Tripod leveling base

[Jim Andrada]

I have some of the Nodal Ninja stuff for the digital spherical HDRI panoramas I do - very nice products. But I think pretty focused on the DSLR market so not sure how they'd hold up with large cameras. It isn't just the weight they support, the way the weight is distributed can have a big effect as well.

[Sean Chilibeck]

Ari, it doesn't have a bubble level unfortunately. I just use a torpedo level or the levels on my camera.

I have some of the Nodal Ninja stuff for the digital spherical HDRI panoramas I do - very nice products. But I think pretty focused on the DSLR market so not sure how they'd hold up with large cameras. It isn't just the weight they support, the way the weight is distributed can have a big effect as well.

This it true, and will have an affect, but I find that large format monorail cameras have more balanced weight distribution which is beneficial for levelling bases (assuming that the camera is a monorail). I haven't used it with a camera larger than my Arca Swiss 4x5 but it was plenty sturdy. I assume the camera isn't a massive beast as Ginette is looking at using a Manfrotto 410.

[Greg Miller]

These days I prefer a leveling base like these: http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl...ry.563/it.C/.f

These bases really don't elevate the camera much more than a regular head on a tripod. Whereas the leveling bases that go between the tripod and the head raise the camera. The higher the camera gets, the more any errors in leveling get magnified.

[Ari]

Ari, it doesn't have a bubble level unfortunately. I just use a torpedo level or the levels on my camera.

Thanks, Sean; still, a nice-looking piece of kit.

[Jeff Keller]

For just horizontal motion you could attach a panning base to your camera, then clamp the panning base in your tripod head. There are quite a few vendors, with Really Right Stuff being one of the most well known http://www.reallyrightstuff.com/s.nl...6&category=598

Potentially you could also attach the panning base directly to your tripod, then level using your legs.

-jeff