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Small skater dollies
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Skater-Dolly-Video-Camera-Slider-HDDSLR-5D-MKII-7D-/250877147615?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a697179df

    image

    Price: $105 shipped

    http://www.ebay.com/sch/rebelairsoftcom/m.html?_nkw=dolly


    image

    Price: $115 shipped (for BIN)


    http://www.ebay.com/sch/steady-camera/m.html?_nkw=dolly
  • 37 Replies sorted by
  • ActarusActarus

    Hey, has anyone used this track/skater dolly? It's called CINEMOVER, looks very interesting and cheap, very versatile, I'm surprised nobody never mentioned it here. Very good price but the shipping fees are a killer.(http://moveyourcamera.ambitiousme.com/products-page/)

    Here's a video that pretty much sums it up:

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    @walker The black sash cord is tied off at the front and back of dolly via the pulleys and acts as a brake when when you either stop pulling or pushing. The PVC is screwed down and provides drag /friction, I now use a thin cloth strap to do this as it sits flat around the PVC with minimal vibration. Cheers.

  • WalkerWalker

    Thanks. Seems smooth and with precise stops. We get to see the camera in the mirror, clever. But what's happening with the ropes & pulley? Does the PVC pipe rotate, or just provide friction? Are you pulling on the cord?

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    @walker.. Thanks. Cheers.

  • WalkerWalker

    @Haberdasher You can always edit your previous post, correcting the You Tube link.

    (It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just so it shows how your dolly works). :-)

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    Sorry, if you can remove it I'll try again. Apologies.

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Haberdasher

    It is wrong link

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    @walker.....best I can do to show you in one shot. I'm not too good at stopping these skate dollys smoothly by hand, so it's good and cheap for my type of stuff. Cheers.

  • WalkerWalker

    @Haberdasher

    what do you want to see?

    I'd like to see the system in operation:

    • Some footage shot from the dolly;
    • Video of the dolly itself, in action.

    (Sorry, I'm just staring at the picture and finding it all a bit hard to imagine without it all moving).

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    Sure, but what do you want to see ?

  • WalkerWalker

    @Haberdasher Could you post some video: (either of and/or shot from) a camera mounted on that setup?

  • HaberdasherHaberdasher

    I was looking for a method to give the dolly dead stops, one after the other if needed. So I came up with this. The piece of PVC tubing also gines me 3 constant speed variations, slow, very slow, really slow, with great consitancy, depending on how many times I wrap the sash cord arouned. The track is laminate and very portable, and sits very comfortably with in a fold up ladder to use outside, and all fits in the back of a wagon. Cheers

    P1120218 (517x640).jpg
    517 x 640 - 196K
  • sammysammy

    oh k )

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @sammy

    Plenty of them on ebay or amazon :-) Prices are low today.

  • sammysammy

    http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=117&cp_id=11701&cs_id=1170103&p_id=10274&seq=1&format=2

    new product to Monoprice, I dont think I ever seen any dolly listed close to $25, i will give one try, I have bought many cables for my recording studio via monoprice, they are located in my city, i will give this one a try , for only $25 this is worth the try

  • mrbillmrbill

    I'd like to investigate the possibility of moving my table dolly using a small electric motor to winch the dolly along. This would be especially useful for macro work, where any variation in dolly speed really shows up. Ideally I'd be able to vary voltage and thus utilise different speeds. Splining the moves isn't important but a constant speed would be. I'm pretty clueless in terms of electrics, so any model hobbyists or similar out there who could chime in - much appreciated. I got as far as considering adapting the axle of a miniature slot racing car as one possible avenue..

  • mrbillmrbill

    I bought a neoprene mat made especially for table dollies. This on top of a simple plank of wood and some levelling wedges made from timber off cuts makes for great lo-level shots. I have a decent ball and socket mount on mine - found a magic arm a bit flimsy - and it's a great way to use a macro lens too.

  • symphsymph

    hi, 49 $ bit changed runs fine. Thanks for watching

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    Here's the completed spot for Cinetics (FS700)...

    ...I did all of the "digital opticals", the glows and such, not the motion graphics which, AFAIK, were provided to the director by Cinetics themselves. I'm gonna have to talk to them about upgrading those, or at least their logo portion.

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    I'm actually working on a commercial for a Cinetics Cine Skater as I type this. I should be getting their MOCO rig, which uses this dolly as its basis perhaps, any day now.

    I've also got the Pico Dolly, which I like a lot. I've been meaning to construct a stable, smooth track that I can elevate for it to do higher shots where a table or counter isn't available. I must admit, I wanted to smack myself in the head when I read the above post about using it on walls, poles, etc. and thinking outside the box. Great idears.

  • tonalttonalt

    I have this kind of dolly (as pictured in the first post).

    Not so happy about it. Micro vibrations transmits to the camera and I have to apply stabilization in post.

    And yes, I had very smooth surface.

  • fehafeha

    I use cine skater, very stable ...

    WP1000536.jpg
    1200 x 900 - 136K
  • Brian_SianoBrian_Siano

    I just got a Pico Dolly with a 7" arm, and used it on a project this weekend with my GH2. I'm a little disappointed. I would have loved to mount the camera right in the middle of the dolly, so the lens was maybe half an inch from the ground... but the dolly's not long enough, and the central screw isn't easily removed.

    Using the arm was difficult, as the weight of the camera was a bit much for it, and the 7" arm doesn't have a lot of play so that one might, perhaps, attach the camera via the hotshoe. It's also tricky to attach the arm, as you have to twist it on the screw at both ends-- attaching the arm to the camera on the tripod mount, and then, attaching the arm to the camera.

    It's well made, and with a ballhead mount or a small monopod, it's great for shots where you can use a table for the "track." I'd hoped to get shows that were very close to the ground; and while I managed to do it, it was very difficult. I

    If anyone has suggestions for getting those very-low dolly shots, let me know.

  • brianlucebrianluce

    I use my slider lots, never used the skater on 6 years. YMMV.

  • stoneystoney

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