A new spin on motorized camera movement, perfect for product, environmental, food and beverage content creators.
RECOMMENDED GEAR
the KONOVA Motorized 360 Rotating Camera Rig
Kupo Slider Stand
Heavier (which is a good thing), stronger and faster to raise and lower than a traditional tripod, this is my go-to base for motorized sliders and this spinning rig.
BONUS: makes for an incredibly stable tripod base when you want maximum stability and speedy height adjustments
Kupo Baby Head Adapter
This adapter adds a standard 3/8-16 bolt to attach this spinner or your choice of tripod head to the slider stand. So useful, I own ten (literally).
WHY SPIN?
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to set your work apart and get more creative angles and shots for yourself and your clients. So when Konova reached out and asked if I’d like to take their new motorized 360 rotating camera rig for a spin (pun intended), I couldn’t resist. This seemed like an excellent tool to add to my creative arsenal, offering my clients a unique perspective.
DISCLOSURE
Full disclosure: This isn’t a sponsored post, but I was sent this product without charge, and without any strings attached. As always, I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts—good and bad—giving you the details so you can make an informed decision. You’ll find links, tips, and a table of contents in the description.
Tips and Recommendations
Before we delve into the details, here are a couple of tips to capture the best footage from any motorized camera rig, whether it’s a slider or spinner.
- If you’re having trouble getting smooth footage, try turning in-camera stablization OFF. IBIS wants to smooth movement out, so I find the beginning and end of slides and rotations can be weird as the camera tries to compensate for the change in direction.
- DON’T use a tripod – use something more substantial and heavier: like this Kupo slider base – rated for ~79lb’s, it’s stronger and faster to adjust its single column when compared to any tripod I’ve used (Kupo link). I’m all for saving weight with carbon fibre tripods when backpacking or travelling, but you do not want the lightest base when trying to steady a motorized slider or 360 spinner. I own two of these Kupo slider stands and love them. Add this junior pin to a 3/8-16 adapter and you’ll have a rock-solid base that can be endlessly repurposed for the life of your content creation career.
OVERVIEW
Build Quality
- Well-made components including 22mm carbon fibre rods, adjustable metal mounting bases, a counterweight/background holder, a stationary platform, a plastic background, and a small magic arm.
- Nice touch: mounting brackets are standard 4mm hex key (common to most camera tripod plates) – makes for quick and easy adjustments without requiring exotic tools
Pros
- Everything but the battery and camera included in the box – including a black backdrop!
- Easy, no-tool assembly. from box to assembled with a camera in minutes
- app pairs via Bluetooth very quickly – right after battery is inserted (faster than anything else I use actually)
- once the motor is started, will continue to spin even when the app is in the background – allows you to start the motor and fiddle with other apps to control lights, timecode, play video games etc.
- easy to customize the speed/timing of the spinner
- Strong, quiet motor (8KG = 17.6 lbs max payload)
- Great battery life. I’ve only ever used my smallest NPF battery, and it’s lasted for hours.
- Background holder can accommodate standard foamcore – easy to customize background
- Can remove the backdrop to showcase your environment.
- many mounting points to make custom rigs – lower, higher or farther
Cons
- app control required – no physical controls to start/stop or control speed
- apps CCW and CW buttons are aggressively fast – use care when programming A & B points
- The magic arm can be tricky to position accurately
- When starting or changing directions, there is a slight jolt noticeable in the footage. Workaround: Start the motor before your desired start point and end after your desired end point, using only the smooth portion in between.
- A & B points programming is ok, but app layout is not the best – swipe left and right at the bottom of the screen to change modes, often switches apps instead
- USBC power output not strong enough to power camera – but honestly, wouldn’t trust a cable running around a spinning motor, so definitely not a deal breaker
- No power button: must remove battery to prevent battery drain
- No carry case
MORE TIPS AND TRICKS
- Manual mode is possible when the battery is not attached. Manual use is outside the realm of its intended use, so only do this if you’re confident and comfortable spinning your camera into oblivion – consider yourself warned 🙂 However, the effects you can achieve are truly impressive, and I know I’ll be experimenting with different ways to capture motion using this technique.
- replace the magicarm with custom bits and pieces to rig your camera higher, lower or farther away\
- Remove the platform and place the spinner rig under any table that fits for unique shots
The Bottom Line
So what’s the bottom line?
The Konova Motorized Rotating Spinner is an excellent tool for those wanting a different perspective on product videos and timelapses. It’s a well-executed tool that allows you to get shots you simply can’t with a slider or turntable. Priced so competitively that it compares well to manual-only spinning rigs, the Konova’s advantage is its motor, allowing for effortless captures that are hard to beat at even higher price points. This is a tool that I’m happy to add to my arsenal of motorized camera movement. Anything that helps me capture creative and unique images in less time is a bonus in my books.
If you’ve been looking for a unique spin on product, food, or beverage videos, consider the Konova motorized 360-degree rotating camera rig. Highly recommended.
WRAPPING UP
That wraps up this review, but what did I miss? Would you find a motorized spinning table useful for your product videos? Let me know in the comments.
But before I let you go, I do have a thought of the day to share with you.
And the thought of the day is this:
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”
~ Proverbs 16:3
Thanks for watching, God bless, and if you like videos like this, subscribe and I’ll see you again soon in the next video 🙂
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