A good camera slider is one of the simplest ways to give your videos a polished, professional edge without breaking the bank. Smooth tracking shots and controlled camera movement instantly elevate production value, and a well-balanced slider makes achieving them easy.
From mirrorless and DSLR systems to smartphones and action cams, today’s sliders – along with the odd compact dolly – come in a variety of sizes and budgets, giving you flexible options for adding dynamic motion to your projects.
Of course, a solid tripod with a quality fluid head remains the foundation of any filmmaker’s kit, but if you want to add depth, energy, and cinematic style to your footage, a slider is essential.
They’re especially effective for product videos, letting you track towards a subject to show off textures under the light, or set the slider vertically to capture both height and depth. You can also use them creatively, like gliding back to reveal a hidden detail in the background. Compact, lightweight, and easy to carry, a slider is one of the most effective tools for making your videos stand out.
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. He spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in black and white.
The Quick List
We reckon this slider offers the best value out there: it’s manual operation rather than motorized, but the action is lovely and smooth.
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If you’re after a motor-powered option, this option takes a reasonable weight and includes a remote control handset for easy operation.
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A clever mechanism enables the rails to move during a slide, which keeps the size down for storage, and you can mount a heavy load.
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While this motorized slider works just fine with cameras, we think it’s at its best with smartphones, and a ready-to-use mount is included.
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If you’re dipping your toes into smartphone videography, here’s an affordable way to get started with remote-control tracking shots.
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As an alternative to a slider, this compact three-wheeled contraption won’t take up much space in your kit bag, and is a versatile tool.
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Best camera sliders: the full guide
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Best slider overall
This carbon fiber slider offers great value, providing an impressive 80cm of camera movement along its rail. But despite this, it is extremely light for its size, only weighing 3.5lb/1.6kg, and can support camera rigs up to 17.6lb/8kg when used horizontally. This is the best bang for your buck camera slider out there; it's suitable for both prosumer cameras and smartphone users and has the added benefit of not needing any tripod support for its 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 80cm 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 are no motors here, so any movement you make will have to be done manually, the old-fashioned way. A carry case is also included to store and transport the slider conveniently, along with a smartphone holder to mount your smartphone onto your camera or rig.
For the price, this is an absolute steal.
Read our full Neewer ER1 Motorized Carbon Fiber Camera Slider review for more
Best motorized slider
Constructed from aluminum alloy, this motorized slider is lightweight and designed for video and time-lapse photography. It supports loads up to 11lb 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 set up and left, which is handy if you are filming a two-camera interview, for example, and want a wide sliding shot of both presenters for B-roll.
Included is a lithium-ion battery, a battery charger and a carrying bag, making this a really good solution for anyone wanting to take their videography to the next level with sliding or dolly shots.
Best premium slider
The Edelkrone SliderPLUS v5 PRO Long is designed with movable rails that travel during a slide. This gives you extra travel distance while keeping the slider compact – perfect for tight spaces or when you need a compact solution while traveling.
Used on the ground or another surface, it has a travel length of 1.3 feet and supports up to 40lb. Mounted on a tripod, it provides a travel length of 2.6 feet with 20lb loads supported, so you can work with some pretty heavy camera rigs. The movable rail design also works well for dolly shots: since the rails move along with the carriage, they won't get in the shot as you dolly in and out.
The SliderPLUS v5 PRO Long is a manual ball-bearing slider, but 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. So you’ve got a compelling upgrade path as your videography ambitions grow.
Best slider for smartphones
Rhino’s ROV Everyday is a beautifully crafted motorized slider that is the perfect fit if you’re after a high-quality option for your smartphone or action cam. With its unibody CNC milled rail, 24-hour battery life and lightweight body (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, and it’s with smartphones that it really shines. Phones that feature three optical zoom ranges (such as the Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max),can take the limited sliding range of 20cm and work wonders with it.
There is an app for remote control, although that of course means that you’ll need a second phone or a tablet if you’re filming with your phone. But if you’re after a great automated choice to elevate your videography with your mobile or digital camera, it’s definitely worth checking out the ROV Everyday. If you need more range, the slightly pricier ROV Traveller offers a full 40cm of travel.
Best budget slider for smartphones
A miniature slider designed for the smartphone filmmaker, the Swing doesn't give you a very long tracking range, or particularly fast camera movement. But what it does give you is a highly portable and easy-to-use slider system that comes with everything you need in the box. It's pretty affordable too, and the JOBY Motion app makes it easy for even total novices to get to grips with.
Using the 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 an unavoidable trade-off for such a compact 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 more: JOBY Swing Complete Kit review
Best dolly for smartphones
If portability coupled with affordability is what you are looking for, the Andoer L4 Pro is a three-wheeled wonder. It folds 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 and action cams like the DJI Action 4 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.
How to choose the best camera slider
This roundup features a variety of slider styles, reflecting just how diverse this category can be. One of the picks isn’t strictly a slider at all, but a dolly – a wheeled system with adjustable parts that make it highly adaptable for different types of movement. Some of the more advanced (and expensive) sliders use precision bearings for ultra-smooth motion, while budget-friendly options rely on simple friction. At the end of the day, they all serve the same purpose: adding controlled, cinematic movement to your shots.
As with most gear, spending more generally means getting more. Higher-end sliders often come with extra functionality, like app-based remote control for automated movement. That said, if you don’t need those bells and whistles, a straightforward manual dolly or slider will still deliver great results
