Bubble level mounting puzzle

I'm looking for a little circular bubble level, but its not straightforward. I'd better explain:

I have just received my Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 and after removing the centre column and its assorted junk I've reworked the ballhead mounting plug to fit. So far so good, but I've obviously lost the bubble level Manfrotto provide on the rising column.

On the side of the "spider" is a round protruding piece machined to form a hook. I am wondering if I could somehow attach a bubble level to this? The vertical flat face is about 12mm dia. I could also machine the "hook" off, leaving me with a slightly bigger area to work with.

I'm happy to produce something in GRP, but if someone else sells something suitable why bother. Alternatively, any other ideas for mounting somewhere on the spider? I have a bubble level on the A-S clamp, so this is intended only as a tripod set up aid, not the final tweaking.

Any ideas? UK based. so US providers for something this insignificant is probably not on.

http://www.speedgraphi​c.co.uk …_spirit_level/6​062_p.html

Simon,

Thats the kind of thing I want to see, but mounting that as it stands is impossible. Now if it had been side mounting!

I can steal Manfrottos bubble but still need to come up with a neat and tidy bracket arrangement. Something along these lines is what I'll make if I have to.

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Lowner wrote in post #11229120
I'm happy to produce something in GRP....

What is "GRP"?

The problem you would have with adding a circular bubble level is mounting it in a way that it's calibrated. A simpler thing would be to carry a decent level that could be placed along the vertical center column in two places 90° apart around the column when you really need to make an adjustment. I find that, even though my tripods have circular levels in the spyder, I seldom find a need to use them.

Skip,

Glass Reinforced Plastic, Fibreglass in other words, a wonderful material for this kind of weird one-off.

I know exactly what you mean, but I do have problems when I try to shoot panoramas, no matter how long I spend leveling things, I always end up having to do slight adjustments in post. And for the sake of a little fiddling, I will at least have it if and when I need it.

The other problem is that I don't have a vertical column in normal operation. It's a 30 second job to refit it if I needed, but I wanted it gone.

you may be better off with a hot shot mounted dual axis bubble level, especially if you have a ball head on the tripod.

That wouldn't work for panoramas. You need 2 levels. One on the spider, so panning is horizontal and one on the camera/clamp, so camera is aligned with horizontal. Level the tripod, level the camera.

"That wouldn't work for panoramas. You need 2 levels. One on the spider, so panning is horizontal and one on the camera/clamp, so camera is aligned with horizontal. Level the tripod, level the camera".

Thats the plan.

I shoot panos with a dual axis bubble level mounted in the hot shot. Works fine for me, including 360 degree panos. There is always a little bit of crap on the top and bottom that has to be cropped out after merging the images, but as long as you are careful to check alignment at a number of points through the pano before shooting, this will be minimized.

Forgive the dreadful snap, but it at least shows the little round vertical face I am thinking of using.

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You probably don't want to spend the money, but the Really Right Stuff panning clamp (PCL-1) is perfect for this. Simply attaches to your ballhead clamp, then its just a matter of loosening the ball and positioning until the spirit level in the panning clamp is centered, then lock the ball. The camera then clamps onto the panning clamp. You can literally level your rig in both planes in a matter of seconds, as opposed to farting around with tripod legs and leg locks, and the required bending up and down. If you're not shooting panos, then a simple twin-axis hot shoe level is really all that's needed.

argyle,

Its not so much the money as the weight it adds. I've replaced my old 055PROB simply to try and cut down on the weight when we are on holiday, both traveling when it sits in the suitcase and each day when we are exploring. Removing the unwanted rising column serves two purposes, it reduces a little weight and hopefully improves stability. So I am loathe to replace weight I've lost.

If weight was not an issue, then it would be easy to add a small plate under the ballhead, sandwiched between it and the little plug arrangement that clamps into the tripod spider to which a bubble level could be attached. I have some nice alloy stock that would be ideal, but I'm exploring all avenues.

I do always carry a couple of different levels with me, one is a simple clear cube with a level inside, while the other is a tiny version of a normal carpenters level. Plus my RRS QR clamp has a bubble level although its impossible to see when the camera is attached.

Could you put a plate between the ball head and tripod spider? I'm thinking something like an electrical junction box cover. Should give you a flat surface to mount a level.

drb,

I can make up an alloy plate which would bolt solidly between the ballhead and the plug. Thats certainly another option.

Heres a (slightly out of focus) view of the alloy plug with the ballhead mounted on it. It would be a simple job to add the plate between the two parts.

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Lowner wrote in post #11229986
The other problem is that I don't have a vertical column in normal operation. It's a 30 second job to refit it if I needed, but I wanted it gone.

I can think of a great reason to replace the vertical column. That's so you can hang weight (such as your camera case) from the bottom of it. That would add stability to the tripod. It would also let you use the little carpenter's level for a very accurate levelling of the tripod.