Spirit level Inquiry

[RogerinVegas]

Anyone been using the spirit level? I am kinda itching to get one, but just wanted to hear some comments on what your experience is with one? Do you actually use it? Is it a usefull tool? I just ordered the 12mm and 15mm and am considering the idea that I "Need" one of these. My tripod has vertical and horizontal levels built in, I assume I would use the Spirit level when shooting freehand? Comments suggestions, experiences all welcome.
Thanks, Roger

 

[laptoprob]

spirit level

spirit level

Hi Roger, I did not get the VC spirit level because of size and price. I like to keep things compact. I found a small spirit level which can be glued to the side of the finder. Op top is also possible, but I try to use the 15mm only vertically because of the 'image stretch' of the outer parts of the projected picture.
I got the first one via the bay for relatively too much, aroound US 7. This one came directly from SOLA in Austria, but any hardware store should be able to order it. Cost? About US1,50!

I make the framing first, then check the spirit level for being level. Works great because the 15mm - and the 12mm even more I guess - is very vulnerable to out-of-level framing, especially when there are vertical lines.

For horizontal correction I use the 50mm lines in the frame, I have a 50mm adapter on it.

Hopes this helps!

Rob.

 

[peter_n]

I use a Hama double spirit level which is very good. Cheap too at around $33. I use it with a Voigtlander double adapter so I can have the level and the wide-angle viewfinder mounted on the camera at the same time.

http://www.naturephotographers.net/gs/hamadb-1.html

 

[Andy K]

I use a two-way hotshoe spirit level bought from Jessops for £9.99.
My tripod has a ball-head, it is useful to know the camera is level without having to look through the viewfinder and keep making adjustments.

 

[Bertram2]

Is it a usefull tool? I just ordered the 12mm and 15mm and am considering the idea that I "Need" one of these. My tripod has vertical and horizontal levels built in, I assume I would use the Spirit level when shooting freehand? Comments suggestions, experiences all welcome.
Thanks, Roger

Yes , Roger, it IS a useful tool. I use it with a CV 25 and a double hotshoe because I got tired to correct converging lines again and again, always with a considerable amount of loss making the final result uncertain.

I use it 99% free hand but you should know , a right eyed person only has the the full fun using it. With the left eye it does not work at all for me.

The grid projection on my F80 screen is better but Rangefinders have their quirks, what can you do. With a 12 or 15 this is a MUST IMHO, but for cityscapes and architecture I woud use it even at a 28 !

Regards,
Bertram

 

[RogerinVegas]

Thanks for the comments, interesting, I actually do have a shoe level like the one Peter mentioned, but find i rarely use it, I will have to see how it works out with the 12/15 lenses, maybe I can use double stick tape to position it on the top of the camera body, and Bertram, I do consider your opinion also, I too feel like it may be useful to have but that means getting the dbl shoe adapter and the spirit level. I already get "bent" lines using the 25mm when not careful, I can only imagine w/ the 12/15. And ofcourse the other option is the small level fixed onto the finder (Rob's idea)? I would have to look around for one of those I kinda like that one too. I am leaning towards getting the dbl shoe with the spirit, the whole idea of looking through the finder and the spirit level at the same time is what sounds appealing, that is what I was interested in really hearing about. I thought it might seem awkward, but maybe not? Anyhow thanks for the tips and ideas, I appreciate it!

Roger, a Voigtlander addict. Is admitting it step one?

 

[peter_n]

Roger it is not awkward to use the CV double adapter (shoe). There are 3 models with differing heights from the camera top plate. As I recall type A is the lowest with a 4mm height from the top plate.

 

[Bertram2]

. I already get "bent" lines using the 25mm when not careful, I can only imagine w/ the 12/15.

Hope you don't mind me correcting you a bit schoolmasterish at this point, but what you get are converging lines, not bended lines (curved). Bended lines are a lens fault called distortion i.e. pincushion or barrel, CV 25 doesn't have any visible distortion , a quality feature of RF wide lenses in general, very different from the retrofocus designs of SLR wides, not to speak of zooooooooms !
They have distortion, the most terrible examples are the TV cam zooms at super wide, watch TV and have an eye on straight lines near the edges: There are none !

Regards,
Bertram