Bubble levels
 

Maybe I should be asking these types of questions in another forum title, but I pretty much hang out here in the EX1 forum. I hope that's okay. If not someone can move the thread and tell me where to go, ha!

What bubble levels do you recommend? I have the Miller DS20 tripod system, and the Microdolly jib. In my still photography I have a bubble on my Bogen tripod. I know there are hotshoe mounted bubble solutions too. What works best for you? There's not much worse than thinking you're shooting a straight horizon and get home and see you're slightly off. I need to use instruments to keep me straight, I think my eyes are crooked sometimes. Thank you. At least I'm down to the fine-tuning smaller items such as release plates and bubbles. Choosing my camera, editing system, monitoring, audio, etc., where the tough ones. I'm just about ready to be cut loose and see what I can do.

Ooops, I guess my Miller head does have a small bubble on it.

so does mine :)

Wøw I never noticed that mine does too!!! Just kidding all in good fun Buck. :)

Ha! I'm beginning to feel like my brain is a bubble and it's definitely off level.

Okay, Miller tripods are made in Australia/S. Hemisphere... does that mean the bubble leans in reverse direction to the tilt here in N. America? :Þ

No, but you do have to mount the camera upside down.

What about during hand held. Sometime it is hard to judge from the LCD whether we are levelled. Is there a sticker type bubble which I can paste on the EX1 handle so that with 1 look I can immediately tell whether my shot are levelled properly.

A simple line level that you get at the hardware store will do the trick. They generally come in a plastic housing to hang on a line, but you can easily snap the capsule out and then use adhesive velcro to stick to your camera or better yet, glue directly to the camera (better for knowing that you can trust the level, not so great for resale perhaps).

Or get a shoe mounted one for cheap, just like i did. Manfrotto/Bogen 2 Axis HotShoe Bubble Level BulkPackage - eBay, Other, Digital Camera Accessories, Camera Accessories, Cameras Photo. (Eindtijd 27-sep-08 05:05:42 CEST)

This is a good idea. I'd like to put one on the LCD. I have a number of hot shoe bubbles, but they're no good if you need the hot shoe. Even so, I think they're best suited for tripod use.

Remember that spirit levels are prone to acceleration, as every Steadicam operator knows all too well. A fast sideways move may suggest that the camera is off-level by the position of the bubble, but it's only when you come to a stop (or maintain consistent speed) that the bubble overcomes the effects of acceleration and show an accurate level.