16x9 Cinema Presents: DIY Kit for HDSLR Slider

http://digitalfilm.tv

There are several good quality sliders available for the Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 7D and other HDLSR cameras as well as traditional video cameras. However, for the videographer on a budget, these commercial sliders are expensive. So a DIY slider may be just the ticket for getting those great dolly shots for less than a $100.

This video (shot with an iPhone 4 by the way) shows me unboxing a set of slider kits from Igus.com. They provide a variety of widths and lengths for rails and matching cradles. In order to use them with your camera, you will have to do a bit of work (hence the DIY moniker). You need to set a mounting screw in the carrier for a camera head and also set a screw for mounting to tripod. Your local machine shop should be able to help you do that. In a future video I'll show how this can be done inexpensively.

My initial impression of the rails and carriages from Igus is one of quality. The rails are sturdy. The carriage slides smoothly along the rails, and the slider is relatively quiet (you can hear a bit of the slider noise in this video as I move the carriage back and forth).

I can't wait to finish the product out to use with my cameras. Stay tuned to http:16x9cinema.com for more information,

By the way, be sure to check out my podcast: Digital Convergence. We talk all things video and photography including a good deal of conversation about the HDSLR cameras.

You can find the podcast here:
http://digitalfilm.tv/blog/category/podcast

Category:

Education

Tags:

• HDSLR
• Canon EOS 5D Mark II
• Canon 7D
• DIY Slider
• Dolly Slider

[micbergsma]

I am ready to order slider.. i am not sure which model to get... the biggest lens i just use is 55-250mm on my canon 550D... please help? I see them on amazon for $131 to $161

[16x9cinema]

@micbergsma After playing around with these I am finding that the larger one holds up better under load. Downside to ALL of them is that if you so much as get one grit of sand or dirt on the tracks it will affect the smoothness. In other words, keep them clean!

[MrJippaLippa]

hello.

I have a few questions:

1- does it make much noise while sliding(because i'd use it also in shots with audio on)

2- The site is complicated to navigate through, could you send me the page to buy the third one(the larger one) on the site?

3- Is the ithem shipped from U.S.A.?...because for me would be better to have the ithem shiiped from another nation.

thanks a lot.

[16x9cinema]

@MrJippaLippa

The sliders are relatively quiet, though if you use a mic on camera it will likely pick up the slider noise. If the mic is off camera, you probably won't hear it. Search Amazon for Igus Sliders to find the product you want. I don't know about shipping.

[16x9cinema]

For the smallest one - the DryLin W1040. It's $79.99 on Amazon.

[KITKNUCLES]

Can you pls post the part# on all three. Thanks

[SensoriumProductions]

Does any make these motor slides for str8 pyrchase

[SensoriumProductions]

Igus.com _ worst site

[72harvest]

Thanks for this information! What is the part number for the big one? Also have you considered using two slider heads and inverting the concept so the heads are mounted and the rail slides. That way the camera can move forward through various environments.

[RikkWolf]

@MrJippaLippa igus.com is not at all user friendly is it? I hate that site.

[RikkWolf]

Please provide purchase links. igus.com is not user-friendly. 

[keo0147]

do they have a 5 feet slider?

[imgpro615]

@16x9cinema great review...that is the one i got...it is confirmed and on the way...was out of stock for about a week...very excited to work with this cause my DIY attempts failed in epic manner

[ILIAS4WD]

the first in video is the w1040??thanks.

[micbergsma]

@16x9cinema thank you!