Accsoon Toprig S60 review: I found motion-controlled shots a breeze with this slider

Sliders, whether motorised or not, have been around a long time and have been put to all manner of uses. However, they have often been somewhat industrial at best, or even rather agricultural. However, the last few years have seen them look more finished and sophisticated, more in line with other gear we use as filmmakers. It may not matter to some, but I like my gear to reflect the price paid, not just in terms of features and use but in quality of finish too, so this has been a very welcome development.

Accsoon’s Toprig S60 is one such device, with a pretty compact form factor, built-in controller, and a few useful features that promise to make shooting camera moves easy, repeatable, and consistent. I’ve used other sliders that claim to do the same, with varying degrees of success, so I was very interested to see what the Toprig was like in actual use.

Accsoon Toprig S60: Specifications

Accsoon Toprig S60: Price

Available from $319, it's a good price for a motorised slider, with the length of this one. Throw in its easy-to-use and control nature, silky smooth motion, and incredible battery life, and it starts to look even more like a bargain. Just factor in end supports for tripod use with anything but the lightest camera.

Accsoon Toprig S60: Design & Handling

The 60cm version comes with a soft case, whereas the 40cm one doesn’t, but then that is easier to pack in a camera bag, so it makes sense. The case is nice and will keep it dry, dust-free, and will take some knocks, but I wish it had space for a ball head. An extra few centimetres at one end would have come in handy. That said, there are two zipped mesh pockets in the lid, which are just right for a DC power supply, NPF battery, or similar-sized accessories.

The slider itself is built very well indeed. The chassis is metal, covered in mounting points. There are ¼ 20 mounts on each end, under each end, and a cluster in the centre, around a 3/8th” central mount. There are accessory arms for use with a tripod that can be used to prevent the ends from dipping under heavy loads when mounted to a tripod. Really, every slider should at least offer this option, as it’s a much more elegant solution than mounting on two tripods.

For use on flat or reasonably flat surfaces, there are adjustable rubber feet at each corner. The available adjustments are minimal but do the job of keeping things stable on pavements, tables, and the like.

The Toprig can be used horizontally or vertically, although there is a drop off in maximum payload. Laid flat, it can handle weights up to 4kg, but this drops to 2.5kg vertically. That’s still pretty good though, and when mounted this way, the extra stress on the motor doesn’t translate to any noticeable vibrations or stalling.

Speaking of the motor, it is nearly silent. The brushless design makes it very controllable and very quiet, so if you need to mount a mic nearby, it’s doubtful you will pick up any noise. The motor design also means the speed range is pretty broad, from a slowest setting of just 0.1cm/s and a maximum of 5cm/s, a very useful range.

If you look at the images, you’ll see a central bar running along the length of the slider, with knobs at each end. These thumbwheels hold the angle of that bar, which can be adjusted to give an angle change to the ball head. Move it one way and you can shoot panorama-style moves. Set it the other way, and you can keep your framing so your target stays centered across the whole move. This is pretty easy to dial in, and retuning to a standard parallel move is easy, thanks to the markings on the right-hand side. The maximum change of angle this system allows is 55°.

Next up is the control unit, which is nicely integrated into the main body. It’s a simple set of buttons for setting A and B points, play/pause, power, and loop mode, along with a rotary encoder for speed. All very intuitive, clearly labelled, and with coloured LEDs to show status.

Lastly is power. Part of the control unit is an NPF battery plate, and you can also power the Toprig via DC.

Accsoon Toprig S60: Performance

With a build quality like this, you’d expect quality in performance too, and the Toprig doesn’t disappoint. You start by placing or mounting it where you need, and that can be as simple as putting it on the floor or a table, or mounting it on your tripod. For shorter moves, or with a minimal payload, you’ll probably be fine leaving like this, but if you’re using a heavier camera, or a longer move, additional support will be needed, or the weight will drop at the ends of the slider. This isn’t a fault of the Toprig. It’s the same with any slider that is centrally mounted. If that’s the case, use additional supports, either mounting at each end or using the optional support arms.

Setting start and end points for your move is simple. Move it to the position and press the button for the start, then move to your end point and press the button for the end. It’s as easy as that.

Similarly, if you want to have an object centered in the frame for the whole move, set the angle appropriately at the same time. This is easy but can take a little finessing, due to the focal lengths used and the length of the move. Once set, lock down the knob, and you are good to go.

Next up, all that is needed is to set it to either a single move or a loop, where the slider will continually move from A to B to A, and set the speed using the rotary control. The range of speed here is pretty nice, from almost imperceptible to a pretty fast five centimeters per second. I can’t think of any situations that would call for a faster move than that.

The Toprig has what is, in essence, an easy ease curve built into the start and end of a move, too. The cynic in me thinks this might be to aid in judders as it changes direction, but the reality is it keeps the whole shot buttery smooth. It’s a subtle ramp in acceleration and something I really like about this slider.

The only real issue I spotted while using this was that if you changed the guide angle, then pressed start, it would sometimes jerk slightly. This only happens for the first time after the change, so make sure you let it complete a move before recording any footage.

Although the Toprig can be powered by DC, I am confident that it will almost never be used, as the NPF power lasts an age. An NPF 550 will keep this thing moving for more than a working week. That’s very impressive and also keeps trailing wires out of the way on set, and means that location work is easy too.

I had worried that using batteries and the added height on one end of the slider might cause issues, but that was unfounded, as it didn’t once cause any headaches.

For those who prefer to control things with their phone, or for when the slider is mounted in an awkward position, there is an iOS and Android phone app, which replicates all the controls found on the unit. It’s a nicely designed app and seems to keep a good, stable connection.

Accsoon Toprig S60: Verdict

Accsoon’s Toprig S60 is a great little slider. It performs smoothly, is easy to set up and control, has the ability to do more than just a left-to-right motion, and does so very quietly. If you are looking for a way to add some repeatable, smooth motion to your shots, you would do well to add the Toprig to your shortlist.

Alternatives

Neewer's ER1 is longer and carbon but a little less refined, while a little more expensive.