Unboxing and testdriving the Konova Slider

The slider is delivered. I expected a big box but this was not very impressive. That's a good thing, though, because smaller means less weight and easy carrying.
First impression: very solid. This thing will not bend easily so a camera like an EX1r with monitor, mics etc should be no problem. It's a simple piece of gear: screw the feet on and it's ready to go. Well, in my case I had to adjust the bearings because out of the box they were a little tight. When placing on a tripod it obviously has to be perfectly balanced. And you need to really lock down the head because it will tilt under the weight of the camera.



Unboxing and test driving the Konova slider from Filmersblog.nl on Vimeo.


I had a hard time locking down my Manfrotto 503 head. If it's not rock solid, you will get camera shake, particularly when you reach the end of the slider. A DSLR like the 550D on the slider with one tripod is manageable, even though it didn't feel 100% With a bigger or heavier camera, I would recommend 2 tripods or supports for best results. Especially when shooting tele.
I tried placing the slider vertically but had a very hard time to go upwards smoothly. Down was easier, for obvious reasons, but you need a good monitoring device to know what you're doing. And 4 hands. I'm not sure I'll use the vertical option very much.
All in all, this is a very tight little slider. It's definitely worth the money and will greatly increase your painter's palette, so to speak. You won't regret this purchase.

closeup bearing

where to adjust friction of bearings