If you’re looking to take your amateur videos to the next level, upgrading to a capable camera and a high-quality lens is just the tip of the iceberg. A little camera movement goes a long way when it comes to making footage more compelling, and now Edelkrone has made its JibONE crane even smaller. With it, no matter where you’re shooting, your camera work will supposedly look like you splurged for a professional crew.
Now that the internet and social media has given amateur filmmakers and videographers an easy way to reach millions of viewers, more and more companies are creating digital filmmaking tools specifically for those lacking gigantic Hollywood budgets. Sony’s ZV-1 and Alpha ZV-E10 are sub-$US1,000 ($1,388) digital cameras optimised for video, but it’s the other budget-friendly filmmaking tools that have us most excited, with Edelkrone releasing some of the most innovative we’ve seen to date.
The Edelkrone SurfaceONE is a $US690 ($958) miniature motion control rig that can roll a camera across a flat surface, while the Edelkrone Standplus is an innovative take on tripods with a smaller footprint. The new JibONE v2 is an updated version of Edelkrone’s compact camera crane that can move a camera in several directions with incredibly smooth panning motions, all without the need for an operator standing right next to it. That makes it useful for streamers or vloggers working without a crew who don’t want to settle for a locked off camera on a tripod.
The upgraded version of the JibONE can be collapsed to just 24-inches in length, allowing it to squeeze into a larger backpack for storage and travel. But when set up and attached to a tripod, it offers almost 20 inches of travel either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Assuming your camera weighs under 5 kg, of course.
Other upgrades include improved wireless capabilities, as the JibONE v2 can be controlled or programmed using a free mobile app running on a smartphone or tablet. You can also now cable connect the crane to other hardware, including laptops and remotes, for users who find the wireless connectivity less reliable or less convenient.
The JibONE v2 is available now through Edelkrone’s website for $US999 ($1,387), which actually includes an introductory $US300 ($416) discount until May. Come May 1, the price will increase. But you may want to increase your budget even further, as the crane is designed to work alongside other Edelkrone camera control accessories, including moving head and face-tracking hardware that adds further complexity to shots without needing any dedicated operators. Edelkrone offers accessory bundles that push the price past $US3,000 ($4,165), and while that may seem expensive if you’re just filming grandma’s birthday party, that’s still far cheaper than the gear Hollywood has to pay for.
Editor’s Note: Release dates within this article are based in the U.S., but will be updated with local Australian dates as soon as we know more.