Is anyone else having trouble holding their D800 level? I've been a Nikon shooter for the past 20 years and have never had a problem holding a camera level. For some reason, I'm guessing it's the new grip design, the majority of my shots are coming out crooked. Everything is falling to the left! My right hand wants to be a little too high with this camera.

Anyone else experience something like this? Maybe I need to stick with tripod shooting.

No more so than my D700 - I too liked the grip of the D700 better, but just about everything else the D800 wins.

What I use a lot are the grid lines and the level indicators in the viewfinder. These have helped to straighten my images out quite a bit.

Never had a problem keeping my D800 level.
You get what you see through the ViewFinder.

As John mentioned, I would turn on the gridlines, that should help you. I pretty much only use mine on a tripod and then use the gridlines to compose with, so I can't say that I have the same issue as you, but if I did, I would just use the gridlines until I got used to the difference.

Jim

Your getting older. ) I agree not a fan of the grip. The previous line felt better. I love the 5d mk III grip I wish Nikon would make it more like it.

I assigned the Virtual Horizon tool to the camera's Depth of Field button. Easy to turn on when needed.

I have the same problem with a D200/300/700 and not with a D2h so I think there is something in the design that makes you think the camera is horizontal, but it isn't. And indeed you can see it in the viewfinder, but it is strange that in p&s shots the angel is always the same.

for me it's an average ~2 deg droop rt side down an pretty much all the cameras I have used handheld.

I had the same problem for about a month after buying my D800. Really couldn't figure it out and I've been shooting professionally for 35 years!

I turned on the gridlines and virtual horizon and paid close attention to them for awhile. Seem to be OK now.

I've had the problem with my D300 since day one. The "droop" depends on which eye I am using through the viewfinder. If I have both eyes open, there is a definite mismatch in level between looking thorugh the VF and not.

Gridlines are your friend. Sometimes they're tough to see though (like with dark trees). I wish I had a level indicator built in...

I've been using the built in horizon.... And no complaints here.