Customer Reviews

Jobu Design Dual-Axis Clear Bubble Level with Easy See Green Fluid.

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Some photographers have that "perfect eye" that allows them to always place the horizon perfectly parallel to the top and bottom of their pictures.

I'm not one of them!<g>

This little wonder is about the size of two dice, so it tucks away nicely in any camera bag, and slips into the flash shoe. It's got two bubble levels (one for when you shoot portrait, the other for when you shoot landscape) that instantly tell you if you're perfectly level. And the price is right. Nice work, folks!

I have a great tripod that has a bubble level on the tripod and a bubble level on the head. However, those levels are useful only when you want to shoot something that is level horizontally.

When I shoot pictures that are up or down in relation to the horizon I found myself having the need to know whether my camera was level or not. This little device solved that need! It can be used with your camera in landscape or portrait mode. Now my pictures are always level!

You put this level in the flash hot shoe. I rarely use a flash, but if I did need to, I would level the camera first, then take this level out and place my flash.

This two-axis spirit level can be a valuable aid when taking panoramic sequences to be stitched together, or if you want to avoid a "keystone" effect when shooting buildings. It works best when the camera is mounted on a ball-head tripod, as then only the camera will need leveling. When using a tilt-and-pan tripod, the tripod itself will need to be leveled in all quadrants before the camera can be made level for panorama sequences.

While the spirit level has been an effective leveling tool since its invention in the 17th century, error can be introduced at the point of attachment to the camera. The flash shoe is supposed to be parallel to the lens axis, but it may not be, especially if it has suffered a knock. Also, the leaf spring in the shoe may not hold the foot of the level properly against the shoe surface, a problem easily fixed by an attentive photographer.

This particular spirit level (Jobu, from Canada) seems constructed to last, used with care. It has two "feet," so it can be properly oriented with the camera in either horizontal or vertical position. One should be in the kit of every photographer using a tripod without its own built-in level.

Shooting panoramic photos without a level is like hunting pheasant without a dog. I do not have a $300-$400 lens nodal arrangement, so shooting with at least an idea of having level horizon/ or vertical plane helps in getting lucky. This little gadget has been great, easily slipped on or off in Horz or vertical mode, compact and light weight to carry also. Works for me!

Best as I can tell this is a great product. That said, do not buy it through Adorama. They will ship you a cheap imitation product and charge you for the Jobu. I received the imitation. I called Adorama and they promised to ship me the correct product. They then sent me another imitation product. A total waste of my time. Save yourself the pain.

This spirit level aids in leveling the camera when it's on a tripod and is accurate. I did add a piece of tape to the mounting foot so that it fits tighter in the flash shoe.

The level works as designed. I have no issues with the way it works. However, the level is easily knocked from the hot shot slot. I would attache a cable or
chain to the device , so it could be attached to the camera. I have lost a couple of these levels already and don't plan to replace this one , if it suffers the
same fate as the previous ones.

I ordered the Jobu design dual axis level. 47th Photo sent a similar-appearing Opteka instead. I placed the Opteka on a flat table; the bubble moved to one of the tube, as if the table were not level. I then rotated the level horizontally 180 degrees on the same spot on the table. The bubble stayed in that same end of the tube (it should have moved to the opposite end). This suggests that the level had inaccurate calibration.

I returned the level to 47st, and a refund, including shipping ($7.95 for such a small item), was posted to an Amazon gift certificate.