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Author Topic: Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300  (Read 857 times)

rogerxnz

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Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300
« on: May 20, 2018, 04:13:40 pm »

My alignment tool is out of alignment (following a little trauma) and I have read that older backs show a reset button when you press on the small alignment tool. I don't see a reset button on the IQ3-100 when I press the alignment tool icon.

The alignment tool is the tool which allows you to level the back/camera in two dimensions. It's a circle with two scales, one below and one to the right of the circle.

So, is it possible to reset the alignment tool on an IQ3-100?

I know it is possible to set offsets using the alignment tool but is that the best way to zero the tool long-term?

Also, how do you know when the back is level? I guess you can set the roll (sideways alignment) using a level and checking with the horizon but how do you check the pitch (backwards and forwards) alignment)? Do you align it with the edge of a building?
Roger
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Roger Hayman
Wellington, New Zealand

dchew

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Re: Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2018, 08:07:59 am »

Roger,
I think the "offset" is the same as reset.

There may be a more elegant way to do it, but I go to the "Play" screen, scroll down on the right side until the alignment tool appears. Long press on that tool and a menu screen appears. Scroll down to "Roll and Pitch Offset" and press "Set". That is the only way I know to do it.

I use multiple levels when calibrating, and you have to decide what you want to be "level." The tripod head? The camera? The digital back? All these things can be slightly different. For example, the camera may not sit level on the camera plate, which may not be oriented level into the tripod head. The best way I've found to do this is to swing the camera around in 90 degree increments using a panning base. When the sensor is level, it should read the same in all four directions. Once I find that position, then I reset the alignment tool.

I think this tool is kind of useless because, at least on my back, it randomly goes out of alignment. What good is a level if you don't know if or when it is level?

Dave
« Last Edit: May 21, 2018, 08:14:21 am by dchew »
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E.J. Peiker

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Re: Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2018, 03:13:30 pm »

The XF and back are seperate.  You can realign on the back and then set the XF from that.  After leveling the camera, on the back, hit the play button, scroll to the level and now press and hold that until a data screen pops up, scroll to the button of that and hit Set.  Now on the XF top LCD, hit the long silver button closest to the photographer, scroll down to tools, scroll down to Bullseye, press and hold the little triangle in the upper right, click the checkmark where it says Calibrate from attached back?   Now the body and back are synchronously leveled.  If you aren't using an XF, just do the first part on the back.
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rogerxnz

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Re: Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2018, 04:03:14 am »

Thank you, Folks for your replies.
Dave, I think I want the back to be level east-west and north-south. It doesn't matter to me if the tripod head or camera body are not level (although I will have to re-level the back each time I rotate the unit if they are not). What I need is a level back to avoid converging verticals.

EJP, your idea is clever but, unfortunately, I don't have a XF and I use my back on an H2, which does not have a level/alignment function (I will check). Possibly, a later H model might.

I think what I will do is mount the H2 and back on to a tripod. I will remove the prism viewfinder and put a spirit level across the viewfinder base and adjust the tripod head until the viewfinder base is level in both dimensions. When it is, I will press set the offset.

What do you think of this idea?
Roger
 
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Roger Hayman
Wellington, New Zealand

dchew

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Re: Resetting alignment tool on IQ1-300
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2018, 08:50:42 am »

I think what I will do is mount the H2 and back on to a tripod. I will remove the prism viewfinder and put a spirit level across the viewfinder base and adjust the tripod head until the viewfinder base is level in both dimensions. When it is, I will press set the offset.

What do you think of this idea?
Roger

Sounds fine. I would just recheck it periodically.

Dave
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