GH2 A new kind of slider.

nigelbb said:
Considering that the best slider for a DSLR is the Kessler Crane Philip Bloom Signature Pocket Dolly which costs over $1000 you may be doing yourself a disservice selling so cheap if it works even half as well. This budget model should work OK with a GH2 & costs the equivalent of about $150 http://www.mobislyder.com/
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I'm a filmmaker. Not a manufacturer. A disservice would be to create something and then charge an outrageous price. If someone can afford the pocket dolly, then they have no use for what I'm going to offer.
 
Well ****. After scouring the web, I've noticed someone has made a very similar design. Which really really sucks cause now I look like a copy cat. I'll have to reconsider some things now. Kind of blows actually, I was excited.
 
My design is very different, but essentially the same thing. I had no idea his existed, but I'm still going to make my own, and then share with everyone the results when it's time. I actually have a few things different that may seem better, but I don't want to look like a copy cat. I guess the saying "who gets there first, wins," is pretty true in this case. Really bums me out, but it's cool that this guy is doing something for the indie guys. Here's the link. Err...

http://vimeo.com/25937230
 
Here's what I would suggest: test this setup very carefully. Note, how the guy in the video never actually shows any footage of this in action. The key thing about sliders, is that they must be extremely smooth in operation, because any tiny vibration or bump or hiccup or seizing will immediately be visible in any footage shot with longish lens. Looking at what this guy did, I really have to wonder how he'll achieve the kind of smoothness required. There's a reason why sliders run on rails rather than running on pieces of wood or flat surfaces. It's tricky. Of course, I don't mean to discourage you, and as you say, your design is somewhat different, so maybe this will not be a problem for you. I'm just giving you a heads up, because many people have struggled with these issues. But I certainly wish you luck and hope you really have something there - we could all use a decent inexpensive slider... not all of us can afford $1000 for a slider. Best of luck, and let us know!
 
Car3o said:
I guess the saying "who gets there first, wins," is pretty true in this case. Really bums me out, but it's cool that this guy is doing something for the indie guys. Here's the link. Err...

http://vimeo.com/25937230
Click to expand...

What he shows in that video looks similar to the Merlin Dolly

http://www.merlindolly.com/29-rail-slider-camera-dolly-only.html

or the Hague ladder dolly

http://www.cameragrip.co.uk/acatalog/hague_d8_ladder_dolly.html

and more variations out there - too many to mention.
 
Cinema sliders use ball bearings for dealing with friction, and the head sits on a very large plate to distribute the weight. More affordable or smaller cine sliders use gear systems, and some just use soft plastic on metal. That's actually where most of the money goes - just like a really good fluid tripod head, it's in friction management.

Each of these designs has certain camera weight requirements and limits to be optimal. So, my question is, what kind of slider are you making? One for 3-pound max cameras, 10-pound, 20-pound?

Most of the time I shoot with a 20- to 30-pound camera rig, so I often have to rent this slider in order to dolly in close quarters. I'd love to find a budget solution that works, but I'm also not against paying $1,000 if it's the right tool.

I encourage you to keep researching, experimenting, and designing. You may be able to come up with something even better.
 
What's cool about the design the sweaty guy made, is that it seems to be adjustable to a degree and can be run on different surfaces. Obviously, running on different rails and surfaces would give variable results, but at least you'd have that choice. If yours allows multiple configurations and it's portable, then it could be very interesting.
 
Car3o said:
My design is very different, but essentially the same thing. I had no idea his existed, but I'm still going to make my own, and then share with everyone the results when it's time. I actually have a few things different that may seem better, but I don't want to look like a copy cat. I guess the saying "who gets there first, wins," is pretty true in this case. Really bums me out, but it's cool that this guy is doing something for the indie guys. Here's the link. Err...

http://vimeo.com/25937230
Click to expand...

There are 1000 slider designs out there, if you want to make some money on a product nobody (that I'm aware of) has then figure out a way to make an adjustable 2' - 5' telescoping rail for a rolling sled style slider (say that 5x fast).

Oh, and a simple, easily balanced, rock solid mounting solution for the track would be nice as well. Come up with both round tube and square block versions and you'll own a huge untapped market.
 
OldCorpse said:
Here's what I would suggest: test this setup very carefully. Note, how the guy in the video never actually shows any footage of this in action. The key thing about sliders, is that they must be extremely smooth in operation, because any tiny vibration or bump or hiccup or seizing will immediately be visible in any footage shot with longish lens. Looking at what this guy did, I really have to wonder how he'll achieve the kind of smoothness required. There's a reason why sliders run on rails rather than running on pieces of wood or flat surfaces. It's tricky. Of course, I don't mean to discourage you, and as you say, your design is somewhat different, so maybe this will not be a problem for you. I'm just giving you a heads up, because many people have struggled with these issues. But I certainly wish you luck and hope you really have something there - we could all use a decent inexpensive slider... not all of us can afford $1000 for a slider. Best of luck, and let us know!
Click to expand...

I'll still go through with developing what I thought was the golden ticket, and let everyone decide once they see the footage and the product. I've got a few different things to offer still. My goal is still to offer it at $70, and I have a different kind of track in mind, that's not plywood, not a ladder, and still very affordable.
 
Jordan Scott Price said:
Cinema sliders use ball bearings for dealing with friction, and the head sits on a very large plate to distribute the weight. More affordable or smaller cine sliders use gear systems, and some just use soft plastic on metal. That's actually where most of the money goes - just like a really good fluid tripod head, it's in friction management.

Each of these designs has certain camera weight requirements and limits to be optimal. So, my question is, what kind of slider are you making? One for 3-pound max cameras, 10-pound, 20-pound?

Most of the time I shoot with a 20- to 30-pound camera rig, so I often have to rent this slider in order to dolly in close quarters. I'd love to find a budget solution that works, but I'm also not against paying $1,000 if it's the right tool.

I encourage you to keep researching, experimenting, and designing. You may be able to come up with something even better.
Click to expand...


It's for DSLR's, so it couldn't accommodate 20-30lb rigs. At least, I don't think. I don't have any big rigs available, but I could max out my dslr to see how much weight it could handle.
 
AdrianF said:
What's cool about the design the sweaty guy made, is that it seems to be adjustable to a degree and can be run on different surfaces. Obviously, running on different rails and surfaces would give variable results, but at least you'd have that choice. If yours allows multiple configurations and it's portable, then it could be very interesting.
Click to expand...


Mine can run on 2inches to around 8-9 inch tracks I believe. But very very portable. Smaller than any of the previous mentions.
 
ethan cooper said:
There are 1000 slider designs out there, if you want to make some money on a product nobody (that I'm aware of) has then figure out a way to make an adjustable 2' - 5' telescoping rail for a rolling sled style slider (say that 5x fast).

Oh, and a simple, easily balanced, rock solid mounting solution for the track would be nice as well. Come up with both round tube and square block versions and you'll own a huge untapped market.
Click to expand...

I'll check, but I don't think it can run on tube. It might be possible.
 
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