Konova KMS S2 - $179 Motorized Camera Slider for Motion Timelapse
One of the easiest ways to increase the production value of videos is by investing in stabilization tools. While tripods are great for stagnant shots, sliders are an easy, user-friendly option to add consistent, smooth movement. Sliders can range in price, from industry standard equipment to beginner quality tools for upstarts. Today’s video reviews the latter.
The KMS S2 is the newest motorized system for Konova Sliders and offers some big improvements over their other motorized systems. The biggest complaint with many motorized slider options is the noise, as they can be too loud for interview settings. However, despite the motor issues, the slider and jib are great for shots without audio.
The products that Konova makes are solid, and they are tough to beat when looking
at a price to build quality ratio. The unique thing about Konova’s motorized Slider systems is that they are totally modular. It’s still possible to use an original K7 Slider with the new S2 motorized system.
As seen in the video, here’s what comes in the box:
Konova KMS S2 Box
A manual
Controller
Motor
Motor mount
2 belt blocks
A belt
LAN cable
USB-micro power cable
A hex Key
An optional shutter release cable.
One of the great things Konova has done with the unit is make it battery powered using rechargeable Sony NP batteries. These batteries are very cheap and come in a variety of sizes. When indoors, it can be plugged in via the usb cable into a usb ac adapter.
Konova KMS S2 slider as B angle during interview
As shown in the video, the first test was how it performs during an interview. The B camera is set up on the slider, and it is set to loop back and forth while the camera records. During playback, the motor should be inaudible- in practice, it was significantly quieter than other motors.
The mentioned looping feature is only one of the many ways to set up this motor. There is also “Live Mode” which allows a camera operator to move it around manually. Its Auto function allows the user to set “in and out points” and have it automatically track between the two.
Another useful feature is the time lapse mode. As shown in the above video, Nick set the camera up at Dobbins Landing in Erie, PA to capture some outdoor timelapses.. The new Konova motorized unit setup is placed on the K7 Slider, while the Sony sync cable is attached to his A6500.
Slider setup at Dobbins Lander in Erie, Pa
First, he sets the in-point, which is basically how far left it’s going to be. On the controller, it will say “Set Point A”. Once it’s far enough left, clicking will set the point at that distance. After setting A, Nick slides the camera all the way to his chosen end point. Once again, he clicks and sets “Set Point B” at this location.
Nick creates set points using remote control
Now he goes into the timelapse feature. The exposure is set to be half a second. The duration will then auto-update. For this test, the interval is set to be two and a half seconds. A delay can be set here, so the camera operator has the ability to walk away and have it start at a certain time.
What’s nice about this tool is the user doesn’t have to set any of these settings on the camera. With the sync cable, the controller tells the camera to do everything it needs to.
Once all the settings are locked in, the last step is pressing “Start.” The video above displays the timelapse results utilizing these settings.
The controller itself is much more compact and intuitive than other options. It’s very similar to the Rhino Slider controller, which costs a lot more, but offers similar features. At $179, the KMS S2 offers a lot of features at a budget friendly price. Even at this price, the build quality is solid, as almost everything is metal, rather than plastic.
Konova KMS S2 setup hooked to up to A6500 DSLR
It may not be as sleek as the Rhino series, but most people are willing to sacrifice looks for utility in a product like this. Links to the product page are provided in the description of the video above.
All in all, while not necessary, investing in tools that help with production value will never be a waste of money. Tools like sliders are beneficial for multiple reasons as they offer an option for smooth movement, are user friendly, and act as a built-in camera operator for shoots with smaller crews.