Bubble levels are very handy when trying to setup tripods and cameras. The
goal is usually to avoid converging verticals when you take a landscape or
cityscape shot. Even a modest tilting up of the camera can result in
objectionable degrees of converging verticals. The solution is simple -
use a bubble level.
You can purchase various types of bubble levels for camera use from
sources suggested in the postings below. But it may be both fun and a
major saving to build your own custom bubble level mountings for your
camera(s). As the postings suggest, lots of folks have made their own,
and you can too! The difference between a few dollars and $35 and up for a
commercial version can buy a lot of film.
Most camera users prefer "bull's eye" style bubble levels, in which a
center
peak in a sealed liquid filled glass or plastic circular holder
("eye") captures an air bubble - but only when
it is level. Such bubble levels are often built into camera tripods.
Generally, it is much easier to start with a level tripod than to achieve
leveling after the camera is mounted.
A few cameras, such as the Hasselblad superwide, have a viewfinder with a small
prism. The prism provides a view of a small bull's eye bubble level built
into the camera. This feature is essential for such ultrawide angle
cameras, where any deviation from level will show in architectural or
cityscape photos.
Other cameras, such as my Veriwide 100, have multiple tubular levels. These
tubular levels are simply a liquid filled tube with a small air bubble in
them (usually with colored liquid). The advantage of having 3 tubular
levels instead of one bull's eye level include being able to level on one
axis at a time. The pan heads that provide separate controls for leveling,
rather than the ball-head tripods, seem to work best with these levels. I
also find that the axial levels are more accurate than the bull's eye
levels, while the bullseye levels are more compact, generally cheaper, and
faster to use.
Are you using a panoramic
camera, or using a standard camera to take multiple photos by rotating
on your tripod for each shot segment? In this case, you will want to be
sure to get your tripod really level! One trick is to use a flat
metal sheet cutout for your tripod (or with 1/4" or 3/8" hole and nut for
tripod mounting). The cutout sheet has tubular bubble levels mounted on
the edges. The result is a longer baseline for the levels, so smaller
deviations from level show up more easily.
Be wary of leaving bubble levels out in very hot conditions. The liquids
can expand and may cause leaks past the seals, resulting in a much larger
bubble than is useful (or no bubble at all).
Related Postings
rec.photo.misc
Date: Fri Sep 04 1998
From: "L. J. Powell" ljpowel@banet.net
[1] Re: Stick on bubble level?
I think Porters Camera Store carries them. A cheaper option is at your
local
full-line hardware store (NOT the hardware department at WalMart). You
may have to engineer a means of mounting it - double-sided adhesive tape
or foam
should work well.
rec.photo.equipment.35mm
From: David Paris dbp@agora.rdrop.com
[1] Re: Bubble Level...
Date: Wed Mar 03 1999
RStephen Winter wrote:
> Ideally I'd like to find one that has a hot shoe to just put in on the
> top of my camera. Does anyplace make anything like this?
There are several companies that make these, but they're way too
expensive. I've seen Bogen ones for upwards of $35. Other brands are
similar. Everyone recommends you just buy a level at a hardware store and
mount it on your camera some how. One guy I talked to said he has this
little T with the level on the end of it, and he closes it in the back
after he loads film. Doesn't sound very safe to me... Cullman also makes
one of these levels, similar to the Bogen, and there's is just $7.95 at
B&H. I'm not sure of the quality though. To go directly to it, go to
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/photo/support/cullman/cullacc.html. You can
also check out the others by browsing the camera support category.
David
rec.photo.equipment.35mm
From: Dave Polakowski dave_polakowski@hp.com
[1] Re: Bubble Level...
Date: Thu Mar 04 1999
Ken Smith wrote:
> I think Porters has one also.
Porter's item #10-0419, $31.95. They also have a flat-bottom bubble
level for $6.99 (15-0251).
I saw a question about this 2 days ago. Went to a HomeDepot and bought a
1.25" round level.I have a nonworking flash gun. Broke the hot shoe
off,did a little grinding and used epoxy glue to fasten it to the level.
It works. The level was $3.59.
Adorama has one for$24.95 Double fits on flashshoe part #TPBLD
1800-223-2500
From Minolta Mailing List;
Date: Fri, 05 May 2000
From: Steven Van Dyke svandyke@worldnet.att.net
Subject: Re: Level "bubble" on Minolta Dual Rail Flash Shoe
I bought one of those standard flash-mount level bubbles in the gadget
section of a photo shop, but it, of course, will not mount on either my
600si or 9.
Or, you can go cheap and get two of those metal 'dead shoes' that they
sell to let you mount gear on booms & such. Attach them
bottom-to-bottom
like this: ][
The Minolta flash shoe is essentially inside out so a 'standard' flash
shoe will mate with it. By sticking two of the dead / dummy shoes
together, you get an adapter that will let you mount anything that just
sits on top of the camera.
The dead shoes I got were metal with a plastic base. I removed
the plastic bases and soldered the metal bits together.
I also adapted a bubble level by making a Minolta type mount out of
layers of hard plastic. Or you could make a mold from the foot of
something that mounts on the Minolta shoe (I'd recommend something like
a *dead* flash) and then cast feet for anything else. In fact, you
could easily make a mold to cast a nice little dead-shoe adapter.
Enjoy!
Steve :->
(Happy owner of a Maxxum 9 + DM-9 databack. I have a *very* indulgent
wife :)
Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000
From: Bill Glickman bglick@pclv.com
To: panorama-l@sci.monash.edu.au
Subject: Re: levels
Stan
Hama makes a reasonable small two way level for cameras, so does
Toyo.
Bill G
Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000
From: "Mitchell P. Warner" indepth@mpwarner.com
To: panorama-l@sci.monash.edu.au
Subject: Re: levels- vials, bubbles
Every shape, length and application of level vials:
I've placed them on large format, panoramic, tripods, every place I've
ever wanted to have a bubble and didn't. Cheap and easy:
>Subject: Bubble Levels
>From: timepixdc@aol.com (TimePixDC)
>
>Does anyone know a source for some decent, small buble levels that I can
>screw
>or glue to the top of a Tachihara 4x5 camera?
Any good hardware store has them. I got a nice one at Sears for about
$2.50.
If you want to affix a level to the top of the rear standard, the kind
that hardware stores typically sell may not fit the Tachihara. The ones
from hardware stores that I tried were too large for the small amount of
space between the grip and the edge of the Tachihara. I ordered a double
bubble level from Adorama and it fit. Since there is so little space on
the rear standard to which you can attach a level, you need to be careful
when attaching the level to make sure that no part of it hangs over the
rear standard and touches the back. After I attached mine for the first
time I started getting light leaks. It took me a while to figure out that
the level extended just enough over the edge of the rear standard to
prevent the back from fully closing. Maybe a tenth of an inch, but enough
to cause light leaks. You might also consider affixing it with double
sided tape rather than glue. If you use glue and the level gets knocked
off it likely will take some of the finish with it.
"TimePixDC" timepixdc@aol.com wrote
> Does anyone know a source for some decent, small buble levels that I can screw
> or glue to the top of a Tachihara 4x5 camera?
rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Date: Mon Feb 12 2001
From: "L. J. Powell" ljpowel@banet.net
[1] Re: Bubble Levels
TimePixDC wrote:
> Does anyone know a source for some decent, small buble levels that I can screw
> or glue to the top of a Tachihara 4x5 camera?
Check out a full line hardware store.
I bought a bubble level that is in a circular bulls-eye design for about
$3 in a hardware store. Enables leveling on two axes simultaneously.
Louie J. Powell, APSA
Glenville, NY USA
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Maison/7881/
rec.photo.equipment.large-format
From: "F. J. Roy" FROY@connriver.net
[1] Re: Bubble Levels
Date: Tue Feb 13 2001
Bogen Photo sells replacement circular levels for their Bogen or Manfrotto
tripods. Approx. 10 mm in diameter,
These should be obtainable from any of their dealers or ProCam in VT
1-800-638-3318 or sales@procam.com
usually has them in stock.
Francis in VT
Date: Tue, 05 Jun 2001
From: Chris Ellinger ellinger@umich.edu
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Levels
"Peter De Smidt" pdesmidt@fdldotnet.com wrote:
> I'm looking to add some small levels to my front and rear standards, but I'm
> having difficulty finding a supplier of view camera style levels. Does
> anyone have a lead?
http://www.mcmaster.com/
Look for "bullseye levels".
Chris Ellinger
Ann Arbor, MI
Date: Wed, 06 Jun 2001
From: Michael Briggs MichaelBriggs@EarthLink.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Levels
Peter De Smidt wrote:
> I'm looking to add some small levels to my front and rear standards, but
> I'm having difficulty finding a supplier of view camera style levels.
> Does anyone have a lead?
Reid Tool Supply Co, reidtool.com
Circular levels made of chrome plated brass start at $10 with an
sensitivity of 45 arc min per 0.1 inch of bubble movement. Higher
sensitivity and other styles are available too.
--Michael
P.S. Then there is the Starrett Master Precision Level with 10 arc
second accuracy, 270 times more sensitive than the above mentioned
level. Cost: $508.
Adorama, and probably other mail order places, sell dedicated levels that
slide into the camera's flash shoe. Home Depot and almost any similar
hardware supply store sells small levels of various sizes that can be
glued or taped onto the front and rear standards of most cameras. I use
the Adorama "double bubble" level on my Pentax 67 and Home Depot levels on
my 8x10. My Linhof Technika has a built in level but I find it pretty
useless because it's recessed into the camera and so is impossible to see
when the camera is at eye level on a tripod.
Try Calumet they had levels for calumet & cambo view cameras. you might
have to drill & tap or use glue to put it on.
From: "Paul Skelcher" skelch@erols.com>
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.35mm
Subject: Re: spirit level
Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2001
The Dave(c) wrote.... ...
> I recently took some shots down a long street and took great pains to make
> sure the camera was level by lining up buildings parallel with the sides of
> the viewfinder, etc. It didn't work as expected. I've read about spirit
> levels that can mount where the flash goes but have been unable to find one.
> Any ideas where I can find one? Thanks.
1. Use a grid focusing screen .
2.
2. Commercial photo and built-in tripod levels are too small to be of much
use. Look around your local hardware store and buy a practical-sized level.
I have a 4" long bricklayers level epoxied to an old flash foot.
3. Line up the center of the field with the center of the viewfinder, not
the edges where there will some inevitable parallax effect unless the camera
is square-on to the buildings.
4. Try and shoot horizontal format or use a lens with collar to avoid
flopping the camera to the side of the ballhead. Even the $250 heads have
an annoying little "give".
5. If you have a zoom, use it to find a reference point that may
facilitate setting up an aligned shot, then zoom back to your composition.
6. If you can't get the subject straight in 20secs or so, loosen the
ballhead, move it around a bit, take a deep breath and try again.
7. Once satisfied with the composition take care not to kick the tripod.
8.
8. Instead of screwing filters on to the lens, and possibly changing focus
or jolting the lens, simply hold an oversize filter up against the lens
while taking the shot.
From: philtobias@aol.com (Phil Tobias)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Date: 20 Jan 2002
Subject: Re: Bubble for Sinar 8x10 F1
>>I have a Sinar 8x10 F1. The rear standard bubble (for left/right tilt) is
dried up. Does anyone know if it is easily replaceable (It appears to be glued
to the standard)? Where can I get the part?
I bought a replacement bubble level from Sinar's Parts Department a year or
two ago.
That one, for my 4x5 F+, simply screwed in, as I recall. But I don't know how
they work on your 8x10.
E-mail or call SinarBron for information: info@sinarbron.com or (800)
456-0203 -- Fax (908) 754-5807.
Hope that helps. ...pt
www.philiptobias.com
Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002
From: hogarth hogarth@directvinternet.com>
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Bubble for Sinar 8x10 F1
Mikey wrote:
> I have a Sinar 8x10 F1. The rear standard bubble (for left/right tilt) is
> dried up. Does anyone know if it is easily replaceable (It appears to be
> glued to the standard)? Where can I get the part?
>
> -Mikey
Try Calumet's parts department. I got some spirit levels for a Toyo (I think)
from them that I'm using in another application. They seem to have all kinds
of levels. They are easy to work with and can often find what you want.
From SLR Mailing List:
Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001
From: Mark Bohrer lurchl@ix.netcom.com
Subject: A level alternative...
I recently got back a set of slides shot with the 12mm UW Heliar and M6.
The 12mm finder is optically first rate, but the curvature around its
edges
makes judging parallelism of vertical and/or horizontal lines challenging.
I didn't have a spare $150 or so for the Voigtlander spirit level finder,
so I cast around for alternatives.
For 17% of the Voigtlander's price, I found the shoe-mount Kaiser 2-way
bubble level. (I bought mine at San Jose Camera; it's available from B&H
Photo, too.) It's not nearly as fancy, but it gets the job done. It's also
usable in the accessory shoe of Canon GL1 mini DV video cameras. Now all I
need is the Voigtlander twin-shoe adaptor...
Mark Bohrer
www.kokophoto.com
From: egclayton@msn.com (Edward Clayton)
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Devil Level search
Date: 2 Apr 2002
Sears sells something like that. It is a level with a gage instead of
a bubble in a glass vial. They have magnetic bases so they can be
readily attached to steel (etc.) Last time I looked they were under
$20...but that could have changed.
Ed
tomg@springloose.com (Tom Garrett) wrote
> In the 7th edition of Stroebel's book on page 268 he references a hand
> held level for cameras without spirit levels and there is a photo of a
> "Devil Level" on page 269. It is described as an "Accessory level
> that can be used to check the angle of the ground glass, lens board,
> and camera bed". Instead of actually being a spirit level it has a
> needle that points up to a degree measure.
>
> Does anyone know who sells this item? I have been unable to locate
> one.
>
> Tom Garrett
From: "John Emmons" johncyn@worldnet.att.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Devil Level search
Date: Wed, 03 Apr 2002
Try a hardware store or a Sears store. They're called an "angle finder".
Easy to use, only cost a few dollars.
They're nice to have if you ever need to shoot copy work, it will allow you
to match the angle of the subject with the film plane.
John Emmons
From: Jan Becket jbecket@lava.net
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.large-format
Subject: Re: Devil Level search
Date: Thu, 04 Apr 2002
The one I purchased at Sears is called a Mayes Level and Angle Finder,
made by Mayes Brothers Tool Manufacturing Co, Johnson City, Tenn. Works
Great, and is light enough to take in the field.
Jan Becket
From minolta mailing list:
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2003
From: Dave Huffman huff@teleport.com
Subject: Re: bubble leveler
A few years ago someone posted a note that Minolta's unusual AF flash
footplate is just a reverse of the common one. I got out my flash-foot
junk and by golly, he was right! I don't have any of this stuff handy,
but if you check out standard flash-shoe fittings, you'll see what I mean.
So I carry a standard bubble level just like you have -- but with
the "reverse" fitting on it to plug into the AF flash shoe on my 9 or 7.
Works A-OK.
Huff
Date: Tue, 28 Jan 2003
From: Jim Brick jbrick@elesys.net
To: hasselblad@kelvin.net, hasselblad@kelvin.net
Subject: [HUG] Re: Hasselblad Spirit Level
Simon Lamb wrote:
> > > Can you still get those spirit levels that mount on the rail. I have been
> > > looking for a while, including eBay, but haven't seen one for ages. Did
> > > Hasselblad make their own or are they all from third parties?
> > >
> > > Simon
The problem with the circular spirit levels is, they are only good for
leveling your camera in ALL directions at the same time, that is, level for
architecture work. They are no good for making the horizon level
(side-to-side level) when your camera is pointed up or down (front-to-back
not level.)
The best level is the Hama dual level. Go to www.bhphoto.com search for
Hama, scroll down to:
Double Spirit Level
This allows individually leveling in both directions.
Jim
From camera makers mailing list:
Date: Thu, 21 Aug 2003
From: Michael Briggs MichaelBriggs@earthlink.net
To: cameramakers@rosebud.opusis.com
Subject: [Cameramakers] Source of smal levels
> From: "Ken Strauss" ken.strauss@sympatico.ca
> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2003
> Subject: [Cameramakers] Level
>
> Any suggestions for a source of levels? Ideally in Canada. I need several
> for a view camera that I'm reconstructing.
Reid Tool Supply has a good selection of small levels at reasonable prices:
http://www.reidtool.com/. Levels are at
www.reidtool.com/store/store/listCategoriesAndProducts.asp?idCategory=5451
From camera makers mailing list:
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003
From: John Hendry pict@pict.co.uk
To: cameramakers@rosebud.opusis.com
Subject: [Cameramakers] Re: Cameramakers digest, Vol 1 #775 - 1 msg
try a dollar giant store if there's one near you (there's one in North
Vancouver if that helps)... i got a small plastic level for a buck each...
took out the vials and mounted them on a little bracket then mounte on
camera.
From camera makers mailing list:
From: "Uptown Gallery" murray@uptowngallery.org
To: cameramakers@rosebud.opusis.com
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003
Subject: [Cameramakers] Levels
I bought some keychain levels at a hardware store that was closing, then
more at an auto parts store. I didn't pay more than $2 each.
Murray
From camera makers mailing list:
Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2003
To: cameramakers@rosebud.opusis.com
From: Bill Phillips wfp@shoestringprojects.com
Subject: [Cameramakers] Re: Cameramakers digest, Vol 1 #776 - 3 msgs
you wrote:
>> Any suggestions for a source of levels? Ideally in Canada. I need several
>> for a view camera that I'm reconstructing.
Dunno about in Canada, but I got a little bullseye level from the local Ace hardware for not much money.
About 1" in diameter, mounted on about a 1.5" flange with screw holes.
From: "Bandicoot" "insert_handle_here"@techemail.com
Newsgroups: rec.photo.equipment.medium-format
Subject: Re: Basic camera-mount/tripod questions!
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2003
"David J. Littleboy" davidjl@gol.com wrote
[SNIP]
> Even better, I can put
> the bubble level on the flat part of the head before I mount the camera,
> and rotate the camera on the head to do panoramas. (I wish my camera
> had bubble levels built in. Sigh.)
A found an old and very sensitive two way level on a junk stall a year or
two back that happens to be just the size to slip into the jaws of an
Arca-Swiss type QR clamp. Very nice to get a head level before putting the
camera on it - the panning base I can level with the bubble on my levelling
base, but this lets me level the top plate itself, when I need to (which is
not often, eyeball is usually enough - but now and again....)
Peter
