OT: Buying a Track

i c e wrote on 6/21/2014, 9:22 PM
Hello All,

I hope it's cool posting two OT posts in a row after being absent for a while. Lol.

Anyways, I am need to buy a track to do some tracking footage and some time elapsed shots of mountains and rivers and sunsets and all that.

I am thinking of buying this one:
ePhoto 39" Inch DSLR Camera Slider Track Dolly Slider Video Stabilization System HSLD2-100
http://www.amazon.com/ePhoto-Camera-Slider-Stabilization-HSLD2-100/dp/B00BSXUORW

Or This One:

Filmcity SL-3 Camera Slider With Adjustable Feet

http://www.amazon.com/Battle-Tested-Film-Gear-Adjustable/dp/B00JGP31CO

I think the second one is better if I can scrape together the extra $60 from somewhere. It seems to have the whole package instead of just part of it. But honestly, I know nothing about these, so that's where you all come in. :D

Thanks so much for any help.

J

Comments

farss wrote on 6/22/2014, 2:24 AM
We have quite a collection of the Philip Bloom sliders and the Kessler 5' Cineslider.

In my opinion all the PB ones are too short. I'm certain they're usable, we hire them out a lot. If I was buying something though I'd want something long enough to cover everything and that's where the 5' Cineslider shines.

The other thing to consider is unless you want to be stuck using a slider only on a table you need legs for it. Light stands might do but unless you buy the expensive ones with a "lazy leg" then you're stuck unless you're on level ground. We send out all our sliders that'll mount on one tripod with big Miller legs, the Cineslider with two cheap Yum Cha tripods.

Really though for your budget your money might be better spent on the parts for a DIY pipe dolly. With that you can have a camera move as long as the longest piece of PVC pipe you can buy.

Bob.
CJB wrote on 6/22/2014, 4:24 PM
Both the sliders you have linked use bushings rather than roller/ball bearings. This will produce unreliable results unless you motorize the slider. There are cheaper roller/ball based rigs you can get but you do get what you pay for. These have poor quality control and often have sticky spots in the middle of the slide. (read the Amazon comments). farss comment about a DIY pipe/skate dolly are probably the way to go for the $$ you've got for these two items. Otherwise you're looking at several hundred dollars for decent manual slider.