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Do you use this virtual horizon feature?... if yes, how/when do you use it?
I do not plan to use Live View in still photography, therefore this feature is just a marketing trick for me. (I prefer to take photos like in the old film days, by looking on the viewfinder..)
What is your opinion?
Which camera are you looking at? On the D300s, D700 etc the virtual horizon shows up in the viewfinder, in place of the meter scale.
The virtual horizon , on a D700 at least, can also be views in the viewfinder. I use it once in a while when on tripod or to check-correct my tendency to left-tilt when hand-held.
Edit: Looks like PM clicked first :^)
On a D7000 it's the same as Pierre and PB PM have mentioned. I have it set to come on when I press the depth of field preview button because I'm not always very good at getting shots straight when I want them to be.
rbid said:
Do you use this virtual horizon feature?... if yes, how/when do you use it?I do not plan to use Live View in still photography, therefore this feature is just a marketing trick for me. (I prefer to take photos like in the old film days, by looking on the viewfinder..)
What is your opinion?
PB PM said:
Which camera are you looking at? On the D300s, D700 etc the virtual horizon shows up in the viewfinder, in place of the meter scale.
I was talking about the D7K, I guess the D300s/D700 has the same feature.
Using the Viewfinder meter scale can be confusing as well (In the D7K is possible via a function button assignment, and the catch is that when you view the meter scale, is exposure or tilt?
Pierre said:
The virtual horizon , on a D700 at least, can also be views in the viewfinder. I use it once in a while when on tripod or to check-correct my tendency to left-tilt when hand-held.
Good point, I forgot that you can use the camera on a tripod :)
Seems like something that'd be nice to have, but on the other hand, the viewfinder also has a grid option, right? So maybe a bit redundant...
Viewfinder grid is nice, but not as accurate as the virtual horizon, at least no in my experience.
I use the virtual horizon all the time. I do a lot of handheld shots and this feature is very handy for leveling the frame. I've set the function button for quick access.
Is the virtual horizon like a spirit level i.e. it actually tells you when you have achieved true level as opposed to just a fixed line? If it does, it sounds really useful.
I rely on my inner ear and eyes for my D90/D5000.
Definitely very useful at night or esoteric photos in the fog
rbid,
I use it when using a tripod on uneven ground.
when you have the tripod legs set at different lengths, then I check the virtual horizon before i lock the tripod head.
its like a spirit level, but, more accruate to me.
rbid said:
Do you use this virtual horizon feature?... if yes, how/when do you use it?I do not plan to use Live View in still photography, therefore this feature is just a marketing trick for me. (I prefer to take photos like in the old film days, by looking on the viewfinder..)
What is your opinion?
I find the feature invaluable for handheld still photography (all my tripod heads have bubble levels). Not only do you no longer have to correct horizons in Photoshop (and then, re-crop for the tilt), all of your barrel distortion is oriented correctly when shooting dead-level. On my D7000 I use the virtual horizon indicator inside the viewfinder, since I rarely use the LiveView screen when shooting stills. It's actually one of the features that attracted me to the D7000.
jonnyapple said:
On a D7000 it's the same as Pierre and PB PM have mentioned. I have it set to come on when I press the depth of field preview button because I'm not always very good at getting shots straight when I want them to be.
That's EXACTLY how I have my D7000 set up!
yes, when shooting outdoors handheld. . .or even event photography and making sure I get the group shot just right. . .but I'm just anal like that. . .
Useful. I wish I had used it on some of my earlier shots before I found out how it worked. =)
@rbid, when you switch to the virtual horizon, all the other HUD stuff goes away (shutter speed, aperture, etc.) so it's pretty obvious whether or not it's on.
padlockd said:
Useful. I wish I had used it on some of my earlier shots before I found out how it worked. =)@rbid, when you switch to the virtual horizon, all the other HUD stuff goes away (shutter speed, aperture, etc.) so it's pretty obvious whether or not it's on.
Thanks PadLockd, Every day I learn something new about this nice camera.. As I said before, I'm still playing with this nice toy :)
--- Ricky
I use it often! Have the depth of field preview button set as the view finder level and use the live view version to level the camera when on a tripod. It works great!
Hi,
Sliced bread...
My best.
Mike
Dave_Robo said:
I use the level when setting up a tripod to do a panoramic shot. Turn the camera and keep checking for level and you can do 360 views. It's easier than using those small air bubbles.
Thanks for the info.. I just checked.. virtual horizon also works when you put the camera rotated (portrait orientation). For panoramas, I prefer to pan the photo by overlapping over the long edge of the photos... most portraits are landscape photos :)
I find it useful when balancing my steadicam rig. Don't need it for still photography.
I use it as the default in LiveView when I am shooting video on the tripod. I seem to have a slight bias to tilt to the left and this helps keep it level. Much more sensitive in LiveView mode as you get the rotating circle and it turns green when you are dead level. Very sensitive as a degree or less either way and it show it is no longer level.
I have it set for the Fn key on both the D700 and D7K, but don't use it as often that way (though my images say I really should).
Is it strictly an X-axis leveler, or does it give you Z-axis tilt as well? If so then it's a true leveler. Otherwise don't chuck the spirit level just yet. :-)
vidrazor said:
Is it strictly an X-axis leveler, or does it give you Z-axis tilt as well? If so then it's a true leveler. Otherwise don't chuck the spirit level just yet. :-)
It works only as a virtual horizon for portrait or landscape oriented camera.
That is, only on the X-axis. It will not tell you any Z-axis tilt.
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