Bubble Level

[JamesV]

I know there has been a lot of talk about bubble levels before but is one make better then another. I see at B&H they have the 2 axis flash hot shoe from $25 and up, are these that different from the ones that sale for $5 on E-Bay from Hong Kong?

I have been thinking about getting one and decided now is better then any other time..

Thanks in advance,

James

[another view]

I haven't seen the ones on ebay but as long as the picture looks the same, they must be about equal - provided they're accurate of course. I have two of them, one from Bogen and the other that was in a box full of gear I bought so I don't know who made it. That one's slightly different but they both work equally as well. Other than the typical ebay cautions, I wouldn't hesitate.

[freygr]

I level the tripod with Circular Bubble Level, then level the pan tilt head.

[JamesV]

AV, thanks for the information. I was looking on the bay and seen which one I would purchase from and it doesn't look like a problem.

Freygr, if I understand correctly you level twice. Are there benefits to doing that over just the hot shoe one?

I was at a local camera store and all they had was a circular bubble level. In fact I went to two different ones and just the one place had a single bubble level. Are they all that uncommon for small shops to carry? Neither one was a national chain just two local stores that have been around for a long time.

James

[freygr]

AV, thanks for the information. I was looking on the bay and seen which one I would purchase from and it doesn't look like a problem.

Freygr, if I understand correctly you level twice. Are there benefits to doing that over just the hot shoe one?

I was at a local camera store and all they had was a circular bubble level. In fact I went to two different ones and just the one place had a single bubble level. Are they all that uncommon for small shops to carry? Neither one was a national chain just two local stores that have been around for a long time.

James

Leveling the tripod first even if you do not level the pan tilt head is the key to making good panoramas as the raw panorama doesn't have arc in the stitched image to crop out making the panorama smaller. Just leveling the camera using the hot shoe when you pan the camera may no longer be level. (leveling the head after the tripod insures the panorama photos are also level).

[JamesV]

Freygr, thanks for the clairifcation...

I currently have a ball head that I use with my tri-pod and mon-pod but I have been looking at the Manfrotto 234RC. I hope to get it in the next few weeks.

James