Handy odds and ends to keep in your kit? at DVinfo.net

Reed Hewitt · October 9th, 2008, 02:33 PM

Ever been on location in a remote area, setting up for a very important, non-repeatable shoot, only realize you forgot that little tiny adapter (or cable, or tool) that you really, really need?

I have.

No fun, right?

Well, in order to help safeguard against that kind of thing in the future, I'm putting together a utility box of miscellaneous useful stuff that I will take on every shoot, just in case. I'm sure a lot of you guys have a box like that, so my question is: what do you keep in it?

To start off the list, here are a couple of things I plan to keep in my utility box:
- C-47s
- Adapters for all the cables I use (including gender changers)
- Extra cables
- Batteries (AA, AAA, 12v, etc.)
- Gloves
- Multi-bit screwdriver
- Pliers
- Gaff tape
- Extra headphones
- Flashlight
- Small sewing kit
- Small first aid kit

What other handy odds and ends to you keep in your kit?

Bill Ward · October 10th, 2008, 10:20 AM

Allen wrench multi-tool.

Perrone Ford · October 10th, 2008, 10:43 AM

Crimper with some electrical connections. Spring clamps, zip ties.

Shaun Roemich · October 10th, 2008, 12:16 PM

- Leatherman multitool
- Maglight LED 2 AA flashlight (to be specific)
- Head cleaning cassette
- Electrical tape
- Business cards
- Pen
- Lens wipes (dry and wet)
- Camera instruction manual (I don't know how many times I've been in the field and gone "wow, how do you do that again?" where "that" is something I only do once a year...)

In my LARGER kit bag, I keep a multitester with continuity testing ability, a soldering iron and fluxless solder and liquid flux, a cable tester, "machine" AC cords (the ubiquitous "D-Shaped" 3 pin AC connector that computers, monitors and half of everything else uses), spare headphones (usually Sony earbuds) and 1" cloth tape.

Martin Mayer · October 10th, 2008, 12:50 PM

Rubber bands
Velcro double-sided strips (will attach to themselves when looped)
List of radio-mic frequencies
Ear plugs (for disco shooting)
Few coins (tightening tripod plates to cameras)
S-shaped picture hooks (for hanging radio-mics on ledges, shelves)
More spare camera tapes than you could possibly imagine
Mains and 12v battery chargers
Bottles of water

Reed Hewitt · October 13th, 2008, 07:40 AM

I knew I was probably overlooking a few essential things. Thanks for the ideas!

Roger Wilson · October 13th, 2008, 12:51 PM

These are great ideas to keep in your kit! Unfortunately for me, my camera bag won't hold all of these items and the camera. What would you guys recommend for the "kit" items? I was thinking a small/light weight tool box. Pros/Cons?

Frank Simpson · October 13th, 2008, 04:54 PM

One thing that I always have in my kit but have never needed is a fire extinguisher. If someone tips a light you could have a real catastrophe on your hands!

Stelios Christofides · October 14th, 2008, 05:03 AM

A bottle of Chivas...

Stelios

Mike Beckett · October 14th, 2008, 05:44 AM

Coming from Ireland....

...I keep some plastic garbage bags in my camera bag. We get a lot of rain, and a bit of impromptu instant waterpoofing can come in handy!

Reed Hewitt · October 14th, 2008, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roger Wilson

These are great ideas to keep in your kit! Unfortunately for me, my camera bag won't hold all of these items and the camera. What would you guys recommend for the "kit" items? I was thinking a small/light weight tool box. Pros/Cons?

I was planning to use a toolbox (the portable kind made out of heavy plastic) or maybe a large tackle box. I'm also curious to see how other have fared with these options.

Mark Holland · October 14th, 2008, 08:30 AM

Well, my shooting is mostly weddings, so my kit is geared that way...I keep disposable lighters (for when candles go out), ink pens (license signing), Safety pins, "Tide" stick, plus personal stuff...breath mints, toothpicks, waterless hand sanitizer, etc. Plus much of the stuff mentioned above is somewhere nearby...

Richard Alvarez · October 14th, 2008, 09:03 AM

This thread basically describes what I call my 'Grip Box'. A seperate rubbermaid tub full of just about everything everyone has listed, plus extension cords, sandbags, spring clips, some 'drop cloths' in black, white and grey - to be used for hiding or covering surfaces - the usual stuff you find in a grip box.

NOT counting light stands, flags, scrims etc.

Andris Krastins · October 14th, 2008, 01:16 PM

I don't have a car and travel light, so I can't imagine putting all that in my bag, but I always have a LED flashlight, extra bats for audio recorder, rain cover for camera (Latvia is rainy), lens cleaning pen, pen, paper, "sticky" tape, headphones.

The essential thing that I've forgotten is headphones!

Corey Williams · October 15th, 2008, 09:56 AM

Can of compressed air.

October 9th, 2008, 02:33 PM	#1
Reed Hewitt Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 46	Handy odds and ends to keep in your kit? Ever been on location in a remote area, setting up for a very important, non-repeatable shoot, only realize you forgot that little tiny adapter (or cable, or tool) that you really, really need? I have. No fun, right? Well, in order to help safeguard against that kind of thing in the future, I'm putting together a utility box of miscellaneous useful stuff that I will take on every shoot, just in case. I'm sure a lot of you guys have a box like that, so my question is: what do you keep in it? To start off the list, here are a couple of things I plan to keep in my utility box: - C-47s - Adapters for all the cables I use (including gender changers) - Extra cables - Batteries (AA, AAA, 12v, etc.) - Gloves - Multi-bit screwdriver - Pliers - Gaff tape - Extra headphones - Flashlight - Small sewing kit - Small first aid kit What other handy odds and ends to you keep in your kit?

October 10th, 2008, 10:43 AM	#3
Perrone Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Posts: 4,100	Crimper with some electrical connections. Spring clamps, zip ties. __________________ DVX100, PMW-EX1, Canon 550D, FigRig, Dell Octocore, Avid MC4/5, MB Looks, RedCineX, Matrox MX02 mini, GTech RAID, Edirol R-4, Senn. G2 Evo, Countryman, Moles and Lowels.

October 10th, 2008, 12:16 PM	#4
Shaun Roemich Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver, British Columbia (formerly Winnipeg, Manitoba) Canada Posts: 4,088	- Leatherman multitool - Maglight LED 2 AA flashlight (to be specific) - Head cleaning cassette - Electrical tape - Business cards - Pen - Lens wipes (dry and wet) - Camera instruction manual (I don't know how many times I've been in the field and gone "wow, how do you do that again?" where "that" is something I only do once a year...) In my LARGER kit bag, I keep a multitester with continuity testing ability, a soldering iron and fluxless solder and liquid flux, a cable tester, "machine" AC cords (the ubiquitous "D-Shaped" 3 pin AC connector that computers, monitors and half of everything else uses), spare headphones (usually Sony earbuds) and 1" cloth tape. __________________ Shaun C. Roemich Road Dog Media - Vancouver, BC - Videographer - Webcaster www.roaddogmedia.ca Blog: http://roaddogmedia.wordpress.com/

October 10th, 2008, 12:50 PM	#5
Martin Mayer Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 416	Rubber bands Velcro double-sided strips (will attach to themselves when looped) List of radio-mic frequencies Ear plugs (for disco shooting) Few coins (tightening tripod plates to cameras) S-shaped picture hooks (for hanging radio-mics on ledges, shelves) More spare camera tapes than you could possibly imagine Mains and 12v battery chargers Bottles of water __________________ Martin at HeadSpin HD on Blu-ray

October 14th, 2008, 05:03 AM	#9
Stelios Christofides Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Nicosia, CYPRUS Posts: 1,080	A bottle of Chivas... Stelios __________________ My Blog: http://steliosc.blogspot.com "I hope for nothing, I fear nothing, I am free" Nikos Kazantzakis

October 10th, 2008, 10:20 AM	#2
Bill Ward Major Player Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 580	Allen wrench multi-tool.

October 13th, 2008, 07:40 AM	#6
Reed Hewitt Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 46	I knew I was probably overlooking a few essential things. Thanks for the ideas!

October 13th, 2008, 12:51 PM	#7
Roger Wilson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Denver, CO, USA Posts: 85	These are great ideas to keep in your kit! Unfortunately for me, my camera bag won't hold all of these items and the camera. What would you guys recommend for the "kit" items? I was thinking a small/light weight tool box. Pros/Cons?

October 13th, 2008, 04:54 PM	#8
Frank Simpson Major Player Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bozeman, MT Posts: 217	One thing that I always have in my kit but have never needed is a fire extinguisher. If someone tips a light you could have a real catastrophe on your hands!

October 14th, 2008, 05:44 AM	#10
Mike Beckett Trustee Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Antrim, Northern Ireland Posts: 1,569	Coming from Ireland.... ...I keep some plastic garbage bags in my camera bag. We get a lot of rain, and a bit of impromptu instant waterpoofing can come in handy! __________________ Irish Railway Videos on Youtube

October 14th, 2008, 08:30 AM	#12
Mark Holland Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, & surrounding areas) Posts: 301	Well, my shooting is mostly weddings, so my kit is geared that way...I keep disposable lighters (for when candles go out), ink pens (license signing), Safety pins, "Tide" stick, plus personal stuff...breath mints, toothpicks, waterless hand sanitizer, etc. Plus much of the stuff mentioned above is somewhere nearby... __________________ These are my own opinions, based on my own mistakes...

October 14th, 2008, 09:03 AM	#13
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	This thread basically describes what I call my 'Grip Box'. A seperate rubbermaid tub full of just about everything everyone has listed, plus extension cords, sandbags, spring clips, some 'drop cloths' in black, white and grey - to be used for hiding or covering surfaces - the usual stuff you find in a grip box. NOT counting light stands, flags, scrims etc.

October 14th, 2008, 01:16 PM	#14
Andris Krastins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lielvārde, Latvia Posts: 326	I don't have a car and travel light, so I can't imagine putting all that in my bag, but I always have a LED flashlight, extra bats for audio recorder, rain cover for camera (Latvia is rainy), lens cleaning pen, pen, paper, "sticky" tape, headphones. The essential thing that I've forgotten is headphones!

October 15th, 2008, 09:56 AM	#15
Corey Williams Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: McKinney,TX/New Orleans, LA Posts: 104	Can of compressed air.