The best camera sliders for video and filmmaking in 2023

With the best camera sliders, you can add professional-looking movement to your video without spending a fortune. Tracking shots and other types of camera movement are some of the most effective ways to add production value to your video, and the best way to achieve them is with a smooth, well-balanced slider.

Whether you're using a mirrorless camera, DSLR, smartphone or action camera, the 12 sliders on this list will give you a range of options – at all different price points – for adding movement to your videos.  

While a good solid video tripod (opens in new tab) with a great fluid head is an essential for filmmakers and aspiring video pros, if you want to add real depth and range to your videography, a good camera slider is a must.

This is especially true if you want to create product videos. You can track towards an object to illustrate the way that light hits a textured surface, or mount the slider vertically to capture height and depth simultaneously. You can use a slider as a sleight-of-hand trick, slowly panning back from an object in the foreground to reveal something unseen in the background. A slider is a really effective way of making your videos stand out from the rest – and many of them are small and light enough to throw in a kit bag and take with you wherever you're going. 

The best camera slider: What we look for

This list contains a mix of styles of sliders, as there's a lot of variability in the category. Some of the products we've included aren't technically sliders, but are dollies – wheeled tools with repositionable elements that make them highly customizable for different shots. Some more sophisticated (read: expensive) sliders incorporate bearings, while the simpler and more affordable ones just slide against friction. Ultimately though, they're all out to achieve the same thing.

As with most things, the more you pay, you the more you get. Pricier sliders will offer functionality like remote control via a smartphone or tablet app. But still, if that's not necessary, a simple manual dolly can do the job just fine. 

With so many options available, we’ve taken the stress out of the equation by picking a selection of the best camera sliders on the market today.

The best camera sliders in 2023

This carbon fire slider is extremely lightweight, only weighing 22 oz and can support camera rigs up to 12 lb. This is the best bang for your buck camera slider out there, that's lightweight and sutible for both prosumer cameras and smarphone users and has the added benefit of not needing any tripod support for it operation, thanks to its ball feet.

The large carriage accommodates fluid heads and tripods of various sizes and glides smoothly along the rails thanks to four aluminum bearings, it has a maximum camera travel distance of 15" and the carriage features 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 tripod mounting threads on the bottom, and features a 1/4"-20 camera/head mounting screw, while a 1/4"-20 to 3/8"-16 screw adapter is also included.

At each end of the slider are height-adjustable rubber feet for leveling on uneven terrain. On each end, 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 threads can be used to mount additional accessories or to mount the slider vertically onto a tripod if you wish, but be careful, there a more motors here so any movement you make will have to be done manually the old fashioned way. A carry case is also included to conveniently store and transport the slider, and a smartphone holder is also included to mount your smartphone onto your camera or rig.

For the price, this is an absolute steal.

This slider is something we'd recommend to pretty much any videographer, whether freshly starting out or a more seasoned expert. Highly portable and easy to use, the Smartta SliderMini 2 gives you up to 8 inches of incredibly smooth camera movement. This may not sound like a lot, but in many cases, you don't need any more camera movement than that – and it makes it practical to take the Smartta SliderMini 2 more or less anywhere with you.

With up to 15kg capacity, this slider is much stronger than it looks, and can handle any consumer camera you're going to be using. The slider does make some motorized noise when moving, which is something you're going to want to factor in when thinking about audio, especially if you're using built-in microphones or a hotshoe mic. 

While it isn't the cheapest slider on this list, the Smartta SliderMini 2 also isn't the most expensive. For many shooting situations, it's going to be your easiest and most portable option (it weighs just 0.57kg), and as we said in our review, we can see it tempting plenty of videographers to leave the gimbal at home from time to time. While app control isn't necessary to use the Smartta SliderMini 2, it does make it easier, and with a great app available for both iOS and Android, there's little reason not to. 

Read our full Smartta SliderMini 2 review for more details

A miniature slider designed for the smartphone filmmaker, the JOBY Swing doesn't give you a very long tracking range, or particularly fast camera movement. But what it does give you is a portable and easy-to-use slider system that comes with everything you need to be packaged in the box. It's relatively affordable, and the JOBY Motion app makes it incredibly easy for even total novices to get to grips with. 

Using the JOBY Motion app, you can precisely choose the start and end points of your motion, meaning your compositions can get very precise indeed. You can easily set the Swing up to run through a timelapse sequence, and the supplied GripTight ONE phone mount keeps your phone snug and secure on the slider.

Folding down to 17cm and expanding to a length of 42cm, the JOBY Swing is an ideal slider to throw in a kit bag and take out on a day's filming. It doesn't give you a great deal of versatility, but that's a pretty unavoidable trade-off for such a small slider. It always tracks at the same speed, which restricts your options but does make it very easy to produce multiple shots with a consistent look and feel.

Read our full JOBY Swing Complete Kit review for more details

Manfrotto's MVS100A offers the best traditional-style DSLR camera slider available right now. Manfrotto is one of the most trusted names in photography for a reason. Its kit is seldom cheap, but quality and durability come as standard, and this slider, coupled with an MVH502AH video head, is a testament to that fact. The MVS100A provides you with a 100cm (39 inch track) is the best choice overall.

At 4.5kg or 2.2kg respectively, these fully machined anodized aluminum sliders are heavy, solid, and built to last. They feature a bubble spirit level, run on bearings, so will be ideal for cinematic scenes that benefit from a big, broad pan. 

However, there are some drawbacks, you’ll need to get a tripod head if you don’t have one already, and it’ll take a couple of solid tripods to keep this slider stable across its full sliding range. If you have both of the aforementioned though, these Manfrotto sliders coupled with a steady hand should get you some glorious shots. 

Rhino’s ROV Everyday is a beautifully crafted motorized slider that is the perfect fit if you’re after a more premium option than the Andoer L4 Pro for your mobile or action cam. With its unibody CNC milled rail and 24-hour of battery life, lightweight body, and clocking in at under 1kg, its specs read like a slider dream perfect for travel or just having in your bag, just in case it's needed. 

The ROV accepts DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, but also ships with a handy phone mount. Specifically, phones that feature three optical zoom ranges (such as the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (opens in new tab)and Sony Xperia pro 1 (opens in new tab)), can take the limited sliding range of 20cm and work wonders with it. Alternatively, even if you’re on rough terrain, the Rhino ROV Everyday is a motorized slider rather than a dolly, which means you’ll still get smooth footage – something the L4 Pro wouldn’t be able to do. 

The Android app isn’t quite as capable as its iOS counterpart, and in fact, we’d recommend controlling it from an iPad if possible, as if you don't have access to a digital camera you’ll be shooting with your phone – naturally. 

All said and done, if you’re after a great automated choice to elevate your cinematography with your mobile or digital camera, it’s definitely worth checking out the ROV Everyday, and if you need more range, the slightly pricier ROV Traveller offers a full 40cm of travel.

This 23" motorized slider by GVM is constructed of Aluminum Alloy is lightweight and designed for video and time-lapse photography. It supports loads up to 11 lb and features a 1/4"-20 and 3/8"-16 screw holes for use on the floor, on the table, or via a ball head connected to the camera. 

it also supports vertical, horizontal, and 45° shooting, making this the perfect all-rounder for a motorized slider right out of the gate. it comes with an included controller, capable of programming many movements, so it can be setup and left, which is extremely handy if you are filming a two-camera interview for example and want a wide sliding shot of both presenters for example.

Included is a lithium-ion battery, battery charger, and carrying bag, making this a really good solution or anyone wanting to take their cinematography to the next level with sliding or dolly shots.

The Edelkrone SliderPLUS v5 PRO Long is designed with movable rails that travel during a slide that gives you extra travel distance while keeping the slider compact, perfect for using in tight spaces or needing a compact solution while traveling.

When used on the ground or other surface, it has a travel length of 1.3' and supports up to 40 lb. Mounted on a tripod, it provides a travel length of 2.6' with up to 20 lb loads supported, meaning you can work with heavy camera rigs. The movable design also works for dolly shots, because since the rails move along with the carriage, they won't get in the shot when you dolly in and out.

The SliderPLUS v5 PRO Long is a manual ball-bearing slider however, it does support the optional Slide Module v3 attachment for motion control, and other edelkrone motorized add-ons can be incorporated for fully synchronized multi-axis motion control operated via a single iOS/Android app. Making this a perfect option for an upgrade path as your cinematography grows.

If portability coupled with affordability is what you are looking for, then the Andoer L4 Pro is a three-wheeled wonder. Folding up small enough to fit in a small bag or even a big jacket pocket. Unfurl it, and you can thread on a ball head and a smartphone grip for an excellent mobile dolly. 

Smartphones like the Sony Xperia Pro 1 (opens in new tab) and action cams like the DJI Action 2 (opens in new tab) have excellent image stabilization, and this makes them perfectly suited to the L4 Pro, which is only as smooth as the surface it’s traveling across. 

Thanks to its size and remote control functionality, you can get fantastic motion shots in extremely tight spaces, and what’s even better is that with its repositionable wheels, it also offers a lot of versatility. While it’s definitely best suited to smaller cameras – it won’t take a C500 with a 400mm lens – you’ll still be able to get a mirrorless camera on it with a 50mm lens onboard if the need arises.

Every now and then, we come across a category-bending product that shouldn’t work but absolutely does. Today, it’s the Moza Slypod, which treads the fine line between bonkers and genius all at the same time. In isolation, this monopod is a handy stabilizer, keeping your shots steady when you’re grabbing photos and videos on the fly, and it won’t weigh you down at 750g, with its carbon fiber body. 

Hook it up to a steady tripod though - yep, you heard right - and your monopod becomes a motorized, smartphone-controlled slider. Push a button and it’ll punch into action. With two hours of battery life, it might not be the best choice for a day-long timelapse, but it does have a USB-C port for easy charging if you don’t mind being tethered during longer shoots. 

Read our full Moza Slypod Pro review for more details

The RatRig V-Slider is one of the most affordable sliders for serious video work. Made of anodized aluminum, the moving platform uses wheels and ball bearings to ensure that this can take a hefty load of up to 12kg, but there are no fancy extras here... 

You provide the movement, so a steady hand and practice are what's needed to keep your tracking smooth. You can fit your camera to the slider, but for more compositional finesse you will need to add ball head. The rail then fits onto your own tripod, but there's an optional V-Slider leg kit too  – which allows a table or the floor as your support.

This 60cm/24-inch version is a great all-round choice... but other lengths of rail are also available. The smallest is a 35cm/14inch, which is good if you want the rail to fit in your camera bag; if you want the most tracking distance the longest rail measures 120cm/47in.

The ProAim Sway Slider is a very portable camera slider that's ideal for combining with your Manftrotto Pixi 2, ballhead and action cam. Despite the name, this isn’t a traditional slider at all. Instead, it delivers a sliding effect with a moving hinged system comprised of two long elements. Simply thread the Sway Slider onto your tripod, thread a rotating head on it and you're good to go, sliding from left to right and vice versa. 

The slider has a range of 40cm, which is impressive considering it fits in a jacket pocket, and it takes heavier cameras too – up to 3kg. That said, it's not quite as smooth or constant as a traditional slider across its range, so will benefit from practice, and the electronic image stabilisation action cams deliver, but if your in a pinch this will get the job done. 

The RatRig X-Slider is a smart bit of kit that’s basically two sliders in one. The primary 60cm slider has a secondary 40cm rail secured perpendicularly on top of it. The top rail slides along the bottom rail, and the camera slides along the top rail. What all this translates to is two-axis manual sliding, left to right, forward to backward, and vice versa. 

Why would you need it? One benefit is time-saving – with the X-Slider, you won’t need to reposition your camera or tripod when swapping from side-to-side, or pushing in or pulling out of your focal point. If you use the two axes simultaneously, you can also capture rich, fluid, dynamic pans across an entire horizontal plane. 

Paired with a great video head, it could enable you to create truly cinematic camera work. The secondary rail is 40cm, so isn’t too long, but given the fact the whole thing comes in at such a sensible price, we’re hard-pressed to complain.

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