Levelling Indicator Camera Tripod Head
If you are thinking of buying a levelling indicator camera tripod head, there are a number of things to take into consideration.
For some people the main consideration may be budget, but more important than that is the amount of weight that the tripod head can carry. This value is usually provided by the manufacturer and tells you how much gear you can safely place on the head for it to be properly balanced.
If you have too much weight the head can start to creep which can result in the tripod being destabilised and falling over, which in turn could end up doing some serious damage to your camera and telephoto lens .
Camera Plus Camera Tripod Ball Head KS-0
One budget levelling indicator camera tripod head is the Camera Plus camera tripod ball head KS-0. This model has a 1/4" screw at the bottom and 1/4" to 3/8" screw adapter so that it can be used on any standard and professional camera tripod . It has locking and drag control - the locking knob and drag adjustment are separated so that they can be individually managed. This ball head can accommodate equipment up to the weight of 8kg and it also has a quick release function.
The Sirui K-10X ball head has control knobs for pan, tilt and tension and an Arca type clamp for the quick release plate. The head tilts 90° for portrait orientation while the quick release plate has two pins which prevent the camera from twisting when it is tilted 90°.
Why a levelling indicator tripod head?
Particularly for landscapes, a levelling indicator is useful for avoiding slightly off kilter shots. The majority of such tripod heads are used when seeking that perfect panoramic shot.
A handle often allows you to pan smoothly, great for if you are taking multiple shots to edit together later to form a larger panoramic picture, or for if you are filming video. They allow for smoother tilting and straighter photos.