Welcome to our community

Be a part of something great, join today!

Log in
  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

Best Cinematographer's Vehicle

D

David Carstens

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
314
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Looking at my next car, for which as many of use can relate, space for hauling gear is paramount. What are your suggestions for best production vehicles for cameramen/cinematographers?

I've heard that a Dodge Grand Caravan is a great choice for space, though as an Angeleno who must deal with traffic and parking struggles, I'm not sure I'd want to make the jump to a van. I currently have a Toyota Matrix, which has been a decent gear box, but frequently wish I could squeeze out a few more cubic feet. Your thoughts?
 
Hey David,

As you know my P.O.S. Corolla blew up, so I inherited my wife's late 90's Subaru Outback. I'm a bit surprised at just how much gear I can fit into it, definitely a lot more stuff than our new Prius.

Size wise, it's between a Prius and the mini-van you listed. It's still a normal car which I like, but you can fit way more into it than the average hatchback. The car does not look that big, but the hatch back space is pretty massive.
 
If you decide to look into vans, Mercedes Sprinter is apparently the standard. About $36,000 new, but if you can find a nice used one you'll save a lot. This is actually something I've been looking into as well. Tried to talk my wife into getting one with removable seats, but she's not going for it ;)
 
Porsche Macan. Arrive on set in style :) Got room for equipment too
 
For hauling gear, nothing beats a minivan. I can even haul my giant fairway dolly and 20foot Cammate jib in it, plus lights, sound, camera, and all the other ridicules amount of gear I some times haul. I had a larger van and it fit more but was tall like a Mercedes Sprinter, and I couldn't park it in a parking garage, which is a major pain. If you get a minivan, get one that has the ability to fold all of the back seats down into the floor. I have an old one and have removed the back seats and now one sits under my porch and one sits on top of it.
 
I purchased a ford transit sprinter for 35k. It's awesome, but if I had to fit it in my garage at home I would go with the ford transit connect. You can get then with a longer base, and even configure them to have a row of seats as well. Also you can get them outfited with racks and bins or a ladder rack on top VERY nice.

http://www.ford.com/trucks/transitconnect/
 
Last edited:
Loved the Corvette, Prius and Porsche Macan suggestions! I used an '89 Toyota 2x4 pick up with a steel Gemtop to shoot my first feature. I don't dare sell it because my insurance rate is so incredible but I do have this dream about doing a PIMP MY RIDE shoot with it, LOL!
 
I drive a Q5 but I have my eye on the Metris for hauling gear. I haven't decided yet.
 
Being a DP should mean you have monkeys to haul your gear ;-) If you want a vehicle for the monkeys to drive, I highly recommend a real van that you can roll carts on and off of. My corporate set up is a ford econoline with a 6 foot ramp. I have all of my g&E gear on a Yeager senior cart, and camera on a cartmaster with shelves. That lets me fit the following on two carts that roll on and roll off.

3 x 1x1 light panels
2 x source four pars or 2 x 575 hmis depending on the job
2 x desisti 300/650 fresnells
2 x mole soft lights
Milk crate with cardelinis, maffers, butt plugs etc
milk crate with bare bulb gags, practcal bulbs
6x6 frame with rags
6 x c stands
6x kit stands for lights
1x combi stand
Rosco lite pads and custom LED panels
sand bags
stingers
nets and flags bag

Then on the other cart is -

Red body
lens case
AKS
client monitor
Batts and chargers
sticks
whatever else we need for that particular job

That also leaves room in the Van for a Cricket dolly, I have a sled dolly in there always, and I still have a second row of seats so a crew of 4 can ride around. I also welded a mount for the head between the front seats so we can leave the camera built.

This set up was developed after a zillion political commercials where we average 10 locations a day, and rarely hit OT. Being able to roll on roll off is the only way to travel.

Nick
 
Nick has the right idea. Vans or sprinter vans is my first choice. Other vendors are now making similar types like sprinters too. But for personal vehicle that can haul too, I got a Ford Explorer. When not using for work, I can take up to 7 passengers.
13869._CB187398507_.jpg
 
I've got a really cool 1995 Range Rover Classic for sale for $3300 in California !

I use my short wheel base (118) sprinter for a lot of jobs.

used to rock a '95 ford econoline for A long time - got it for $2000 and it was AWESOME. Went through 2 transmissions though (high mileage).

considering switching to a 2016 ford transit diesel .
 
I am designing and soon building an expedition style, trailer pulling capable, van style camera vehicle to travel from US through South America- shipped across to Africa- up to the Levant and further north. This needs to be all weather, all terrain, with high ground clearance and be relatively light and agile. Ha. Doesn't exist. But you can get close.

My research has come up with a big surprise- normally one would think that this is diesel territory- I spent a lot of time and research on designing a build around the Mercedes Sprinter- A pretty fabulous vehicle with a lot of people doing builds- a lot of info out there. But, some problems- a tendency to rust, spotty worldwide service- and the factory 4x4 is worthless in any thing tougher than dirt roads- do not put factory 4x4 in the mud. But there is an aftermarket conversion that is real 4x drive that is superb. Ok, I could live with all that, but-

The problem is diesel- There are many places that you can not easily source the kind of diesel the Mercedes engines need- starting in southern Mexico. Scratch Mercedes, but super vehicle used within its limitations.

I widened my search to truck based or cab and chassis or or even older Sprinters with 5cyl all world diesel. Nothing made a good match to what I need or insanely expensive.

Being a Chevy guy all my life I never considered anything spelled F O R D. That is until I drove with a friend in some really nasty shit, in his F 150 4x4 3.5 eco boost-gasoline with massive amount of torque. Went where you aimed it and came out alive. And gas is available everywhere on the planet and cheaper now than diesel.

Enter Ford Transit- available with the 3.5. in various lengths and heights- great, but they do not import the 4x4 version, ok because it is AWD- only for the light stuff. But recently two aftermarket- Ford certified 4x4 conversion shops have come on line - using the mechanical components of the 150 Raptor.

So there.
 
David Carstens said:
Looking at my next car, for which as many of use can relate, space for hauling gear is paramount. What are your suggestions for best production vehicles for cameramen/cinematographers?

I've heard that a Dodge Grand Caravan is a great choice for space, though as an Angeleno who must deal with traffic and parking struggles, I'm not sure I'd want to make the jump to a van. I currently have a Toyota Matrix, which has been a decent gear box, but frequently wish I could squeeze out a few more cubic feet. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

Ford Transit. 130" wheelbase, low roof. 3.5 eco boost. Easily fits normal parking space, and garage. If buying new the best choice out there.
 
My car for the last 3 years has been a Ford C-Max hybrid. Excellent all-round vehicle and, with the rear seats folded down, holds a fair amount of stuff; about 53 cubic feet. Often enough but not always.

Lately, I have been researching the Ford Transit Connect (van version, not wagon), which is about the same physical size (length, width, wheelbase), but has just about twice the cargo space (104 cubic feet). This is the "standard size. (Note: They also have a longer wheel base version that is slightly larger - cargo space jumps to about 130 cubic feet). IMO, on paper, it is looking like a very attractive alternative. At this point, I am leaning toward this vehicle. Not sure whether to go new or used..

The new Mercedes Metris looks interesting, too. Slightly bigger and a noticeably bigger price tag.

Personally, I just don't want to go to the Sprinter or Econoline size vans as they get hard to park in a city like SF.
 
sprinter 118 parks like a boss anywhere, anytime.

better turning radius than some sedans I've driven (looking at you Infiniti)

Ford Raptor is a beast. I hope they make the concept Ford Bronco actually (I'd totally get that)

Scott - would love to see what you come up with ! Sounds amazing.

2016-Ford-SVT-Bronco.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top