A camera slider is a compact rail-based camera support system that allows a camera to travel smoothly along a short linear track, typically between half a meter and two meters in length. Sliders produce the controlled lateral, forward, or diagonal camera movements associated with dolly shots but in a portable, lightweight form factor suited to location work, documentary production, and smaller-scale shoots where a full camera dolly and track would be impractical.

Sliders consist of a rail or pair of rails, a sliding carriage that the camera mounts to, and a smooth bearing or belt-drive system that allows the carriage to travel along the rail with minimal friction. Manual sliders rely on the operator pushing the carriage by hand, while motorized sliders use a belt drive or lead screw driven by an electric motor, allowing precise speed control and remote or programmatic operation. On a motorized slider, the movement can be combined with a slow pan or tilt to create curved or compound trajectories, mimicking more complex camera rigs. Time-lapse sequences frequently use motorized sliders to produce slow, imperceptible drift across a static scene. Sliders have become a standard piece of kit for video creators at all levels because they produce the smooth, deliberate movement quality that distinguishes produced video from handheld footage at a fraction of the cost and setup time of a full dolly system.

In AI video generation, slider movements are described by their visual result rather than the equipment: "smooth lateral drift," "slow linear camera movement to the left," or "subtle sliding motion" captures the effect a slider produces. This type of gentle, controlled movement is useful for adding production value and visual interest to otherwise static scenes.