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XF Digital Level

DougDolde

Well-known member
I hadn't noticed with outdoor landscape shots but yesterday I shot the current show in a gallery I'm in. I was careful to zero the level for each shot but they're not level ! Also noticed my Mamiya D 28mm lens has quite a bit of light fall of something I didn't notice that much with landscape shots
 

ejpeiker

Member
I hadn't noticed with outdoor landscape shots but yesterday I shot the current show in a gallery I'm in. I was careful to zero the level for each shot but they're not level ! Also noticed my Mamiya D 28mm lens has quite a bit of light fall of something I didn't notice that much with landscape shots
It just needs to be calibrated which you can do yourself:
Step 1 - get the camera perfectly level in both the pitch (up/down) and roll (left/right) axes using other means such as a bubble level.
Step 2 - on the back tap and hold the level, a new screen will appear, scroll to the bottom and tap on Set. Accept the new calibration.
Step 3 - On the top LCD panel of the XF with the bubble level showing tap and hold on the little triangle in the upper right corner. Accept the calibration from the back.

All done!
 

DougDolde

Well-known member
The only option it gives me is "calibrate from the attached back"

When I do that the level is off and I've not found a way to calibrate the level in the back

Running latest firmware
 

ejpeiker

Member
The only option it gives me is "calibrate from the attached back"

When I do that the level is off and I've not found a way to calibrate the level in the back

Running latest firmware
See Step #2 above for how to first calibrate the back ;)
 

kdphotography

Well-known member
If you really want to be picky, try and use the leveling table at the RRS facility in San Luis Obispo to calibrate the level on your MFDB....

ken
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
If you really want to be picky, try and use the leveling table at the RRS facility in San Luis Obispo to calibrate the level on your MFDB....

ken
Hee hee - I wonder who would do a thing like that?

They proved that my Alpa STC levels were perfect too. :ROTFL::thumbs:
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Hee hee - I wonder who would do a thing like that?

They proved that my Alpa STC levels were perfect too. :ROTFL::thumbs:
It's very easy to mistake a level level for a not level level by not being 100% square in vertical and horizontal planes to the subject. Are you really sure that isn't the problem?

Just a small amount of rotation of the camera around the horizontal axis can make perfectly horizontal lines in the subject appear to be not level. It is the bane of my life when shooting the X1D handheld.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
It's very easy to mistake a level level for a not level level by not being 100% square in vertical and horizontal planes to the subject. Are you really sure that isn't the problem?

Just a small amount of rotation of the camera around the horizontal axis can make perfectly horizontal lines in the subject appear to be not level. It is the bane of my life when shooting the X1D handheld.
Very true. Ask anybody who's torn their hair out trying to level a CUBE and then rotates it.

These days personally I get things as level as I can and then leave some space in the image by shooting slightly wider so that it can be fixed up in post if necessary.
 

tashley

Subscriber Member
Very true. Ask anybody who's torn their hair out trying to level a CUBE and then rotates it.

These days personally I get things as level as I can and then leave some space in the image by shooting slightly wider so that it can be fixed up in post if necessary.
Me too - but some things just can't be fixed. There's a shot in the Fun With MF thread about two or three pages back from the current one, which I took of a pond in Spain last week (B&W conversion) and it is just impossible to get its geometry right in post because of a slight horizontal skew. I have no hair left from trying and I had a Barry Manilow head full when I started.
 

Wayne Fox

Workshop Member
It just needs to be calibrated which you can do yourself:
Step 1 - get the camera perfectly level in both the pitch (up/down) and roll (left/right) axes using other means such as a bubble level.
Most bubble levels are a little tough to get accurate. I would guess on a small level the variance between leveling could be a few degrees, if you repeat this several times. Probably close enough, but curious if you or others have found a reasonable and maybe a little more accurate tool.

As far as technique, I assume best would be to use a geared head that can be fined tuned, but looking at my camera I'm debating on where to place the level. Or do I use the level to make sure the cube is perfectly level, then attach the camera assuming no variance is introduced by the clamping system.

random thoughts on a boring evening ...
 

jng

Well-known member
Good points, Wayne. One way to check the accuracy of reading the bubble level(s) on the head is to mount the camera + back, re-set the electronic level on the back, and then verify that the electronic level remains true through 360 degrees of rotation. While this can be a simple (albeit super-OCD) way to check one's technique, out in the field it probably makes more sense to just concentrate on making the shot.

Doug - Trust but verify: the electronic level on my IQ160 won't hold calibration through one cycle of mounting/dismounting on the tripod. YMMV, of course.

John

Most bubble levels are a little tough to get accurate. I would guess on a small level the variance between leveling could be a few degrees, if you repeat this several times. Probably close enough, but curious if you or others have found a reasonable and maybe a little more accurate tool.

As far as technique, I assume best would be to use a geared head that can be fined tuned, but looking at my camera I'm debating on where to place the level. Or do I use the level to make sure the cube is perfectly level, then attach the camera assuming no variance is introduced by the clamping system.

random thoughts on a boring evening ...
 

ejpeiker

Member
Doug - Trust but verify: the electronic level on my IQ160 won't hold calibration through one cycle of mounting/dismounting on the tripod. YMMV, of course.

John
Yeah the 160 and 260 had that problem for me too whenever I was using them. The 100 seems to hold cal better in my experience.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Yeah the 160 and 260 had that problem for me too whenever I was using them. The 100 seems to hold cal better in my experience.
I have video that I shared with Phase One of my IQ260 level bouncing around randomly on a stable tripod on a concrete platform without there being an earthquake that I was unaware of. Stable moving maybe 0.1 degrees and then randomly 1.2 or -1.5 degrees and then back to normal.

At that point I kind of gave up.
 
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