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Thread: Spirit Level

  1. #1

    Spirit Level

    I am using a RRS ball head with a Linhof Technika. Can anyone recomend a good way to level the camera when I am in the field? Does any one have a small bubble level they like? thanks thomas broening- broening.com

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
    Posts
    14,408

    Re: Spirit Level

    Linhof has one as does Kaiser. They are 2-way levels with an accessory shoe. KAiser actually has two different ones.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Athens, Ga.
    Posts
    21

    Re: Spirit Level

    My Zone VI lightweight tripod has a built-in bubble level and the Bogen 3047 head sitting on top has two levels. But, if I'm using one of my two other tripods (both without levels) I use an inexpensive bubble level I bought at Home Depot.
    Paul

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Chapel Hill NC
    Posts
    318

    Re: Spirit Level

    It depends on how critical you are - or what you are photographing - as to what type of level you are using. I found the levels that attach to the top of the Linhof MT camera are not very good, as the shoe is not square to the gg. For architectural photography I have found it critical to level the camera from the gg where the film will sit. I also find that you have to level the lens with tilt adjustment when using wide angle lenses with the MT2000 (or at least with mine); lenses on the internal focusing track are tilted by a few degrees.

    Get a carpenters level that has double lines on the spirit glass to avoid parallax distortion when not looking straight on at the level.

    Mike

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    nuevo mexico
    Posts
    616

    Re: Spirit Level

    There are really cheap two way bubble levels on ebay the slide into the hot shoe on the camera. Buy a few at a time.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2001
    Location
    SF Bay Area
    Posts
    2,706

    Re: Spirit Level

    As mentioned, it really depends on your purpose. For field work I currently use a level in the accessory shoe. However, when the majority of my income was derived from architectural photography, I used grid lines on the ground glass.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    PHL, SFO
    Posts
    103

    Re: Spirit Level

    I use a monorail, so your mileage may vary a bit, but for critical work I use a Starrett cross-test/plumb level held against the rear standard (I think it's a model #134). A proper level is MUCH more accurate than the little built-in levels on the camera (or hotshoe levels). I've also used a small machinist's level, but that seems to be overkill.

    That still leaves the problem of getting the rear standard perfectly parallel to the subject (e.g., the side of a building), but once the camera is level, I do that by panning until lines are horizontal and vertical on the groundglass. (And if there's a better way to do this, I'd love to hear it).

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    1,059

    Re: Spirit Level

    I just use a torpedo level. (it may be called something different depending on where you live)
    Looks like:
    <===0====>
    About 5 or 6 inches long

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    God's Country
    Posts
    2,080

    Re: Spirit Level

    I have a two-way level that sits in a horseshoe and a torpedo level... my preference is definitely the torpedo unit that's approximately 6 inches long.

    It works very well.

    Cheers
    Life in the fast lane!

  10. #10
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
    Posts
    5,345

    Re: Spirit Level

    i use a post level and or a little keychain square level.
    they can be found at a hardware store for almost nothing
    or they give they give them away (keychain).

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