DSLR Slider

• 69 Comments

•

Ok, I have to keep adding 'Roller bearing' to the description of this DSLR slider. Everyone keeps throwing in names like Igus and GlideTrack, but it's not the same. Those guys don't use actual 'Roller bearings'. I know all about the Igus based sliders, and you can find my version on this blog. My current fixation is about this particular 'Rolling Bearing' slider. If you've ever tried an actual roller bearing slider, you might not go back. The problem is that even the cheapest Roller bearing slider will run you close to $500 bucks. This is why I was excited to see something a lot cheaper show up online.

budget-slider (1 of 5)budget-slider (4 of 5)

So here it is, and what do you need to know? For starters, it's a great deal. Even after posting this slider up, I haven't seen anything else that can come close to this as far as features, build quality, and price. I'm sure i'm going to start getting some 'I made mine for this price...' comments, but unless you're selling it, i'm not considering it as a readily available option.

This slider has a solid rail, no flex. It has 1/4x20 & 3/8" threaded tripod mounts in the center, and on each end. It also has 1/4 x 20 & 3/8" threaded mounts on the sides for 'vertical' mounting. It comes with adjustable legs/feet that can be removed. There's also padded platforms that allow it to be used directly on any surface without worry of scratching or marking the area. There's a brake to lock down the carrier when it's not in use. It also comes with a very slick looking quality travel bag. The Slider moves very fluid with zero lash and can be adjusted if need be. It's also very lightweight, but feels like it can slide even heavier cameras than a DSLR.

budget-slider (2 of 5)budget-slider (3 of 5)

There is one thing to note. The platform is designed only for a 3/8" mount. This means you need a fluid head or some type of camera mount. You can't mount the camera directly to the platform. Not a deal breaker since most sliders require this anyway. The unit slides so easily, it would work perfectly for motion timelapse rigs. Any small motor can easily pull a heavy camera through it's entire rail. Overall it's more than I expected for the price. The first actual 'roller bearing' slider to break this price point, and here it is.

So another great cost saving product first introduced here on Cheesycam.com. If you want to show some support for what I do, hook a brotha up and link back to this article!

camera-slider
find-price-button Konova DSLR Video Camera Slider

Konova Slider - via Amazon
Konova-Slider
find-price-button KONOVA K Slider 3080 NA-8

• 5 Comments

•

You post a few DIY sliders on here and it opens up a whole can of worms. I've received lots of DIY slider ideas, but if it's too similar to what we've seen before, then i'm not going to get too redundant showing it again. Here of course is another DIY slider version with great results and all based on a platform of furniture sliders. Yeah same little low friction smooth plastic stuff you place under your chairs and table legs. The key to this design is the very wide rail that is used to support the width of the fluid head and wide platform. Lots of area for stabilizing movement. [Thanks SkaliTV]

furniture-sliders
find-price-button 2-1/2-Inch Self-Stick Square Super Sliders

• 28 Comments

•

Good News. Bad News. Good News. First Good news, the budget camera slider is back online found here: Konova video Camera DSLR Slider

Bad News (well not really bad), this is a Pre-Order listing for the next batch. According to the details, it won't ship until the end of the month. How many will be counted for in this next batch? Who knows, but the first listing was taken down in the same day of my last post. Other good news is that it's come back online for the most recent price we saw it at. Now I know several people missed out on the auction listing and are getting eager about this camera slider and going to buy direct from manufacturer. You could throw some money down, but those are still pre-orders with nothing in stock to ship out. If you want to make sure you're playing it safe on a purchase, eBay is the way to go - Paypal has got you covered. Hopefully a few of them will start coming in from previous shipments so we can get a review online, but here's the new listing if you're already convinced.

camera-slider
find-price-button Konova video Camera DSLR Slider

• 7 Comments

•

camera-slider

I hate to say 'I told ya so', but....'I told ya so'. The little slider with big features that I just posted about last night is currently off the grid. Here's the original article if you've missed it: http://cheesycam.com/sliding-back-into-market-camera-slider/.

From what I could tell, there was more than 35 sliders sold at that pretty awesome price in less than a day. Hopefully it's just that the original inventory is wiped out. (Not uncommon for popular items posted through this blog) We'll just have to wait and see when this thing resurfaces and hopefully the prices will still be affordable....

I'm hoping shipping doesn't take the slow boat so I can take it for a test drive and show you guys what it's made of. If anyone gets one before me, we're all dying to see some results.

• 8 Comments

•

Here's one of my favorite DIY videos that was actually shot over 2 years ago by Vimeo member Edwin Bont. I've been wanting to tackle this project myself, but am always getting sidetracked. It might be on my list of things this weekend if i'm not too backlogged from CES. It's a video that hasn't had much attention, but a very original DIY in what is called the 'Sphere Arm'. This rig uses a set of L brackets cleverly assembled to keep the lens at a fixed distance while allowing it to be rotated in several axises. This not only gives you the illusion of rotating horizontally, but also vertically.

The build quality on the one shown in the video isn't very heavy duty and video doesn't seem to be of high quality, but i'm sure with a bit more DIY out there this thing can really bring in the 'next camera movement'. Might even be an interesting movement with small cameras such as the GoPro and light weight GH2. Wedding videographers, I can totally see this as a macro video movement around some wedding rings. Yeah, I think this idea has been asleep too long and needs to be hashed out with something more refined. Besides myself, (if I can get to it) who else is up for the challenge?

• 37 Comments

•

camera-slider

Alright, this next post is going to break a few hearts out there. I'm talking about the hearts of companies making Video Camera Sliders. Camera sliders are a big deal as one of the most sought after DSLR Video tools. When used properly it can add a Cinematic effect that's very hard to replicate. Unfortunately, the good ones are out of small budgets, and the cheap ones are under par. For those just starting out, there's the mostly sloppy but capable $99 dollar mini slider based arond 80/20 extruded aluminum. No bearings, just plastic over metal and lots of play in the mount. I have one, it works, and you get what you pay for. You gotta just accept it, and move on.

For those with a bit more of a budget and some DIY skills, you can go the DIY IGUS camera slider route. For the IGUS route, you can get away with a decent slider that's lightweight and sturdy for about $150 dollars. I have that too, but to save on this piece, you'll need some DIY skills. If you lack DIY skills, there's other companies loosely based around the IGUS Drylin rails that sells ready made sliders, but now you're looking at over $300 dollars (without shipping). After the IGUS stuff, you're looking well over $600 dollars for the next best thing.

konova-slider-dslr-video-shooter

Here's where it gets real interesting. A long time ago I posted about a new slider that was first introduced by Varavon. I'm not sure if that's their baby or a rebranded product, but you can find that old school article here: http://cheesycam.com/varavon-profinder-angled-lcd-view-finder/. Now in my last paragraph of that old article I stated that introduction price was going to be a killer. I believe that slider was being offered at over $$600 dollars at the time. Guess what people - I called it, and sure enough that slider disappeared and was just about never heard from again.

Well here's the heartbreaking news (for cam slider companies). It's just resurfaced and with a bit of a face lift too. Sometimes going under Varavon, CamSlide, SlideCam, bbosasi, or Konova - This time she comes back online at a more affordable price. Filling the void between the sloppy $99 dollar versions and the ready made $300+ sliders, this guy sits somewhere in between. Unlike even the $300+ dollar ready made sliders, this one comes with with actual roller bearings. A design that's only available in higher end $500+ dollar camera sliders. A few more additions is the design that only requires one tripod with a ready to mount tripod plate in center, or for extra stability comes with tripod mounting plates on each end. It also comes with it's own legs and adjustable feet to be used without a tripod and on any uneven surface. It can also be vertically mounted, which is something you'll never find anywhere near this price range. If you've done your research for a good slider, you know this is a crazy amount of build quality and features being offered at this price.

So what am I really trying to say about this slider and this price? Well, for starters this slider is back from the dead and that's an important note. This single tool is looking to penetrate the DSLR market and get more exposure. It's being offered at less than half the price of it's previous induction. Is this price set? Will prices get cheaper? You never know, and i'm hoping that it does. But honestly my gut feeling says no. It looks like it's a marketing move to drive exposure to this product. Once the world knows about it, then it's all a game of supply and demand. Like the Z96 LED video light, prices haven't fallen - Instead prices went up. So even though it's a bit of heart breaking news at this price, don't fear Camera slider companies from abroad, I don't think it's going to last long.

konova-slider

For the shooters out there who might be looking for a quality video slider with roller bearings, vertical mounting, and the other many features, this one is much better than the IGUS stuff. This might be a price that's not going to last long. I know how fast deals can disappear after posting anything on this blog, and you bet your &^%$*! I ordered one at this price. I'll get a review on as soon as it drops in....

[Update Update Update]!! In just about an hour, there were 17 sliders purchased. Not sure if anyone noticed, but the price just jumped $10 US dollars.

vertical-camera-slider
find-price-button Camera Slider with Roller Bearings, Adjustable Feet, Vertical Mounts

• 20 Comments

•

Sorry things have been quiet here, but i'm working on packing up for CES (Las Vegas) this week. I want to travel light, so I minimized the amount of parts on a lightweight shoulder rig setup. It's mostly Express35 rails and clamps on the Cheap Shoulder Support by going straight inline, but I still really wanted an 'offset' for the LCD ViewFinder. I just happened to look through random parts in the studio and this Macro Rail works awesome! It's an all metal bracket that adjusts through gears and can be locked into position. These rails are designed to mount your camera to slide forward, back, or mount the camera for side to side adjustments. Now I have mine mounted under the camera, but if you choose to mount your entire set of rails over the adapter, that will also work. Why didn't anyone think of this before? It's perfect!!

macro-rail-adapter
find-price-button Sliding Camera Rail 2 Way Adjustable with Lock

shoulder-support
find-price-button Shoulder Support Pad for Video Camcorder Camera DV / DC

• 3 Comments

•

Shooting on a tripod is the most stable shot you can perform, but moving that Tripod from one place to the next and leveling it out can be tedious depending on the system you're using. Not many people are even aware this adapter exists, so here's the post. You've got that fancy tripod with a long neck to give you a bit of extra height but it comes 'without' a Ball head. Getting that thing lined up to the horizon is a task, especially if you've already got a ton of weight mounted on the fluid head. Instead of locking, unlocking, lowering, and raising each leg to get a perfect level, you can try the Manfrotto 438. It's a hefty fee (very hefty), but for those who feel the pain, the Manfrotto 438 Ball Level adapter sits in between the video tripod and the standard 3/8" threaded fluid head. This little gizmo will give you more flexibility in that final leveling adjustment. It's also a perfect solution for those DIY's that lack any type of leveling adjustments from DIY cranes, to DIY sliders, and compact skate dollies.

ball-level-manfrotto
find-price-button Manfrotto 438 Compact Ball Level Adapter

• 3 Comments

•

Light Camera Slider - Build from Martin Roberts

Martin Roberts is at it again with his interestingly suspenseful DIY videos. A short while back, he showed us a build video with his light portable DIY Crane, and this time he's back working on a lightweight camera slider. The entire video doesn't just show a budget DIY in the works, but is also shot using some budget techqniques. A bike LED lamp for lighting, a DIY crane for some shots, Canon T2i, the uber cheap Canon 50mm F/1.8 lens, Macro step up filters, and even the Sony NEX-5 was used.

[Thanks Martin]