Bad workmen and sloping horizons?

[Ari]

I know I know, a bad workman always blames his tools.

I've been finding a lot (like the majority) of photos taken with my new Nikon D7000 are on a gentle tilt (righthand side higher), despite the fact that I seem to have composed them properly.

Now I was happy to accept that I'm a bit rubbish and it's probably me, however my partner's son was using it at the weekend, and he's quite a keen amateur photographer so not alien to using a camera, and all his taken with my camera were sloping the same way.

Maybe this is a stupid question, but is it possible that something is amiss with the camera? Or are we both equally crap at getting level horizons and upright buildings, albeit the same level of crapness and in the same direction every time?

I have tried using the artificial horizon thing which doesn't seem to help. I also took a couple of test shots of the sea horizon using the artificial horizon, one slopes, the other is pretty much level.

Just wondered what peoples thoughts were. As I say, happy to accept that I'm a bit crap, but intrigued that someone else is getting the same effect on his photos with my camera.

[jimmy156]

Unfortunately I cant think of anything that would cause this other then user error! Sorry!

[14-7]

Ari said:

I have tried using the artificial horizon thing which doesn't seem to help.

Don't use Nikons but is it an in-camera one like on some of the newer canon models?

Maybe that is amiss if it is an electronic level. The only way to be sure is to use a level that attaches to the hot shoe to see if you get the same problems.

[Ari]

jimmy156 said:

Unfortunately I cant think of anything that would cause this other then user error! Sorry!

That's fair enough and if that's the case then I just have to be more careful. I was just intrigued that someone completely different using the camera was getting the same issue.

[Ari]

14-7 said:

Don't use Nikons but is it an in-camera one like on some of the newer canon models?

Maybe that is amiss if it is an electronic level. The only way to be sure is to use a level that attaches to the hot shoe to see if you get the same problems.

Yes, it puts a display up in the screen over the image.

However we seem to have the issue whether we're using the artificial horizon or not, and having tried a test shot of the sea horizon I don't think this is far out.

[londonagent]

Maybe get one of the hotshoe spirit levels and shoot using a tripod, then you will definitely know if it is user error or something up with the camera.

Edit - beaten to it

[mrmr96]

If the sensor was installed at an angle then it might cause this?

I'd suggest a test by taking a photo using a tripod of a perfectly straight line. (Edge of a piece of paper or something known to be dead straight.) Arrange the camera so that the line is perfectly vertical, or perfectly horizontal. Verify this on the viewfinder before taking the shot. Then compare the digital result.

(I.e. don't just do more landscapes, do a rigorous test to see if the camera is at fault.)

[Simpo Two]

I have heard of sensors not being installed quite straight although it seems like rather a big oversight to me.

Forget the 'artificial horizon'. Do you have an option for a grid display in the viewfinder? I use this and even working quickly handheld I get within 1 degree or less. (Not a problem for me as they all go through PP and any levelling gets done there)

[Ari]

Yes, it's got a grid view.

[LongQ]

I often find my hand held shots are a degree or so out and it's down to the way I hold the camera. But with action shots you kind of expect it and sometimes the content will fool the eye into thinking all looks well only to discover something that, on screen or in print, distracts the viewer. Not too much of a problme unless I have really filled the frame. Then the rotation crop may spoil the shot.

That said it could be that there is something very slightly awry with the mirror/prism alignment compared to the sensor. An alternative to the sensor being misaligned that would still have the same effect.

I would assume that using Live View or, presumably, an EVF would give you an 'as the sensor sees it' result but a traditional mirror/prism arrangement does not.

Don't know the Sony at all. What options do you have for cross checking?

Also when you download the images is there a chance that a 'correction' is being applied at that point? No idea what you are using for PP but it's something that might possibly be in play and forgotten.

[Simpo Two]

Ari said:

Yes, it's got a grid view.

Have you tried it? Stand exactly in front of something horizontal, preferably at eye-level, line it up across the middle (thereby avoiding any distortion) and see what that looks like.

[14-7]

Does it still has the slant even when on a tripod?

[mrmr96]

Simpo Two said:

Ari said:

Yes, it's got a grid view.

Have you tried it? Stand exactly in front of something horizontal, preferably at eye-level, line it up across the middle (thereby avoiding any distortion) and see what that looks like.

Good idea. (It's kinda what I suggested too.)

[Simpo Two]

mrmr96 said:

Good idea. (It's kinda what I suggested too.)

So you did!

[markmullen]

I find my seascapes tend to be on the piss, strangely my dad using a completely different camera finds the same, maybe we have a family trait of being slightly angled off!

I found the cheapo digital spirit level I bought off ebay was inaccurate, if it said the shot was good, it wasn't, this on three different bodies so that's gone in the bin.

I've just fitted a gridded focussing screen in my new body and that has cured it, maybe worth trying? Fitting isn't as scary as it sounds, a 5 minute job.

[Adz The Rat]

I use the same body and I can't say I have noticed mine doing it, the recent landscapes I have done haven't required any straightening.

[Ari]

I'll try the grid thing, that sounds a good suggestion.

[RobDickinson]

I think I have one leg shorter than the other All my shots if I dont pay attention, are slightly un-level.

Dont know about Nikons built in spirit level but the 7D one is only accurate to about 0.5 degree, which isnt enough.

I use the grid in the LCD overlay viewfinder, that seems to work.

[LongQ]

RobDickinson said:

I think I have one leg shorter than the other All my shots if I dont pay attention, are slightly un-level.

Dont know about Nikons built in spirit level but the 7D one is only accurate to about 0.5 degree, which isnt enough.

I use the grid in the LCD overlay viewfinder, that seems to work.

Many of my shots are taken with a 70-200 and ofetn the 2x extender. I leave the tripod mount on the lens when hand held and a very rough trial with the lens mount mount treated as a 'hand rest' alignment mark, shows an improvement in horizontal/vertical accuracy so long as I have paid some attention to ho I am supporting the lens.

I think being out of alignment is not at all uncommon. Few of us are correctly proportioned about either a vertical or horizontal axis. Even if we ware our eyes would trick us into non-optimal algnments.

Leave a border and re-align ... if you can get into the habit.