19
H4D
Spirit level
The integrated electronic spirit level provides a rapid and accurate
way of ensuring the camera is either horizontally neutral in align-
ment (level) and/or vertically neutral in alignment (plumb). It uses
two methods that are fully visible on the sensor unit display and
partly visible in the viewfinder. The method is selected by the cam-
era automatically according to alignment. So, if the camera is in a
relatively normal orientation, then Normal is selected and when
the camera is in a more extreme orientation then
Repro
is selected.
You can activate the spirit level (for both sensor unit and viewfinder
displays) by holding down the View Mode button for a second, or,
by re-assigning the TRUE FOCUS / AE-L / STOP DOWN or M.UP
button as an activator. See Custom Options #4, #5, #6 and #7 for
details.
Normal:
Generally used when the camera is mounted on a tripod/
stand in either landscape or portrait orientation. Allows the cam-
era to be correctly aligned in two planes regardless of apparent
deviations in the viewfinder. Particularly useful for landscape work
where most of the horizon is hidden, for example, or architectural/
interior work where wide angle lenses can often create a difficult
situation to level the camera visually.
Repro:
Normally used when the camera is mounted on a tripod/
stand in a 'repro' alignment, that is, camera pointing directly down-
wards (this feature also works pointing directly upwards). Ensures
that the camera is in a truly perpendicular alignment.
In use:
Sensor unit display
–
Three scales can be seen in
Standard
mode.
The scale along the lower edge and to the right hand side (in land-
scape mode) require you to alter the camera's orientation to center
the yellow 'bubbles'. When centered, these bubbles become green.
The third central scale consisting of a large circle with cross-hairs
provides an alternative combined display. The content of the circle
changes from yellow to green when the horizontal orientation is
correct. In Repro mode, the central scale is also a 'bubble' type.
Again, the two yellow bubbles become green when centered in
their respective scales. As an alternative, the central blue bubble can
be centered within the green circle (no color change to the bubble).
Viewfinder display
–
Only horizontal alignment can be seen in the
viewfinder display. It uses the bubble method as described above
except the bubble becomes black when the camera is level. Cus-
tom calibration can also be used.
Calibration:
There is a default calibration for either mode which is
selected automaticaly. However you can store a custom calibration
for various purposes.
1) Press the
Preview
button for one second (toggle function) to
activate the spirit level feature.
2) The text along the bottom of the display reads
EXIT
,
Standard
,
MODE
.
3) Press the
MODE
button (
Approval/OK button
).
4) The text along the bottom of the display now reads
CAL
,
User
,
MODE
, and a green user icon appears in the top left of
the display.
5) When you are satisfied that the camera is securely in the cho-
sen orientation, press the
CAL
button (
Menu/Exit button
) to
store the new setting.
6) Press the
MODE
button to toggle between default and custom
settings.
Custom settings are retained for future use. To make a new custom
setting, repeat the above procedure.
2
1
4
3
5
6
Normal (at default setting)
Not level
Level
Not level
Repro (at default setting)
Level
The spirit level as it appears in the viewfinder display.
Activate by:
1) Holding down (not clicking)
the preview button.
or
2) Re-assigning the True Focus,
M.UP, AE-L or STOP DOWN but-
ton to Spirit Level (in Custom
Options).
