Pocket size camera dolly

The Rollocam Hercules shrinks the camera dolly/slider to a system that can fit in your pocket.

It is always exciting when product show up that is unlike anything that already exist. While there are plenty of dolly and sliders out there, even quite a few motorized ones, the Rollocam is in a league of its own.

The keywords are size, weight and simplicity. The system is so small theres almost no excuse not to bring it along.

Now, small size and extreme simplicity equals compromises that makes features limited. The camera must be equally small, though Rollocam sets weight limit to 10 pound (4.5 kg). In reality, that means a small DSLR with a small lens if perfectly balanced and nerves are strong. Also, this is a horizontally going system only, no tilting vertical rides.

All settings are done by pressing a single button on the unit its self, and a few colored LEDs is used to give feedback on the settings. You can use the button to select mode (continuous, stop motion and time-lapse), direction, speed/increment and interval. The unit is powered by a single AAA battery.

Rollocam was launched as a Kickstarter project last year and raised over $380,000. As the funds increased additional features were added – such as the use of magnets to stop the dolly and reverse direction. The company is also working on a camera trigger that synchronizes with the traveling dolly so that time-lapse frames can be recorded in an automated move-shoot-move sequence.

The basic Hercules costs $125 on a pre-order deal, and the premium kit with extra wheels, a panorama plate and a mounting plate for heavier cameras costs $249.

While the concept is exciting, the execution might not be optimal, as Melbourne Film has concluded. It might be worth viewing both the Rollocam video and the Melbourne Film review video: