Presumably the QR on the L-Bracket can be positioned into the horizontal orientation to allow the Nodal Rail to slide back and forth. It'd be nice if the page on the head mentioned that. If that's the case, then I'd think one would be just as well off using the more compact Leveling Head than the big and bulky 1165.
Hi Bob,
Indeed, and a much more compact (=lower) profile with a lower center of gravity.
For those who are looking for really practical pano solutions, I prefer the
EZ leveler II (also available in a version with case). This has the benefit of allowing a
very precise and controlled leveling (in combination with my digital level I can quickly achieve 0.05 degree accuracy without problems), even with the weight of the camera on top. It's lightweight, holds an impressive load, and its modest height preserves a low center of gravity.
The other 'non-geared' leveling bases are very cumbersome to level, because the added weight of the camera will make it flop out of position (usually it's already off-balance when a NPP slide is used) once the locking mechanism is somewhat relaxed. That makes it very hard to get perfectly level alignment, tapping with your fingers against the camera to nudge it somewhat into position.
Cheers,
Bart