Shooting leveled landscape pictures

[csli]

Hi, I have been struggling to take leveled landscape pictures. Anyone would share their experiences on how to make it leveled?

Thanks,

[neuroanatomist]

Some newer cameras have an electronic level, which is very convenient.  Before I could use that, I used a hotshoe bubble level.  I have this one, there are many available...

[csli]

Thanks Doc! That is a nice piece. What if you are not shooting with a tripod?

[jsbraby]

I buy 2 axis spirit levels off ebay 5 or 10 at a a time. They are accurate enough for me, and I don't feel bad losing them or giving them to friends.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p4069.m570.l1313&_nkw=2+axis+level+hotshoe&_sacat=0

[neuroanatomist]

What if you are not shooting with a tripod?

Try to hold the camera straight. 

Actually, that's what's really convenient about the electronic level - it can be displayed in the viewfinder.

[YellowJersey]

If there's one feature I'll happily debase myself in gratitude for is the in-viewfinder and liveview level in the 5D3. I love it in ways that I should probably talk to my psychiatrist about.

[hippoeater]

YellowJersey - how do you enable the in-viewfinder level on the 5dmark3?

[dude]

YellowJersey - how do you enable the in-viewfinder level on the 5dmark3?

I second this question.

[bdunbar79]

I too have only used the LCD one and not the viewfinder one. 

[DanielG.]

You can set it to the M-Fn or DOF preview button.
See the manual page 321 or look in the camera's C.Fn2 menu under Custom Controls.

[dr croubie]

I've got the viewfinder-level on my 7D set to M-Fn (i think that's what it's called, the tiny button near the shutter), however when shooting landscapes i'm normally on live-view (the live-view lcd-level is easier to use, although they're both as accurate).

I've also got tripod clamps with bubble-levels (this one), rails (like this one), my nodal ninja also has a bubble, and to finish off, there's also a bubble-level on my hotshoe (like this one).
(The main annoyance with the hotshoe-level is that I forget that it's there, when I try to use the popup flash it doesn't work because the camera thinks a speedlite is mounted, then after 5 minutes of cursing my broken popup flash I remember to take the bubble-level out and try not to lose it. Also not sure how accurate it is).

And after all that, sometimes they still don't always turn out level, and I have to rotate/crop them in GIMP or when stitching in Hugin...

[96Brigadier]

When looking through the view finder I level the top with a feature I'm photographing.  i.e. level the top of the view finder to the horizon, or shore of a lake, or tops of mountains, whatever.  I can usually find something in the scene that I can use to level to.  This works as long as I'm standing upright, if I'm hunched or contorting myself then I need electronic help.

When shooting off a tripod I use the electronic level in the LCD to verify.  I've found though that my method above gets me to level most of the time and the level in the VF needs little to no adjustment.

[Ryan708]

I have used the 60d in-viewfinder level for landscape and it works well, but shooting up a tall building with the camera almost straight up the level doesnt really work very well. leave a smidge of room and post process, and interpolate to the same resolution if you wanna get fancy , fake people out with your increddible level-osity, haha

[EOBeav]

If you're overthinking your horizons, you might be neglecting to pay enough attention to other elements of your photo.

[YellowJersey]

YellowJersey - how do you enable the in-viewfinder level on the 5dmark3?

I second this question.

 Turn your camera on and hit "MENU"
 Then go to the orange options (second from the right, custom controls)
 In the second menu (C.Fn2: Disp./Operation) you'll see "Custom Controls" at the bottom, open it up
 Enable "VF electronic level" for M-fn button. You can also enable it for DOF preview button,

 When you want to level your shot, just hit M-fn (or DOF button, whichever you've enabled as the VF electronic level) and you'll see different autofocus points have a box around them showing your axes. It's quite a useful function.