Slider Technique Advice Please at DVinfo.net

Tariq Peter · November 17th, 2011, 02:07 AM

Hi All,

I have the Konova slider and it's great for the left to right shots, but I am having trouble with the back to front shots. I am using the slider with a Manfrotto 49RC2 and a t3i with battery grip so there is plenty of height. When I move my camera to the back of the slider the front of the slider comes into shot.

Opteka GlideTrack Test - YouTube this is the type of shot I am trying to recreate but I can only move the camera back around 5 inches before the slider comes back into frame making these kinds of shots impossible. Am I missing something?

Mike Marriage · November 17th, 2011, 05:39 AM

Have you tried using a longer lens. By that I mean a longer focal length, although a physically long lens may also help!

Gerry Gallegos · November 18th, 2011, 07:44 AM

Your best bet is to use a longer lens.

It sounds like you may be trying to get a wider shot than the dolly being in frame will allow, that is just physics.

Good luck

Robin Davies-Rollinson · November 18th, 2011, 08:17 AM

I sometimes tilt the slider down in the direction of forward travel to frame out the track. Look at the title shot of this:

I also sometimes offset the slider so that I'm tracking in or out and an angle - again one can frame out the track.
There are some more examples of my slider technique here: http://vimeopro.com/robindr/camera-slider-videos

Buba Kastorski · November 18th, 2011, 08:45 AM

there are a few possible work arounds, you can use longer lens, when on the ground i usually slightly tilt camera up, when on the tripod i slightly tilt slider down. great results using upside down setup, but it takes a lot more time and space to set up.

November 17th, 2011, 02:07 AM	#1
Tariq Peter Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Manchester England Posts: 435	Slider Technique Advice Please Hi All, I have the Konova slider and it's great for the left to right shots, but I am having trouble with the back to front shots. I am using the slider with a Manfrotto 49RC2 and a t3i with battery grip so there is plenty of height. When I move my camera to the back of the slider the front of the slider comes into shot. Opteka GlideTrack Test - YouTube this is the type of shot I am trying to recreate but I can only move the camera back around 5 inches before the slider comes back into frame making these kinds of shots impossible. Am I missing something?

November 17th, 2011, 05:39 AM	#2
Mike Marriage Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NE of London, England Posts: 788	Re: Slider Technique Advice Please Have you tried using a longer lens. By that I mean a longer focal length, although a physically long lens may also help! __________________ www.mikemarriage.com

November 18th, 2011, 07:44 AM	#3
Gerry Gallegos Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Houston, Texas Posts: 262	Re: Slider Technique Advice Please Your best bet is to use a longer lens. It sounds like you may be trying to get a wider shot than the dolly being in frame will allow, that is just physics. Good luck

November 18th, 2011, 08:17 AM	#4
Robin Davies-Rollinson Trustee Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Gwaelod-y-garth, Cardiff, CYMRU/WALES Posts: 1,215	Re: Slider Technique Advice Please I sometimes tilt the slider down in the direction of forward travel to frame out the track. Look at the title shot of this: Le Lac des Nénuphars (Water-Lily Lake) on Vimeo I also sometimes offset the slider so that I'm tracking in or out and an angle - again one can frame out the track. There are some more examples of my slider technique here: http://vimeopro.com/robindr/camera-slider-videos __________________ TV Director / Cameraman

November 18th, 2011, 08:45 AM	#5
Buba Kastorski Trustee Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,414	Re: Slider Technique Advice Please there are a few possible work arounds, you can use longer lens, when on the ground i usually slightly tilt camera up, when on the tripod i slightly tilt slider down. great results using upside down setup, but it takes a lot more time and space to set up. __________________ I love this place!