Edelkrone Action Module/Slider Plus Pro - First Full Independent Review

[Brian Chow]

I was looking for a compact motion control system that could travel as carry on and decided on the Edelkrone Slider Plus Pro and their new combination Action Module which does both regular motion slides as well as time lapse and macro slides as well. It's not perfect but I don't think there is anything else out there this compact and versatile. In an ideal world, I would have a motion control system for run and gun/ travel and a bigger one for in town.

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[Phil Gosselin]

Hi Brian,

Thank you very much for taking the time to make your review, it was very nice and quite informative.

If you may, I have two questions :

-How do you compare the noise level of the action module with the other sliders that you own.

-If I were to put only a small Canon 60D on the slider (with the action module), do you think I could safely do vertical lifts?

Thanks!

[Brian Chow]

Hi Phil,

My other sliders make no noise. Its only the motor from the action slider that makes some noise. The Slider Plus is pretty much silent when used on its own.

A vertical lift would be possible but you still have to support the camera and kinda lift at the same time. It is a lot smoother tan trying to slide it manually. The shot of the engine and of the emblem were both at an angle. For sure, a lighter camera would be much better for a vertical lift.

Cheers
Brian

[Phil Gosselin]

Hi Brian,

For the noise I know that the slider is silent, I meant if you compare the noise to your other systems mechanical controls (if you have any)

[Brian Chow]

I don't have any other motion control units for my other sliders. The basic controller for the Kessler doesn't do time lapse etc and the Cinevate MoCo is about $1800 so too rich for my blood.

[Bryce Comer]

I just got hold of my Cinetics slider with slide/pan/tilt controls. Without going into too much detail about how fantastic it is from first impressions, i can tell you, it sounds about the same as the Edelkrone one for motor noise.
Bryce

[Phil Gosselin]

Thanks Bryce, that's good to know.

Feel free to post your impressions, tests or review of your model on this board. Hope you'll have fun with it

Cheers!

[Thomas Wong]

nice review!

I have the slider plus v2 and action+target module
like it and don't like it

yes, it is very portable, but...

same as you mention, if i need a shoot without the module, i will need to take the module off. Also i find that the screws are not that easy to put on and off, and takes time to unscrew

have you tried target module with the C100? I've tried target module with Blackmagic cinema camera with 15mm rail and external battery. Although you have the slider pro, but the Target module's "head" seems not very capable for heavy camera rig. Also the same issue, If i want a shoot without the target module, i will need to replace the head, that takes time too.

My conclusion is, yes it is portable, but i will also need to prepare two set of tripod. One for the modules, and one tripod for normal use

[Mike Watson]

I ordered the Edelkrone XL with the Wizard and Action module on the last day of NAB. I was told I'd have it in 3-4 weeks, and it's been 3-4 months, but after some thinly veiled threats they did eventually send mine out, and even expedited shipping.

I shoot with a Sony FS-100, sometimes with the kit lens (18-200) and sometimes with an EF mount Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. It's not the world's heaviest rig, but it's not the lightest, and I often weight it down with one or two Sennheiser wireless receivers, and often have cables hanging off for a feed to video village.

I ordered the XL, because... I dunno, because I'm American, and if a little is good then a lot must be better. My tripod (and, in my opinion, any center-mount support, meaning light stand, tripod, etc) will not support something the size and weight of an FS-100 at the very distant left or right of the slider. The tripod will tip over, the ball-head will come lose, etc. It gets pretty shaky at the far distance. That said, in the center (maybe 50% of the usable length of the XL), it is rock solid. It is surprising how much motion effect 12-24" will get you, and if I had it to do over again, I would have ordered the small, the medium, or the large. I would not re-order the XL.

I ordered both the action module and the wizard module with my slider. I can't remember which is which, but they both work relatively well.

The action module (I think) pans the camera left and right as you move the slider. This is important if you are trying to follow an object. You dial in the distance your subject is from the slider, and it follows it as you move back and forth. It works relatively well. The distance is not dead on, and I've yet to figure out the formula to get it exactly right, but much like in horseshoes and hand grenades, it's close enough if you're doing an interview with a medium shot (which is what I do a lot of). If you are trying to get one of those uber-close up Star Trek shots, you will need to fiddle with the distance to get it right. The action module is very quiet, but outputs a very high pitched squeal as it operates. It is not enough to interrupt the audio of the interview, but it is enough for you to claw at your ears and fiddle with your cables to see what is making that whine.

The wizard module (I think) moves the slider back and forth, to save you the mental anguish of doing it yourself. It is dead simple, and I was pleasantly surprised to be able to adjust the acceleration and speed of the move even after it was recorded. I plan to use this to repeatedly move the camera veeeery slowly back and forth during an interview. In an office, it is too loud to use. It may or may not show up on mic, but it is distracting to the interviewee. However, today I shot on an aircraft carrier (inside, not on the deck), and with the din of other activity, it was hardly noticeable.

Both of the modules (action and wizard) are operated by a little four way switch, and neither of them work very well. It has the reaction and feel of a $0.10 made in china part, which in and of itself isn't terrible, but attached to my $2200 (!!) slider, is abhorent. I've considered returning the whole bit because of this.

I ordered the Canon battery plate (the one that works with 5D MkII batteries), and even though those batteries are tiny, they seem to hold up through an interview. Each unit holds two batteries, and i'm only using one right now, I was able to get through a 30 minute interview without killing a battery. I'd have rather ordered one of the plates for the larger batteries, but my head will explode if I have to devise a new organization method to charge a different set of batteries. Maybe it's too much to ask, but a AA plate or a Sony f-970 plate would have been a godsend.

The slider itself is friction based, meaning little rollers slide along a rail, and the rail is exposed to the elements. Eventually the rail will get a scratch, and the scratch will turn to a gouge, and then I'll have a bump in the rail. Outside of being absurdly careful (which I am not), I cannot see a way to avoid this, and I dread it happening, and runining my $2200 (!!) slider.

Overall, I am generally happy. The wonky buttons on the modules are the worst part. I think there is a fair amount of downfall to these sliders, but I do think it it the best available unit for the price right now.

[Thomas Wong]

i agree, the button is the most terrible part. Sometimes it doesn't even response
For example, after recording the slider's from one side to the other side, i press the button again, it won't stop recording