The Moza Slypod – Gimmick or a valuable tool for filmmakers?

The world was introduced to the Moza Slypod in grand fashion at NAB 2019 earlier this year. We went to the Gudsen stand to check it out while we were there, too. It’s an interesting device, with a whole new take on the camera slider form factor. It essentially looks like a motorised monopod, but how good is it really? In this video, Caleb Pike walks us around the features of the Slypod, and what he thinks about it.

The Slypod can be controlled in two different ways. Either with the dial and buttons on the bottom end of the Slypod or by using the mobile app. The app connects to the slider over Bluetooth and allows you to see the device’s battery life, upgrade the firmware, and control all of its settings.

Despite the size of the Slypod, it only has 280mm (11″) of travel, which isn’t all that much for a slider that costs $500. But the form factor does offer some unique filming opportunities that you possibly wouldn’t be able to get with more traditional sliders.

You can poke it through things that other sliders wouldn’t normally be able to fit through, and if your camera is facing the direction of travel, there’s zero chance of it ending up in the shot – which can be quite a common problem with the standard dual rail sliders. It also makes it easy to do vertical shots vs a traditional tripod, as you can just screw the base into a set of feet and set it on its run.

Because of the way it mounts on a tripod, and its overall form factor, you can also control it manually for a smooth pan or tilt while the camera is moving along the slider itself. That isn’t easy, or even possible, with many other sliders.

On the drawbacks of the Slypod, Caleb talks about the noise. This unit isn’t quiet, by any means – which explains why he doesn’t have it running while he’s talking. So, you’re not going to be running it in the background of a quiet interview or a wedding ceremony, for example. He also mentions that the power button sticks out quite a bit, so when it’s in the bag, it could get an accidental knock and turn on, draining its battery before you’re ready to use it.

It certainly isn’t going to be the slider for everybody, but it offers some unique advantages over more traditional sliders for some users. As Caleb says, for some people, it will be worth it. For others, not so much.

The Moza Slypod is available to buy now for $499.