Tripod Leveling Head or Base: what it adds to your birding

Tripods often come with their own tripod head included. There are a few different types of tripod head. For birding, you might choose a ball-head or a pan-tilt head, which is good enough for most people.

But in some instances you might want to add a leveling head or base to your tripod kit.

A leveling base is an accessory that you can add to your tripod set up. Its purpose is to make it quicker and easier to ensure that whatever device is mounted on your tripod is perfectly level.

How important is it to get your view for birding perfectly level?

A spotting scope can be rotated to any angle, so how important is a level base?

People who are using their spotting scope or binoculars for digiscoping will find that having a level image is a priority. Having a level horizon always looks way better than a wonky one!

But many tripods already feature a built-in bubble level, or you can add your own to help you achieve a level view. So is the more precise control offered by a leveling head worth it, despite it being more poundage to carry?

In order to evaluate whether this additional bit of kit justifies the expense and the extra weight, we will look in more detail at the purpose of a leveling base.

We cover the specific situations in which it is of most benefit, compared with the drawbacks, as well as looking at some possible alternative solutions.

What is a leveling base?

A leveling base is an accessory that you can add to your tripod set up. Its purpose is to make it quicker and easier to ensure that whatever device is mounted on your tripod is perfectly level.

Typically, the leveling base fits onto the top of a tripod, then you put a tripod head on top of the base. In this way the base sits between the tripod and the tripod head. Once that is set up then you mount your spotting scope or binoculars on the top.

What is a leveling head?

Confusingly, the terms ‘leveling head’ and ‘leveling base’ can be used to mean the same thing.

A leveling head combines a leveling base with a head attachment. With one of these you don’t need to carry additional equipment. It makes setting up quicker.

In many cases, a leveling head also functions as a leveling base. For bird watching with a spotting scope, unless a specialized head attachment, such as a gimbal, is required, a leveling head should be sufficient.

In some instances, tripods have a built-in leveling head. If you decide this would suit your needs, then there are some great quality models to choose from.

What is a Self Leveling Tripod Head?

Surprisingly enough, a self-levelling tripod head is exactly what it sounds like! It’s a tripod head that automatically levels itself, so you don’t have to worry about adjusting it manually.

This type of tripod head is useful as it takes the guesswork out of leveling your tripod and spotting scope.

How does a leveling base work?

The leveling base mechanism typically consists of a built-in spirit level and one or more adjustment knobs or levers. Cheaper products may not feature the bubble level so check this carefully.

The spirit level helps the user determine if the attached equipment is level with the ground. If it’s not, the user can adjust the angle of the tripod head by loosening or turning the knobs or levers.

These knobs or levers adjust the tilt of the base plus the tripod head, or allow you to control the movement of the head. The user can then make small adjustments until the spirit level indicates that the device is level.

The range of tilt possible with a leveling base can vary, but 15 degrees in any direction is the most common. Generally the leveling base will only tilt, rather than rotate.

How can I get my tripod level without adding a leveling head or base?

In most circumstances, you would first use the tripod legs to get the optics set up in a way that is as level as possible.

Most tripods have a few separate leg sections that can be adjusted to the right length individually. This makes it easier to establish a level set-up even on sloping ground.

Additionally, some tripods enable you to adjust the angle at which the legs are locked. This allows even more flexibility in how you position the tripod.

As well as using the legs to achieve a level tripod, you would use the head to adjust the angle of your spotting scope. This might be a ball head, which has a wide range of positions in which it can be adjusted.

If you are using a ball head tripod head, this whole process may be somewhat easier. But many birders opt for a fluid head that only has two planes of movement – vertical and horizontal. So this can make the fine-tuning of level alignment more difficult and cumbersome.

What is a Tripod Bubble Level?

A tripod bubble level is a small device that helps you to level your tripod by showing you if it is straight or not.

Many tripods have this as a feature already built in. If not, there is the option to attach one. Sometimes the bubble level is even illuminated to make it easier to see in dim light conditions.

When would I use a leveling base?

Sometimes, however, it can be hard to get the tripod perfectly level just by adjusting the legs and head. That’s where a leveling base comes in.

With a leveling base, you can level your optics much faster and more accurately. The leveling base helps to ensure that the attached spotting scope is properly aligned with the horizon.

This is because leveling the tripod requires manual adjustment of each of the legs, which can be time-consuming and tedious.

Leveling heads reduce adjustment time

In order to level your tripod, you would need to make small adjustments to each leg until the bubble level shows that your tripod is level.

This process can be repeated several times until the desired level is achieved, making it a slow and cumbersome process without a leveling head. Exactly how easy it is depends on the operation of the leg locks.

Going back and forth making small tweaks to the length of each of the legs can take more time and patience than you want to spend!

While a bubble level helps get the scope level, a leveling head gives you even more control and precision.

How important is it to get your spotting scope level?

The importance of getting a perfectly level view when birding depends on individual preferences and the type of birding being done.

For some birders, a perfectly level view may not be necessary, especially since the spotting scope can be rotated to any angle to get the desired view.

However, for others, a level view can help provide a more stable and comfortable viewing experience, particularly if regularly panning the spotting scope back and forth across a landscape with a clearly visible horizon.

Additionally, having a level view may be crucial for specific types of birding such as digiscoping. In this instance, precise alignment would be more important for higher quality pictures that require less editing afterwards.

When is a leveling base most important?

A levelling head will make it easier and faster for you to keep your spotting scope completely level. This will result in a more stable and reliably horizontal view.

It reduces the chances of capturing images where the horizon is tilted. It is also beneficial when you need to pan very accurately across the horizontal plane.

For instance, this is especially important if you’re into digiscoping. This might involve taking panoramic photos or capturing videos that involve panning.

A problem can arise when you need to rotate the image. If your scope and your attached camera isn’t level when you pan or rotate it, the resulting video or photo will look wavy or tilt in the wrong direction.

Less crucial for general birding than digiscoping

So, if you’re seriously into digiscoping, you might want to consider getting a leveling head to help you take even better photos.

For ordinary birding, though, it is not so relevant or necessary. Most spotting scope users are able to achieve their desired angles simply by adjusting the tripod head or their tripod.

The tripod itself does not have to be perfectly level for this to work. However, adjusting the tripod or tripod head alone may take more time and require some extra effort.

In the end, whether or not a birder uses a leveling head depends on their personal preferences and if they are also aiming to capture photos or video.

What to consider when deciding if you need a Tripod Head Leveler

The advantage of a tripod head leveler is that it helps you to keep your tripod and spotting scope level, resulting in a more stable and clear view of the birds you are observing.

The disadvantage of a tripod head leveler is that it adds more expense than buying a standard tripod head alone.

A leveler adds height

Another consideration is that the leveling head adds a bit of extra height. Depending on the height of your spotting scope, and whether it’s an angled or straight scope, this could be a pro or a con.

Depending on the locking and tightening systems on your tripod legs, the leveling head may or may not be compatible.

Most leveling heads will have universal screw fittings so that the actual connection between the tripod legs and the head matches.

But unfortunately you can sometimes find that there is a knob or lever that sticks out in an awkward place, or is more difficult to reach or operate once the leveling head is on top. So this is definitely worth bearing in mind and checking when you connect the two.

Advantages of Adding a leveling base to a Tripod Setup

• Quickly levels the ball head
• Provides more control compared to using a bubble level
• Saves time and effort compared to adjusting the length of individual tripod legs
• Helps in rotating the camera without dipping up and down
• Avoids dramatic issues when shooting videos with panning motion
• Improves the level of gimbal head for wildlife photography
• Enhances the result of panoramic photography

Disadvantages of Adding a leveling base to Tripod Setup

• Not necessary for all birders, as you can adjust the ball head by itself
• The tripod can still be unleveled but still offer images at an angle that is good enough by adjusting the ball head
• Additional weight to carry, with a more top-heavy set up
• Increases the relative height of the spotting scope (usually by a couple of inches)

Final thoughts: Do I need a Leveling Base with my Tripod?

A leveling base attaches to the top of the tripod legs. You then mount the tripod head and spotting scope above those.

The purpose of a leveling base is to help you level your optics quickly and easily. Without one, it can take a lot of time to adjust the legs of the tripod to make it level.

For ordinary birding and in many digiscoping scenarios – only taking single pictures, for instance, you can just use a tripod head.

If you are taking pictures of birds where the horizon is not a big feature, close-ups, for instance, then it would be possible to crop and rotate the image later.

When a leveling head is most useful

But a leveling head can be very useful for birders who want to quickly level their spotting scope and tripod head for panoramic shots or adjusting framing by panning.

If you want to take panoramas, or stitch together many pictures, you need to make sure the base of the camera is perfectly level. Without a leveling head, it can be time-consuming to level a tripod by adjusting the leg lengths.

So while this can be achieved by adjusting the legs of the tripod, using a leveling base is an easier, faster solution.

You can get away without having the legs perfectly aligned to achieve a level view. This is more helpful for pan/tilt tripod heads than for ball heads.

If you’re considering getting one, feel free to read our article on how to choose a leveling head for a tripod.