How do you keep the sea from streaming rightwards?

[sanmich]

I have a problem with horizontality. 🙁
I thought it was a gear problem, but it isn't.
When I play with the left-right position of my eye the upper line of my frame on which I usually try to calibrate the horizon is dancing and tilting.
to see the line at it's right position, I need to place my eye in a very left, unnatural position. I have checked two cameras, two finders, on a tripod with a spirit bubble....

any suggestion??

 

[TXForester]

Is it a camera that has changeable screens? If so, then a screen with a grid overlay may help.

 

[sanmich]

Is it a camera that has changeable screens? If so, then a screen with a grid overlay may help.

Sorry ,I forgot to mention: Leica Ms...

 

[Richard G]

I see many plaques on historic buildings, and light fittings anywhere tilted down to the right. I have attributed this to right handed tradesmen turning their head on an angle as they the put in the screws with the screwdriver in the right hand.

Meanwhile I think you should see an optometrist or ophthalmologist or even a neuroophthalmologist. The inferior oblique and superior oblique extraocualr muscles have a role in rotating the eye to put images upright even with the head tilted. With binocular vision away from the viewfinder you are probably fusing the images from both eyes satisfactorily. Isolating vision to your viewfinder eye may be unmasking some tilt tendency in that eye. All speculation on my part but worth looking into. Could you try the other eye and see if it’s the same problem? If you usually use your right eye and find that you need to twist your head to the left to get rid of the horizontality problem then it could be your right superior oblique muscle that is not doing it’s job. A single nerve supplies that muscle and only it, the 4th nerve.

 

[Rob-F]

Ansel Adams wrote about an eye condition that can cause this problem, and recommended seeing an eye doctor. I think he said a corrective eyeglass lens would do the job. But of course, there could be more than one cause. I agree with Richard G: a trip to the ophthalmologist is good advice.

I do tend to get horizontals a little off myself, some of the time. I think the ease with which I can fix it in Aperture may be making me careless! Doesn't help with film rangefinders though. It doesn't happen with the Hasselblad: seeing the image on the groundless is a big help!

 

[icebear]

If it was just handheld ... could be camera tilting when pressing the shutter but as it occurs also on tripod with bubble level, there must be a different reason. Curious to see what you'll find out.

 

[sanmich]

Well, thanks for the suggestion about consulting an ophthalmologist.
I'll try that.
Meanwhile, I wonder if someone else experience the same way of seeing the upper horizontal line tilting CW and CCW as they laterally move the eye left-right? (with the camera levelled)

 

[benlees]

I know this in a Leica area, but many digital cameras have level indicators. The Fujis with optical viewfinders have them too...

 

[peterm1]

My personal theory is that all of us with this problem are each one of these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0DusO6ipLw

 

[willie_901]

I know this in a Leica area, but many digital cameras have level indicators. The Fujis with optical viewfinders have them too...

I also had issues with horizontal tilt.

Using the finder level indicator option on the X-Pro 2 and X100T OVFs solved the problem.

For some work I use a tripod with a gear head and bubble levels.

 

[johannielscom]

Ouch,

and here's me thinking I should just pay more attention while shooting...

My horizon is consistently off too. And the beloved Sony A7 has a really clogged-up EVF view where the level indicator is to be seen... yikes. Far cry from the empty viewfinder I fancy.

What's more, just last month I got glasses for distant view, but my close view was still fine, my ophthalmologist and I agreed upon... Maybe not so much...?

 

[jaapv]

I know this in a Leica area, but many digital cameras have level indicators. The Fujis with optical viewfinders have them too...

So have digital Ms from the M240 onwards, and all mirrorless Leicas.

Otherwise: www.rentaCanute.com 😛

Seriously, it may indicate a slight degree of astigmatism.

 

[ChrisC]

So have digital Ms from the M240 onwards [level indicators], and all mirrorless Leicas......

Not M10! Bone of contention for many of us.

......... Chris