Movement

Cinevate Atlas FLT Slider

If you’re a DSLR shooter, this slider could be one of your best friends! It’s super portable and easy to use, and the rigid design allows the FLT to be mounted on a single tripod, so it can quickly be positioned at various heights.

This slider really balances performance, size and cost… it’s affordable and smaller in size, making it great for beginners and smaller crews, and great for travel. The standard legs are great in many situations, and there’s an all-terrain option for harsher environments.

Cons: This slider does not have a bowl — meaning that the user has to adjust the legs in order to find the perfect balance, so you’ll need to watch out for uneven shots.

Cinevate Atlas 30 Slider

A step up from the FLT Slider, the 30 is going to be a bit spendier, but it’s very robust and can handle just about anything you throw at it. It gives one of the smoothest slides on the market, with a body that moves along the rails via bearings.

This slider has a dual rail design, meaning the rig can be broken down for travel — but it does require two stands or boxes for elevated use. It’ll support up to 30lbs, making it great for DSLR shooters and medium-sized cameras.

It’s got a bowl which allows for quick leveling, it comes in hand when you’re operating off the ground! It can also easily be mounted upside down using stands or boxes, giving you many creative options.

Cons: The legs can be a bit slow to adjust if you’re in a hurry, and the exposed rails need to be cleaned/lubricated often.

Manfrotto 561BHDV-1 Monopod

If you know anything about Stillmotion, you know that we’re huge advocates for this tool… it’s pretty much our baby.

We take it with us on every shoot! The telescoping post,  ball head, and small supporting legs make this monopod stable and fully capable of getting into a variety of spots. This really is an amazing value for how often you’ll use this tool, and how long it will last you if you take good care of it.

Cons: The small legs can sometimes break, and the ball joint will need lubricant on occasion. If you get this monopod you just need to make sure you keep up on the maintenance… and it will be your new BFF.

Check out our Manfrotto tutorial on the blog.

Steadicam Pilot-VL Stabilization System

A very strong, entry level, body-mounted stabilizer that offers the precision of Steadicam paired with a very reasonable price tag for what it offers.

The included weights will give you many setup options, and are a great addition when working with very light DSLR cameras. The arm and gimbal on the Pilot are so good that they allow for the same quality of shots as rigs that normally cost much more than this system.

Basically for the quality of the rig and the power it offers, this is a great deal! The interchangeable system allows different arms and sleds to work together, offering an easier upgrade path.

Cons: Some mid-size cameras will have a hard time with this system, as it only handles up to about 10lbs. Also the Vest has a lot of velcro which can be noisy at an event, and kind of confusing to get off.

Steadicam Zephyr Stabilization System

In our opinion, this is the best body-mounted stabilizer for cameras under 20lbs. It features a very robust vest with quick adjustments via a buckle system as well as several easy adjustments throughout. The bottom of the sled has two separate posts for the battery and monitor that can be quickly repositioned to achieve dynamic balance quickly and easily.

Quickly find the perfect balance with the Zephyr’s many tool-less adjustments, and watch the high quality monitor (also featuring lots of adjustment options!) as you go.

Zacuto Striker Camera Rig

We love this tool, it allows for more dynamic, human-like movement without having to actually go handheld. It’s great for getting in there and getting the action while offering some extra stability!

It also works well with small and large cameras alike — you can attach extra batteries, a follow focus, and other accessories very easily.

This tool is great for shooting things like athletic events, but it’s not the way to go if you’re trying to get a super steady, polished look for your story.