly.

 

 

Sharpness relies on two factors:

  • Lens Sharpness.  The combined optical quality of the lens elements.
  • Focus Consistency.  The combined tolerance of the mechanics.

Lens Sharpness and Focus Consistency are combined into a single test, done simultaneously.   You will rapidly gain experience and be to Evaluate Lenses Sharpness using our Canon Service Adjustment Software.  And as importantly you will be able to do the test quickly and present it to your customer in a easy to understand format - Screen Shots with Focus Point Graph.

 

TESTING LENS SHARPNESS

 

 

The Tools You Need to Test Lens Sharpness:

  • SPT Canon Service Adjustment Software.
  • 3D Target mounted on a 30 degrees bracket. 
  • Sturdy mount for your camera.
  • Canon EOS Camera Body - preferably your test body.

The 3D target is part of our Canon Service Adjustment Software package.  The 30 degree bracket is self made.  We recommend a professional copy stand, new or used, as your camera mount.  Your test body or your customers camera body and our Canon Service Adjustment Software - Advanced version.  

 

 

Here is the Procedure:

  • Set the camera to ‘M’ with lens wide open.
  • Put the Camera and Lens on your Camera Mount.
  • Set the lens to manual focus.
  • Align your 3D Target.
  • Set your Lens to near the closest focus for that lens. 
  • Adjust the height of your camera accordingly.
  • Manually focus on ‘0’
  • In the Software:  Use Auto Focus Calibration / Calibrate Test Lens / Start
  • Use your Focus Tool and Focus Graft to measure sharpness.
  • Shoot a Screen Shot of the active picture window for your records.

 

Insert video link ‘focus testing’ here .. under construction

 

The directions might sound complicated but doing it is not.  Its like reading directions for tying your shoes .. long explanation for a simple process.

 

Some Notes

  • Setting your lens to wide open (F/Fo) and lens to its closest focus has one objective - limit the field of focus!  
  • It may take you several shots to manually focus on ‘0’ - remember Image focus is what counts NOT the focus in the viewfinder. 
  • Manually focus your lens while taking test shots until the ‘O’ in the Image is your sharpest point of focus.

Look at the three screen shot below.  The first image is a entry level kit lens, the middle image is from a good EF lens and the bottom image is from an EF L lens.  For your information the EF lens would be called ‘sharp’.

 

You can use a simple rating; soft, good or great.  You can also measure degree and depth of focus (front and back focus) in millimeters.  

 

No matter how you decide to rate a lens your customer will have a visual ‘easy to understand’ graft of their lenses sharpness.  Something that is quick to do and very easy to understand

 

 

Soft

 

 

Good Sharpness

 

 

Best Sharpness

 

 

Click here for:  Testing Focus Consistency … under construction.

 

All our Canon Service Adjustment Software offers Help files linked to that Service or Adjustment Function!

 
Understanding Auto Focus Sensors

With SPTs Canon Service Adjustment Software you can see and test each AF Sensor.  Watching the AF Sensors live output gives an easy test and understanding of how AF Focus Sensors work and why.  

 

AF Points and AF Sensors

  • AF Points are the AF brackes you see in the viewfinder.  

Looking at viewfinder image below, we can count 19 AF Points in the viewfinder for this camera.  These are the Auto Focus positions choosen by the photographer using their eye or Selector.  Different models use more or less AF Points .. depending on design.

 

 

 

  • AF Sensors are the Sensors under the mirror box used by the camera for Auto Focus.

We will explain in this article why this camera has 49 AF Sensors for those 19 AF Points.  Different models use more or less AF Sensors .. depending on design.

 

 

How Auto Focus Sensors Work

  • AF Sensors are electronic rangefinders.  
  • Each AF Sensor has two separate cells to create an electronic rangefinder.
  • Each AF Sensor is covered by a beam splitter that splits the image into two; one for each cell.

  • Each cell is photovoltaic.  Light produces a voltage.

Image contrast is needed to produce a wave.  The highlight creates the top of the wave and the shadows create the bottom of the wave.

  • Since there are two cells in each AF Sensors, two separate waves are created.

 

Types of AF Sensors

 

Now lets take a look at a camera using SPTs Canon Adjustment Software.  What we see is the 19 AF Points + 5 Sensor Groups.  The camera uses the different AF Sensors Groups in the same AF Points for focus targeting.   

  • Sensor Group #1 is the Horizontal Line Sensing Group, f5.6 for all sensors.
  • Sensor Group #2 is the Vertical Line Sensing Group, f5.6 for all sensors.
  • Sensor Group #3 is the Horizontal Line, Extreme Defocus Group for the center sensor.
  • Sensor Group #4 is the Diagonal LR ( Line) Group, f2.8.
  • Sensor Group #5 is the Diagonal RL ( / Line) Group, f2.8.

 

There are two or more AF Sensors on all AF Points, a total of seven in the center AF Point.  Typically cameras place the most AF Sensors in the center.  

 

For this camera there are a total of 47 different sensors used by 19 AF Points.  Different models use more or less AF sensors, AF Points and AF configurations.  Notice that the center AF Sensor has twin sensors in one group.  Other positions also twin sensors.

 

insert  70D AF sensor video .. with sensor waves on  .. under construction

 

 

The camera checks the focal length of the lens, the active AF sensor(s), identifies the type of target (Horizontal, Vertical, Diagonal) and the F/stop when it calculates focus.  This is the same math taught in Photography programs, without the hassle of doing the math yourself.

 

 

Phase Shift

Each AF Sensor has two individual cells covered by a beam splitter.  The beam spitter divides the image into two parts, one for each sensor.  The defocus split creates what is known as Phase Shift.  

 

SPTs Canon Service Adjustment software displays the voltage from each cell as a line, one red / one blue.  

 

 

 

Focus Direction

Its well know that when a lens is defocused highlights and shadows blur into each other.  The direction of the blur (highlight into dark and the opposite) depends on if the lens is focused too near (back focus) or too far (front focus).  

 

Because the AF Sensor is measuring a split image, the Phase Shifts right or left telling the camera which direction to move the lens.

 

 

Lens is Front Focused

 

 

Lens is Back Focused

 

Focus

The camera uses all the information mentioned and calculates the direction and rotation of lens.  After Auto Focus is finished, the camera rechecks focus by looking at the Phase Shift and does adjustments if necessary.

 

 

 

 

inter video .. lens focusing while watching phase shift .. under construction

 

 

We will cover other aspects of Auto Focus in other later Technical Notes.

All our Canon Service Adjustment Software offers Help files linked to that Service or Adjustment Function!

 
Understanding How to Evaluate Lens Focus Consistancy

A lens can have good optical quality, but a lens also needs to focus consistently to be sharp?  Are the tolerances in the lens loose or is the lens tight?  The tighter the tolerances in the lens, the more reliable its focus.  To check consistency you will need to do dynamic testing - test the image after the lens Auto Focuses.

 

SPTs Canon Service Adjustment software allows you to test Focus Consistency quickly and easily.  With our software you can electronically measure the focus point on a series of test shots after AF, display the measurement as an easy to understand graph and screen shot the series of test shots for your customer. 

 

Sharpness relies on two factors:

  • Lens Sharpness.  The combined optical quality of the lens elements.
  • Focus Consistency.  The combined tolerance of the mechanics.

 

Factors that Effect Focus Consistency

  • The AF Sensor.
  • The combined mechanical tolerances of the Focus Cams.
  • Lubrication. 

 

Insert video Link ‘Testing Focus Consistency’ here .. under construction

 

 

The Tools and Procedures are the same as shown in Understanding How to Evaluate Lens Sharpness / Testing Lens Sharpness.

  • Select the Center AF Sensor using the camera’s Mulit-Controller (Custom Function) or by whatever method your camera uses.  This should eliminate AF Sensor variations.

 

  • Take a Series of Test Shots using your 3D Target and the softwares Focus Tool.  Does the lens focus to the same point each time?

Defocus between shots so the lens has to Auto Focus for each test shot.  You can repeat the test at several distances.  Your concerntration should be on the consistancy of the point of focus, even if it is not on '0'.

 

Lens Sharpness and Focus Consistency are combined into a single test, done simultaneously.   You will rapidly gain experience and be to Evaluate Lenses Sharpness using our Canon Service Adjustment Software.  And as importantly you will be able to do the test quickly and present it to your customer in a easy to understand format - Screen Shots with Focus Point Graph.

 

 

 

Series of Test Shots using the Focus Measurement Tool

All Shots focusing at '0'  + / - 1mm

 

 

All our Canon Service Adjustment Software offers Help files linked to that Service or Adjustment Function!