Create REPEATABLE Camera Moves for VFX! Zeapon Micro3 Slider + PONS PT Head

[@DevonBlueWhitaker]

It’s really cool watching your reviews of gear that aren’t anamorphic. Don’t get me wrong I love the anamorphic stuff too, but this is a nice break. Cheers!

[@carreteFILMSPro]

LOL Right...

[@buddyfx7026]

Just got their system a couple days ago. From my limited experience I'd say it's a great offering for the price if you're in need of a motion controlled slider. This is great for a third camera in interviews settings where you want a repeatable orbiting shot for your subject which ads a nice touch here and there when needed on the cutting room floor. It's also obviously great for product shot. Really curious to see if they create a follow focus; that would be a very welcomed addition! P.s. We need to connect again, it's been a while!

[@markwiemels]

The result is frekin fantastic! Well done! I'm inspired. How long did it take you to setup and shoot the shot?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Thank you! It took me two days to figure out what to do to make it easier in post, but then, no rehearsals and about 90 minutes of filming. Halfway through the first attempt we realized a critical mistake, so we had to go back and re-do everything from the start. It would've been easier to have a loud counter going on, to time each pass and what each character needed to do at that moment. :)

[@markwiemels]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget this is good insight. I may have a try at it. Like anything I guess, if you did it again, it would take you 1/2 the time.

[@jimgiraffe5253]

i bought the micro3 and pons pan head back in march. love it. the app is limited due to no speed ramping and it pauses briefly between waypoints which is less than ideal for video work.

[@LushLifeTV]

Have you had any trouble with the software/firmware updates? I got this exact setup this week, but am unable to use it because of the app. It recognized and i'm able to connect all 3 parts, but when I click "done" instead of going into the app controls, a dialogue box pops out that says "After the system has been tested, the firmware of PONS Heads must be upgraded to the latest version to ensure that your device con function properly". If I select "no", the dialogue box closes and i'm back at the connections screen. If i hit "yes", it takes me to the firmware updates page under settings... anytime I tried to update firmware it just gives me a spinning box for about 20-30 seconds (no indication on if anything is installing). After "updating" all the pieces several times, I'm still unable to get into the app controls as it sticks me with the same dialoge box over and over telling me to updates PONS heads. Unbelievably frustrating, wondering if you have any advice or workarounds? Thanks!

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Oh no! I had to update the firmware on the PONS head, but it gave me a progress bar. It did feel a little less visual than I wanted though. :(

[@LushLifeTV]

What version did it update to out of curiosity? Currently my PAN heads are firmware version 1.1 .... given the problem mentioned above, I can't upgrade it to the current one.@@AnamorphicOnABudget

[@paulalanis]

I'm having app issues as well. @LushLifeTV did you find a solution?

[@FlyingJackalope]

Off topic: Hey Tito, have you ever tried to anomorfake a Laowa Probe Lens? Love to get your take on that.

[@sergiorjs]

Is it possible to use the app to insert pauses between each waypoint? For example, stop movement for 5 seconds between waypoint A and waypoint B, and from there to waypoint C?

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

No, unfortunately. :(

[@franksemi_modular]

I bought their biggest set (E1000) I think it's around meter, plus the pons, wireless hotshoe timelapse trigger and revolver quick release plates. I can actually highly recommend a couple of those as the quallity are in top and makes it many times easyer when changing cameras. All in all a great system but there is room for improvements for sure. The software is their weakest point in my opinion for various reasons worst being that for each "waypoint" you set the camera stops before continuing instead of making a smooth run. I'm really hoping for software update on that part. Also editing / deleting a waypoint seams not to always work properly and you have to start all over. Quite annoying to say the least. They also made a design flaw in my opinion in where they placed the buttons on the slider motor or in the size. If using the largest batteries on the 360 pon the slider cant go all the way to the end where the slider motor is and you have to turn the pon 180 degrees and that no problem except now you have the buttons on the motor slider away from you while the rest is ok. That's just design that havn't been thought through to the end. And finally when choosing the longest slider it does show up on the footage even with properly mounted support legs. It's not a 100% fluent movement but I guess that no sliders are. And that another thing to remember if buying the longest is that it can tip over when slided all the way to the edges, even on a large sturdy video tripod. I had it tip over when using a payload on "only" 3,5 kg mounted on my ENG Sachtler Video 15 SB complete system (Ace XL) and rubber feets. I believe thats the most sturdiest and stable of all the Sachtler's. I simply had to put 10 kg of weight under the tripod to make sure it don't tip over. But all in all a pretty good system. Just wish they would improve on their software in terms of features and stability.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Great points all around in this comment. I also found it disappointing that the slider + head would stop in every waypoint instead of going smoothly onto the next.

[@franksemi_modular]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget I also noticed that the vertical pon seam to struggle at a certain angle point if the weightbalance of camera and lenses is not set correctly. And that shows up on the footage aswell. It's a bit of a trial and error, but it seams to me that the vertical pon motor i a bit underdimensioned. The pon's are exactly the same horsontial and vertical and so that could be that Zeapon odd to add one stronger for vertical use.

[@hanshuang4287]

Dear Frank, I think on all points, the most dangerous thing is the tripod is not able to hold the slider and it flips out, did you try to extend the angle of the tripod legs as wide as possible? and use the support rods included in slider package?

[@franksemi_modular]

@@hanshuang4287 yes to both questions. The tripod just need extra weight on and then it's fine. But it's worth remembering when buying the e1000.

[@Trevellian]

Almost bought one, my issues were that it requires an app, and (iirc) doesn't allow manual operation. As in, manually slide and point the camera to the desired start position - select point-A. Manually slide and point the camera the desired end point, select point-B. Zeapon has just released a higher end model, the Axis Pro, that seems to address those issues. It has a physical control interface that reduces/removes the need for an app, and it can be manually pointed to set A-B points. Though the pan-tilt head does not appear to be fully integrated into the manual controls yet.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

I see! I wanted to understand, what's the issue with using an app?

[@Trevellian]

@@AnamorphicOnABudget When I researched this last year, there were reports that the App was unusably buggy, though gather they fixed that. In general, find peripherals that require apps can become doorstops with a single bad update, or through a lack of updates, when OS features they use are deprecated. There's also the issue of having to connect the app in the field in wifi / bluetooth congested locations. Better longevity with products that can perform their functions without needing an app.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

@@Trevellian Great reasons, thank you for expanding on them!

[@cnihon5894]

The slider on its own is great. The slider in combination with the PONS Heads is trash. The movements are NOT repeatable and it will slip out of sync on a single run through. A fact pointed out in actual "reviews" that actually went into the functionality of the slider rather than jamming together some b-roll and rambling on about sliders in general. The app is also absolutely awful, and movements are not fully programmable, and no reparable. It doesn't even cycle through waypoints the same way back and forth. This is definitely a video to file under "KZbinr takes free gear for less than frank promo". You can't call it a review.

[@AnamorphicOnABudget]

Yeah, the app isn't great, but I was able to create a repeatable movement with six positions and stitch those takes together without a nightmare of tracking, roto and whatnot.