Motion control—the ability to program a camera to do a specific move repeatedly and/or more slowly than a human can—has been around for a long time, but is generally outside the budget of most indie filmmakers. Even the opening shot of the Godfather involved a motion control system to make the smooth dolly back up slower than a human could. However, the biggest expense in motion control is the full three-dimensional move, and by sticking to a dual axis system, Edelkrone has managed to create an affordable motion control unit for the masses.
With just a smooth surface to operate on, you can pre-program side to side or arcing moves, centered around a single object, with minimal programming. While the demonstration video focuses heavily on timelapse and product work, there is a key shot that should indicate a huge use case for most filmmakers: the moving interview. If you are doing any type of documentary or corporate work, and you're out there as a one mule team, it's been traditional to set up a second camera getting a wide shot just to have two views on the interview. Putting that second camera on a SurfaceONE, just drifting back and forth, while you operate the closer shot, creates a much more dynamic interview for relatively low cost.
Credit: Edelkrone
The unit is designed to slide easily into a backpack, and runs off the same LP-E6 batteries that power Canon DSLRS and countless other film accessories. It also has a built in laser pointer for precise targeting when you are lining up the initial shot, which is a helpful feature to ensure that you are centering your arc properly and your focus won't drift throughout the move. Below are some shots from Edelkrone of the product in use:
Credit: Edelkrone
Credit: Edelkrone
Credit: Edelkrone
Available now from Edelkrone for $698.
Tech Specs:
- (L x W x H) 7.2 x 6.69 x 2.44 in (184 x 170 x 62 mm)
- 4.56 lb (2.07 kg)
- Cameras up to
- 15 lb (6.8 kg) or less.
- .2mm/sec to 220 mm/second speed range
- Coreless DC motor with high res encoder
- Canon LP-E6 battery power
- CNC Machined Aluminum
- Bluetooth connectivity for App control
