D700 and the Virtual Horizon option

[duraace]

I've gone through the process in the setup menu to assign the Virtual Horizon to the function button, except that pressing the button doesn't do anything.  Is anyone else experiencing this?  I assigned Live View to the button, and pressing the button turns on live view, so the button isn't broken.  I recently updated to firmware 1.02.

[duraace]

Ooops ... I just discovered that the Virtual Horizon appears in the top LCD panel, when you access it by pressing a button.  Selecting it from the menu makes it appear back lit in the large LCD display.  Is there any way to make the horizon appear there, instead of the small top panel?

[Rob C]

Worse, I'd been looking for it in the viewfinder, where it would have been a bit more useful!

It strikes me that with all these different auxiliary screens the makers are starting to take easy ways out and just popping aids wherever they can instead of where they should. Reminds me of that old pop song: Telephone Man (put it where I can).
I, for one, would far rather have a virtual horizon floating in the pentaprism than those cursed and fixed af borders which I never need since I manual focus whenever I can. It would have been nice to have the choice of configuring a minimalist viewfinder to personal taste and needs. Maybe the next step forward instead of more pixels?

Rob C

[duraace]

I have found it in the view finder, after assigning it to the function button,but it isn't very usable (indications not fine enough).   The time I need to use the Virtual Horizon is when shooting in the dark, when I  don't have visual reference.  It would be more useful to display it brightly lit on the display on the back of the camera, instead of the small LCD on top.

[raysem]

I find the display (viewfinder or LCD) does not have fine enough resolution.

I still go back to the good old hot-shoe bubble level!

[duraace]

The Virtual Horizon is too convenient for me not to use.  Making fine adjustments in post is easier than attaching, using, and removing a bubble IMO.  I also saved $40 by not buying one.