Leveling Bases Versus More Traditional approach: Bowl + Half Ball Adapter

R

raminolta

Active member
I have ordered a new Benro tripod. It is relatively light made of carbon fiber which I plan to use when traveling. I am now planing a leveling solution for it. I am on budget and cannot spend a fortune on this which is one restriction I have: optimizing what I can get for what I spend.

The top of the tripod is a flat disk which can be removed and replaced with a 75mm bowl and then with the use of a 75mm half ball, I am able to quickly level the camera platform. This the more traditional approach. A newer approach would be using a leveling base. The one I have in mind is Sunwayfoto DYH-90i which seems the current optimal purchase among all leveling bases regarding cost, size and loading capacity (in my point of view, anyway). Leveling bases are originally intended for still photographers but nothing forbids us to use them as a hybrid solution for both still and video.

Costwise, I don't see a significant difference in price but the leveling base is still less expensive, anyway. It can be had for $100. Now, I can find a Benro 75mm bowl ($60-$80) and a Benro 75mm ($50) which costwise is OK. I can even find $20 75mm half balls on Ebay for a mere $20 shipped which bring the cost to the exact level as the leveling base. However, the bowl + half ball lacks a spirit level which I find very necessary to have if the head I plan to use on this setup doesn't have one on its base. I have found there are spirit level plates to be placed between the half ball and the head. They are cheap for about $11 on Ebay.

I would like to know what I might end up missing if I go for a leveling bases instead of the bowl + half ball solution.

Here is the information I find online about the Sunwayfoto DYH-90i: tilting adjustment range is ±17° or ±16° (according to different sources). The load capacity is 33lbs (15KG). I am actually very suspicious of the quoted max load capacity. It looks too high to believe when it is claimed by second and third tire manufacturers. In any case, I doubt if I ever put anything heavier than 10lbs on this. I am still worried if this semi ball may still shift under the load. The online reviews I read are overall positive though.

I cannot get any direct information about the max. tilting angle and max. loading capacity of bowls + half balls online. Nobody seems to care to mention anything about them. Can anyone here give some idea on what to expect? I am not sure if ±16° tilting range is adequate for all general situations? Are bowls +m half balls more reliable than leveling bases?
 
I own both systems you describe and like you have a leveler on a lighter weight tripod. In the field, I don't see a big difference but there are a couple of things to consider. Better quality fluid heads usually have ball mountings. Not all, but mostly, so that might be a limitation if you want a top quality head. The other issue is how easy it is to break down. My Manfrotto leveler has set screws that must be loosened before you can remove the head. Not a huge deal, but just enough that you would prefer not to do it. So for me, the head just lives on the sticks, which isn't what everyone wants to do. Of course with a ball head, the video head comes off very easily for transport.
 
Well, now I understand there is a third solution. With either of the above solutions, I end up spending about $100-$150 and they add about 0.5kg (1lbs) to the weight of the tripod system. Nowadays, it's even possible to get a reasonably decent 'low profile' ballhead for that money. For example, Desmond low profile ballheads are priced in this range. Model DLOW-55 has a massive max loading capacity of 35kg (77 lbs) (again there can be some exaggeration in this), is 10cm (4") high and weighs less than 2lbs. The DLOW-40 model has a massive max loading capacity of 20kg (44 lbs) (again there can be some exaggeration in this), is 88mm (3.5") high and weighs only 498g (1.1lb). At this point I think these are my better options than both leveling base or a bowl + half ball.

I just want to install my Sony mirrorless camera setup on this system and I am not a professional filmmaker so that, I care a lot more about the size and weight of the whole system than being able to use a video head with a ball mounting. Actually, I am also looking for my options for a head that can function for both photography and still at the same time. So far, I know of Manfrotto MH055M8-Q5 and Acratech Video Head. The Acratech looks much better and is compatible with the Arca-Swiss mounting system. Unfortuantely, it is too expenmsive ($600). My other option would be a two-head on one-tripod sytem and using clamps to be abvle to quickly remove one heard and install the other in the place: more bulk and weight but I can go for more economic heads.
 
If size and weight are a concern, and not spending money is also a concern, then you can always just use the "adjust the legs" method of leveling the tripod. It worked for decades and still works today on things that don't have leveling bases... Like the really heavy duty Mitchel mount heads, etc.
 
That's also a possible solution which you brought up after I neglected to mention (on which you caught me, lol) the other important factor in my decision making which is convenience and time consideration. I do this mainly as hobby and enjoying the process is part of it. I would grow frustration when I have to spend too much time fiddling the legs for the purpose of leveling the head. It just doesn't make sense when and if there are reasonably inexpensive solutions for that. Not everyone has to buy an expensive full figure Sachtler (even if he is a member of dvxuser, lol) or, remain content with the most primitive solution out there. People reasonably very often seek optimal solutions considering their budget, conditions and limitations. That's all I am doing here trying to gather the most collective knowledge of the community as I can.

Greg_E said:
If size and weight are a concern, and not spending money is also a concern, then you can always just use the "adjust the legs" method of leveling the tripod. It worked for decades and still works today on things that don't have leveling bases... Like the really heavy duty Mitchel mount heads, etc.
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I started out with tripods and heads that didn't have a ball or other leveling device, kept going when doing remote TV, and still today I like getting the legs as close as time allows before grabbing the claw ball knob and finishing the level. It really isn't that bad to level the legs once you get used to it, even on odd ground it doesn't take that long. If you really want fast, Sachtler made a tripod that deployed the legs and unlocked the ball with a squeeze of a handle, you could be up and going in seconds. Was popular with some TV news departments for a while. Should be fairly cheap on the used market now if you can still find them, it was around 10-15 years ago.
 
I've been finding my stills tripod, an RRS TVC-34 with the quick column and an Acratech universal leveling base to be pretty perfect for my needs. The heaviest setup I have to throw on top of there though is a Cinevate Duzi, Manfrotto 502, and a C100, which it handles nicely.
 
I have both systems....leveling bowl and leveling head. I really prefer the leveling head. For me it is much easier than reaching between the lens for a handle. Also, leveling the camera seems easier. I can watch the bubble and tighten the leveling head quickly.
 
After reading available resources, receiving my new Benro tripod legs and contemplation, I have almost made my mind to go for a leveling base solution though, I am still debating between going for an 'official' leveling base or using a full figure ball head to ask as a leveling base and more particularly, because the price difference is not too huge and leveling bases are very limited in their tilt abilities.

In the meanwhile, I have also learned about two hybrid products that are somewhat somewhere between a complete ballhead and a leveling base: Berlebach Levelling Adapter 33° Ø 100 mm and the discontinued Burzynski ball head.The Berlebach leveling adapter is found in N.A. under the brand name Vixen and is sold in B & H for $300 while it can be bought in Europe for 200€ to 250€. It quite a beast, features a 100mm ball, weighs 980gr and can tilt as much as 33°. It even has adjustable friction (drag control). It even has a spirit level on the top plate. The similarites with a leveling base: more limited tilt angle than a real ball head, no mounting clamp on the top (but has a bubble level), no spot on the case to tilt the ball into a 90° position.

The Burzynski ballhead is actually my favorite one. It is lighter and smaller than the Berlebach but tilts as much as 45° and holds upto 110lbs. All the reviews I have read about it are very positive. Too bad it's been discontinued and it's even hard to find it used since not many were produced and not many samples found their to N.A.
 
It sure looks good. I used to have an Acratech Ultimate ballhead. Unfortunately, it didn't work well for me. No matter how hard I was trying to tighten the main knob, the ball was shifting/sliding under load. Eventually, I let it go and got an Arca Swiss Monoball B1 and, that was amazing. I didn't have to put much force into tightening the knob; yet, I could even hang on the ball with it staying in its place rock solid.

I hope the Acratech's new models don't suffer from that problem. I am still option to try their products: they are tempting because they are super light and they look very good, lol. I only wished they would have also had models with larger balls and more grip area. This could result to a stronger ballhead. I really like to try video ballhead. Having a head that works for both still and video photography so that one wouldn't have to switch the head is certainly a great idea in the age of video DSLR's. I am surprised not many manufacturers have come up with dual purpose heads like that and so far, I only know of only two heads with such functionality. However, I feel like the price may be over the top: $600 and there is still a flaw in the design as pointed out by one actual user on B&H. If they fix that problem, then I may go for it.

As their leveling base, I find 10 degrees of tilting range way too limiting for the way I want to use it. Besides, now there are Chinese products with more tilting range. My idea is using the leveling base for dual purpose head: a ballhead + a leveling base. Then putting a still tilt/shift head or a video head on top of it depending on the application. So I prefer a hybrid ball head like the Berlebach levelling adapter or the Burzynski ballhead that I mentioned before (which is unfortunately discontinued).



Bern Caughey said:
Tried a few of the leveling bases for my ultralight travel tripod. Found Acratech's to be easiest to adjust, & most robust.
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While I appreciate genuine feedback from people who provide their opinion, who needs fanboy excitement? It doesn't help anyone and doesn't provide any trust in the said opinion. I just think of the kinds of Arca Swiss, Really Right Stuff, FLM, Markins, KPS, Gitzo, and many other manufacturers who make quality still heads. Acratech may indeed need to strive for some longer time in order to reach that level of quality.

And I haven't even mentioned the video head makers like the kinds of Sachtler, Arri, Miller, Vinten, Libec, etc. Well, let's see professional filmmakers may ever choose the Acratech video head over any of those. They would laugh to their heart even at the slightest hint of it.


Braindead@70 said:
I have two of their ball heads and two of their leveling bases. VERY light and strong. Never seen anything better at any price.
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