Eldekrone v2 slider at DVinfo.net

Brian David Melnyk · January 14th, 2014, 07:12 AM

Anyone using this? I would love some insights. I know v1 and early versions of v2 had some problems, but is this worth the $?
I'm looking at the medium size, and it has to be very mobile because it needs to be sent to Mali, and because I'm filming in the field with a lot of travel.

Brian David Melnyk · January 16th, 2014, 10:24 AM

Nobody using this? Hmmmmm.
I ended up placing an order for one, so I guess I'll find out for myself....

Tariq Peter · February 2nd, 2014, 06:52 PM

I was close to buying one but as the feet do not really go that high of the ground I thought I would wait for a newer version as it is something that has been suggested to them many times.

Brian David Melnyk · February 3rd, 2014, 03:35 AM

After being extorted $160 by the Malian customs chief (he held it for 10 days and was trying for $300. Soooo depressing!) and paying $108 for DHL, I finally got my slider. It should be made of gold and unicorn tears for the costs!!! Lesson 1: never import anything to Mali.
After a week, here are some thoughts.

Negative:
If panning or tilting while sliding, the top section bumps the base while sliding past. Not good, and there should be more clearance, or less play on the top section. The top section should be adjustable, but it is not.
The feet are too short, and even on a flat surface they barely clear the QR plate from my Libec LS38. Also, they are in danger of falling off and being lost when unscrewed so far for clearance. On uneven terrain it would be impossible to level by itself.
The top section has a lock in the middle position, but it still has way too much play to use for smooth pans and tilts when locked off. The lock only stops it from sliding, but doesn't hold it firm in place. Diminishes its usefulness. A knob to adjust the play would easily fix this.
It comes with both 1/4 and 3/8 for mounting a head on top, but the bottom is only 3/8. For the price, it should come with a 1/4 adapter so it can be mounted on any tripod out of the box. A little cheap if you ask me, and access to an adapter here in Mali is weeks away, and a royal pain to ship, so I can't use it on the tripod I intended for some time.
There are small rubber pads to cushion the ends of the slide, but they are too small and instead the metal bumps metal. One pad was missing out of the box. I stuck on my own felt pads, but they will likely be lost in the field.
There is no drag adjustment.

Positive:
This is a really smart design, and well machined. Very small, portable slider with a very useful sliding length. I have the medium, and for me it is a perfect length. Dollys are really great due to its design.
If the wheels are adjusted perfectly, it is very smooth with a light touch. Panning and tilting are possible, but take practice to avoid the middle bump.
I was forced to attach it to the Libec QR plate, and though it dips slightly on the ends of the slides, this is due to the tripod, not the slider. This can be compensated for by supporting the ends with your hands while sliding, or if the camera is on a rig with handles, gingerly supporting some of the camera weight.
Because it is mounted on the Libec head, the possibilities for movement are many. I mostly lock off the Libec tilt, and with the pan I can swing the camera in circular motions while also sliding or dollying, tilting and panning the top head at the same time. It can be a real ballet of camera motion, and with the Libec head tilting also, it offers some real weird Dutch angle madness and some slight jib action.

I think it is slightly expensive (even excluding the extra $ I was forced to spend) and the design needs some definite improvements, but overall I think this was the right choice of slider for my mobile needs, and will add some great, proffessional movements to my work.

Brian David Melnyk · February 3rd, 2014, 09:24 AM

One more critique:
Attaching the slider's bottom plate to a tripod is a single 3/8 mounting hole. This may work fine when attaching to just the tripod base, but if you have a bowl mount, you have to attach to the QR plate. This one mounting point is not enough to stop the slider from rotating on the plate. A hole for the pin on the plate would be wise, or even a few threaded holes around the main point to give more solid mounting options...

January 14th, 2014, 07:12 AM	#1
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	Eldekrone v2 slider Anyone using this? I would love some insights. I know v1 and early versions of v2 had some problems, but is this worth the $? I'm looking at the medium size, and it has to be very mobile because it needs to be sent to Mali, and because I'm filming in the field with a lot of travel.

January 16th, 2014, 10:24 AM	#2
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	Re: Eldekrone v2 slider Nobody using this? Hmmmmm. I ended up placing an order for one, so I guess I'll find out for myself....

February 2nd, 2014, 06:52 PM	#3
Tariq Peter Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Manchester England Posts: 435	Re: Eldekrone v2 slider I was close to buying one but as the feet do not really go that high of the ground I thought I would wait for a newer version as it is something that has been suggested to them many times.

February 3rd, 2014, 03:35 AM	#4
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	Re: Eldekrone v2 slider After being extorted $160 by the Malian customs chief (he held it for 10 days and was trying for $300. Soooo depressing!) and paying $108 for DHL, I finally got my slider. It should be made of gold and unicorn tears for the costs!!! Lesson 1: never import anything to Mali. After a week, here are some thoughts. Negative: If panning or tilting while sliding, the top section bumps the base while sliding past. Not good, and there should be more clearance, or less play on the top section. The top section should be adjustable, but it is not. The feet are too short, and even on a flat surface they barely clear the QR plate from my Libec LS38. Also, they are in danger of falling off and being lost when unscrewed so far for clearance. On uneven terrain it would be impossible to level by itself. The top section has a lock in the middle position, but it still has way too much play to use for smooth pans and tilts when locked off. The lock only stops it from sliding, but doesn't hold it firm in place. Diminishes its usefulness. A knob to adjust the play would easily fix this. It comes with both 1/4 and 3/8 for mounting a head on top, but the bottom is only 3/8. For the price, it should come with a 1/4 adapter so it can be mounted on any tripod out of the box. A little cheap if you ask me, and access to an adapter here in Mali is weeks away, and a royal pain to ship, so I can't use it on the tripod I intended for some time. There are small rubber pads to cushion the ends of the slide, but they are too small and instead the metal bumps metal. One pad was missing out of the box. I stuck on my own felt pads, but they will likely be lost in the field. There is no drag adjustment. Positive: This is a really smart design, and well machined. Very small, portable slider with a very useful sliding length. I have the medium, and for me it is a perfect length. Dollys are really great due to its design. If the wheels are adjusted perfectly, it is very smooth with a light touch. Panning and tilting are possible, but take practice to avoid the middle bump. I was forced to attach it to the Libec QR plate, and though it dips slightly on the ends of the slides, this is due to the tripod, not the slider. This can be compensated for by supporting the ends with your hands while sliding, or if the camera is on a rig with handles, gingerly supporting some of the camera weight. Because it is mounted on the Libec head, the possibilities for movement are many. I mostly lock off the Libec tilt, and with the pan I can swing the camera in circular motions while also sliding or dollying, tilting and panning the top head at the same time. It can be a real ballet of camera motion, and with the Libec head tilting also, it offers some real weird Dutch angle madness and some slight jib action. I think it is slightly expensive (even excluding the extra $ I was forced to spend) and the design needs some definite improvements, but overall I think this was the right choice of slider for my mobile needs, and will add some great, proffessional movements to my work.

February 3rd, 2014, 09:24 AM	#5
Brian David Melnyk Major Player Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg Canada Posts: 532	Re: Eldekrone v2 slider One more critique: Attaching the slider's bottom plate to a tripod is a single 3/8 mounting hole. This may work fine when attaching to just the tripod base, but if you have a bowl mount, you have to attach to the QR plate. This one mounting point is not enough to stop the slider from rotating on the plate. A hole for the pin on the plate would be wise, or even a few threaded holes around the main point to give more solid mounting options...