Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I can't say much more that hasn't already been said about this product. Yes the springs are tight and turned my fingers raw after the first time using it. However, after the third use, I did figure out that there is a knack to using this quite easily without much carnage.

Its a solid leveller and I'm pretty glad I bought it. Hope those who buy, or have already, can find the knack to using it easily.

I find that if I adjust the rings more evenly, there isn't much resistance. Less rubbing my thumbs raw = happier levelling. (sounds pretty geeky, huh?)

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I've had one of these units for about a year now, and I'm actively looking for something better. Yes, it does the job, some of the time. The adjusting screws are at 120 degree intervals, so you can't easily adjust in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction. It has an adjustment range of only 5 degrees, which is not enough: I frequently have to shorten a tripod leg. In addition, there's no easy way to reset the screws to the mid-point, so those 5 degrees are not necessarily available when you need them.

On the positive side, it's a rock-solid design. But is that enough?

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

the 338 allow me to make micro adjustment when zeroing.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Useful when used along with the 303 PANORAMIC HEAD QTVR PLUS

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I use this product to level a nodal panning head that require precise leveling for proper stitching of panormaic photos.

The good: It's well made, large, heavy duty. The large base allows use of spirit level even with my large panning head.

The bad: The adjustments are difficult with springs that apply too much tension to the thumb screws. I thought about returning it, but since I'm mechaical, I will remove the springs to allow faster setup.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Apart from being heavy and sometimes hard on your fingers, it does the job. Be careful if you have a tripod with a bubble on the head base (like my Manfrotto 190), it can limit you in the range of the leveler as one of the screw can end up on top of the bubble.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Panoramic Landscape photography

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

very nice, works like a transit leveler, needs an anti rotation screw to keep the head from unscrewing. not as complicated to level as some people say, twist twist lock lock, done. Works great. Used with 35 mm still camera and video camera.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This should have never left the factory. The screws that run through the adjusting thumbwheels were torqued down so tight that all three wheels would not turn. I had to cut out the screws and replace them to make this base usable. If I didn't have the tools to fix this I'd be sending this back and spending shipping charges.
Now that I have a usable base it's very easy to adjust.
It's a good leveling base but the Manfrotto QC dropped the ball on this one.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Very good Manfrotto quality: most excellent head I have.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

i'm a photo enthusiast and enjoy taking panos. before getting the leveling base i would spend considerable time adjusting the tripod legs to get "an almost" level platform. as a result i'd get an almost level panorama which i would inevitably need to crop at times loosing desirable information. also needing to rotate slightly to maintain a level horizon again loosing valuable photographic detail. this simple to operate device quickly levels the head giving me a dead on horizon eliminating the need to rotate and crop in post.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Use mainly for panorama shooting. Great help to it, but the thing is really heavy and screws are really tight. Though a drop of oil on each made things easier.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This is a great item for panoramic photography. Simplifies leveling and allows for very precise adjustment. Heavy duty construction and weight make for super stable performance.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

A bit heavy but makes for rugged strong build.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

[...]However I find it very difficult to use. The adjusting dials were so tight it was near on impossible to make any adjustment. One was impossible to budge. [...] So my husband had to work on it so I can use it. This has damaged the screw that was impossible to use. But I can now adjust all screws. However, it is still a very awkward to use piece of equipment and something I would not have purchased if I would have known.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Excellent product for taking panoramic photos.
Makes levelling of your camera on a panohead very easy and simple in seconds.
Good Solid product from Manfrotto.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

The adjustment wheels are stiffer than a corpse. And the overall adjustment range is tiny. So do most of the level work with the tripod legs which means you really need another bubble/level and make the fine adjustment with this. Oh, and it's heavier than Donald Trump's wallet.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This base is heavy duty. Perhaps, overly heavy. It's also large enough to show up along the bottom of panoramic images when using a 180° fisheye lens. Adjustment screws are very rigid and take quite a bit of effort until usage loosens them up.

Base is good for leveling large, heavy equipment.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Couldn't do QTVR photography without it. Set your tripod base somewhat level and just dial the rest in with the Leveling Base. Nice big bubble assures a perfect level. Heavy-duty construction, durable but delicate enough to make super-fine adjustments.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

The leveling base allows easier camera leveling when used with a hot shoe bubble.The base is however hard to level due to the screws being to tight. This may be due to newness however and may change with use. Base is heavy duty and adds a reasonably extra weight to the total tripod with a ball head

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I can't say much more that hasn't already been said about this product. Yes the springs are tight and turned my fingers raw after the first time using it. However, after the third use, I did figure out that there is a knack to using this quite easily without much carnage.

Its a solid leveller and I'm pretty glad I bought it. Hope those who buy, or have already, can find the knack to using it easily.

I find that if I adjust the rings more evenly, there isn't much resistance. Less rubbing my thumbs raw = happier levelling. (sounds pretty geeky, huh?)

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I've had one of these units for about a year now, and I'm actively looking for something better. Yes, it does the job, some of the time. The adjusting screws are at 120 degree intervals, so you can't easily adjust in one direction and then in a perpendicular direction. It has an adjustment range of only 5 degrees, which is not enough: I frequently have to shorten a tripod leg. In addition, there's no easy way to reset the screws to the mid-point, so those 5 degrees are not necessarily available when you need them.

On the positive side, it's a rock-solid design. But is that enough?

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

the 338 allow me to make micro adjustment when zeroing.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Useful when used along with the 303 PANORAMIC HEAD QTVR PLUS

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

I use this product to level a nodal panning head that require precise leveling for proper stitching of panormaic photos.

The good: It's well made, large, heavy duty. The large base allows use of spirit level even with my large panning head.

The bad: The adjustments are difficult with springs that apply too much tension to the thumb screws. I thought about returning it, but since I'm mechaical, I will remove the springs to allow faster setup.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Apart from being heavy and sometimes hard on your fingers, it does the job. Be careful if you have a tripod with a bubble on the head base (like my Manfrotto 190), it can limit you in the range of the leveler as one of the screw can end up on top of the bubble.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Panoramic Landscape photography

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

very nice, works like a transit leveler, needs an anti rotation screw to keep the head from unscrewing. not as complicated to level as some people say, twist twist lock lock, done. Works great. Used with 35 mm still camera and video camera.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This should have never left the factory. The screws that run through the adjusting thumbwheels were torqued down so tight that all three wheels would not turn. I had to cut out the screws and replace them to make this base usable. If I didn't have the tools to fix this I'd be sending this back and spending shipping charges.
Now that I have a usable base it's very easy to adjust.
It's a good leveling base but the Manfrotto QC dropped the ball on this one.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Very good Manfrotto quality: most excellent head I have.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

i'm a photo enthusiast and enjoy taking panos. before getting the leveling base i would spend considerable time adjusting the tripod legs to get "an almost" level platform. as a result i'd get an almost level panorama which i would inevitably need to crop at times loosing desirable information. also needing to rotate slightly to maintain a level horizon again loosing valuable photographic detail. this simple to operate device quickly levels the head giving me a dead on horizon eliminating the need to rotate and crop in post.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Use mainly for panorama shooting. Great help to it, but the thing is really heavy and screws are really tight. Though a drop of oil on each made things easier.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This is a great item for panoramic photography. Simplifies leveling and allows for very precise adjustment. Heavy duty construction and weight make for super stable performance.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

A bit heavy but makes for rugged strong build.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

[...]However I find it very difficult to use. The adjusting dials were so tight it was near on impossible to make any adjustment. One was impossible to budge. [...] So my husband had to work on it so I can use it. This has damaged the screw that was impossible to use. But I can now adjust all screws. However, it is still a very awkward to use piece of equipment and something I would not have purchased if I would have known.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Excellent product for taking panoramic photos.
Makes levelling of your camera on a panohead very easy and simple in seconds.
Good Solid product from Manfrotto.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

The adjustment wheels are stiffer than a corpse. And the overall adjustment range is tiny. So do most of the level work with the tripod legs which means you really need another bubble/level and make the fine adjustment with this. Oh, and it's heavier than Donald Trump's wallet.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

This base is heavy duty. Perhaps, overly heavy. It's also large enough to show up along the bottom of panoramic images when using a 180° fisheye lens. Adjustment screws are very rigid and take quite a bit of effort until usage loosens them up.

Base is good for leveling large, heavy equipment.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

Couldn't do QTVR photography without it. Set your tripod base somewhat level and just dial the rest in with the Leveling Base. Nice big bubble assures a perfect level. Heavy-duty construction, durable but delicate enough to make super-fine adjustments.

Comments about Manfrotto 338 QTVR Leveling Base:

The leveling base allows easier camera leveling when used with a hot shoe bubble.The base is however hard to level due to the screws being to tight. This may be due to newness however and may change with use. Base is heavy duty and adds a reasonably extra weight to the total tripod with a ball head