Trexo Slider Now on Kickstarter – Tiny and Portable Motion-Control System

Motion Control News

by Francesco AndreolaMay 6^th, 2022

Trexo Slider is a compact motion-control system designed for smartphones, DSLRs, mirrorless, and small cinema cameras that can easily fit in your backpack. It features a camera travel distance of 20cm/8”, adjustable speed, a dedicated time-lapse mode, 6 hours of operating time, and compatibility with Trexo Motion App. The crowdfunding campaign for this project is now live on Kickstarter.

Trexo Innovation is a company that focuses on motion-control solutions for filmmakers. A few years ago, we reported about their tiny tabletop dolly with motion control, the Trexo Wheels. The company’s engineering team is now back with an extremely compact and portable motorized slider solution, which is now being crowdfunded on Kickstarter.

Advertised by Trexo Innovation as the world’s most compact camera slider, this new camera support system packs a lot of features in a convenient size. So far, the project has been backed up by 450+ people. So let’s see what Trexo’s latest innovation has to offer.

Trexo Slider: overview

With Trexo Slider the company is aiming at mobile videographers and content creators as well as DSLR and mirrorless shooters looking for a compact motion-control solution. The unit has three main configurations: horizontal, inclined, and vertical.

When placed horizontally, the system can support a maximum payload of 5kg/11lbs. This value gradually decreases as the slider is inclined and reaches a minimum of 1.5kg when the Trexo Slider is in a vertical position. The system offers a total camera travel distance of 20cm/8”. Not much, but enough to make your shots more dynamic.

Unlike most motorized systems, the Trexo team decided to drop a belt design in favour of a lead-screw mechanism. According to the engineers, this choice should help minimize undesired bumps and movements. Also, it should ensure silent operation.

Travelling speed is adjustable from 0,2mm/s up to 3cm/s. Furthermore, the slider can slow down to only 0.001mm/s to help users achieve the slow-motion shots they’re after. Camera movements can be programmed via a smartphone app or by hand. Indeed, you can move the camera manually to set start/finish points.

The Trexo Slider has four main operating modes (Loop, Learning, Incline, Timeline). Additionally, the unit comes with a 2.5mm jack shutter trigger port to allow camera/slider sync when using the dedicated time-lapse function.

Power and control

The Trexo Slider features an integrated 3250 mAh battery that should ensure up to 6 hours of operating time, according to the manufacturer. The battery can be charged via a dedicated USB-C port and the unit can fully operate while charging. This means battery life can be extended indefinitely by connecting the slider to a power bank.

There are two ways of controlling Trexo Slider. You can either rely on the on-board control buttons and OLED screen or connect the slider to the Trexo Motion smartphone app via Bluetooth. Both methods allow to easily program and repeat camera movements. Furthermore, the app enables users to save and share motion presets.

Size, weight, and design

The Trexo Slider packs its long list of features in an extremely portable form factor that is ideal for travelling filmmakers and content creators. In fact, the unit only weighs 870g/1.9lbs and measures 326x48x55.5mm/12.9×1.9×2.2” in size.

Its main aluminium alloy is entirely CNC-machined with the addition of some stainless steel parts. Several mounting options populate the body. These include three 1/4”-20 and a 3/8”-16 threaded hole at the bottom as well as a single 1/4”-20 mounting point at the top.

The company offers two options for mounting the camera on the slider: a ball head and a flex arm. Moreover, they also announced that they’ve been developing a 3-axis motion control head that should soon be available.

Price and availability

If you decide to support the Kickstarter campaign, you can put your hands on the Trexo Slider Launch Special bundle for $305. This amount represents a 38% discount on the suggested retail price of $495. This entry-level pack only includes the slider, a carrying pouch, and a USB-C charging cable.

However, the company is also offering more complete perks that come with a ball head and flex arm. All bundles should start shipping internationally in October 2022. For more information, please visit Trexo’s Kickstarter campaign here.

We are saying this at the end of every crowdfunding-related article: please be aware of the risks when backing a project on a crowdfunding platform. Please read the platform’s terms of use and keep in mind that there can be significant delays when delivering the product. Some projects even don’t get delivered at all.

Editorial note: this article contains an affiliate link for the Trexo Slider Kickstarter campaign.

Do you often use a motorized slider for your video work? What do you think of the new Trexo Slider? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!