Automating Your Slider for About 20 Bucks

A while back we featured a nifty way to slide your camera while taking time lapse movies. At the core of that system there was a BBQ rotisserie motor. It is a very common item, but hell to carry on location.

If you own a slider rail or a dolly (or if you hacked one yourself, or if you own a skateboard), you can take the concept of sliding with you on location.

Norwegian photographer Joakim Fjeldli takes the concept of motorizing a slider, an Igus DryLin in his case, and adds portability.

The idea is simple enough, pull a fishing line from the “slider head” to a slow gear motor to the slider head and you can pull the head towards you and create motion.

The smart part, Joakim uses a 12v DC/DC adapter with voltage control to make the motor go faster or slower. Clever.

Power? A small 12V lead acid battery. Smart, and super portable.

I wonder how long it would take the big guns to come up with a similarly cheap and effective alternative.

[thanks for the twitter shout, Joakim]