GEAR MINI TESTS
Our round-up of the great kit we’ve tested in this issue includes a new cine zoom lens, a 40inmonitor, a portable tripod and a range of LED panels
WORDS ADAM DUCKWORTH, KINGSLEY SINGLETON AND ROGER PAYNE
KENRO DOUBLE DISTANCE SLIDER £199/$269 www.kenro.co.uk
SPECIFICATIONS Maximum load: 6kg/13.22lb flat surface, 3kg/6.61lb tripod-mounted Length: 50cm/19.7in Movement range: 38cm/15in flat surface, 76cm/30in tripod-mounted Movement type: Belt driven Dimensions: 50x10x9.5cm/ 19.7x3.9x3.7in Weight: 1.64kg/3.62lb
of lenses including a 20mm f/1.8, 16-35mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.8; the heaviest combo, totalling 2.31kg. Ultimately any slider will be rated on how smoothly you can move the camera on it. Some have winders built in, but Kenro’s Double Distance Slider is all down to using your hands to push the carriage along. You can do this either via the platform or the end of the rail if the slider is on a tripod. I tried both, and found a lot of smoothness comes from your own technique. I did notice a little wobble as the top platform passes its counterweight; this was mainly found when using the four-feet setup. I couldn’t iron it out, but it was barely noticeable in footage. More wobble was detected when tripod-mounted, particularly at the ends of the rail. Using the D810, 16-35mm and head, the rail bowed down at the extremes and more force was required to move the camera there, which often resulted in a slightly jerky movement. Using a lighter set- up lessened this,
Kenro’s Double Distance Slider has a neat trick; the range can be extended to 76cm, despite the rail being only 50cm long. When used on a tripod, the slider’s mounting point is a counterbalance to the camera carriage. Essentially the whole rail moves laterally as you move the camera. It’s a nice idea, but care must be taken as it moves closer to the end of the rail as it’s easy to unbalance if the spread of legs isn’t wider than the 76cm reach of the slider. The slider can also be used freestanding as it has two adjustable feet at each end of the aluminium rail, which can be lengthened by up to 1cm to stabilise the slider on uneven surfaces. The feet become a bit wobbly as you unscrew them, so you don’t want to move them too much, but they do have rubber contact points for extra grip, and the knurled finish makes them easy to use. There’s no bubble level on the slider, so perfect levelling needs to be done using a suitable head attached to the platform or under it. The maximum load is 6kg when mounted on the integrated feet, falling to 3kg on a tripod. I tested it with a 650g ball head and a Nikon D810 with a range
BELOWAND RIGHT The Kenro slider can be used on a tripod or freestanding on its integrated feet. .
image stabilisation was used. What’s more, the rubber bumper at the end of the rail to stop the carriage is nowhere near spongy enough to prevent a bump; I’d glue some foam padding on there. At £199, this is an affordable slider, and a clever one. It weighs only 1.64kg and build quality feels solid, with plenty of screws to tighten should anything slip. The fact that it’s small and light could be the difference in taking a slider with you or leaving a larger model at home, and it can offer pretty smooth results that give video a much more professional look. KS. PROMOVIEMAKER RATING: 8/10 A clever idea and it’s affordable. Pros: Portable and easy to use Cons: Manual slide only, and limited length.
but results were improved when
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PRO MOVIEMAKER SPRING 2018
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