why do you need a leveling base?

I was looking at leveling bases for my tripod...then said why do I need one? Cant I just level the camera with my ball head?


I am evidently missing something?

You don't.

mswobo wrote in post #17874742
I was looking at leveling bases for my tripod...then said why do I need one? Cant I just level the camera with my ball head?


I am evidently missing something?

If you're simply levelling the camera for a single still photo, the simplest and fastest way would probably be to use your ball head to do that.

If you intend to swing the camera around for a series of shots that you'd want to combine into a panoramic shot, for example, you would want the base of the head you're using to be level. The most common way to do that would be to very carefully tweak the leg lengths to get the tripod's head level. A much easier and faster way, however, is to use a leveling base.

When I got my Manfrotto 128RC mini fluid head (only two axes of movement), I added a Manfrotto 438 leveling head to my toolbox and the combination is great.

Another reason to use a leveling base is if you have a gimbal head for birding or wildlife.

As Skip said yea if you are planning to do a lot of panos, or just want the best setup for them, you will need a leveling base to keep the whole head level before you can take a level pano. Trying to level the head by adjusting the leg lengths of the tripod is time consuming and can be very annoying depending on your tripod legs.

I'm also looking at leveling bases as it's usually very annoying trying to adjust the legs for panoramic work. Do most of you replace the head with the leveling base or do you use both at the same time?

As many pointed out, for panoramas it's a must, but it is useful for situations where you just want to adjust the framing by panning left or right.

Tripods without a fixed center column often accept 75mm/100mm halfballs which makes a leveling base redundant.

Most would probably mount the ballhead ontop of the leveling base.

I just bought a leveling base to use with a video head. I'll probably just leave it on when I switch back to a ball head.

JJD.Photography wrote in post #18064241
I'm also looking at leveling bases as it's usually very annoying trying to adjust the legs for panoramic work. Do most of you replace the head with the leveling base or do you use both at the same time?

A leveling base does not replace a tripod head. It goes between the tripod and a head.

also gets you a few more inches of height.

A leveling base or other leveling system (half-ball) is standard for video use.
Also for panorama use, as pointed out previously.
Very handy under a gimbal head.

What's common across all the above is the need to pan in a true horizontal plane.

One would almost never need a leveling base for stills with a ball head.

A ball head can serve as a leveling base under a panorama head.

mswobo wrote in post #17874742
I was looking at leveling bases for my tripod...then said why do I need one? Cant I just level the camera with my ball head?


I am evidently missing something?

What do you do with your tripod & imaging system?

For long exposure terrestrial and still exposure terrestrial, I do not worry about leveling my mount exactly, but will use the built-in bubble meter to get it close to level. This is for stability and also for when I'm using a gimbal. With a ballhead, I'm not at all thinking about it.

For long exposure space, I absolutely level my tripod first, then add my tracking mount, level again, and then align it. Because all that will be for nothing if it's not level in the first place and drifts.

Very best,

Or you could just get an Acratech ballhead since it has leveling base functionality. Take the clamp off and screw it onto the bottom of the head, then screw the ball stem onto the tripod stud.

If you have a ball head you don't necessarily need a leveling base. Essentially your your leveling base squares everything up regardless of leg position and allows you to rotate in that same plane. If you have a ball head the ability to square up the camera mount is already there, which is fine if you're not rotating. You can turn your ball head into a leveling base by adding a panning base like this:

http://www.reallyright​stuff.com …ver-release-panning-clamp

From what I understand this could be advantageous over a leveling base since a ball head potentially has a wider range of angular adjustment over leveling bases. Except that the whole rig is taller due to the ball head.