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How to level a tripod

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How to level a tripod

Postby Ron Hunter » Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:27 pm

I ordered a Davis and Sanford tripod from B&H and it arrived today. (I saved $100 compared to the Manfrotto kit I was originally interested in.) I like this tripod but I'm puzzled about something, and I hope you can help clear this up.

The tripod has a bubble level at the top of its legs:
photo.JPG


I presumed that when the bubble was in the center of the inner circle:
- the tripod was level.
- the center column would be vertical and perpendicular to the ground.
- when I panned from left to right, the shot would be perfectly level and wouldn't dip or rise as the pan occurred.

I adjusted the tripod legs to get the bubble into the exact center of the tripod bubble level. Here are the results:
- the camera and tripod center column were noticeably slanted with respect to true vertical.
- looking through the viewfinder indicated the picture composition was dramatically skewed from level.
- panning the camera caused the camera to dip as the head moved around.

I may be missing something obvious, but when a bubble level indicates the object is level, shouldn't the camera actually show an image that IS level? Is this a case of the bubble level not being installed in a good position on the tripod? Or is this a case of me missing something?
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Ron Hunter » Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:33 pm

By the way, the "portrait/landscape" camera mount platform was completely flat.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Steve Grisetti » Sun Feb 09, 2014 9:18 am

Thanks for the tip, Ron! It looks like a really nice tripod.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby sidd finch » Sun Feb 09, 2014 9:41 am

Ron those darn bubbles confuse me too. I use the iPhone level app and put the phone on top of my camera after it is in the tripod to balance.

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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Peru » Sun Feb 09, 2014 2:20 pm

I think that that bulls eye level is just there for show. I've never had one be useful on any of my tripods.
Of course, all of my tripods are inexpensive ones.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby momoffduty » Sun Feb 09, 2014 2:55 pm

I use the level on the tripod and still end up rotating a degree or two in post. Scale up a notch to hide the corners.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Bob » Sun Feb 09, 2014 3:25 pm

I presumed that when the bubble was in the center of the inner circle:

- the tripod was level.

Bubble in the center means the level is level. For the tripod to be level, the plane of the level needs to be parallel to the plane of the tripod head. It sounds like your's isn't.

- the center column would be vertical and perpendicular to the ground.

The center column should be vertical. It will not be perpendicular to the ground if the ground is sloped.

- when I panned from left to right, the shot would be perfectly level and wouldn't dip or rise as the pan occurred.

That's the whole point of leveling the tripod. :)


It's not unusual for the built-in level to be off. It might not be seated properly or there may be a glob of glue throwing it off. You probably won't be able to remove the level and reseat it without damaging it. You can pick up an inexpensive circular bullseye spirit level at the local hardware store and carry one in your camera bag. It only takes a moment to set it on the camera mount platform and level the tripod.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Ron Hunter » Sun Feb 09, 2014 5:16 pm

Thanks everyone for your response. This is the 2nd tripod I've ever purchased and the first with built-in levels. I wanted feedback to help me decide whether I should return it or not. I like the tripod a lot. It is very solid, the legs have solid flip locks, each leg can individually extend to 3 different angles, and the head has a lot of adjustment capability. With 13lb capability it should hold a slider just fine. I just didn't know if the bulls-eye level being off was a real problem. Also, I didn't know if other tripods (e.g. Manfrotto) behaved differently when their bulls-eye levels indicated level. In other words, if I returned this one and spent another $100 to get a Manfrotto, would the results be the same (or better)?

This tripod wasn't super expensive but at $180 it wasn't super cheap either. I want to save money but if the Manfrotto is significantly better, I'll bite the bullet and do it. After all, if the cheapy Velbon I've been using for 25 years is still holding up, this new tripod will "see me out" as someone on this site recently said.
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Re: How to level a tripod

Postby Peru » Sun Feb 09, 2014 6:31 pm

Bob wrote:You can pick up an inexpensive circular bullseye spirit level at the local hardware store and carry one in your camera bag. It only takes a moment to set it on the camera mount platform and level the tripod.

Great idea.
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