Bubble Level

True, and not necessary with a 3 way head. But with a video type head (and shooting occassional video), it becomes a neccessity!

Not sure I get your meaning here - do you mean when you extend the centre column it doesn't go up vertically, but often has a lean to it?

If so, I would recommend a new tripod. Preferebaly one that's tall enough to use without raising the centre column (unless you really need to).

Sorry if I've got the wrong end of the stick though.

Dan

Yeah, wrong end of the stick, didn't explain myself too well!

I have a manfrotto 055XPROB, and one of its main features is that you can use the centre column horizontally, which is great for low level work.

Because the centre column slides to its full extent before you can swivel it to make it horizontal, by design it isn't geared like the tripods I was used to a long time ago for video work. When it is in an upright position it is held in place basically by a couple of grips, which grip when you turn a knob. The problem here is there is a small amount of play / give here, the harder you tighten it, makes the centre coulmn tighter, moves it out of alignment slightly. Not really a compliant, it's how the design works to allow the horizontal / low level work option.

So ideally, recommending a new tripod isn't a silly idea, but the amount of video work it's likely to get doesn't make it cost effective, and I love the one I have, so that would mean 2x tripods!

The leveller basically turns my excellent 'photo' tripod into a 'video' tripod, if that makes sense!

You can get an idea of what I mean my looking at the photos on this listing

Oh, okay, I have the old 055proB - can't say I've really noticed a problem but then I use a ball head and don't do video.

I find this tripod tall enough for me most of the time without the column extended, and never extend more than a few inches. Wouldn't have thought it made a huge amount of difference to the level. But, as ever, all depends on your application.

Not directing this at you Danny, but for anyone new to photography, when using a tripod, only extend the centre column as a last resort. The legs are much more stable, so extend these to the maximum before thinking about raising the column.

Dan

Unilocker : I don't know what the exchange rate is, but There's a 438 on eBay for US$73.00...

http://tinyurl.com/2qz6cf

But you've only one tripod between the two of you - surely you could justify a second one for Fiona, even if you give her the old one like you did with the K10D

Steve

Comments like that will not get you in my good books!

Yes dear, a 2nd tripod would be a good idea.

Thanks for the link, but by the time you add the $22 shipping, + import duties etc. for once it actually works out more expensive!!

Thanks for looking though!

Yeah - wasn't sure about taxes and other charges... Oh, well...

I've been struggling with the same problem for a while, and the 438 leveler, while adding to an already heavy setup, looks like a good solution. I have an old 055 with a 168 ball head, and while getting the camera level for a single shot couldn't be easier, getting it so that it rotates on a level plane is another animal entirely...

Have you seen : http://tinyurl.com/yuaveg

It's more expensive than the 438, and not nearly as quick to use, but I have a friend with a shop full of metal-working tools, and the basic idea looks simple enough to turn it into a D.I.Y. kind of project...

Yeah, saw one of those while browsing ebay the other day, probably better, but would definately buy one than try to make one!