Motorized slider for F35?

SJX

SJX

Veteran
Anybody found a motorized slider strong enough for F35? And something not expensive? Enough very cheap ones for DSLRs and other cameras on ebay.
 
morgan_moore said:
You want a motorised Dana style (2xspeedrail/scaffold) IMO

Meet the gaffer had a vid a couple of years ago.
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That one looked really great. Should be very affordable without the motorized head. Also can be controlled by PS4 controller. Those are going used super cheap too.
 
That is cool. What dana dolly knock offs are there? On ebay? How they called? I also seen sliders with a double system. Like 2 sets of rails one each side. So as wide as dana dolly. You think dana dolly style is still better? About the emotimo system it seems it only works with their st4 pan head?
 
James0b57 said:

The best part is, you can buy a Dana Dolly knock off, or you can rent a Dana. They are so cheap to rent. And easy to DIY as well. The emotive base motorized unit for the Dana is around $500 I think. and then you can make the slider as long as you want. SO versatile.


https://www.adorama.com/emst4mcdd.h...5vgCHEAQYAiABEgK9M_D_BwE&utm_source=adl-gbase

See if anyone local has it available.
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You can't use the integration kit without the spectrum st4 - https://emotimo.com/products/st4

From the company "Dana Dolly Integration kit is powered from the Spectrum ST4's ports. All control and power come from that so it is required".

I found this product years ago and emailed asking if it worked with the dana dolly and got no repsonse - https://www.revolvecamera.com/collections/all/products/ram-motorized-slider-add-on-kit

Here's a thread on the st4, it might help you make a decision - http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?362494-Emotimo-spectrum-ST4-group-buy

^^^Sorry, the decision part is aimed at SJX
 
Yes it only works with the ST4.

But how useful is a motorized slider without some sort of pan and tilt auto head?
 
SJX said:
Yes it only works with the ST4.

But how useful is a motorized slider without some sort of pan and tilt auto head?
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You're right but ideally you'd be able to use the motorized slider with whatever set up you like e.g. ronin 2 without being forced to pay for and use their head.
 
rob norton said:
You're right but ideally you'd be able to use the motorized slider with whatever set up you like e.g. ronin 2 without being forced to pay for and use their head.
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Sorry. I think you misunderstood my question. Is still useful a motorized slider without pan and tilt head? What shooting situations would it be useful for example? I'm fine with a slider without pan and tilt head as they are MUCH cheaper. But I'm wondering how useful they are.
 
SJX said:
Sorry. I think you misunderstood my question. Is still useful a motorized slider without pan and tilt head? What shooting situations would it be useful for example? I'm fine with a slider without pan and tilt head as they are MUCH cheaper. But I'm wondering how useful they are.
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Probably not that useful unless you're happy with the camera moving along a single axis.
 
rob norton said:
Probably not that useful unless you're happy with the camera moving along a single axis.
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But at least you can do with one less crew person? If you don't have to push slider, then you only need cam op and AC. Sure, a motion control rig with auto focus lens would be zero people to operate. But I have no auto focus lens as I use F35. So focus puller needed anyway. So is only adding me to operate camera during shot. But at least I don't need anybody to push slider or worse, I don't need to push slider and operate at same time which I have had to do. With DSLR maybe no problem. With full cams like F35 or Alexa is not easy. Or I'm missing something obvious? Also maybe I can whip up something like the paralex thing. I think Kessler had a few years ago before motion control became a thing. That seem to work to lock pan on a subject right?

edit. this is a nice 2 people talk. :/
 
By the way is the emotimo st4 the most affordable motion control type slider with auto pan and tilt for heavy cameras?
 
not quite 2 person.

does one need pan and tilt for it to be worthwhile?

well id say to serve a director or DP basically yes

to make ones own projects then only one can decide

my own rig is more stable in slide and pan only mode as the tilt arm can vibrate.

I feel pan and slide without a tilt is useful, I do have a bowl though - so can pan and slide with the camera pointed at many angles including fixed tilts

--

this shot uses both pan and tilt to keep the logo in a logical place - af is also a major player in this shot. A remote focus can work for less extreme shots. https://vimeo.com/315748218
 
morgan_moore said:
not quite 2 person.

does one need pan and tilt for it to be worthwhile?

well id say to serve a director or DP basically yes

to make ones own projects then only one can decide

my own rig is more stable in slide and pan only mode as the tilt arm can vibrate.

I feel pan and slide without a tilt is useful, I do have a bowl though - so can pan and slide with the camera pointed at many angles including fixed tilts

--

this shot uses both pan and tilt to keep the logo in a logical place - af is also a major player in this shot. A remote focus can work for less extreme shots. https://vimeo.com/315748218
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So you think needing one less person to push the slider it worth nothing then? Specially with a large camera which needs a large tripod head, not having to move the slider itself frees you for a lot of things I would think? Didn't understand your not quite 2 person comment. And yes I shoot my own stuff. Don't rent my gear or work for directors.
 
I think that one can push and oprate and its simpler than programming something esp when following inconsisten human actors, except in the situation of match cuts and fades (repeated vfx slides)

The implication was that it is a two person thread. Not quite true.

.37 you can see vfx slide - as I stack up the pencils

https://vimeo.com/347051059
 
morgan_moore said:
I think that one can push and oprate and its simpler than programming something esp when following inconsisten human actors, except in the situation of match cuts and fades (repeated vfx slides)

The implication was that it is a two person thread. Not quite true.

.37 you can see vfx slide - as I stack up the pencils

https://vimeo.com/347051059
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Man that is a totally different thing. Motion control and a motorized slider serve different needs I think. Yes with something like FS7 probably not big deal to push and operate. But try this with a F35 set up or F65, alexa etc. Camera rig alone weighs 5x a FS7 at least. Not so easy anymore. Inconsistent actors but I guess motorized slider can be moved manually too? It's just a belt that drives them right? And what about inconsistent pushing? Eliminated by a motorized slider. And sorry but for a while it was only Rob and I back and forth in the thread. Good that you came back. :)
 
SJX said:
Man that is a totally different thing. Motion control and a motorized slider serve different needs I think. Yes with something like FS7 probably not big deal to push and operate. But try this with a F35 set up or F65, alexa etc. Camera rig alone weighs 5x a FS7 at least. Not so easy anymore. Inconsistent actors but I guess motorized slider can be moved manually too? It's just a belt that drives them right? And what about inconsistent pushing? Eliminated by a motorized slider. And sorry but for a while it was only Rob and I back and forth in the thread. Good that you came back. :)
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If there was no pan/tilt head and you motorized the track somehow, I don't know how well the motor would perform if you were also manually operating a camera. It seems like you're not supposed to touch anything as it does its thing.

You might be able to eliminate a person for that particular task but you still need two people to move the whole set up or adjust the height of the stands.

For performances, I'd definitely rather operate manually with a fluid head. The motorized track/head stuff is good for product type shooting or if repeatable moves are needed.
 
SJX said:
Man that is a totally different thing. Motion control and a motorized slider serve different needs I think.
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All good. My main comment is aimed at you not wasting money on buying half a system and then failing to perform on a 'for hire' gig. Just like you basically need a remote focus for any of these setups too.

The skill of a dolly grip is to push smoothly, in time with the drama, including feathering starts and stops is it not?

I happily push and operate both my 'dana' and my floor dolly where one is moving both the camera package and also Stchler sticks Movi and other bits.. https://vimeo.com/334637799 surely heavier than a 35 on a dana. Doing this is a skill of course (and that doesnt mean I have it!)

I think even tons of technochrane is boomed by a skilled opertor - the rig is balanced to minimise forces to friction only.

Motor driven systems are (I think) all about repeatable moves to do many products with the same shot, or to somehow integrate into VFX. I first started with Moco as my client (Mentos gum) wanted to sell the product as 'suitable for morning noon and night' and doing the same shot in three different lighting setups and blending between the three.

Of course super slow slides (timelapse) as also best performed by a motor.
 
Honestly the Kessler system handles the f35 perfectly with not even a slight hiccup. You can use either their cinedrive or their revolution head on the cineslider. Good thing is either one of these can be used for Jib work as well.
 
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