D5500 Af Fine Tune
On the surface, the D500’s automatic AF Fine Tune system does a fair job of quickly calibrating the autofocus system. In reality, however, the need to manually repeat calibrations to iron out variability in results extends the time taken. The AF fine-tune menu option can be found in the Setup Menu. Use the Saved value menu to display the value scale as seen in the image below. Make the adjustment in the appropriate direction, (+) to move the focal point away from the camera and (-) to move the focal point towards the camera depending on the results of your focus test. Fine-tune and customize to achieve your ideal image Adjusting and customizing Picture Controls. Fine-tune the seven preset Picture Controls to get the results you want. Parameter settings for each Picture Control, like sharpening, clarity, contrast and brightness, can be adjusted within the camera in fine increments of 0.25. You can fine‐tune any White Balance setting on your Nikon D5500 except a custom preset that you create by using the PRE option. Make the adjustment as spelled out in these steps: Display the Shooting menu and select the White Balance option. The menu of available settings appears.
The technological differences between DSLRs and mirrorless cameras has just been narrowed with Nikon’s new AF Fine Tune feature, which is available at the moment only on the Nikon D5 and D500.
D5500 Af Fine Tuner
Ever since Minolta introduced integrated autofocus to the wider world with the MAXXUM 7000 back in February 1985, photographers have noted that occasionally their lenses aren’t focusing perfectly with specific bodies.
The problem is either identified as an front-focusing or back-focusing issue, meaning that there’s often a miniscule miscalibration between the lens and the camera. Previously on less powerful cameras the difference might not have been so obvious. But nowadays when photographers have access to 50-MP bodies and fast lenses with extremely shallow depth-of-fields, flaws are more evident.
DSLRs use a phase-detect system located under the mirror to achieve focus, and essentially the process is complex and involves a lot of variables. Any misalignments are immediately noticeable in this case, and will disturb autofocus performance.
While manufacturers of both DSLR bodies and lenses are extremely careful with their calibration tests, it’s inevitable that there are sometimes issues that occur. Hence most cameras have custom AF adjustments for individual lenses, although most photographers will have difficulty making these amendments themselves, as the calibration process requires absolute precision.
Mirrorless cameras don’t have this issue, since their autofocus information is drawn straight from the image sensor.
Nikon Auto AF Fine Tune
Nikon’s new Auto AF Fine Tune is so important because it makes calibration easy. Photographers don’t need any charts or external software to measure flaws in their lenses, and can simply let the cameras do all the work.
The Nikon D500 and D5 have contrast-detection autofocus systems for use with their Live View features, which are completely accurate. When the camera compares what their contrast-detection sensors measure versus their potentially inaccurate phase-detection sensors, they’ll note a discrepancy and offer an amendment.
Nikon D5500 Af Fine Tune
D5500 Af Fine Tuners
DPReview have done a great video on this feature, which can be done with minimal effort.