What Do You Drive?

Lisa Strong · December 1st, 2009, 01:40 AM

No winking! 2003 Mini Cooper with the back seats folded down, a plank of plywood down to make it all level, and a yakima box on top.

~ ~ Lisa

Chris Hurd · December 1st, 2009, 01:42 AM

Yowza, a Mini? That's hawt!

Lisa Strong · December 1st, 2009, 01:52 AM

Granted my most recent camera purchases were the JVC HM-100 and the Panny GH-1. Mini is a theme, looks like.

~ ~ L

David W. Jones · December 1st, 2009, 05:18 AM

Nice, I like the Gold color as well!

Trevor Meeks · December 1st, 2009, 06:26 AM

Here's mine just before I drove her off the lot a couple of years ago :)

iPhone snapshot, sorry about the dullness...

Lisa Strong · December 1st, 2009, 10:07 AM

Sweet Trevor. Did you realize you could use her as a production vehicle?? You live just north of me. We could have the Mini production vehicle team. But perhaps you shoot with bigger rigs.

~ ~ L

Oleg Kalyan · December 2nd, 2009, 12:02 AM

Mini here in Moscow as well, a 2002 veteran :)
Got a brand new Subaru Impreza WRX STI, couple of months ago, love it!

Trevor Meeks · December 2nd, 2009, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa Strong-Aufhauser

Sweet Trevor. Did you realize you could use her as a production vehicle?? You live just north of me. We could have the Mini production vehicle team. But perhaps you shoot with bigger rigs.

~ ~ L

Yep, I actually bought my first mini (an '06 convertible S) about a year after I started photographing weddings and carrying around a ton of equipment. Even the convertible shocked me with how much it could carry, but it had major drawbacks. I traded it in last year for the one I have now (an '06 hard top S) and the difference is amazing - the hatch back offers a huge area to load gear, without the obstruction of the rear roll bar that's present in the convertible. no more loading from behind the front seats - i just load from the back. I can fit my large hard case with camera, medium hard case with mattebox, a few litepanels 1x1s, scrims, reflector, monitor in it's own hard case and a few C stands in the mini with the rear seats folded down. I can either throw some additional crap up front where the passenger would fit, or I can forfeit that equipment and take an assistant or my 6'6" sound guy/producer (DVIer Brian Lukrich) with me.

They're incredibly capable cars. I love using it for light production work, but I generally use my family's Subaru Forrester for hauling more stuff with another person.

As far as driveability, safety and comfort are concerned, I'd take the mini over the forrester any day...

I'd still like to have a sprinter for production work some day. Hmmmm... RED Scarlet S35 or a Sprinter? That'll be the decision for 2010 I'm afraid...

David W. Jones · December 2nd, 2009, 05:16 AM

At least we know Sprinters will be delivered in 2010. ;)

Trevor Meeks · December 3rd, 2009, 01:46 PM

Well played, sir.

Peter Ford · January 15th, 2010, 06:46 AM

My current set of wheels has finally gone to the scrapyard in the sky, so im looking for something to replace it, and was wondering what cars other cameramen drive, and why?

Ive been considering a diesel estate - to cover many miles in, and fit lots of gear in. maybe a bmw 330 diesel touring. but i know a lot of people use range rovers as camera cars, so maybe one of those might do the trick?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

Paul R Johnson · January 15th, 2010, 07:13 AM

To be honest, Discoveries are better as camera cars as there's much more space in the back - Rangies are not so good on load carrying, or sitting at weird angles - the posh seats are not too practical - the Discovery with 7 seats can be much handier.

All that said, I traded my Discovery in a 3 years old for a ......... Ford Transit!

Being a van, tax wise it's much better. It depreciates less, and the amazingly daft thing is that the driving position is so much better! I'm 6' 1" and the Disco doesn't offer much under the knee support for tall people - the seat finishing a little early and on a long journey, it's very tiring. I can honestly say that after travelling 7 hours in the transit, I get out and am not tired, and I don't ache. I was also impressed that they're speedy too - mine is a SWB low top model. 3 people fit in the front with no problems, and there's heaps of space too. I've got a small jib that can sit on the tripod and just be lifted out the back - excellent. It's been 100% reliable and very easy to get speeding points in.

The Disco was a great car, I'm not knocking it at all - but I haven't missed it. If I needed another car, just for people and a bit of kit, I'd happily buy another - but for what I'm doing now, the van beats it for usefulness.

Chris Hurd · January 15th, 2010, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Ford

wondering what cars other cameramen drive, and why?

Merged with our long-running "what do you drive" thread in Home, Away From Home.

Peter Ford · January 15th, 2010, 09:20 AM

Thanks - hadnt been to this corner of the forum, didnt realise there was such a thread!

Timothy Harry · January 15th, 2010, 10:22 PM

Just made an upgrade!

Moved from a Toyota Tundra to a 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD duramax diesel truck. It pulls the production and grip trailer like there is nothing behind it and gets 17MPG down the highway empty, 14 with trailer which is pretty awesome for a 7000 pound truck. Once I make a couple of modifications (intake exhaust and computer chip) I should be getting between 20 and 22 MPG down the highway. I'm super excited about the possibilities in the future

December 1st, 2009, 01:40 AM	#181
Lisa Strong Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 42	Mini Cooper No winking! 2003 Mini Cooper with the back seats folded down, a plank of plywood down to make it all level, and a yakima box on top. ~ ~ Lisa

December 1st, 2009, 01:42 AM	#182
Chris Hurd Obstreperous Rex Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: San Marcos, TX Posts: 27,368 Images: 513	Yowza, a Mini? That's hawt! __________________ CH Search DV Info Net \| 20 years of DVi \| ...Tuesday is Soylent Green Day!

December 1st, 2009, 01:52 AM	#183
Lisa Strong Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 42	Granted my most recent camera purchases were the JVC HM-100 and the Panny GH-1. Mini is a theme, looks like. ~ ~ L Attached Thumbnails

December 1st, 2009, 06:26 AM	#185
Trevor Meeks Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sonoma, CA Posts: 336	Here's mine just before I drove her off the lot a couple of years ago :) iPhone snapshot, sorry about the dullness... Attached Thumbnails

January 15th, 2010, 06:46 AM	#191
Peter Ford Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London, uk Posts: 99	Cameramen - what do you drive? My current set of wheels has finally gone to the scrapyard in the sky, so im looking for something to replace it, and was wondering what cars other cameramen drive, and why? Ive been considering a diesel estate - to cover many miles in, and fit lots of gear in. maybe a bmw 330 diesel touring. but i know a lot of people use range rovers as camera cars, so maybe one of those might do the trick? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

December 1st, 2009, 05:18 AM	#184
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	Nice, I like the Gold color as well!

December 1st, 2009, 10:07 AM	#186
Lisa Strong Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 42	Sweet Trevor. Did you realize you could use her as a production vehicle?? You live just north of me. We could have the Mini production vehicle team. But perhaps you shoot with bigger rigs. ~ ~ L

December 2nd, 2009, 12:02 AM	#187
Oleg Kalyan Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: MOSCOW Posts: 860	Mini here in Moscow as well, a 2002 veteran :) Got a brand new Subaru Impreza WRX STI, couple of months ago, love it!

December 2nd, 2009, 05:16 AM	#189
David W. Jones Trustee Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Little Rock Posts: 1,383	At least we know Sprinters will be delivered in 2010. ;)

December 3rd, 2009, 01:46 PM	#190
Trevor Meeks Major Player Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Sonoma, CA Posts: 336	Well played, sir.

January 15th, 2010, 07:13 AM	#192
Paul R Johnson Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Lowestoft - UK Posts: 4,045	To be honest, Discoveries are better as camera cars as there's much more space in the back - Rangies are not so good on load carrying, or sitting at weird angles - the posh seats are not too practical - the Discovery with 7 seats can be much handier. All that said, I traded my Discovery in a 3 years old for a ......... Ford Transit! Being a van, tax wise it's much better. It depreciates less, and the amazingly daft thing is that the driving position is so much better! I'm 6' 1" and the Disco doesn't offer much under the knee support for tall people - the seat finishing a little early and on a long journey, it's very tiring. I can honestly say that after travelling 7 hours in the transit, I get out and am not tired, and I don't ache. I was also impressed that they're speedy too - mine is a SWB low top model. 3 people fit in the front with no problems, and there's heaps of space too. I've got a small jib that can sit on the tripod and just be lifted out the back - excellent. It's been 100% reliable and very easy to get speeding points in. The Disco was a great car, I'm not knocking it at all - but I haven't missed it. If I needed another car, just for people and a bit of kit, I'd happily buy another - but for what I'm doing now, the van beats it for usefulness.

January 15th, 2010, 09:20 AM	#194
Peter Ford Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: London, uk Posts: 99	Thanks - hadnt been to this corner of the forum, didnt realise there was such a thread!

January 15th, 2010, 10:22 PM	#195
Timothy Harry Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Odessa, TX Posts: 93	Just made an upgrade! Moved from a Toyota Tundra to a 2007 Chevy Silverado 2500HD duramax diesel truck. It pulls the production and grip trailer like there is nothing behind it and gets 17MPG down the highway empty, 14 with trailer which is pretty awesome for a 7000 pound truck. Once I make a couple of modifications (intake exhaust and computer chip) I should be getting between 20 and 22 MPG down the highway. I'm super excited about the possibilities in the future __________________ Tim Harry Bandwagon Media Odessa, TX www.bandwagonhd.com