Helmert transformation is done using the +towgs84
value in the proj definition, and ntv2 requires to specify the .gsb
transformation file (except for NAD27). If your data comes with a less accurate CRS transformation definition, you have to assign (and not reproject with Save As ...
) a user CRS to it.
Any CRS using NAD83 should not have any offsets, as this geodetic CRS uses the same ellipsoid and datum as WGS84 (unless you are using the NA2011 or similar methods which are not yet supported in QGIS).
For NAD27, the ntv2 adjustment is built-in in GDAL and QGIS.
For OSGB 36, you have to create a custom CRS. A ntv2 grid file can be downloaded from Ordnance Surveys website See also the questions here:
Raster incorrectly reprojected to OSGB(27700)
How to reproject a raster file in QGIS with datum transformation?
I had no problem doing that in QGIS 1.8.0 Lisboa, without using the transformation tool plugin at all.
If you encounter problems in QGIS 2.0, you could reproject your data in QGIS 1.8.0 to another CRS like UTM based on WGS84, and work with that in QGIS 2.0.
The first (WGS 1984 UTM 33 North) has map units of meters, while the second has decimal degrees. If you're talking about a two-dimensional display, the WGS 1984 (decimal degree) data is often displayed using a "pseudo-Plate Carrée" projection. That is, the decimal degrees are treated as if they're linear units and the features are just displayed. A standard Plate Carrée projection would convert the degrees to radians and then multiply by the semimajor axis or radius of the geographic coordinate reference system.
Depending on software and whether data is in a projected or geographic coordinate reference system, there may be different functions available. For instance, in ArcMap, the Measure Tool can provide planar (projected) or geodesic-based distances if the data frame (map) coordinate reference system is projected.
Best Answer
Geographic Coordinate Systems:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_are_geographic_coordinate_systems/003r00000006000000/
Projected Coordinate Systems:
http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_are_projected_coordinate_systems/003r0000000p000000/