A slider is a tool that every filmmaker should have in his studio to obtain quality shots. Since it allows us to create fluid camera movements and the possibility of creating videos using different techniques such as Stop Motion and Timelapse. Now, when choosing a slider there are several aspects to consider to make the right decision. Thinking about it, we bring you the 4 tips to choose the ideal slider.
Size
It is very important to know the target for the slider and to choose the rail length accordingly. A longer rail will give you more travel, but this is not always a good thing as you will lose portability and increase the weight of the device. Therefore, if your purpose is to use the slider outdoors to perform time-lapses, it would be best to choose a length between 60 and 80 cm. This is where our Mod Slider can help you, with its interchangeable rail system, you can adapt the length of your rail from 60 to 200 cm in less than 5 minutes.
Choose a manual or motorized slider
Without a doubt, a manual slider is cheaper than a motorized one. However, there are other things to consider. First of all, the Manual slider will not allow you to make Timelapses because you will not have a way to control the shots between camera movements, but, you will be able to achieve movement in videos. On the other hand, a motorized slider offers you greater precision and repeatability of movements. In the case of our Mod Slider, the precision is sub-millimeter since it performs movements as short as 0.01mm.
Controllable Axes
Today, motion systems for cameras are more and more complete. Offering control of multiple motorized axes. In this case, with the Mod Slider, you can include the panning, tilting, and follow-focus modules to have control of 4 motorized axes.
Control mechanism
When operating a slider it is essential to have effective control. Some devices have apps for smartphones or tablets. However, this can cause connection problems and disable the device from which the slider is controlled. Therefore it is always better to have a dedicated remote. On the other hand, for Stop Motion filmmakers, the use of specialized software such as Dragonframe offers greater control over camera movements and shots. In addition, the communication protocol or message system that Noxon uses is open source, this allows you to manually create the motion description messages to move the device with sub-millimeter precision.