Level Horizons (Page 2): Thanks for the reminder. When one works in RAW too much, we sometimes forget what happens with JPEG in certain situations.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

SS319 wrote:

Because the picture was already in the JPEG format when he chose to level it. Any adjustment that moves or combines pixels in a JPEG will severely reduce resolution. If JPEG is your thing, then more of your photography must be done in front and behind the camera, while if you record the RAW image, you can adjust the image without reducing the resolution nearly as much and thus you can just record the incident light upon the sensor in your camera.

Thanks for the reminder. When one works in RAW too much, we sometimes forget what happens with JPEG in certain situations.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

wdross wrote:

Is your PP software saving the image correctly? With most of the software that I am using there is not much resolution lost just straightening the picture 1 or 2 degrees.

Indeed I find no loss in such a correction, and I quite often need the transform/skew tool (apparently assigned a less offensive name in more recent versions of software. The only time I have any loss of imagequality is in the straightening of an image (such as a building) taken from the ground; in such cases there may be a bit more noise in the upper portions of the image.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

mflowe wrote:

I'm confused. Which is my normal state. Why would leveling your horizon reduce resolution?

Me too! I've often straightened pics and seen an apparent loss in detail - but after a minute or two, once the software has sorted everything out it pops back to near original size.
Electronic level and spirit bubbles are pointless shooting by hand, but very good if using a tripod.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

wdross wrote:

Thanks for the reminder. When one works in RAW too much, we sometimes forget what happens with JPEG in certain situations.

Or by people using JPEGs that don't really know what they are doing. I shoot Raw, but I sometimes find JPEGs on the WEB that I like and decide to use them for some project. Or I find I have to rework from one of my own old JPEGs. I do not really see that I am loosing much during each edit if anything noticeable at all. Sure, if you put scores of layers or edits on it. And those published or posted images are not full resolution images right out of someones camera. Seems to me that those having problems are not using Photoshop or Lightroom correctly. Sorry if I'm being severe, but so many people blame their tools.

catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway

Convert your image to a "smart object" if you plan on leveling and you will not affect or loose resolution. If you don't do this then every change in position or size will negatively affect sharpness.

SS319 wrote:

Because the picture was already in the JPEG format when he chose to level it. Any adjustment that moves or combines pixels in a JPEG will severely reduce resolution. If JPEG is your thing, then more of your photography must be done in front and behind the camera, while if you record the RAW image, you can adjust the image without reducing the resolution nearly as much and thus you can just record the incident light upon the sensor in your camera.

MMC Loc: Brooklyn NY

You can buy it much chipper.http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-Axis-Hot-Shoe-Bubble-Spirit-Level-for-Canon-Nikon-Olympus-DSLR-Camera-Tripod-/181349600175?hash=item2a39474baf:m:m5m8OB6zlxXRbOczyGnMVIg

rgrenaderphoto wrote:

Get yourself an inexpensive spirit level that clips onto your camera's hot shoe

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876%2C%7Bcreative%7D%2C%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=CjwKEAjwr_rIBRDJzq-Z-LC_2HgSJADoL57Hy-BynNK_dKzP2i2jpQfWlVzjbEK6JFjYX800NjeDQhoCnaHw_wcB&is=REG&m=Y&sku=780406

And, consider an "L" plate for your camera. Brings focal plane when in vertical mode in line with the tripod's center of gravity.

leftj Loc: Texas

mflowe wrote:

I'm confused. Which is my normal state. Why would leveling your horizon reduce resolution?

I find that hard to understand as well. I've leveled many shots in pp (none were horizons) and did not notice any reduction in resolution.

leftj Loc: Texas

canon Lee wrote:

If you shoot in JPEG and make any edits you will re-compress the file each time you save, and lose definition. If you shoot in RAW you will not! Shoot RAW and edit in LR. Problem solved.
Hope this doesn't turn into another belabored JPEG vs RAW discussion.

OK, I'll bite. Why does it have to be LR?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

johneccles wrote:

I am on holiday in Brittany where there are lots o... (show quote)

NO horizon is level!

aellman Loc: Boston MA

johneccles wrote:

I am on holiday in Brittany where there are lots o... (show quote)

Leveling the horizon should not affect the resolution at all. Something else in your leveling program is set wrong.
BTW, there are various small bubble level gadgets that clip onto the flash shoe. >Alan

pithydoug Loc: Catskill Mountains, NY

johneccles wrote:

I am on holiday in Brittany where there are lots o... (show quote)

What tool are you using to level? 1-2 degrees is nothing for correction and definitely nothing to affect resolution. I use LR and hardly ever concern myself with degree of level(within reason) hand held. Heck I don't even bother when using a tripod. There must be some other factor. BTW i primarily shoot seascapes.

catchlight.. Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway

Wrong...if you do not edit for level as a "smart object" you loose detail and sharpness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u99Ryu1lKwg

aellman wrote:

Leveling the horizon should not affect the resolution at all. Something else in your leveling program is set wrong.
BTW, there are various small bubble level gadgets that clip onto the flash shoe. >Alan

MtnMan Loc: ID

catchlight.. wrote:

Wrong...if you do not edit for level as a "smart object" you loose detail and sharpness.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u99Ryu1lKwg

Great link. Thanks for sharing. Love Phlearn!

I guess this indirectly answers the question on "why Lightroom". Since Lightroom never affects the original image it appears to have the same effect as using a smart object in Photoshop. But it does it automatically always.

That is why I never saw the loss of resolution that started this thread. I thought the OP meant something other than actual resolution.

I am still surprised a little leveling would have a noticable effect. Could someone post an example?

GregWCIL Loc: Illinois

I think there is some confusion here: When you straighten a photo, it isn't like you are re-arranging all the little pixels so they run level and straight up and down again. You are simply cropping the photo. Doesn't change resolution at all.

DELTA777

You didn't say what kind of digital camera you have because you might have a camera with a level in the view finder and not turned on.