I have a confession: I love House of Cards. Part of the reason for my obsession is the opening sequence (and probably Kevin Spacey’s oddly passable/terrible accent). The time-lapse, gently rolling through various points of Washington D.C., is just magical. I’ve always wanted to do something like that, but it seemed like an investment beyond the scope of what I was willing to spend (HoC uses a RED Camera!). Rhino isn’t asking much of me, though. Motion pairs a slider with a simple motor for fine-tuned live motion time-lapse, and — spoiler alert — it’s awesome.

Hardware

The slider alone is pure hotness. Carbon fiber rails and all-terrain legs make for durable, go-anywhere shooting. The carriage also earned my trust. Though I needed an adapter for my Beastgrip set-up, the rollers, brake, and overall construction are inspired.

Settled between the rails is a small rubber belt drive, which is where the fun begins. A motor sits on the end of the slider, which can be hard-wired to the controller.