video: http://vimeo.com/34773612
-KONOVA SLIDER REVIEW-
I was recently in the market for a bearing-based slider. As it turns out, everything was too expensive and I thought i'd end up with some friction-based slider which I've heard nothing positive about besides the prices. After a few months of research I went with Konova, a third party company based in korea. Considering this item was coming from an unknown vendor based overseas, I was skeptical about the durability and performance but other reviews gave them high ratings so i figured I would give it a try.
ITS PRETTY GOOD GUYS. It definitely has it's shortcomings but for its current price point it can't be beat. Very much recommended if you understand it's downfalls.
PROS:
Price - The Konova slider at the time of purchase, cost 300$. It's cheap and falls into the same price range as friction-based sliders. As far as I know, this is the cheapest roller bearing slider avaialble (not including DIY projects), 200$ less then the Kessler PocketDolly.
Build Quality - The tracks are nested 'inside' the body and protected from outside wear and tear. the 120mm model i purchased is very light and portable, making it ideal to lug around for shoots. the screw that locks the sliding base in place is sturdy and can comfortably hold the camera in place.
Setup - No assembly needed. No setup or breakdown. Konova provides you with tools to increase the drag but you need to physically take apart the item to make the adjustment. make initial adjustments at home because on-site changes will take a while and you risk getting dust/debris inside.
Flexibility - There are multiple tripod holes (1/4 and 3/8) located on both ends of the slider. It allows for a huge range of diagonal and vertical setups. Konova includes 2 legs which you can attach for more ground stability. They upgraded to a new set of terrain legs which is a huge advancement over the original. Make sure you get the correct ones.
CONS:
Lack of Motor - The lack of a motor or even a hand crank makes it difficult to get smooth shots. For each shot, I generally slide the camera 3-4 times at different speeds for safety. It's not difficult with some practice but take extra care when working with off-the-cuff or big scale projects.
Stability - A lack of wider tracks causes some stability issues. Don't forget that a ballhead attached to the sliding plate raises the center of gravity also. The shakiness becomes apparent when a front-heavy lens is used, or if you're zoomed in.
Flex - If you notice shots 'dipping' in the montage, that's because it is and it's not intentional. During my first series of shots, I attached the slider to a tripod mounted in the center with a 550D+Tamron 28-70mm. The slider wasn't able to hold this weight, causing it to bend when it reached the sides. When 2 tripods are mounted to each side, it dips in the middle. No battery pack, 200mm, lens hood, 5DM2 body, or anything that carries significant weight was used. Konova claims they can support this weights but can't. Everything works fine with a 3rd tripod to support the middle but it gets annoying.
ITS PRETTY GOOD GUYS. It definitely has it's shortcomings but for its current price point it can't be beat. Very much recommended if you understand it's downfalls.
PROS:
Price - The Konova slider at the time of purchase, cost 300$. It's cheap and falls into the same price range as friction-based sliders. As far as I know, this is the cheapest roller bearing slider avaialble (not including DIY projects), 200$ less then the Kessler PocketDolly.
Build Quality - The tracks are nested 'inside' the body and protected from outside wear and tear. the 120mm model i purchased is very light and portable, making it ideal to lug around for shoots. the screw that locks the sliding base in place is sturdy and can comfortably hold the camera in place.
Setup - No assembly needed. No setup or breakdown. Konova provides you with tools to increase the drag but you need to physically take apart the item to make the adjustment. make initial adjustments at home because on-site changes will take a while and you risk getting dust/debris inside.
Flexibility - There are multiple tripod holes (1/4 and 3/8) located on both ends of the slider. It allows for a huge range of diagonal and vertical setups. Konova includes 2 legs which you can attach for more ground stability. They upgraded to a new set of terrain legs which is a huge advancement over the original. Make sure you get the correct ones.
CONS:
Lack of Motor - The lack of a motor or even a hand crank makes it difficult to get smooth shots. For each shot, I generally slide the camera 3-4 times at different speeds for safety. It's not difficult with some practice but take extra care when working with off-the-cuff or big scale projects.
Stability - A lack of wider tracks causes some stability issues. Don't forget that a ballhead attached to the sliding plate raises the center of gravity also. The shakiness becomes apparent when a front-heavy lens is used, or if you're zoomed in.
Flex - If you notice shots 'dipping' in the montage, that's because it is and it's not intentional. During my first series of shots, I attached the slider to a tripod mounted in the center with a 550D+Tamron 28-70mm. The slider wasn't able to hold this weight, causing it to bend when it reached the sides. When 2 tripods are mounted to each side, it dips in the middle. No battery pack, 200mm, lens hood, 5DM2 body, or anything that carries significant weight was used. Konova claims they can support this weights but can't. Everything works fine with a 3rd tripod to support the middle but it gets annoying.
