Leveling bases for tripods

[Wade Abadie]

My main tripod is a Feisol CT-3372 .....I've had it for 2 years and absolutely love it. It handles my 500mm f/4 on a gimbal like it's attached to an oak tree!

Recently I purchased a Feisol leveling base (link here: https://www.feisol.net/feisol-leveling-base-lb-7572.html) and overall, I am fairly satisfied with it. I love the idea of quickly being able to throw down the legs on uneven ground and quickly get everything leveled with just a quick turn of the leveling base. However, I do have two complaints....

1. The added weight and height tends to make the entire setup more awkward to carry, since it feels more top heavy.

2. The handle underneath that controls the tightening/loosening of the leveling base has an annoying attribute..... Rather than gradually getting tighter as you turn the handle, the handle is quite "loose feeling" until you hit a brick wall, at which point it is supposed to be tight. However, there have been a few times when I thought it was tight, only to have it flop over once the camera/lens center of gravity changes. Hopefully the way I'm explaining it makes sense....it's a little hard to put into words.

I have seen where some people use the Really Right Stuff TA-3 leveling base with a Feisol tripod, and wonder if it performs better.

Does anyone else here have experience with leveling bases like these? (where the center plate is actually replaced with the leveling base)

 

[Steve]

I have the RSS leveling base and it does make the top a bit more heavy. I didn't find it objectionable though, although you may want to compare the weight between the two options. It didn't really add a lot of height (a few inches), so there is that.

For the second problem, the RSS is better. It locks down in a more linear fashion, not the on and off way you describe, so I think you'd like that aspect of it.

 

[DRwyoming]

Does anyone else here have experience with leveling bases like these? (where the center plate is actually replaced with the leveling base)

Yeah, I have the Gitzo version of the same plate with the handle sticking down between the legs. I sounds like the machining on the Gitzo base might be a bit better as I can adjust it for a slight drag while leveling and then lock it down which is very useful when the big lens and gimbal head is mounted up and I want to do a quick level. But I don't love that handle sticking down which as you say makes carrying the tripod a bit trickier and limits how low the tripod can go when I splay the legs out for a near ground level shot.

I've considered swapping to the RRS head or similar to get rid of that handle that drops straight down and the Gitzo systematic leveling base is pretty heavy.

 

[Thern]

Take a look at the Leofoto leveler.

Personally I don’t like to fumble between the legs (well I do but...) so I prefer the Butterfly style leveler.
Always easy to acces and fast to handle, no bowl required and it’s got the safety grooves for the Gitzo Systematic tripods.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[Thern]

Take a look at the Leofoto leveling base the butterflylock works great.

They also make the YB75-SC if you like to fumble between the legs

 

[Harry.G]

Iv`e already had 2 leveling bases and both ended up being sent back because of the same problem you had @Wade Abadie ..

I ended buying a Tripod with the leveling base built into it and to be honest the Tripod wasn`t that much more expensive than the leveling bases out there , having said that if I needed to buy a base I`d definitely be in the market for one of these Acratech Leveling Base they are so light its unreal and super strong, more importantly though they have a nice smooth locking system .. I have the panoramic head Acratech panoramic head .. it too is super light and strong enough to hold a Nikon D500 with 150-600mm Sigma ...


Harry.G

 

[gordon_g]

I've got the RRS one (same as Steve)... it's really nice and I have the same experience it's NOT an on or OFF which makes it really nice when trying to level it.

 

[JayLab]

I just use my tripod leg clamps, but have changed the clamping action of some other mechanicals by using stacks of belleville washers. These are conical and can be added to a clamping screw in face to face or same orientation to tune the feel of the locking mechanism. They possibly could give you a less abrupt locking action.
-Jay-

 

[Wade Abadie]

I just use my tripod leg clamps, but have changed the clamping action of some other mechanicals by using stacks of belleville washers. These are conical and can be added to a clamping screw in face to face or same orientation to tune the feel of the locking mechanism. They possibly could give you a less abrupt locking action.
-Jay-

Thanks for the tip about the Belleville washers....I’ve been wondering if I could add something to help “soften” the locking mechanism a bit. I might try that.

On a separate note....has anyone here tried the Acratech leveling base?

 

[PAUL50]

Ok, I’ve got a question that’s about to giveaway my experience level, but if you have a camera mounted on a tripod with a gimbelhead and the lens foot is loose, why do you need a leveling base?

 

[DRwyoming]

Ok, I’ve got a question that’s about to giveaway my experience level, but if you have a camera mounted on a tripod with a gimbelhead and the lens foot is loose, why do you need a leveling base?

If you level the base below the gimbal head and set up your camera to be level to the horizon with the rotating tripod collar the lens and camera remain level to the horizon as you pan. So if you're panning to follow things like flying birds or running animals your camera stays level throughout the pan. Same applies to things like panormas, in either case a level tripod makes things easier and a leveling head makes it very fast and easy to get a level tripod.

 

[PAUL50]

Got it. Thanks. one last question DR. Why do people switch from a gimbelhead to a ball head when not shooting wildlife. I’ve seen Steve use ball heads in all videos where he is not shooting animals, except macros, but always uses a gimbelhead for wildlife. I use a gimbelhead for everything and seems I’m missing some small but essential concept. Thanks

 

[DRwyoming]

Got it. Thanks. one last question DR. Why do people switch from a gimbelhead to a ball head when not shooting wildlife. I’ve seen Steve use ball heads in all videos where he is not shooting animals, except macros, but always uses a gimbelhead for wildlife. I use a gimbelhead for everything and seems I’m missing some small but essential concept. Thanks

If all your lenses have rotating tripod collars then a gimbal head can be convenient and there's no reason you have to use any other kind of head. But gimbal heads aren't the best for doing a direct mount of the camera though you can make it work. If you have an Arca Swiss plate or L bracket directly on your camera then the matching clamp in gimbal heads faces the wrong direction. You can get around that either by mounting the camera offset a bit so that you look around the vertical arm of the gimbal mount to see the viewfinder or LCD in live view or you can add a nodal slide that creates a right angle clamp so that the camera can still be faced forward while keeping the vertical gimbal arm to the side.

The other issue with using a gimbal head for things like landscapes with shorter lenses that lack the rotating tripod collar is that you then have to level the tripod to get a level horizon. That can be done by carefully adjusting the tripod legs to get the tripod top level or by using a leveling base as described in this thread but if you are using shorter lenses without rotating tripod collars then the tripod has to be level for the horizon to be level when using a gimbal head.

Ball heads are a bit more versatile for setting up shots with lenses that lack a rotating tripod collar and generally are smaller and lighter which is nice for travel or when out in the field. But the downside of most ball heads is they can make tracking moving subjects a bit trickier and aren't as easy when it comes to balancing longer lenses which can lead to the dreaded ball head flop where a camera and big lens slams down unexpectedly. There are some interesting nested-ball, ballheads on the market these days that apparently allow a much better balanced ball head operation that some folks like Aurthur Morris are using: https://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2019/04/30/a-life-changer-the-flexshooter-pro-tripod-head/

Bottom line, if you have worked out a system where you can use your gimbal head all the time and it doesn't cause you headaches in the field then there's no reason you have to use a ball head but many of us have found a ball head is great for lighter travel or for direct support of the camera when the lens lacks a rotating tripod collar.

 

[Harry.G]

Why do people switch from a gimbelhead to a ball head when not shooting wildlife.

A whole host of reasons spring to mind , for some it may be weight in that they don`t wish to carry a Gimble (as some can be fairly heavy) around all day , another factor could be size , I know for sure I`d much rather throw a nice small little head into my bag than a rather bulky Gimble depending of course on what im planning to shot on that particular day . another could be Macro (not that I`ve tried Macro) I suspect it would be easier to get closer to flowers and small insects with a nice neat Ball head than a Gimble , personal preference too may come into play - However there is absolutely nothing wrong with using a Gimble if its what you prefer , I guess sometimes it simply may not be practical ...


Harry.G

 

[PAUL50]

A big thank you to you, DR, and Harry.G., you’ve really clarified this for me, to include why Ive struggled with mounting the camera directly to the gimbalhead when using a lens without a foot. I’m sensing a couple purchases in the immediate future. Thanks again.

 

[Larry Shuman]

I used to use the Gitzo Leveling Base but I took it off and don't use in anymore. The problem was when I picked up the tripod, 800mm lens and camera plus flash and put on my left shoulder the weight was so much the lock on the leveling base could not hold the weight and the weight shifted. Very unnerving with thousand of dollars mounted on a quality gimbal. Its not a big issue because I shoot birds and I'm more concerned with balance of the lens so I've installed a bubble level on my Kirk Gimbal G-1. Works great.

 

[DRwyoming]

A big thank you to you, DR, and Harry.G., you’ve really clarified this for me, to include why Ive struggled with mounting the camera directly to the gimbalhead when using a lens without a foot. I’m sensing a couple purchases in the immediate future. Thanks again.

FWIW, when I'm mostly shooting longer lenses on a gimbal mount but want the option of direct camera mounting I carry a small nodal slide which makes it easy to mount the camera directly to the gimbal head. At least that's what I do when I'm working farther from the car and don't have ready access to a tripod with ball head mounted.

I use this one but there are others that work just as well: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F1IF240/?tag=backcogaller-20

 

[LL4D500]

FWIW, when I'm mostly shooting longer lenses on a gimbal mount but want the option of direct camera mounting I carry a small nodal slide which makes it easy to mount the camera directly to the gimbal head. At least that's what I do when I'm working farther from the car and don't have ready access to a tripod with ball head mounted.

I use this one but there are others that work just as well: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F1IF240/?tag=backcogaller-20

 

[CTaylor]

My main tripod is a Feisol CT-3372 .....I've had it for 2 years and absolutely love it. It handles my 500mm f/4 on a gimbal like it's attached to an oak tree!

Recently I purchased a Feisol leveling base (link here: https://www.feisol.net/feisol-leveling-base-lb-7572.html) and overall, I am fairly satisfied with it. I love the idea of quickly being able to throw down the legs on uneven ground and quickly get everything leveled with just a quick turn of the leveling base. However, I do have two complaints....

1. The added weight and height tends to make the entire setup more awkward to carry, since it feels more top heavy.

2. The handle underneath that controls the tightening/loosening of the leveling base has an annoying attribute..... Rather than gradually getting tighter as you turn the handle, the handle is quite "loose feeling" until you hit a brick wall, at which point it is supposed to be tight. However, there have been a few times when I thought it was tight, only to have it flop over once the camera/lens center of gravity changes. Hopefully the way I'm explaining it makes sense....it's a little hard to put into words.

I have seen where some people use the Really Right Stuff TA-3 leveling base with a Feisol tripod, and wonder if it performs better.

Does anyone else here have experience with leveling bases like these? (where the center plate is actually replaced with the leveling base)

I use a Haoge HDY-55 Leveling Base and have never had any problems with it. Locks well and never flops. I use it with a Manfrotto MVH500AH Fluid Head and the combination is awesome! The levelling base gets you level and then the fluid head allows you to pan and tilt freely and never lose your level. Throw in an L-bracket and a clamp adapter like the Haoge Clamp Adapter and you have what I think is an great setup.

 

[tjphxaz]

I have the RRS leveling base. No negatives unless your goal is light as possible. Biggest advantage is you don’t have to be precise in guessing the length relationship of the three legs to get a level base for the camera.

 

[Not A Speck Of Cereal]

RRS here as well. I'm commenting on the weight complaints: if you have a sturdy tripod and are using a large lens, the additional weight of the leveling base is not an issue. Plus, the RRS locks down so tight, that it's not going to come loose while carrying the tripod around with a load/package on it, if you've tightened it properly; in fact, it can be a PITA to unlock sometimes because it tightens so well.

"Also, panoramas": 'Imperative' for panos is the word I would use. Leveling the load by adjusting legs is an exercise in pain and frustration, plus you will almost never get it right enough for wide, multi-row panos.

Chris

 

[joe43]

For my series four Induro tripod that I use with my 500mm f4, I have the Induro level base. It works better than an older Gitzo leveling base that I have for a series three gitzo tripod. i Do not know if the Induro base fits other tripods.

 

[Ivan Rothman]

I had always use the RRS leveling base with my Wimberley. But now I no longer need a leveling base because i've switched to the FlexShooter Pro double ball head - this is much lighter and more compact than the Wimberley but amazingly functions as a Gimbal head that in my opinion is as good as the Wimberley and it also serves as a ballhead so I no longer have to travel with 2 heads. Same idea as the Uniqball head but works much better. It works great with my 600mm f4

 

[Calson]

I have the Gitzo 2531LVL tripod that incorporated a quick leveling base, which is why it is so popular with wildlife videographers. When I added the Feisol CT-3472 tripod I also bought the less and 1 lb Leveling Base and the center column kit, and I sold my RRS TVC-34L. The $84 Feisol leveling base weighs less than 1 lb and if have more than that in terms of weight difference between the heads I use (CB and Gitzo gimbal heads, Arca Swiss D4 GP, Kirk BH-1, Kirk BH-3). Having the long rod section below the leveling base makes it much easier to make adjustments regardless of the weight on the head. Many of the leveling bases I have looked at require more time or 3 hands to use. For a standard tripod my first choice would be the Kirk Mini Tripod leveling base that supports up to 30 lbs.

What I love about the Feisol is that I can have it set up for a large lens and gimbal head with the standard plate or in 30 seconds add the quick level base for video or lanscapes with the D4 GP head or put in the center column and gain 6-13 inches of very stable support when I want to have my 600mm at a greater distance above the ground when photographing critters high off the ground. This has greatly simplified packing for travel. Total cost of the tripod with its pro grade carry case and the two adapter is $750 or two-thirds of what I paid for RRS TVC-34L with its cardboard box (no carry case is included).

 

[drsteven]

I have the RSS leveling base and it does make the top a bit more heavy. I didn't find it objectionable though, although you may want to compare the weight between the two options. It didn't really add a lot of height (a few inches), so there is that.

For the second problem, the RSS is better. It locks down in a more linear fashion, not the on and off way you describe, so I think you'd like that aspect of it.

I sold my RRS BH55 and replaced t with a Acratech GXP it is less than 1/2 the weight of the RRS and it allows for you to reverse it (turn it upside down) then place its clamp on what was the bottom (easy to do,take less than a minute) and you now have all the advantages of the ball head and a leveling base in one--it really does work, it is a real leveling base.