Panorama and Tripod Leveling - this should be easy

[marcr1230]

I was experimenting this afternoon with panoramic photos thru stitching

one key finding - you need to level your panning plane

on my tripod - I have an acratech ball head

basically there is a base level mounted on the tripod that pans or rotates
and on that there is a ball head.

to get a good panorama - you need to level the panning plane, and then ball head (camera mount) parallel to the panning plane

ball head has a built in bubble level - but the panning plane no

so a bit of trial and error - also, you can't access a flat surface on the panning plane since it is bonded to the ball head...

best solution - trial and error with an iPhone laying on top of the camera mounting plate - using the iPhone's level app (Compass) and rotating 90 degrees...

the panorama came out fine

stitching done in Affinity Photo

 

[shawn]

If you can swap out the clamp on your ball head with a panoramic clamp. It makes it *much* easier to level everything as you just need to level the clamp with the ball head itself. Something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panoramic-head-fluid-panning-clamp-w-dovetail-RRS-SunwayfotoKirk-Arca-ball-head-/261540741701?hash=item3ce50b0245:g:QMcAAOSwq5lTql4u

Shawn

 

[marcr1230]

not bad - the price is right, with this you need to level using the tripod legs , right?

it would be nice if you had one with something (a ball?) underneath the head, but where you could adjust the horizon and vertical separately so the panning plane can be leveled without adjusting the legs and without the infinte ability to unlevel everything via a free moving ball

Amedeo ?

If you can swap out the clamp on your ball head with a panoramic clamp. It makes it *much* easier to level everything as you just need to level the clamp with the ball head itself. Something like this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Panoramic-head-fluid-panning-clamp-w-dovetail-RRS-SunwayfotoKirk-Arca-ball-head-/261540741701?hash=item3ce50b0245:g:QMcAAOSwq5lTql4u

Shawn

 

[Rob-F]

I use an Acratech most of the time. I use a tripod that has a bubble on it, separate from the head. I level the tripod to that bubble, by shortening one or two legs. Then I can just level the camera once, and it will stay level all the way around. This does call for a second bubble on the camera, in the accessory shoe, or just placed on the camera.

 

[shawn]

With that as your clamp you level with the ball head, not the legs. The pivot for panorama is built into the clamp.

Shawn

 

[Rob-F]

With that as your clamp you level with the ball head, not the legs. The pivot for panorama is built into the clamp.

Shawn

With what as your clamp? And what clamp? If I were to level with the ball, without the column under the ball being vertical, the camera won't stay level when panning.

Could you be thinking of a different head? I have the Acratech Ultimate.

 

[shawn]

"With what as your clamp?"

That clamp I linked to above for marcr1230. My response was to his question about needing to level with the tripod legs. You only need to do that if you are using the panning on the base of the ball head. That takes time to setup.

If you have a panning clamp (like what I linked to above) you do not need to level a tripod at the legs. You use the ball head itself to level the camera and then rotate the camera at the clamp. The camera stays level all the way around. It is a *much* easier way to setup and rotate for panoramas.

As long as the clamp is replaceable on your ballhead, or you use a panning clamp with an arca base in your existing clamp, you can make shooting panoramas a lot easier this way.

Shawn

 

[marcr1230]

so I'd have to take the clamp (mounting plate) off my current ball head, and attach this so the panning plane sits on the top of the ball head ?

 

[shawn]

That, or you get a panning clamp/plate that has an arca base built into it. In that case you clamp the panning clamp/plate into your existing ballhead clamp and then rotate on that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360-Tripod-Quick-Release-Clamp-Plate-Panoramic-Head-Panning-Base-US-STOCK-8F3R-/171970247618?hash=item280a39bbc2:g:JSEAAOSwMmBV5U3A

That is what I was originally planning on doing but then I had another piece of hardware to bring with me. Easier to just swap out the clamp for the panning clamp and be done with it. The panning clamp has a lock so it won't rotate.

Shawn

 

[plummerl]

That, or you get a panning clamp/plate that has an arca base built into it. In that case you clamp the panning clamp/plate into your existing ballhead clamp and then rotate on that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360-Tripod-Quick-Release-Clamp-Plate-Panoramic-Head-Panning-Base-US-STOCK-8F3R-/171970247618?hash=item280a39bbc2:g:JSEAAOSwMmBV5U3A

That is what I was originally planning on doing but then I had another piece of hardware to bring with me. Easier to just swap out the clamp for the panning clamp and be done with it. The panning clamp has a lock so it won't rotate.

Shawn

This is the same panoramic head that I have, from two years ago. The price then was a bit higher. It's a very well made piece of hardware. You can either use it with the supplied plate or detach the plate and use it without.

 

[marcr1230]

I ordered this one - a little more expensive, but I got free next day delivery instead of waiting up to 2 weeks - I'm guessing they are all either the same or very similar

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J5F6S20

 

[plummerl]

I ordered this one - a little more expensive, but I got free next day delivery instead of waiting up to 2 weeks - I'm guessing they are all either the same or very similar

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J5F6S20

Exactly the same, the only difference is that the one off EBAY (the one I have) is delivered with a camera plate, with markings.

 

[marcr1230]

interestingly - I just was browsing the website of my tripod ball-head (acratech)

and they say it "Works like it has a built in leveling base for single row panoramics"

so I called them - and apparently you can remove the clamp, and invert the whole thing, so the ball head attaches to the tripod and the panning plane is on top, then attach the clamp

so - I cancelled my order as apparently I have what I need

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Reminds me of first reading Ansel Adams. He starts with setting up the tripod, one leg pointed away from you towards scene, then level the tripod. And goes on from there.

I still try to level my tripod, always helps. Then mount the camera and swing through the whole range to check for level.

 

[Trius]

As a cheap solution to this issue I bought some small bubble levels and super-glued them to the tripod yoke, basically as near as possible to the top of each leg. I adjust each leg until all three levels are "bullseye" centred, then I can level the ball head.

On uneven terrain it's not dead accurate without a fair degree of fiddling, but it works pretty well.

 

[Dwig]

I often use a ball head which can be mounted "upside down". The male screw can be removed and inserted into the female thread at the bottom resulting in the rotation section being above the ball section. That way I can use the ball to level the rotation axis.

Alternately, you can get simple rotation platforms to mount on top of your current head like this one:
https://www.manfrotto.com/products/...head-accessories/basic-panoramic-head-adapter