Edelkrone SurfaceONE – Small & Versatile Trackless Dolly

How To

by Olaf von VossAugust 14^th, 2017

In comes another product by Edelkrone! The company seems to be on a fast-paced and never-ending quest for the most innovative device to add engaging motion to otherwise dull and static shots. Let’s see what the self-sliding, programmable SurfaceONE is capable of!

Sliding moves are cool. Or wait, are they? Maybe you want to check out Nino and Li-Lian’s latest episode of cinema5D Essentials on that topic. However, adding motion to your shots is almost always a good idea. But what if you are on location and that bulky camera slider with all its tripods and extra stuff is still in the back of your car? Maybe something more compact could be the right solution.

Edelkrone SurfaceONE

The SurfaceOne is a relatively small device that’s equipped with two wheels underneath it and a 3/8”-16 screw for mounting accessories on top. You can mount a camera on it and program it with any iOS (9.0 and above) or Android (5.0 or above) device to perform and even repeat a variety of moves – it’s that simple. However, there’s more to it as you can see in the introduction video below.

The whole unit is powered by a standard Canon LP-E6-style battery (not provided) that can keep the unit running for about 4 hours at full speed or 48 hours’ worth of time lapsing. All you need is the SurfaceONE itself, a decent phone and – due to the absence of dedicated tracks – a super-smooth surface for the slider to, well, slide on.

You will also need some kind of mount for your camera. Edelkrone has been using its own FlexFit Head 2 on all their marketing images and videos, so that will add $159.99 to the already somewhat pricey SurfaceONE, which goes for $689.99.

Shooting Modes

The SurfaceONE offers a number of different shooting modes, such as Targeted Slide, Free Slide or Auto Pan Mode. And then there’s time lapse, of course. In target mode, a built-in laser pointer determines the correct settings in order to keep your subject dead center while moving.

In Free Slide mode the SurfaceONE will slide as far as you want as long as the surface stays smooth. The third mode, called Auto Pan Mode, enables you to create perfectly controlled pans. All these modes are available for time-lapse shooting, too.

There are two types of speed adjustment provided: angular speed or percentile speed. With angular speed adjustment you can maintain the same slide feel while varying the distance to your target.

The SurfaceONE’s Maximum speed is 8.66″ (220mm) per second, with a minimum speed of about 0.007″ (0.2mm) per second. Watch the video below to get a brief idea of the sound levels of the SurfaceONE. That’s important if you’re planning on using this device to shoot interviews in quiet environments.

Pricing and Availability

At $689.99, the SurfaceONE is not exactly cheap. On the other hand, it does seem like quite a capable and versatile device, so maybe its price tag is quite reasonable.

You have to keep in mind that you’ll need some kind of camera mount or tripod head unless you want to screw your camera directly onto the 3/8”-16 screw, which I wouldn’t recommend.

The SurfaceOne will be available around mid September. You can pre-order it directly from Edelkrone.com.

Links: Edelkrone.com | FlexTilt Head 2

Do you have any Edelkrone products in your gear bag? What do think of this new device? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below!