Photography

Slick motorized GoPro stabilizer is ready to get wet

Slick motorized GoPro stabilizer is ready to get wet
The Slick is waterproof to one meter (3.3 ft) – or you can just use it on your bike
The Slick is waterproof to one meter (3.3 ft) – or you can just use it on your bike
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The Slick utilizes a 3-axis accelerometer, a magnetometer and three gyroscopes to detect hits, then compensates for them by adjusting the pitch, yaw and roll of the camera using its three brushless motors
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The Slick utilizes a 3-axis accelerometer, a magnetometer and three gyroscopes to detect hits, then compensates for them by adjusting the pitch, yaw and roll of the camera using its three brushless motors
The Slick is waterproof to one meter (3.3 ft) – or you can just use it on your bike
2/3
The Slick is waterproof to one meter (3.3 ft) – or you can just use it on your bike
The Slick accepts standard GoPro mounts, meaning that it can be put in most of the same places that you’d put the camera itself
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The Slick accepts standard GoPro mounts, meaning that it can be put in most of the same places that you’d put the camera itself
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Although the GoPro Hero’s wide-angle lens already does a good job at smoothing footage out, some shakes do still make it through when shooting particularly "bumpy" activities. There are plenty of counterweight-style devices to help in that regard, along with a few motorized stabilizing rigs and the new Slick stabilizer falls into the latter family. It fits all GoPro models with their waterproof housing, plus it's waterproof itself.

Building upon the platform of the previously-developed StabCam, the 230-g (0.5-lb) Slick utilizes a 3-axis accelerometer, a magnetometer and three gyroscopes to detect hits, then compensates for them by adjusting the pitch, yaw and roll of the camera using its three brushless motors. Power is provided by a removable USB-rechargeable 12-volt 900-mAh lithium-polymer battery, that should be good for two hours of use per charge.

And yes, it can be submerged to a depth of one meter (3.3 ft). While this means that it could be used for splashy pursuits like whitewater kayaking or surfing, scuba divers will have to look elsewhere for something to cancel out their hand jitters.

The Slick accepts standard GoPro mounts, meaning that it can be put in most of the same places that you’d put the camera itself
The Slick accepts standard GoPro mounts, meaning that it can be put in most of the same places that you’d put the camera itself

The device accepts standard GoPro mounts, meaning that it can be put in most of the same places that you’d put the camera itself – including on aerial drones. As can be seen in the photo at the top of the page, though, it certainly won’t go unnoticed if mounted on a helmet.

The Slick is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. If it tickles your fancy, you can preorder one for US$199 – the planned retail price is $279. Shipping is estimated for next March, if all goes according to plan.

You can see footage shot with the device in the video below.

Source: Indiegogo

SLICK Stabilizer -- A Motorized GoPro gimbal for Filmakers.

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2 comments
2 comments
JamieCameron
Pretty cool, although I created a 2-axis GoPro gimbal for about $60 in parts. It's definitely not waterproof though! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Rpm3UWU60
bujangterlajak
GroPro is overrated...Sony cam is far better than GroPro in terms of colour tones and stability. Don't understand why GoPro gets more coverage than Sony.