aNewDomain
— Shaky videos suck.
Here’s what’s worse: Shaky GoPro videos.
Pro shooters who are serious about their action footage typically use stabilizers to smooth over their productions. But such products are imperfect. Most of the GoPro gimbal options out there are either hand-held, bulky, pricey or all three. Software stabilization tools are cheaper, but they cost performance-wise.
Enter Slick.
Available now in pre-order quantities, the $265 Slick Stabilizer for GoPro is a hands-free gimbal with a ton of bang for the buck appeal.
It’s easy to strap on to any device, drone or individual your GoPro is shooting from. And it will compensate motion along three axes.
And it’s waterproof, the company claims.
For pro shooters like me, that price and those features pretty irresistible mix. So I ordered up a pre-release unit and drilled down.
How Slick Works
Six standard Go Pro mounts let you easily attach Slick to any drone, helmet, pole, or other device your GoPro is shooting from. That’s the star feature here.
There are two shooting modes in addition to the default: PAN and LOCK …
Slick Modes
LOCK enables you to set the yaw axis so that it stays in a fixed position.
PAN unlocks that yaw arm, which allows it to follow movements. For instance, if you have it set in PAN mode for GoPro video shot from your helmet, the device will follow your head movements when you turn left of right.
Don’t be surprised, though, if you find yourself in need of a tether line. At a little more than three quarters of a pound (350 grams), Slick does add weight to your GoPro set up. If you fear the mount can’t handle the additional weight, be prepared to tether-secure it.
Also, careful with those water shoots. The embedded motors in Slick are water-resistant and the unit easily attaches to GoPro’s waterproof casing options. But in depths greater than three feet, it is bound to get water logged, according to company materials. Plan accordingly.
But will it last?
There’s no question that the new Slick Stabilizer for GoPro has some mighty compelling features and a can’t-miss price tag. But the thing that will make or break this new entry is durability.
Can it stand up to the kind of punishment professional shooters and hard-core hobbyists are sure to throw at it? If so, Slick is bound to be a winner.
Watch for our hands-on, long-term Slick hardware review after Slick launches officially in March 2017.
For aNewDomainTV, I’m Marc Klempf in Atlanta.
