Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Tony Hubcaps on February 01, 2014, 08:55:55 am
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Hello -
My tripods and heads, from well known manufacturers like gitzo and manfrotto, are all liberally
festooned with these very pretty lime green bubble affairs.
They look great but I can't figure out what they're for!
Once, when I was standing on a hill in the middle of nowhere (looking down on them from atop
the wooden stepladder I'd lugged up there specifically for this purpose), a passing stranger --
after we'd chatted awhile -- ventured the opinion that they're for ensuring the camera's position
is level.
I didn't like to say anything at the time, but I know this can't be right. They all give different
readings and besides, none indicate anything close to genuinely level.
Does anybody know what they are really for?? I'm very curious.
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They're used to separate the men from the boys.
The boys spend all day trying to get them all set correctly.
The men just make the friggin picture.
;D
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These are decorations. If you want actual levels, you need to spend enough to get a surveyor's level. If you don't care about compactness, you could bolt a hardware store large level onto a quick release plate, that would be somewhat more accurate. ;D
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I have a simple fix. Just never include anything looking like a horizon in any photo. Then you can strip the decorations and save yourself 0.001 ounce of extra weight. ;)
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I have a simple fix. Just never include anything looking like a horizon in any photo. Then you can strip the decorations and save yourself 0.001 ounce of extra weight. ;)
I live on the coast, the horizon is everywhere! and it's often curved.
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Does anybody know what they are really for?? I'm very curious.
So they can charge more.
In all seriousness, although I don't use it, it might be helpful for doing multiple panoramic shots where you rotate the camera and want to keep the camera on the same horizontal plane. Can anyone comment on this who has done these multiple pictures?
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I use panoramic techniques quite a bit.
Normally I level up by eye, but there are times when speed is of the essence and a quick
and efficient method of getting accurately set up would be very much appreciated!
Perhaps it's my poor eyesight and malfunctioning brain but I find it can be very easy to get
misled by what's around me - like a tree that's not quite vertical.
There are a number of reasons why accurate leveling is worthwhile in my opinion. Not least
you will end up with greater usable coverage.
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What if you have a spirit level on your tripod, on your head, and on your hot shoe, . . . and none of them agree? I think the idea of precision in precision instrument gets lost in the manufacturing process. Now throw in a leveling base . . .
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I live on the coast, the horizon is everywhere! and it's often curved.
I too live close to sea water - and this is an advantage - the horizon is visible (most of the time), and I level the camera through the VF or with LV.
Having set up a level or transit more that a few times, I know what the bulls eye bubbles are for: to get the instrument close enough so that it's within the range of the far more accurate internal leveling system (older instruments had a visible bubble and an adjusting knob(s), newer ones level automatically).
Translation - a bulls eye bubble should never be relied on for accurate leveling - it's a crude instrument to provide a starting point.
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This is a great application. Helps you with your GPS problems. Also provides pitch and roll in degrees so you can put your cellphone (I use Samsung S4 Galazy) on anything and adjust to make level in all directions. It provides compass rose and allows calibration of your internal cellphone compass.
Download GPS Status from:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
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Levels on the top of the head are very useful for panoramic photography. Levels on the tripod itself have little use (unless you like micro adjusting leg height).
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Levels on the top of the head are very useful for panoramic photography. Levels on the tripod itself have little use (unless you like micro adjusting leg height).
I disagree. The level on the legs is very important for panos. If you level the head on off legs then rotate the head you will be way off level.
Level the legs first. Level the camera by adjusting the head. Pan it through the picture to make sure it stays level. Take your shots.
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Aye, though I have a panning base with a QR plate on I stick in my ball head clamp, make sure that is level (easy) and pan on that, nice and easy no need to get tripod level.
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I disagree. The level on the legs is very important for panos. If you level the head on off legs then rotate the head you will be way off level.
Level the legs first. Level the camera by adjusting the head. Pan it through the picture to make sure it stays level. Take your shots.
Using a levelling base, such as the one by Acratech, is an awful lot easier than fiddling with the legs.
Jeremy
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"I didn't like to say anything at the time, but I know this can't be right. They all give different
readings and besides, none indicate anything close to genuinely level."
What I learned long ago from a master carpenter: "If you have three levels and they all agree, two of them are wrong."
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Same with GPS's, clocks, lightmeters, etc.
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"I disagree. The level on the legs is very important for panos. If you level the head on off legs then rotate the head you will be way off level."
Rotation will be off level if you rotate the arca swiss base or equivalent, but will be fine if you rotate the panoramic attachment on top of that, even if the legs are not level. Only the pano attachment needs to be level. The reason to use these is that rotating the base only works if the legs are adjusted just right, and that is a nuisance to do.
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Does anyone use an iOS equivalent of Alan Klein's "GPS status and toolbox" app?
Eric Myrvaagnes, I dub thee Master of the Ultralight Nerds. ;) Although, most MUNs use the metric system....
For the single shots I just use the in-camera electronic level (on cameras that have it) plus own eyes. Check leveling base or ball head level with pan clamp on top? Just spin the pan clamp 360 degrees, checking every 90 degrees, and you ought to be able to see non-level status easily.
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Rotation will be off level if you rotate the arca swiss base or equivalent, but will be fine if you rotate the panoramic attachment on top of that, even if the legs are not level. Only the pano attachment needs to be level.
Correct, for leveled rotation (Yaw) it is required to have the camerabase (which is attached to the top clamp of a ballhead) level. Therefore the camera clamp/connection must be able to rotate, as a good pano-setup will allow to do.
Cheers,
Bart
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Eric Myrvaagnes, I dub thee Master of the Ultralight Nerds. ;) Although, most MUNs use the metric system....
Thank you for that honor, NancyP.
Your comment brings back memories of a hill climb road race that used to be run annually up the unpaved summit road on New Hampshire's Mount Washington.
One year, probably some fifty years ago or so, the race was won by a guy driving a highly modified Volkswagen Beetle. This was back in the days when the VW gas pedal was a small, plastic roller instead of a pedal. To lighten the car as much as possible for the hill climb, this guy had actually drilled 1/2-inch holes all through the plastic roller.
I suspect he saved about 0.1 ounce in total weight of the car.
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I have to say that although I have bought some "ultralight" camping gear, in no way can a DSLR photographer qualify as an ultralight hiker/camper, in part due to the equipment, in part due to the need for a sturdier pack and for padding.
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This is what I have/use.
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c172/robdickinson/swpIndexer_zps99094836.jpg)
Though with an arca clamp on top. Its the start of a multi row nodal panoramic bracket.
I also have a 140mm slider with clamp that I can easily use for single row pano's at nodal point, doesnt weigh much.
Clip into your arca ball head clamp and level, then set degrees for lens and shoot away.
http://www.sunwayfoto.com/e_goodsDetail.aspx?gId=1232