Desmond DLEV-1 Leveler-Manfrotto MT190XPRO4

WGAN Forum Founder & WGAN-TV Podcast Host 29.85K Website Atlanta, Georgia Linked In Facebook Twitter YouTube TikTok Instragram Matterport Service Partner Google Street View Trusted Photographer Zillow Certified Photographer We Get Around Network Member	29.85K DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 1
	All, As a result of giving hundreds of demos of our many Matterport Spaces in VR, I have switched tripods two years ago and added a Leveler to lower eye-level viewing and make it easier and faster to level the Matterport Camera. On our We Get Around Blog (5 November 2015), I posted a review of the tripod and leveler solution and added these items to our Matterport Gear and Accessories shopping list. Here is an excerpt from the blog post: If you are about to buy the Matterport Camera – and are starting to look at related Matterport gear and accessories – I recommend the following Tripod, Leveler and bubble solution: ✓ Manfrotto MT190XPRO4 4 Section Aluminum Tripod Legs with Q90 Column (Black) ($216.94) ✓ Desmond DLEV-1 Leveler Level Plus Discal Clamp for Tripod 3/8 Precision Leveling Base ($63.95) ✓ Stanley 43-511 Magnetic Shock Resistant Torpedo Level ($6.47) That is instead of the: ✓ Manfrotto MT190XPRO3 3 Section Aluminum Tripod ($186.64) that Matterport recommends and ✓ Sunwayfoto MAC-14 60mm Clamp ($34.95) By pairing the 4-section tripod with the Desmond Leveler, I can: ✓ lower the Matterport Camera to a lower eye-height ✓ level the camera easier and faster without stressing the tripod legs ✓ easily pack the tripod in a roller board suitcase The 4-section tripod is a better solution than the 3-section version for optimizing height and as well as for Camera stability. The 4-section tripod is also much easier to pack in a roller board suit case. The Desmond DLEV-1 Leveler Level still needs the addition of a bubble level. (The tripod bubble is not the right solution for Matterport Pros. It's awkward, at best, at helping level the camera. (I use a bubble level on every scan.) The Desmond leveling solution is simply better, easier and faster to do the adjustment and you do not need the Sunwayfoto Clamp (since the clamp is built into the Desmond DLEV-1 leveler.) To continue reading my article, please visit this We Get Around blog post. -- Your thoughts about tripods, levelers and bubble levels? Thanks, Dan Originally published in the We Get Around Network Forum here Source: We Get Around Blog: Matterport Photographers: Tripod, Leveler and Bubble Level Solution
	7 years ago	Post 1 • IP flag post

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfantin
I have used the DESMOND DLEV-1 a few times and sometimes I got errors "Camera unstable while scanning" or something like that (I don´t remember the exact wording of the error message in my ipad).

I recently purchased a DESMON DLEV-1 and have had the SAME problems. I've found that it's necessary to have the top washers tightened to not get this. Problem is, with the DLEV-1 tight, it loses flexibility and kind of defeats the whole purpose.

I have been meaning to start a thread about this little accessory to get some feedback as I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to take advantage of it. Many people swear by it.

I do like it for the Quick Release function -- however, I still feel more comfortable screwing in the Matterport as I like knowing I can sling the camera and tripod over my shoulder and run up and down stairs ... the quick release scares me a bit.

1.73K	1.73K jfantin private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Hi Dan I have used the DESMOND DLEV-1 a few times and sometimes I got errors "Camera unstable while scanning" or something like that (I don´t remember the exact wording of the error message in my ipad). In one of the last models I sent the results to Matterport because I got some serios stitching errors and they told me that after carefully examining the images they found (by a reflex in a mirror) that I was using the DESMOND leveler and they suggested me to stop using it because it was the source of the problem (apparently the movement of the camera while spinning created the stitching problems). The fact is that when the camera is on top of the leveler it has some kind of shaking while it rotates due to the attachmment to the device. Have you noticed that? Perhaps mine is a defective device. I will appreciate your comments or perhaps someone else can post his/her opinion.
	7 years ago	Post 3 • IP flag post

322	322 Rootsyloops private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	I have the same issue with the Desmond DLEV with Matterport (camera unstable). I tried tightening the smalls screws, different height configurations, etc, but continued to get the error on most shoots. The scans always turned out, but it was disconcerting enough that I finally took it off and use a simple ball-head now that works better. I put the DLEV on my stills tripod and LOVE it for that application!!!
	7 years ago	Post 5 • IP flag post

1.73K	1.73K jfantin private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	@DanSmigrod, I still have it, but I am no longer using it due to the "camera unstable" error. It came in two pieces, as your image shows, but I only used the "blue" part and not the black disk. I attached the camera directly to the leveler. To be honest, I didn´t understand the purpose of the black disk and also I couldn´t use it because of the long of the leveler's screw (if I put the disk between the camera and the leveler then the screw doesn´t reach the camera hole).
	7 years ago	Post 6 • IP flag post

1.73K	1.73K jfantin private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Dan Here you have a few photos: This is the bottom of my camera And you see that if I put together the black disk with the blue part there is no visible screw to insert in the camera bottom: So I decided to use it as follows:
	7 years ago	Post 8 • IP flag post

1.73K	1.73K jfantin private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 0
	Yes! I feel really stupid after realizing how the quick release works! All this time and I didn't know how to use it!
	7 years ago	Post 10 • IP flag post

9.44K Frisco, Texas	9.44K Metroplex360 private msg quote post Address this user	plus 1 plus 1 plus 1 2
	Quote: Originally Posted by jfantin I have used the DESMOND DLEV-1 a few times and sometimes I got errors "Camera unstable while scanning" or something like that (I don´t remember the exact wording of the error message in my ipad). I recently purchased a DESMON DLEV-1 and have had the SAME problems. I've found that it's necessary to have the top washers tightened to not get this. Problem is, with the DLEV-1 tight, it loses flexibility and kind of defeats the whole purpose. I have been meaning to start a thread about this little accessory to get some feedback as I have been racking my brain trying to figure out how to take advantage of it. Many people swear by it. I do like it for the Quick Release function -- however, I still feel more comfortable screwing in the Matterport as I like knowing I can sling the camera and tripod over my shoulder and run up and down stairs ... the quick release scares me a bit.
	7 years ago	Post 12 • IP flag post

Desmond DLEV-1 Leveler-Manfrotto MT190XPRO44940