View Full Version : Introducing - DP Slider


Don Pham
January 26th, 2010, 02:53 PM
DP Slider offers a camera dolly system that is smooth to operate and simple to setup. Designed with roller bearings, the linear motion of DP Slider is ultra smooth. In addition, the carriage guide is made of aluminum channel to provide a light weight yet sturdy system. DP Slider can be used on table tops or directly on the ground. It can be mounted on a single tripod or light stands. It can be orientated on an angle, upside down or even sideways and it will always slide smoothly. In addition, a unique feature of DP Slider “V” Series is its ability to provide VERTICAL slide to emulate crane motion.

DP Slider - take1productions' Photos (http://take1productions.smugmug.com/Other/DP-Slider/10738824_VawcU#758616962_naMbF-M-LB)

www.dpslider.com (http://www.dpslider.com)

Marshall Levy
January 26th, 2010, 03:56 PM
Wow, very nice! Simple yet seemingly very effective and versatile. I like the ease of sloping and vertical shots.

How smooth are the vertical shots, given the offset weight of a camera rig on the side? Any recommended weight limit?

Very impressed, Don!

J. Chris Moore
January 26th, 2010, 04:25 PM
I like the DP girls section! lol, nice touch. Looks like you have a great product.

Marshall Levy
January 26th, 2010, 04:38 PM
They appear to be 450-875 depending on size and choice of either horizontal or vertical. A bit much for me as I'm tempted to use my current slider and jib, but so very interesting. The credit card is calling my name....

Don Pham
January 26th, 2010, 04:50 PM
Wow, very nice! Simple yet seemingly very effective and versatile. I like the ease of sloping and vertical shots.

How smooth are the vertical shots, given the offset weight of a camera rig on the side? Any recommended weight limit?

Very impressed, Don!

thanks Marshall. the largest cam i had on the slider was the EX3 loaded with wireless mic, on cam light panel with brick battery on it, and shotgun mic. it was very smooth in both horizontal and vertical mode.

Boris Barel
January 26th, 2010, 05:20 PM
Nice. What is the max weight the slider will hold?
What is the max focal length for smooth linear tracking?
What is the max length that could be supported using single pro tripod, say video15?
THX.

Cody Dulock
January 26th, 2010, 06:52 PM
For those who didn't catch my other post, here it goes...

I had a chance to see and play with the DP Slider at IN[FOCUS] last week in Austin. The DP Slider is way smoother than my Igus built slider (zaza slider, kessler pocket dolly, glidetrack). The Igus stuff uses a "plastic" bearing where the DP Slider uses metal "Wheels" I believe (Don, correct me if I'm wrong here). The plastic bearings sometimes get stuck and ruins a shot and every time i played with the DP Slider I didn't have that problem. The igus built sliders are a little noisy as is the Cinevate Atlas (one with bearings), but the DP Slider was virtually silent. For those of you trying to use audio while sliding, this might be important. The many different ways you can mount the DP Slider was really awesome as well. I like how the higher end model he sells has a locking carriage and you can put quick release plates on the feet to do vertical shots. Overall, I think the value is incredible for the price/performance and I keep leaning more to getting one... dang you Don, just when I thought I was done buying things :)

Robin Davies-Rollinson
January 27th, 2010, 03:02 AM
While I commend the use of wheels/bearings rather than friction as with the Igus units, I would prefer to see a wider track - especially for heavier cameras.
I don't know what the actual track unit is manufactured for, but it would be interesting to see if they make a wider version.
Either that, or two narrow tracks joined in parallel with the carriage bridging them.

Cody Dulock
January 27th, 2010, 07:24 AM
I believe you could stand on the DP Slider just like the Igus built stuff and it would be solid as a rock... I could see if you didn't have your slider properly mounted and stabilized that it could tip over with a front heavy or back heavy camera setup.

Don, can you get your hands on a full Red One setup to test out?

Chris Hurd
January 27th, 2010, 07:39 AM
Or, if Don is willing, I can put one of his sliders into the hands of a RED One owner (one of our moderators, who has some experience with other slider brands).

Brian Luce
January 27th, 2010, 12:08 PM
For those who didn't catch my other post, here it goes...

I had a chance to see and play with the DP Slider at IN[FOCUS] last week in Austin. The DP Slider is way smoother than my Igus built slider (zaza slider, kessler pocket dolly,

I don't see how it can be smoother, my Igus is perfectly smooth. It looks like it has less drag than the Igus, but I'm not sure that's necessarily a good thing if you want the smoothest possible shot. Is there a way to dial in some resistance? Especially on those vertical shots, seems it'd be difficult to get any degree of smoothness.

Cody Dulock
January 27th, 2010, 01:20 PM
I'm sorry if I was not technical enough to justify the difference between the two. The DP Slider does have some resistance, but it's smoother than the Igus stuff... I don't know exactly how it is built to make it smoother, it just is. Another nice feature is, you don't have to "align" the bearings on the DP Slider...

For vertical and diagonal shots there was enough resistance to be able to control the move. Once again, I don't know any of the technical details about how or why, it just works. Don't get me wrong, the Igus slider's are nice and cheap, but the DP Slider is in a different league as is the Cinevate Atlas.

Don Pham
January 27th, 2010, 02:47 PM
Or, if Don is willing, I can put one of his sliders into the hands of a RED One owner (one of our moderators, who has some experience with other slider brands).

i would love to have a red one sitting on a DP Slider. chris, you got mail.

Don Pham
January 27th, 2010, 03:06 PM
While I commend the use of wheels/bearings rather than friction as with the Igus units, I would prefer to see a wider track - especially for heavier cameras.
I don't know what the actual track unit is manufactured for, but it would be interesting to see if they make a wider version.
Either that, or two narrow tracks joined in parallel with the carriage bridging them.

how heavy of a camera would you like to support and slide smoothly?

Don Pham
January 27th, 2010, 03:11 PM
Nice. What is the max weight the slider will hold?
What is the max focal length for smooth linear tracking?
What is the max length that could be supported using single pro tripod, say video15?
THX.


the largest cam that i was able to get my hands on to test was a loaded EX3. currently setting up a test with Red One

i have shot with a 70 - 200 lens with the lens @ 200 and the image was great with sliding shots

i have used a loaded EX1 with a 47" slider on one tripod and it worked great. had to add weight to the tripod so it would not tip over.

Robin Davies-Rollinson
January 27th, 2010, 04:30 PM
how heavy of a camera would you like to support and slide smoothly?

Don,
I direct a daily soap produced by BBC Wales for S4C. Most of the shoot is studio/lot based, but there is a degree of location work shot single camera with a Sony DVW790.
I know it would be somewhat extreme on your basic slider, that's why I was thinking about ganging two together. It would still be cheaper than the other top-of-the-range alternatives.
Obviously, I'm only thinking about lateral tracks - not the vertical option...

Boris Barel
January 28th, 2010, 10:17 AM
200mm lens sounds very good.
I would use it with a shoulder ENG cams like 450 and the new 350 clean
or maybe a mattbox.
Do you think that if your slider supports the weight I could do vertical shots as well?
How difficult is it to do a clean vertical travel with some pan or tilt?
Love the verical option.

Tony Davies-Patrick
January 28th, 2010, 02:05 PM
Great choice of model on the video clip... :)

I was very interested in it being able to do vertical as well as horizontal slides. Will you be selling this slider via agents in Europe as well as USA/Canada?

Don Pham
January 28th, 2010, 03:30 PM
Don,
I direct a daily soap produced by BBC Wales for S4C. Most of the shoot is studio/lot based, but there is a degree of location work shot single camera with a Sony DVW790.
I know it would be somewhat extreme on your basic slider, that's why I was thinking about ganging two together. It would still be cheaper than the other top-of-the-range alternatives.
Obviously, I'm only thinking about lateral tracks - not the vertical option...

that must be cool doing a soap production. i did not target the eng market but if there is a need/want for my slider in that market, i will develope a slider for it. i am arranging a test run with a loaded Red One. the results/feedback will help me to understand and improve my sliders for bigger camera.

Don Pham
January 28th, 2010, 03:34 PM
200mm lens sounds very good.
I would use it with a shoulder ENG cams like 450 and the new 350 clean
or maybe a mattbox.
Do you think that if your slider supports the weight I could do vertical shots as well?
How difficult is it to do a clean vertical travel with some pan or tilt?
Love the verical option.


the slider should be able to handle the 350 as it is only 14 lbs.

the vertical shots is dependent on how good the operator is. the slider helps guide the camera verticaly but the pace and smoothness is operator dependent.

Don Pham
January 28th, 2010, 03:35 PM
Great choice of model on the video clip... :)

I was very interested in it being able to do vertical as well as horizontal slides. Will you be selling this slider via agents in Europe as well as USA/Canada?


currently you have to order directly thru the website.

Don Pham
January 29th, 2010, 03:09 PM
here is a pic of a EX3 on the slider from a customer

DP Slider: EX3 on DP Slider (http://dpslider.blogspot.com/2010/01/ex3-on-dp-slider.html)

Don Pham
January 31st, 2010, 12:50 AM
How much weight can a DP Slider handle?

Instead of telling you, I want to show you.

The following was a 6.7 lbs V-1200 (47 inches) DP Slider put to the test.


DP Slider - take1productions' Photos (http://take1productions.smugmug.com/Other/DP-Slider/10738824_VawcU#777237938_EiHQS-M-LB)

Robin Davies-Rollinson
January 31st, 2010, 04:21 AM
that must be cool doing a soap production. i did not target the eng market but if there is a need/want for my slider in that market, i will develope a slider for it. i am arranging a test run with a loaded Red One. the results/feedback will help me to understand and improve my sliders for bigger camera.

Thanks Don - I look forward to seeing the test results.

Michael Dontigney
January 31st, 2010, 09:14 AM
How much weight can a DP Slider handle?

Instead of telling you, I want to show you.

The following was a 6.7 lbs V-1200 (47 inches) DP Slider put to the test.


DP Slider - take1productions' Photos (http://take1productions.smugmug.com/Other/DP-Slider/10738824_VawcU#777237938_EiHQS-M-LB)


Okay.. I'm impressed!