Digital Levels vs Traditional Leveling in Surveying: Why Are Most Surveyors Turning Away from Traditional Levelling Methods?

The evolution of surveying equipment has made it a lot easier for professional surveys to get accurate readings. One of the main points that has gotten better over the years is the ability to very precisely determine the height between two points, and we owe it all to advanced leveling systems. There are various ways to level the surface, but the top runner these days has to be using digital levels. It has made some of the traditional methods obsolete, and when compared to some of them, it is miles better. 

Besides being able to help you accurately level everything, it can save you time, money, effort, and even allow you to safely store the data you’ve collected. But let's compare digital levels vs traditional levelling methods in surveying and show you exactly how these tools perform.

What Is a Digital Level?

A digital level is a standard high-tech tool used by surveyors to measure ground height, elevation, and slopes in degrees. You will typically see them including a digital display that allows the user to see angle or slope readings in real-time. These are much more advanced compared to some old-fashioned tools, which relied on a person looking through a telescope. Instead, digital levels use a small camera and a barcode staff that helps it create accurate readings.

This tool is capable of providing automatic height calculations, where it measures the difference between two points, measures an angle or slope, and keeps your structure level and plumb, even determining the height of a structure. Digital levels can perform a number of automatic calculations in real time in the field, which include determining the pitch, angles or inclination, and vertical lines.

Digital levels are usually mounted on a tripod base, which allows easier control and use, and can rotate 360 degrees, allowing the user to measure the entire span of a land. All the gathered calculations and data are safely stored in the device’s internal memory, allowing you to access them later on and analyse everything.

Best Digital Levels

Check out some of the best digital levels available.

How Does a Digital Level Work?

In order to precisely measure height and elevation, a digital level uses a camera and a special measuring rod called a barcode staff. The staff has black and white lines, similar to that you may find on barcodes. The user aims the level at the staff and takes a picture of it, while the software is there to determine the height based on the barcode lines.

Being that this process is done automatically, it helps to avoid any human errors that happened in the past, usually when people took notes and numbers by hand. Not to mention that a digital level works much faster and stores all the captured data that you can access later on whenever you wish. 

The accuracy of digital levels compared to all other traditional methods is incomparable. They are capable of measuring the distance in height at 0.3 millimeters over a distance of 1 kilometer. For comparison, older types of tools usually had an error of 2 to 3 millimeters over the same distance. As you will deduce by yourself, this makes an enormous difference when creating strong structures and laying foundations.

Advantages of Digital Levellers

By now, you can already assume that digital levels are advanced tools that certain traditional levels can’t measure to. They are modern pieces of tech that have been created for a reason, as they can offer the best possible results. While accuracy is their biggest advantage, there are more that come to mind and could certainly make a difference, especially to a professional surveyor.

Accuracy and Precision

Precision and accuracy are some of the most important things that surveyors are looking for in their tools. A digital level provides unparalleled accuracy compared to other traditional leveling methods. Those older methods usually relied on the user’s eye to determine the position of the crosshairs on the staff. 

Digital staffs eliminate any potential errors that humans may cause by providing a digital readout that is not affected by the observer's position. The advanced tech ensures that all the measurements taken are reliable and consistent. 

Data Integration and Management

Data integration capabilities come in very handy when you are in the field. Being able to connect to other surveying equipment and transferring data is an important asset of these types of tools. There is no need to write down anything by hand and you can safely store all the gathered pieces of information, allowing you to analyze them at your time later on.

These options become even more helpful when you are working on a large-scale project where data is being gathered and analyzed from all over. You can simply upload all the gathered data into a surveying software, allowing you to save time and reduce any potential errors that could happen when doing everything by hand.

Ease of Use

Modern levelling instruments are much easier to use compared to old-fashioned, traditional ones. With a traditional staff, the user was required to align the crosshairs with the levelling instrument’s line of sight manually. This process was very time-consuming and required you to have a steady hand to implement everything properly. 

The greatest advantage of a digital level is that it automates this entire process, reducing the time needed to do all of that to mere minutes. What is important here is to understand that this not only reduces time, but it also rescues the skill required to operate this tool. That way, less experienced personnel in your team will also be able to perform this process without you having to worry about potential errors.

More Features and Customization

Modern digital levelling staff come with a lot of added features. These can also be customized ot meet the user’s preferences. Some of the possible features that these devices could have include a built-in GPS for real-time location tracking, integrated cameras, or even barometric sensors for altitude measurement. 

Some staffs even have customizable settings and also come with various connectivity options and data display formats, allowing for a more tailored experience based on every operator’s preference.

Durability and Longevity

Digital levelling devices are not your average tools and are built for longevity. They can withstand harsh weather conditions and still be capable of providing accurate results. They are usually made out of materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber, making them much more resistant to wear and tear, moisture, and temperature variations. Of course, durability easily translates to cost savings in the long run as you will require far fewer replacements than you would with older types.

Differences Between Digital Levellers and Auto Levellers

Besides digital levels, another advanced and very popular type of levelling equipment is an auto leveller. An auto level is also known as a self-leveling laser because it is a tool that uses a beam to project a level line onto a surface. It is usually mounted on a base that automatically adjusts the angle of the beam, ensuring that it stays level all the time. 

Compared to auto levels, digital levels are capable of measuring angles and slopes in degrees, whereas auto levels can only project a level line. More so, digital levels are much more versatile and an ba applicable in a variety of different tasks. While the situation with auto levels is that athey re mostly useful for tasks that require a precise level line. 

Here is a breakdown of the advantages of digital levels compared to auto levels.

Which Factors to Consider When Choosing a Digital Level?

As is the case with almost any piece of surveying equipment, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider, and there’s no particular difference when choosing a digital level tool. Even though most of them are accurate and rugged enough for almost any type of job that you can think of, here are some additional factors that you will need to consider before you pick the right tool for the job.

• Accuracy: You simply have to start with accuracy. Even though all digital levels provide high precision, it can still vary by model. If a difference of a few tenths of a millimeter is something that is important for your job, then pick the one with the highest accuracy.

• Measuring Range: Electronic measuring ranges usually go between 1.5 m and 100 m, with some variations. Take this into account when picking your own device.

• Storage: Usually, levels can store between a couple of thousand to 30,000 reference points. Also, be sure to determine USB and SD card compatibility depending on how you want to transfer the gathered data.

• Digital Display: Almost all digital levels possess a backlit LCD screen on the side or on the top. It allows a surveyor to read the measurements even under low-light conditions. They usually display staff reading, the horizontal distance to staff, and battery power, but you can still check what the device displays before you make a purchase.

• Battery Life: Digital levels are usually powered by a single-use alkaline or rechargeable battery. Depending on how long you plan to work for, you can determine which type of battery setup is most suitable for you.

How to Set Up and Use a Digital Level?

To get you started and help you use a digital level the right way, we are going to explain how to properly set it. This will eliminate any inconveniences that you might experience while surveying and allow you to get started easily. 

1. Mount the Level on a Tripod - Place the digital level on a tripod and make sure that everything is steady and balanced. 

2. Level the Instrument - Make use of the built-in instruments to level the device flat. You can do so with the help of leveling screws or a bubble tool.

3. Turn on and Set Preferences - Get the device started and pick your preferences, like meters or feet. 

4. Place the Staff - Place the barcode staff at the point you are plan on measuring. Be sure that it stands straight and that it does not move.

5. Take the Measurements - Look through the telescope and aim it at the staff. Press the button to take the readings. The measurements will be displayed on the screen.

6. Save or Move the Data - You can save the collected data directly to a computer. Use a cable or do it wirelessly.

Challenges in Using Digital Levels

Besides offering a lot of help to surveyors, there are a few parts that are not as convenient as you would think. For instance, digital levels cost more, widely more than optical levels. Not only that, but they need considerably more maintenance. You need to clean them regularly, check for damage, and adjust them from time to time so they stay accurate.

They also need power as they run on batteries, which means that you always have to carry a spare battery, a charger, or make sure that they are properly charged before you venture onto the field. Inexperienced personnel still need training to operate them. Even though, thanks to certain features and specifications, you don’t need as much of it, you still have to make sure that you know how to operate the device to get the right results.

Finally, they need regular calibration. If you want your digital level to stay accurate, you are going to want to check and adjust it from time to time. As you can see, this is something that could take up a great portion of your time if you own a digital level, but it still pays off due to the accuracy and ease of use it provides you with.

Types of Levels used in Surveying

Besides the mentioned digital levels and auto levels, there is a plethora of other types of levels that surveyors have access to. Some of them are a bit old-fashioned, but could still be used, while others are modern and advanced. In any case, depending on the job at hand, any of them could be used for a specific type of survey.

Here are the most common types of levels used in surveying:

• The Dumpy Level: One of the most commonly used instruments for leveling operations. It consists of a simple telescope fixed on a support, which cannot be removed from it and neither can it rotate around its axis. Nevertheless, the design makes it incredibly stable. It does not have a lot of moving parts and is very simple to use, but it does require a clear line of sight and can be sensitive to various atmospheric conditions.

• The Wye Level: This one possesses a dual-telescope setup and is a bit less known in the surveying industry. Compared to the Dumpy Level, the only major difference is that it is supported by two Y-shaped uprights. It allows users to remove the telescope and even rotate it around its longitudinal axis. Being that the telescope is not permanently fixed, it allows the user to rotate and remove the telescope, accounting for quick changes. Unfortunately, with more movable parts, it is susceptible to wear over time and is generally less durable compared to the Dumpy Level.

• The Reversible Level: The Reversible Level actually combines the main features of both the Dumpy Level and the Wye Level. It includes a telescope, similar to the one used by the Wye Level, supported by two rigid sockets. You can insert the telescope into the sockets and screwing it securely, allowing you to reverse it. The reversed level then functions the same as the Dumpy Level, offering both stability and precision. Unfortunately, the mechanism is very complex to handle by most and the entire setup costs more compared to simpler levels.

• The Tilting Level: This is a specialized surveying instrument that allows you to tilt it slightly in a vertical plane for additional fine adjustments. It basically works as a modified version of a Dumpy Level, offering enhanced efficiency. This one is a bit more time-efficient as you only require certain rough leveling to set the device. However, it does require careful centering on the bubble and is far more inconvenient compared to an automatic level. 

• Hand Level: Also known as a Sight Level, this is a portable instrument mainly used for rough levelling and for making quick estimations. It consists of a crosshair and a spirit level, making it not suitable for high-precision work. It works really well for preliminary surveys, but can’t get you further than the basics.

FAQs

Check out these questions for additional info. 

What are the advantages of digital level surveying?

Digital level surveying offers higher accuracy, faster data collection, and reduced human error compared to traditional methods, as readings are automatically captured using a barcode staff and stored digitally. This eliminates manual note-taking and misreading of graduations, improves consistency between operators, and enables seamless data transfer to office software, making digital levels ideal for precision leveling, deformation monitoring, and large infrastructure projects where efficiency and reliability are critical.

What is the difference between digital level and automatic level?

The main difference between a digital level and an automatic level lies in how measurements are taken and recorded: an automatic level relies on the surveyor to visually read the staff and manually record values, while a digital level automatically reads a coded staff and stores height data electronically. Digital levels provide greater accuracy, faster workflows, and built-in error checking, whereas automatic levels are simpler, more affordable, and still commonly used for basic construction and short-range leveling tasks.

What are the three methods of leveling?

The three primary methods of leveling in surveying are differential leveling, trigonometric leveling, and barometric leveling, each suited to different accuracy requirements and terrain conditions. Differential leveling, commonly performed with digital or automatic levels, delivers the highest accuracy for engineering and geodetic work, while trigonometric leveling uses angular and distance measurements for longer ranges, and barometric leveling offers rough elevation estimates where precision is less critical.

Are digital levels any good?

Yes, digital levels are highly effective and widely trusted in modern surveying due to their precision, reliability, and efficiency, especially in projects that demand repeatable results and tight tolerances. While the initial investment is higher than traditional optical levels, most surveyors find that reduced field time, fewer errors, and improved data handling quickly justify the cost, which is why digital levels are increasingly preferred for professional and large-scale surveying applications.