Photographers love gadgets. I love gadgets! I really love gadgets that are both fun and useful! The Yelangu L4X Motorized Dolly is definitely one of those gadgets that is both fun and useful.
L4X will run on flat surfaces or slider tracks in a straight line, almost any angle of curved line as well as full 360° sweeps. This motorized dolly will support up to 6.6 pounds (3 kilograms) – not only can you mount a GoPro or mirrorless camera but it is also strong enough to move a DSLR and 90mm macro lens. Since it has a ¼-20 and 3/8-16 tripod mounts, you can add a small ballhead for more control over your camera angles. I used my Tether Tools Rock Solid LoPro Phone Mount to attach my phone.
The internal battery is rechargeable with a micro-USB cable (included) and will run for up to 6 hours, depending on the speed you’re using and weight of your gear on top. There are three speeds (1.4 cm per second, 2.4 cm/s and 3.0 cm/s).
You control the movement (direction and speed) from the included Bluetooth remote control or two buttons on the dolly body. The remote only has three buttons – Go/Stop, Speed up & down and direction. It’s simple to use and control. My only quibble is that the speed selected is only visible by looking at LEDs on the unit itself and not on the remote. That would be a nice feature.
At just over a pound/565g, L4X is pretty light. The wings fold in so you can easily fit it in your camera bag.
What makes L4X so fun and useful? If you happen to own a slider, you can setup your camera on L4X and then put the whole rig on your slider for smooth video movements. One of the biggest frustrations that photographers have with manual sliders is that the movement is manual and is often jerky and never turns out how you want it. By mounting your camera on L4X and mounting that on your slider, you can change your manual slider to a motorized slider at a fraction of the cost and now enjoy jitter-free video.
If you don’t have a slider but have a smooth surface – L4X will give you smooth movement across any flat surface. Shoot timelapses while moving across your deck. Record cinematic glides around your dinner plate. Capture video of your favourite flowers in new ways.
For product photographers, you can capture full 360° wraparound images or videos of products that you can add to your e-commerce sites. The latest statistics show that products with 360° images and video sell at a significantly higher rate than products just with a few photos. Online shopping has created a new demand for 360° imaging and L4X is the ideal tool to create those images.
One of the standout features for 360° product photography is that L4X’s speeds are always consistent. Measure the time it takes to do one “lap” around your product, then set your camera in Continuous shooting mode at a frame rate to give you the number of images you or your client need, or record a full 360° video.
To see L4X in action and the results of using it, take a look at these videos on YouTube:
One of the things I noticed in the videos that I want to try is pointing my camera up at the night sky (it’s been raining here quite a bit lately) to capture time lapses of the Milky Way while my camera and L4X are doing “donuts” on a sheet of smooth plexiglass that I have for product shooting. This could also be a unique perspective for capturing the Aurora Borealis (again, I’ll need a clear night sky and maybe a more Northern viewpoint). What images can you now create knowing what L4X can help with?
About the Author – Will Prentice (www.capturaphoto.ca) is a professional photographer based out of Whitby, Ontario and Brand Specialist – Lighting for Amplis.
