Tip one: get the plastic peel on, peel off LCD protector (like the one that originally covered the LCD) and draw a grid on it..

Tip two: Get a tripod with a spirit level built into the tripod head..

Tip three: Get a two-way spirit level from Manfrotto, designed to sit in a camera's hot shoe. If you don't have a hot shoe, stick it on the top of the camera with double sided tape.You name it, I've broken it...

Tip four: Fix it in Photoshop!You name it, I've broken it...

I have the same problem, which is one of the reasons why I avoid shooting jpgs. Though, the amount of loss on a single editing jpg save is SO small as to be irrelevant. so I think compression loss is minor, and some sotware rotates better than others..

I have software that handles this rotation quickly and easily. And as near as I can tell, image degradation is well within my tolerances, at least..

Besides, I find the minor loss due to rotation and compression much less a distraction than a goofy horizon line!Never trust a man who spells the word 'cheese' with a 'z'..

Turn on the LCD or EVF grid and align it.Fuji Film S9100 (Arriving Soon)..

See subject..

Or find something to brace against, and again preferably use a spirit level or grid screen (some EVF cameras may be able to add gridlines haven't checked regarding yours)...

I think the "electronic" shutter releases switches versus the more electro-mechanical buttons of the past allow you to push past the switch point and continue to move the camera. Be that as it may, since you notice yourself doing it, it means you (me too!) need to concentrate during the framing process..

The levels help on a tripod but looking helps as well...

Find a retangular grid such as a brick. Practise bring the camera up to your eye with everthing square. Once you think you have it bring it to your eye and take a picture, review your results and keep doing that until it is natural..

Probably when you're looking through the finder you're concentrating on the central subject rather than taking in the whole frame - target fixation...

Well, if it's just a push of a button to change screen modes, use the histogram screen and when everything is set, change to the grid screen. Or learn to keep the horizon level. You can use the edge of the veiwfinder frame to eyeball it. You may just not be concentrating on it when you take the shot and then you don't notice it till after you see the photo on your computer. That's usually why I sometimes get crooked horizons. I simply forget to concentrate on it...

Daffy2 wrote:.

Hi,.

Looking at my photos, I simply seem to be unable to take photoswhich have a straight, properly aligned horizon..

All of the replies so far are good suggestions, but I suspect Craig may be onto the actual problem. Do you find that after carefully framing the image when composing in the viewfinder that the tilt of the captured photos tend to be consistently down towards the right? That's a pretty common problem..

Once you're ready to push the shutter button, remain conscious of the original framing. Press the shutter button slowly and carefully. It's easy to get caught up in the moment and "jab" that shutter release button down which, especially with a small sized camera, can tilt the camera towards the right in between the time you begin pressing the button and the shutter release occurs..

It's a lot like firing a gun or hitting a golf ball. You need to remain mindful of your follow through..

'Here, look at the monkey. Look at the silly monkey!'.

Tom Younghttp://www.pbase.com/tyoung/..

I think most people (if not everyone) holds their heads at a slight angle but your brain corrects the image. As I am writing this I am watching the news and the anchor constantly has his right eye lower then his left. When you lift the camera to your eye you naturally hold it at the same angle as your head, and do not notice because you are used to seeing everything that way...

Therussmeister wrote:.

I think most people (if not everyone) holds their heads at a slightangle but your brain corrects the image. As I am writing this I amwatching the news and the anchor constantly has his right eye lowerthen his left. When you lift the camera to your eye you naturallyhold it at the same angle as your head, and do not notice becauseyou are used to seeing everything that way..

I think this is part of the reason, it makes sense to me. Graig's explanation (the shutter button actually travelling further in, past the "shooting" positioon) is probably related to the tilt effect, too..

I'd also add a third element, shutter lag in affected digicams. It's all too easy to relax and consider the job done once the shutter was pressed, but if there is a significant lag - and a concious effort is not made to avoid it - one may end up moving the camera before (or worse.. during) the capture, resulting in tilted horizons and/or blurred photos..

Best regards,.

Bruno Lobo..

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Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..

Brunobl wrote:.

I'd also add a third element, shutter lag in affected digicams.It's all too easy to relax and consider the job done once theshutter was pressed, but if there is a significant lag - and aconcious effort is not made to avoid it - one may end up moving thecamera before (or worse.. during) the capture, resulting in tiltedhorizons and/or blurred photos..

The Fuji F20 has (for me) no perceptible shuttler lag. Even if it had shutter lag, I almost always use the F20 at it's widest end, where I don't think shutter lag would add much..

Now, the Panasonic FZ5 can be a different story, definitely at wide end, although I do not perceive it to have any shutter lag either...

Therussmeister wrote:.

I think most people (if not everyone) holds their heads at a slightangle but your brain corrects the image. As I am writing this I amwatching the news and the anchor constantly has his right eye lowerthen his left. When you lift the camera to your eye you naturallyhold it at the same angle as your head, and do not notice becauseyou are used to seeing everything that way..

Interesting!.

A quick, informal sampling of last week's set of photos seems to indicate that the vast majority of the misaligned shots were "left down" (while the button is pressed on the *right*, possibly even compensating for the left-down)..

Of course some exposures are tilted to the right, but these seem to have been made under time pressure, in haste...

Tyoung wrote:.

Once you're ready to push the shutter button, remain conscious ofthe original framing. Press the shutter button slowly andcarefully..

... in particular given the low weight of the cameras I use (Fuji F20, Panasonic FZ5) - something that I am complete and utterly grateful for, by the way .

It's easy to get caught up in the moment and "jab" thatshutter release button down.

Agreed. Been there, done that, quite a bit, almost always under time pressure. ..

Acsmith wrote:.

Probably when you're looking through the finder you'reconcentrating on the central subject rather than taking in thewhole frame - target fixation..

This makes a lot of sense. Recalling the way I shot last week, it seems as if all those shots where I had "natural" vertical / horizontal lines around to concentrate on, the outcoming was nicely levelled..

But it seems to be much harder for "just some object", particularly with the LCDs / EVFs of today's compact digital cameras...

Leejay Wu wrote:.

[...] use aspirit level or grid screen (some EVF cameras may be able to addgridlines haven't checked regarding yours)..

Spirit level - thought about this, but have not really found one that I would want to use. I also do not have a flash hot shoe to put it onto, soo ... I'd really love to find a spirit level which is flat and extends across the back of the camera - I'd simply glue it onto the film that protects the LCD from scratches..

The grid lines are available on both of my "consumer" cameras - it's just that I prefer to use a different mode (with histogram and friends) on the FZ5 and on the F20, I cannot seem to get myself to like them (only has LCD, low contrasty, rather distracting). Talk about rock vs hard place. ..

Glen Barrington wrote:.

Besides, I find the minor loss due to rotation and compression muchless a distraction than a goofy horizon line!.

Full agreement!..

Instead of Photoshop, I'd rather Lightroom..

The crop/rotate tool performs rather nicely!..

Daffy2 wrote:.

A quick, informal sampling of last week's set of photos seems toindicate that the vast majority of the misaligned shots were "leftdown" (while the button is pressed on the *right*, possibly evencompensating for the left-down)..

In that case, I think you have fallen prey to the most common cause of tilting horizons: the too hard and/or to fast shutter button press. It makes perfect sense that the pictures are left-down if you tilt the camera right-down by pressing too hard on the shutter button or jabbing it. Let me illustrate:.

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On the left, the camera is level and the horizon is level too. On the right, the camera leans to the right, making the horizon tilt to the left..

As others have mentioned, try to press the shutter button slowly and smoothly. Also, the advice to follow through is good. Make a concious effort to hold the camera level for a second or two after the picture is taken before you take the camera down..

Ragnar..

Rajraj wrote:.

It makes perfect sense that the pictures are left-down ifyou tilt the camera right-down by pressing too hard on the shutterbutton or jabbing it..

I am sorry, Ragnar, but I cannot follow you here. My pictures have a horizon that is left down, i.e..

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(obviously not as extreme as depicted ).

As far as I can tell, this would only be consistent with the shutter being located on the left-hand-side of the camera?..

Daffy2 wrote:.

Rajraj wrote:.

It makes perfect sense that the pictures are left-down ifyou tilt the camera right-down by pressing too hard on the shutterbutton or jabbing it..

I am sorry, Ragnar, but I cannot follow you here. My pictures havea horizon that is left down, i.e..

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(obviously not as extreme as depicted ).

As far as I can tell, this would only be consistent with theshutter being located on the left-hand-side of the camera?.

If you compare your picture with mine (the right one) you'll see that they are the same, only mine shows the camera leaning to the right. If you rotate the camera in one direction, the picture it sees is rotated in the opposite direction. So left-leaning horizon = right-leaning camera. You'd have to rotate your picture to the right to get the horizon in it level and that shows that the camera was leaning right when it was taken..

Ragnar..

I'll try to make it easier to visualize. If you point the camera up, as you would to include more sky, the horizon gets lower in the viewfinder and the resulting picture. If you point the camera down, to include more of the foreground, the horizon as seen in the viewfinder will move up. Now think about what happens if only the right end of the camera moves down (ie. the camera rotates to the right). The right end of the horizon will move up and the result will be a horizon that is lower on the left side than on the right..

Hope this makes sense .

Ragnar..

Daffy2 wrote:.

Brunobl wrote:.

I'd also add a third element, shutter lag in affected digicams.It's all too easy to relax and consider the job done once theshutter was pressed, but if there is a significant lag - and aconcious effort is not made to avoid it - one may end up moving thecamera before (or worse.. during) the capture, resulting in tiltedhorizons and/or blurred photos..

The Fuji F20 has (for me) no perceptible shuttler lag. Even if ithad shutter lag, I almost always use the F20 at it's widest end,where I don't think shutter lag would add much..

Now, the Panasonic FZ5 can be a different story, definitely at wideend, although I do not perceive it to have any shutter lag either..

So now you know what doesn't contribute to horizon tilt in your particular case..

By mentioning the shutter lag issue, I meant to add another contributing factor to the tilt problem in principle, not to your specific case. Note that I had taken the care to add the "in affected cameras" disclaimer in that post (you quoted it), so there would be no confusion about it..

That was why I didn't reply to your OP, but to one that mentioned a possible cause for the tilt. I had a general digicam in mind, amogst those with a significant lag time..

Here is the theory:-User frames the subject;-User activates the shutter button;-Digicam emits the classic "shutter" sound and user thinks it's done;-User relaxes and starts to move the camera;-Camera finally takes the picture..

Of course none of this applies to you if you have negigible shutter lag..

Even if ithad shutter lag, I almost always use the F20 at it's widest end,where I don't think shutter lag would add much..

I don't think this is correct..

Camera blur, being a movement, is amplified by longer FLs and reduced by shorter ones. Camera tilt, OTOH, being simply an angle to the horizon, will be the same whatever the FL used, except for localized pincushion/barrel distortions at extreme wide/long settings if your lens will go thet far. But the tilt angle is the tilt angle, whatever the FL..

Best regards,.

Bruno Lobo..

Http://www.pbase.com/brunobl..

I have the same problem and call it sparrow head (sparrows always are tilting their heads to one side or the other)..

What I do is line up the bottom of my viewfinder with the horizon and then carefully lower the aim down to frame the picture how I want. I doubt you will be able to find a grid that will work on those two cameras (unless you could find an eyepiece one or a sticker for the LCD), but you already have a very straight line to level things the bottom of the viewfinder..

Anyway...works for me, it's free, and doesn't require any post-processing (which I avoid at all costs even though I have a DSLR). FYI, my two cameras are a Panasonic FZ1v2 and an Olympus E-500 2-lens kit..

Chris.

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Brunobl wrote:.

By mentioning the shutter lag issue, I meant to add anothercontributing factor to the tilt problem in principle, not to yourspecific case. Note that I had taken the care to add the "inaffected cameras" disclaimer in that post (you quoted it), so therewould be no confusion about it..

Bruno, many thanks for clearing this up and my apologies for my intial misunderstanding .

Incidentally, I regularly experience a peculiar, self-inflicted form of shutter lag: shooting bracketed (hand-held). Whenever I do this, my exposures very consistently "move" up / right, something that I gather is extremely common, and which I already try to compensate for...

Rajraj wrote:.

If you rotate the camera in one direction, the picture itsees is rotated in the opposite direction. So left-leaning horizon= right-leaning camera. You'd have to rotate your picture to theright to get the horizon in it level and that shows that the camerawas leaning right when it was taken..

I am beginning to see the light .

What helped on top was a little controlled experiment where I deliberately "hammered" the shutter button. Net effect: My problem from real life scenarios reproduced just fine..

Now for the curious thing: I tried this with my Panasonic FZ5 and I literally feel why this can happen. The Fuji F20 remains "stable", an old, heavy analog SLR (Nikon F801), no feelings to that effect, either..

It seems as if I need to change the way I hold and operate the FZ5 - an interesting revelation, from my very subjective point of view .

Many thanks!..