Kit / Equipment & Shopping Lists

[Paul Sherman]

A good idea to start this now for members coming out Chasing for the 1st time, these threads usually throw up things that maybe some of the newbies have forgotten etc

My List for 2010 as Follows

Got/Taking

Barons Wx - An essential piece of Kit

Streets and Trips 2008 (GPS Kit)

Laptop Wifi Enabled

3 x Microsoft GPS Recievers

Verizon & Sprint Datacards to run GRLevel3 and Live Stream whilst on the Move

Tripod

2 x Canon EOS Batteries

2 x Panasonic Video Recorder Batteries

1 x CanonXs

1 x Canon 400d

1 x Panasonic Handy Cam

1 x 1Gb Scandisc Card

1 x 4Gb Scandisc Card

12 x DAT (Digital Audio Tapes)

Polarising Filter

Remote Release Cable

70-300mm Canon Lens

18-55mm Canon Lens

10-28mm Canon Lens

About 10 cables and Invertors for what we need to run in the Cars

4 way adaptor (Essential for when we are in the Hotel)

1 x UK/USA Plug Adaptor

1 x Dashboard Suction Mount

2 x Radio Units (6 Mile Range)

2 x Weather Radios

Clothes

Shades

Open toe Sandals

Trainers

Waterproof / Fleece

Cd's - This is useful as we can alternate the Music XM Radio gets repetative

Passport

Money

Flight Tickets

INSURANCE

The list goes on and On

Will also add on things as I remember them

Paul Sherman

[Arron]

Debating whether to ditch the camcorder and seperate camera I've already got and get a new digital camera that films in HD. Has anyone had a play with the newer ones out at the moment? I was looking at this one http://www.panasonic.co.uk/html/en_GB/Products/LUMIX+Digital+Cameras/Super+Zoom/DMC-FZ38/Overview/2718819/index.html

Can be had for around £250 and seems to tick all the boxes

[dogs32]

just recently bought a small pen light to see the setting's in the dark for the camera..

last year was very difficult without a small light

[Nick F]

• Bottle opener in case you may need to open a bottle of bud.
  
• Ear plugs in case your room mate snores like a freight train
  
• Cloth/rag to clean the crap that often ends up on camera lenses, often dirt is windborne off the fields blown up by storms.
  

[Tom Lynch]

Tips to cure snoring

I did share with one chap that snored like a trooper. After the third day I tucked him in and kissed him on the cheek. He didn't snore for the rest of the trip. ;-)

Or share with Pat because you can't hear him snoring if he can't find the hotel.

Chuckle chuckle

Tom

[dogs32]

Tips to cure snoring

I did share with one chap that snored like a trooper. After the third day I tucked him in and kissed him on the cheek. He didn't snore for the rest of the trip. ;-)

Or share with Pat because you can't hear him snoring if he can't find the hotel.

Chuckle chuckle

Tom

...

Edited March 6, 2010 by dogs32

[John Hanrahan]

My equipment list so far. Will most likely change as requirements change....

Canon 450 D

Sony DCR 40 Handycam

Canon EFS 18 – 55 mm Lens

Canon EF 70 – 200 mm L Series Lens

Sigma 10 – 20 mm (for ultra wide shots)2 x USB Cables

2 x 4 GB SDHC Cards

Spare HC battery for Handycam

Remote Cable for Canon 450

TR-90 C6 Timer Remote for Canon 450D

Infared Remote for Canon

Infared Remote for Handycam

1 Small tripod in packed luggage

1 Gorillapod

1 Large Tripod (carry on luggage, any hassle I’ll dump in airport and buy cheap one in Radioshack)

1 Dell Latitude D530 (though this might be upgraded)

1 12v Universal laptop power supply

1 HP Laptop for Live Stream

1 HP Laptop for getting GPS co-ordinates back to Netweather and MS Streets + Trips

External 500 GB HDD

Strikealert portable lightning detector

6 way UK / Ireland socket board with US plug

Pocket Loox Sat Nav with US Maps

1 USB GPS Receiver

1 Bluetooth GPS Reciever

1 Blackberry 8800 for calls and BBtracker, will tract our location every 5 mins and export to KML at end of day

[John Hanrahan]

Just finshed modifying a standard laptop car charger so it will power (charge) my dell latitude on tour. Most modern Dell notebooks wont charge the battery unless a Dell charger is connected, easy enough to trick the little bugger into thinking its got one. Needed to do it as it caused a few probs for me and Ian last year. Looking at stormchasers S3E8 this morning it seemed to be a bit of a prob for Mr Timmer's team to.

[Tom Lynch]

Well heck I don't know.

I am taking-:

a couple of Sony digital cameras , one slips into your shirt pocket for off the cuff shots

Two camcorders complete with discs & spare tapes

Garmin GPS unit to use for setting lat/longs for Spotter Network reports

A gaggle of wires/adaptors and plugs for all type of occasions

Storm alert radios

Lap top

Two repair kits for carrying out running repairs whilst out on the road

Insulation tape (see above)

Various tablets Asprin, hay fever (because it will be spring out there when we arrive)Imodium anti mozzies spray and insetc bite cream etc etc

Plasters

Set of small screw drivers but not in carry on luggage or else you will have them taken off you by security.

Photo copies of all important documents e.g. passport, insurance and on line visa ref

US Electrical adaptors for plugging into hotel room sockets

I don't overdo the clothes because no matter how little you pack , you only ever use half of what you take. All the motels have washing/drying facilities.

I am sure there are some things that I have missed off. For phone calls home you can buy a phone card out there believe you me it is the cheapest option. Unless you have Skype. You can use the phone card from nearly any phone. Cheaper than motel or most mobiles.

OH yes two way radios for communication between vans (not mine I must say)

Tom

[dogs32]

quick note for John..

here are the details John..

thanks..

ASUS EeePC 1000H

+12v...3A 36W

hope this helps

[John Hanrahan]

Pat I think your messenger is full

From a quick google,,, this should do the job

http://www.amazon.co.uk/netbooks-laptops-Netbook-DURAGADGET-warranty/dp/B001E601VM/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t#moreAboutThisProduct

[TornadoJo]

Debating whether to ditch the camcorder and seperate camera I've already got and get a new digital camera that films in HD. Has anyone had a play with the newer ones out at the moment? I was looking at this one http://www.panasonic...8819/index.html

Can be had for around £250 and seems to tick all the boxes :ph34r:

That looks very nice! Might solve my problem of whether to get a good video camera as well as a stlls camera.

J x

[Ross B]

That looks very nice! Might solve my problem of whether to get a good video camera as well as a stlls camera.

J x

Hi Clippy, There was a section on the gadget show this week with this type of camera. If i remember it was a Sony cam that came out on top, not sure on the models but it may be worth a watch!

[dogs32]

Pat I think your messenger is full

From a quick google,,, this should do the job

http://www.amazon.co.uk/netbooks-laptops-Netbook-DURAGADGET-warranty/dp/B001E601VM/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t#moreAboutThisProduct

sorry John havent seen this message and didnt realise my PM was full...cheers for the info

edit...will buy one of them then..thanks, just wanted to be sure not to blow the laptop..

Edited March 22, 2010 by dogs32

[TornadoJo]

Hi Clippy, There was a section on the gadget show this week with this type of camera. If i remember it was a Sony cam that came out on top, not sure on the models but it may be worth a watch!

Thanks for this!

Found it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6dakmvoEWA

The Sony did indeed come out on top and looks very nice indeed.

I'll be nosing around reviews as well.

I will let you know how I get on.

jo

-x-

[Arron]

hmmm, thanks Ross/Jo for the info/link I dunno what to do now! Have sorted out a new netbook for the trip, now just need to decide on what camera to get.

[Arron]

Does anyone have any recommendations on easy video editing software that they use? I used power director last year and to be honest was a bit of a faff for just cutting it up

[dogs32]

Does anyone have any recommendations on easy video editing software that they use? I used power director last year and to be honest was a bit of a faff for just cutting it up

AVS is fairly easy to use Smokie and cheap...

or Pinnacle but more expensive....or one of the best and get Adobe Premier

[gpspete]

AVS is fairly easy to use Smokie and cheap...

or Pinnacle but more expensive....or one of the best and get Adobe Premier

If you have vista or windows 7 try windows live movie maker,

its got all the basics is easy to use is not a memory hog and renders video quicker than premier elements

cost is free and on low spec notebooks (so long as it has dualcore and got a HD capable graphics card onboard and a 2g ram some of the newer netbooks meet these specs) does 1080p video all be it a bit slow unless you have a very fast pc, and you can play them in windows media player although you may get the occasional stutter skip etc.

amongst the equipment i will be bringing will be

Kodak Zi8 pocket cam

ContourHD 1080p cam

both record in 1080p .mov the contourHD is a helment cam but i have an adapter to fit it to a 1/4" thread i will put it on a twin mount with my dslr as it has a very wide angle lens 110deg/135deg dependent on HD mode used, hopfully good for cloud formation daytime lightning etc.

you can see some video from the contourHD on my youtube page http://www.youtube.c...er?feature=mhw4

I will put some video from the Zi8 on end of nextweek.

And before anybody says yes both cams are small aperture but i have used the Kodak Zi8 in my car at night and was quite supprised not too bad as long as you dont zoom in too much plenty of videos from both cams on youtube and the contour users group

for those looking for a notebook charger i found this online i may get one http://www.ultimate-netbook.co.uk/Acer/acer-ferrari-one-accessories/batteries-chargers/uni-dc-car-charger%20___1670.htm

Edited March 25, 2010 by gpspete

[dogs32]

If you have vista or windows 7 try windows live movie maker,

its got all the basics is easy to use is not a memory hog and renders video quicker than premier elements

cost is free and on low spec notebooks (so long as it has dualcore and got a HD capable graphics card onboard and a 2g ram some of the newer netbooks meet these specs) does 1080p video all be it a bit slow unless you have a very fast pc, and you can play them in windows media player although you may get the occasional stutter skip etc.

amongst the equipment i will be bringing will be

Kodak Zi8 pocket cam

ContourHD 1080p cam

both record in 1080p .mov the contourHD is a helment cam but i have an adapter to fit it to a 1/4" thread i will put it on a twin mount with my dslr as it has a very wide angle lens 110deg/135deg dependent on HD mode used, hopfully good for cloud formation daytime lightning etc.

you can see some video from the contourHD on my youtube page http://www.youtube.c...er?feature=mhw4

I will put some video from the Zi8 on end of nextweek.

And before anybody says yes both cams are small aperture but i have used the Kodak Zi8 in my car at night and was quite supprised not too bad as long as you dont zoom in too much plenty of videos from both cams on youtube and the contour users group

for those looking for a notebook charger i found this online i may get one http://www.ultimate-netbook.co.uk/Acer/acer-ferrari-one-accessories/batteries-chargers/uni-dc-car-charger%20___1670.htm

yes I heard Windows does do a good job of video editing and conversion..

never used it myself but I think I will give it ago

[TornadoJo]

Final Cut Pro is really good. x

[Arron]

Thanks for the replies guys and gals

[pottyprof]

I'd go with windows movie maker for a quick edit. A lot of the other progs tend to be a bit bloated and sometimes slow. You can always edit using other software when you get back..

[John Hanrahan]

I'd go with windows movie maker for a quick edit. A lot of the other progs tend to be a bit bloated and sometimes slow. You can always edit using other software when you get back..

I'd agree with this. You guys are going to be knackered at the end of each day. It will be a struggle to find the energy to do anything fancy before uploading to NW Player etc etc. Basic split and cut functionality is all you'll need out there. All the fancy stuff can wait till your back in the UK.

Edited March 25, 2010 by John Hanrahan

[dogs32]

I'd agree with this. You guys are going to be knackered at the end of each day. It will be a struggle to find the energy to do anything fancy before uploading to NW Player etc etc. Basic split and cut functionality is all you'll need out there. All the fancy stuff can wait till your back in the UK.

John is that back in Okalohoma :wub:

but yes I agree...last year was impossible to edit properley to an expert level

edit...I see you have changed it

Edited March 25, 2010 by dogs32