Neil Sharma from our Customer Service team talks about 3LT's Levelling Base accessory and why you may need one.
So, what's a levelling base?
A levelling base is a unit which fits on to your tripod and allows you to attach any heads, cameras, or extra tripod accessories. It can be used together with a tripod and head, or with a system that doesn't already include a built-in levelling base feature, to enable precision levelling for both stills photography and videography.
These are available as individual add-on units, such as the Levelling Base & 75mm Half Bowl accessories or as built-in systems on our Mike and Jay levelling base tripods.
That's Amazing! But Why Would I Need One?
Why would I need a levelling base for my tripod? The ground looks flat enough, and my camera has grid lines or electronic horizon level.
These are great basic features to use for composure. However, grid lines and electronic levelling will only help level your shot on a single level and usually relies on visible features you can use as a guide (trees, lakes, mountains, fenceposts etc).
But... what if those horizon lines don't exist, or the ground is too uneven, or there's no trees, lakes or other features around that provide a level reference, or I need to combine multiple exposures in a single image and ensure they all line up correctly?
A levelling base does that for you with the help of gravity. The built-in bulls-eye bubble level allows you to level the camera perfectly, so you can pan across without any drifting or tilting ruining the shot – have you ever had to crop your panoramas because of wonky or misaligned images?
The levelling base is your solution
For landscape, architecture, panoramas, astro, or any other styles of photography which may require working on uneven/challenging terrain - or photo-stitching/photo merging of multiple exposures - a levelling base can be an invaluable part of your kit to ensure precision captures and alignment for a seamless workflow in tripod setups and less post-production.
I'm sold! How Can I Get One?
There are 4 levelling base mechanisms available within the 3 Legged Thing range.
Levelling Base Accessory
The standalone Levelling Base accessory makes a great addition to any gear you already own and is compatible with all our tripods/monopods and any other support system using a 3/8"-16 threading - such as the Docz2 monopod support.
The Levelling Base features a 360û panoramic base for perfect panoramas once the level has been set. The base itself is formed from precision-engineered, anodized, aerospace-grade magnesium alloy and includes the native 1/4"-20 threading for direct-to-camera attachment and a 3/8"-16 threaded adapter so you can add a tripod head or accessories.
Mike & Jay Levelling Base Tripods
Both the Mike and Jay tripod system include a built-in contoured levelling base mechanism fitted into the canopy of the tripod and it includes a dual-purpose D-Ring on the base to adjust the friction control and to hang additional weights to the tripod for extra support and stability.
Mike is aimed at portrait and landscape photography, and videography; using robust 29mm 3-section legs for ultimate stability, whereas Jay is a travel-size tripod aimed at wildlife, landscape, or videographers who require greater portability in their gear.
75mm Half Bowl Accessory
If you're lucky enough to own our heavy-duty Nicky or Tommy tripod systems or use a 75mm half bowl mount system for videography, then the 75mm Half Bowl accessory is for you. This works similar to the Levelling Base accessory but is designed specifically for 75mm half bowl mounts often used by professional videographers and video tripods. The Half Bowl enables precision levelling and can be locked into place using the Half Bowl handle and includes a knurled hook for hanging weights for extra stability. The Half Bowl accessory is manufactured from the same precision-engineered, anodized, aerospace-grade magnesium alloy as the Levelling Base accessory.
