Video Dolly

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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.

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find-price-button Konova video Camera DSLR Slider

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Using aluminum broom sticks and some PVC T connectors, Vimeo member Jorge comes up with a simple $5.00 dollar slider solution. Inside the PVC T connectors is a bit of felt to reduce friction and allow some smoother slides. There is a bit of movement during some of the video footage, but I think that's from the cheaper Tripod head mounted to only one set of PVC T connectors. You might get better results using 4 connectors, a wider flat base plate, and a solid Tripod head. Of course, that might run up the bill to about $15.00 dollars. I might have to say this could have more potential than the $99 dollar slider....

The good fellas over at DVRebellion.com shows how it's done using four PVC T connectors on steel rods. Check out the video below.

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Ok, so the cheap slider I posted sold out in less than a day. Many jumped on the deal (including myself), and many waited to see if it was even worth the price. It's probably the cheapest roller bearing slider i've seen, but here's a few more teaser images to see if we've made the right decision. Personally, I think it was a killer deal. Will it be available again? Who knows....

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Is this adjustable Friction?

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Optional Light Stand Mount

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The 'Feet' can be combined to do Vertical Slides, or just use a Tripod to mount for Vertical Sliding

They do list it on their company website, but they're completely out of stock and not for the same price. As soon as I find it's been listed back on eBay, you'll find it right here. I sugggest you subscribe to my RSS and get notified as soon as I post something, or just keep checking back. Don't worry peeps, i'm on the ball, but these new pictures look good and show a bit more quality in the build than what the auction was showing. I think it was all worth it...

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Not a very precise motion controlled unit as the high end versions, but nonetheless a very effective one. Here's another Rotisserie Motor based motion controlled Timelapse slider from Vimeo member Derek Mellot. The video shows some fine examples of it's use as well as some of it's build rolling over an aluminum ladder. The motor used spins at 4rpm, but if you're clever, you can find ways to gear that down. I think the other smaller battery powered version with 2rpm posted earlier would suffice. This one by Derek is a large DIY rig, something you shouldn't plan to be traveling with on a plane, but if you've got the time, the space, and lack a budget, it's a great little DIY project. [Thanks Derek]


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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?

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Egg timer, Rotisserie, and a GoPro HD Camera. It's not a riddle, but that's what Vimeo member Tony Rodriguez used as the recipe for making this DIY Motion Controlled Panning Timelapse rig. Not the first time i've seen a GoPro on a simple Egg Timer, but this I believe is the first time i've seen it put onto a Motion Controlled Slider. The whole setup is a Go Pro 960 mounted on an egg timer and a homemade dolly (igus slider) and using a Battery Rotisserie Grill Motor that moves 2.5 RPM (revolutions per minute). A few images of the rig (below), but if you need more information you can holla at Tony here: https://vimeo.com/18331363

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Checked around eBay and this might the same battery operated motor being used. Very clever use of this motor, and i'm sure this will drum up new DIY ideas to use this in other projects:
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find-price-button Rotisserie Battery Powered Grill Motor

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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]

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The Flycam Nano video I posted recently with the Canon 60D + Sigma 20mm seems to have been a big hit. eBay seemed to have sold quite a few of them, and I wouldn't be surprised if they would be out of stock soon. It's happened a few times before. After posting my video with the Nano there were tons of questions about the Canon 7D + Tokina 11-16mm lens combo and if it would fly. The Tokina 11-16mm is an awesome lens for you who aren't familiar with it and it can maintain an aperture of F/2.8 throughout it's range - good for low light stuff. It's one of the top favorites for cropped cameras and wide angle flying stabilizers. (Note: Available for Nikon and Sony also, but won't work on Full Frame cams)


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find-price-button Tokina 11-16mm Wide Angle Zoom

I've worked with many different stabilizers and had no doubt that it could fly this weight with ease, but for many of you 'seeing is believing'. Actually I wished I tried this combination earlier as it seems to fly much better than the 60D + Sigma 20mm. The reason why it would fly better is because of the weight. One of the top stabilizer tips I always give out is that you should really load up your stabilizer. Sometimes I'll add weights to the top of the camera and then compensate with more weights at the bottom, just so that I can make it overall heavier. The bearing handles on these stabilizers are very strong, and my experience with stabilizers are that they just fly so much smoother when the bearings are loaded up (especially on windy days). So here it is, and I've included in the video my secret recipe of weights and position for this combination, and also the secret power hidden in the Three Wolf and a Moon shirt (gag gift).

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find-price-button Flycam Nano DSLR Video Camera Stabilizer

If you're not familiar with the shirt, the history is that someone posted a funny 'review' and then thousands of others followed with their own 'gag review'. It became so viral, you'll now see this available on XBOX controllers, iPhone skins, Laptop cases, and has even been featured in Television Shows like 'The Office'. This is also another great inexpensive 'Gag Gift' to consider this holiday season for your co-workers and close friends. You have to check out some of the Customer Reviews on Amazon.com and also the uploaded 'Customer Images' found here: The Mountain Three Wolf Moon Short Sleeve Tee Hilarious!!

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Three Wolf Moon Shirt Gag Gift on Amazon

[Update] OK I lied. It worked so well, I decided to shoot a sample video found here: http://cheesycam.com/flycam-nano-stabilizer-abused-with-7d-tokina/

Other Related Articles: http://cheesycam.com/flycam-nano-dslr-video-camera-stabilizer/

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Jordan M. writes in and shares a clever DIY timelapse panning rig using a simple Kitchen timer for the motor. I've seen many different DIY Egg Timer timelapse panning rigs, but I haven't seen one coupled with a Lazy Susan spinning tray before. It's a simple design and appears every single part of this DIY rig can be purchased at Walmart, so it's within everyone's budget and everyone's skill set. For those who might want to spend a bit more cash, i'm sure you can polish it up into something more fancy looking. I think it's great the way it is, and seems to get the job done just fine for very little coin. [Thanks Jordan!]

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Spinning Kitchen Tray with Kitchen Timer motor - DIY Motion Timelapse Panning Rig