2010Steadi-Newbies forum
Reconciling post alignment with camera level readings on Steadicam Pilot with Canon 7D
16 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- Built-in digital levels in cameras should not be trusted for precise alignment without calibration capability
- Digital levels can vary in accuracy between individual units and may drift out of calibration over time
- An external analog spirit level should be used as the reference standard when establishing both post straightness and camera alignment
- Discrepancies between post alignment and camera level readings may indicate the camera's digital level is inaccurate rather than a mechanical problem with the rig
Depends on
- The experience is specific to Canon 7D's electronic level implementation
- The solution relies on having access to an external analog spirit level for verification
- Camera levels may require factory recalibration and can drift again after service