Kessler Crane Pocket Dolly + Oracle Controller

Since we started shooting with the Canon 5d and 7d we’ve had our share of accessories. Some we’ve loved, some we’ve hated, and some we’ve grown out of. In the coming weeks we will be doing a comparison of all the sliders we’ve owned but for now, let’s talk about our newest one… Recently we got the Kessler Crane Pocket Dolly and have absolutely loved it. Like most of our filmmaking accessories, we’ve owned a few different makes and models of sliders but the Pocket Dolly is by far our favorite so far. One of the reasons the Pocket Dolly is at the top of our list is that you can add to it. Instead of relying on your hand to nail the correct speed of the motion, you can get the Oracle controller which will ensure your dolly move is perfect the first time. What’s even better is that you can record your moves so you can even be in the shot yourself. But let’s be honest here, the main reason we got it was to take our timelapses to the next level

Now we just got the Oracle Controller two days ago but we took it out last night to the first ever Philly DSLR meetup. Due to the rain, we ended up having to move the meetup to North Bowl but there was no way we weren’t going to use the Oracle…. we had been looking forward to using it since it came in the mail. So we set it up to do a few timelapses at one image every three seconds. We set up the Oracle to move the entire distance of the Pocket Dolly in about an hour.

Check out the results:

Shot on the Canon 5d with the 24mm f/1.4

Also, if you happen to have the Oracle Controller, here’s a few tutorials you may find helpful: