The Zeapon Axis Pro is the fastest to setup 3-way motorized camera slider I’ve used, making it a slider I’ve actually brought with me AND used on commercial and documentary shoots, making smooth shots possible even under tight deadlines.
Links to everything in the video
Zeapon AXIS Pro Motorized Camera Slider
The Zeapon Axis comes in lengths of 80cm (60cm travel), 100cm (80cm travel), and 120cm (100cm travel). I have the 100cm version and because it requires no assembly to start using it, it’s longer than you might think. Consider how long a slide you need before ordering (note: I’m glad I have the 100cm version as it’s a happy medium of length of travel and speed of setup). Regardless of length, I suggest purchasing the PRO versions, as they add Zeapon’s excellent tilt motor that makes for smooth 3-axis slide/pan/tilt motion control.
NPF Battery with 20W USBC PD In/Out
With built-in 20W USB C PD In/Out, these have become my favourite NPF batteries. Giving the best ratio of weight and volume to power I’ve found, I have 6 of them to power everything on set from this motorized slider, to my lights, cameras and even phone.
Kupo Slider Stand
Pile over 79lbs of load on this small but mighty slider stand. Includes a leveling leg and single column height adjustment for faster setups than any tripod. The perfect slider stand only limited by its maximum height.
Kupo Slider Wheels
Add heavy-duty wheels to the Kupo slider stand to make it mobile without lifting and add weight at the base to prevent tipping.
Kupo Baby Ball Head Adapter
Adapts 3/8-16 male to junior or baby pins. I have a dozen of these Kupo Baby Ball Head Adapters and love them for adding ball and fluid heads to any stand I own.
Manfrotto Camera Leveler
With a weight capacity of 33lbs, placing this under your slider makes easy work of leveling your slides.
DISCLOSURE
Before we get to the review, full disclosure: I was sent this product without charge, but without strings attached too. So this isn’t a review, but I’ll be sharing my honest thoughts – good and bad – giving you the details so you can make your own informed decision. As always, you’ll find links and updates in the description.
WHY IT MATTERS
There’s no shortage of motorized sliders in the market, but one of my biggest issues has always been the setup time and reliability. I can’t count the number of shoots I’ve brought my motorized slider to that I didn’t have the courage to set it up due to the fast paced nature of the shoot or my lack of trust that the slider would actually pair with the app and work (I’m looking at you Edelk***). So I’m always on the lookout for a better motorized slider that makes controlled, smooth moves a breeze to setup and use.
WHO IT’S FOR
Commercial, Documentary and Narrative filmmakers who need quick setups for smooth, controlled slides, pans and tilts.
WHY SHOULD YOU TRUST ME?
Over the past ten years, I’ve purchased more than a reasonable amount of sliders ranging from Edelkrone motorized sliders and jibs to the wonderful manual Syrp Pro and Accsoon’s TopRig motorized sliders. While there is not one perfect slider for all situations, I’ll share why the Zeapon AXIS has earned a place in my arsenal of motorized sliders with its industry-leading quick and smooth 3-axis motorized setups.
OVERVIEW
Design & Build
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Smooth 11-layer polished Carbon Fibre rails with length markings
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Quality millwork on all metal pieces inspires confidence
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plethora of metal mounting points on the many bottom plates
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Integrated pan motor in slider base with no setup or calibration required!
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Support Leg quick-release latch is the best design I’ve used, allowing for quick one-handed levelling of individual legs.
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Pro version unit includes third-axis tilt head – easily get shots you couldn’t with this added motor
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Convenient travel bag included.
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battery management and USBC Power Option – very good battery life and usb-c PD option for all-day studio use.
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Thoughtful design details: lockable head unit for convenient transport; nesting 1/4 and 3/8 spring screws for easy transport and mounting flexibility; pan head lock button to make securing a head easy and fast; track scale on carbon fibre rails; slider speed dial can be changed in real-time.
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user interface design: the button layout wasn’t intuitive to me making the manual required reading. For example: the up and down arrows on the main pan unit pan left and right, and you have to use the separate up and down buttons on the tilt motor to tilt up and down. Not intuitive, but once you get used to navigating the buttons, it’s actually fine.
Pros
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quick setup – just add a battery and camera for effortless motorized slides and pans. Add the tilt-head in less than a minute, and you’ve got a 3-way motorized system that goes from bag to set up faster than any other system I’ve used
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On-unit controls for setting A&B points make for faster setups. BONUS: no wireless connection issues or firmware update delays and frustrations as experienced with other app-based brands.
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Manual setup mode for slides and pans makes A&B point setting even faster. Press and hold the hand button to quickly set A & B points by physically moving the slide and pan positions
Cons
- Tilt Head Balancing: there’s no way to disengage the tilt motor, so balancing your camera is a guessing game. If the motor stalls, then you need to adjust. If they were to impliment a motor release, it would help in balancing which would help maximize battery life too.
- Easing in and out at end of A&B points is automatically assigned and not user controllable. I’d love to be able to fine-tune the curve and even add a delay to allow for more graceful easing at the end of slides.
- Carrying Bag: I love that the included bag carries the assembled slider and pan head, but would like to see them add mesh zippered pockets to the lid to stash cables, tools, instructions and mounting plates (admittedly, this is nitpicking).
Wishlist
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add 3/8 and 1/4 mounting points on both sides of slider to allow more flexibility in mounting the slider vertically
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add flywheel to pan base for inertia-driven manual slides and pans
Tips and Recommended Gear
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Unpopular Opinion: Your tripod is too light. Get a heavier, more stable base and your slides will be better. Recommended: Sachtler Flowtech 75, or Kupo Slider Stand (with optional wheel kit for fast mobility and one-column height adjustment without the need to re-level the head)
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Tip: turn your in-camera stabilization off to reduce weird shifts at the end of each slide.
Wrapping Up
So what’s the bottom line? There is no perfect slider for all uses, but the Zeapon AXIS series of motorized sliders is the fastest to setup and program, making it the slider I’ve actually used in the fast-paced sets of my commercial and documentary shoots. Highly recommended!
