GH4 GH4 Travel Kit Gear

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dpavid

Active member
Building a 2 camera GH4 kit. Backpack with lenses will hold this, monitor, and batteries. This is mainly for run and gun, maybe weddings on location and traveling. Our ENG packages we use on large productions are all HPX370 setups so we're used to carrying loads of gear locally but traveling with this is nightmare.

Looking for a smaller light compact travel tripod. Too many to choose from. Legs, head (primarily for video), system/kit. Carbon fiber would be great. Manfrotto would be the go to brand for reputation and build quality. What else should I consider? I would guess anything under $500 would be sufficient. Thoughts?

I also need compact small light stands. 5 lbs-ish LED light kit but need smaller stands, the ones I have are from my Arri SoftBank Kit. Great, but something smaller and lighter will be better. I know Lowel makes a pretty compact one but it was so flimsy. Any other ones to consider? LED's are about the size of an iPad and run on Sony NP batteries.

I got the monopod, slider, skate dolly. What other gear would make the kit complete? Gimbal and Drone coming later this year.
 
I travel with my GH4 and GH3 a lot and its so small i do it pretty easy. I just reviewed my manfrotto tripod bc its small portable here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4Fp-2urC10&hd=1

Manfrotto
502 Head - http://amzn.to/1AypSWw
055xPROb Legs - http://amzn.to/1rZIeOB

If you want to attach a monitor or something to the tripod just get one of these arms - http://amzn.to/1xzgscd

I use the Rhino 2 foot carbon slider and it works awesome! For lenses i use the 12-35 for all around use, then the panny 25mm 1.4 for shallow depth of field shots/close ups and my 45mm 1.8 for interviews. If you film live events like weddings the 35-140 2.8 from olympus is ideal and the 75mm 1.8 from olympus is a great lens if you cant afford the zoom.

One thing i had to do was switch from a backpack to a shoulder bag so I could change lenses while running around. This stops you from having to take the bag off and on to get a new lens. I love this one for under $35 - http://amzn.to/1KNlc3F

I can't help with nice LED lights, i had a 2 light $300 LED kit but it was pretty bad and the color didnt match daylight like it was suppose to. I use one small light bag with 3 of these little tungsten lights: http://amzn.to/1x5oK7Z - then have blue gels if there are a lot of windows around.

Here is a live event where i filmed b-roll and grabbed a couple quick interviews this past weekend with the equipment i mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0l24fHCvd0&hd=1
 
Manfrotto Nano stands fold up shorter than 20". They aren't the sturdiest things in the world, but they'd hold something that size easily - and they'll fit in a carry-on.

I have two 'travel' tripods, one for checked luggage (packed with a 2' slider, RIFA55, and light stands) is a Manfrotto 755/701 combo. The other is for carry on luggage - a MeFoto Globetrotter plus Manfrotto 701 head.
 
Perhaps for carrying two m43 cameras shoulder bags are less convenient than backpacks as former are more deep and accessible area (not to confuse with total volume) is smaller. I have an impression that one would need to "stack" equipment on top of each other to use the space in full.

When travelling for myself I am considering buying Lowepro 350 which seems to be more convenient for multimedia applications. Something like MeFoto Globetrotter could easily be sticked on a side of it.

p.s. In the past I used for years Domke3-alike shoulder bag with d700+17-35/2.8+80-200/2.8+sb800. The shoulder bag was perfect for a rather big DSLR kit.
 
mcbob said:
Manfrotto Nano stands fold up shorter than 20". They aren't the sturdiest things in the world, but they'd hold something that size easily - and they'll fit in a carry-on.

I have two 'travel' tripods, one for checked luggage (packed with a 2' slider, RIFA55, and light stands) is a Manfrotto 755/701 combo. The other is for carry on luggage - a MeFoto Globetrotter plus Manfrotto 701 head.
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Nano stands! That's what I was looking for. Thank you.
 
den59 said:
Perhaps for carrying two m43 cameras shoulder bags are less convenient than backpacks as former are more deep and accessible area (not to confuse with total volume) is smaller. I have an impression that one would need to "stack" equipment on top of each other to use the space in full.

When travelling for myself I am considering buying Lowepro 350 which seems to be more convenient for multimedia applications. Something like MeFoto Globetrotter could easily be sticked on a side of it.

p.s. In the past I used for years Domke3-alike shoulder bag with d700+17-35/2.8+80-200/2.8+sb800. The shoulder bag was perfect for a rather big DSLR kit.
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MeFoto Globetrotter! Never heard of this brand but two users mentioned it so it musty be good! Worth a try for me. Thank you.
 
another option for portable backpack: Kata KT DL-3in1-33

And there is also this nice Lowepro Audi Utility bag: https://vimeo.com/28020948

@dpavid I mentioned MeFoto Globetrotter only because another guy above recommends it. It looks like a nice portable tripod. Yet, i do not own it, but do consider buying in future.
 
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I travel a lot for my work. The best airline carry-on compliant bag I have is the Genus Shooter, quite hard to get hold of now but Adorama have them at cut price $50: http://www.adorama.com/CSGSBP.html. Usually this takes my bigger camera, an XF305, plus shotgun mic, cables, batteries, chargers, wireless mics, raincovers, etc, etc. Plus it will take a 15" Macbook Pro. I flew to NYC for a job last week and it more than comfortably accommodated my caged GH4 and all of my lenses, plus the audio kit. I am thinking of getting a second GH series camera and that too would very easily fit.
My tripod is a Sachtler carbon fibre with L series head, the equivalent I think of the Manfrotto 535 legs with 504HD head. (Manfrotto and Sachtler are owned by the same company). This tripod always gets checked in with my other luggage but it's damn light and a superb piece of kit. It goes super tall or super low, the head is fantastically smooth and it's so light and collapsible that I can use it as a monopod in run-and-gun scenarios.
For lights I am currently on the Aputure Amarans and very happy with the performance. I couple these with some LEDGO reporter lights, which came with a pelli-type case when purchased.
 
phil s said:
I travel a lot for my work. The best airline carry-on compliant bag I have is the Genus Shooter, quite hard to get hold of now but Adorama have them at cut price $50: http://www.adorama.com/CSGSBP.html.
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That bag looks great for the GH series. Could hold 2 camera bodies with at least 6 lenses and accessories. I just dont like the layout of the other camera bags where they all have the middle open for the camera to be holding the long 70-200 lens you wont need on a gh4. And im buying those nano stands now, never heard of them!
 
I travel all over with my stuff. I have been happy with the MeFoto tripods, even though they are branded more on the consumer side, I know a lot of guys that use them (self included) and they are perfect. But I replace the head on mine with a Manfrotto head, I was not stoked on the stock head. Other than that... good!

LED lighting, shower curtains, reflectors, gaff tape and retractable carbon fiber poles/stands is what I would do for traveling. Super light and compact. I don't know where you are travelling, but dealign with international battery requirements, overloading voltage converters, etc. isn't fun. Extension cords, etc. A travel kit is a travel kit. I have literally lit scenes using people's cell phone flashlights with good results. If you understand light and proper camera settings and temperature, shutter rate, etc. you can get away with a lot. Usually you can find stuff on location to assist, and people to hold stuff, gaff tape to hang stuff, random props and furniture to brace stuff. Don't think movie set, think Macgyver.

Oh for backs I really like ThinkTank. They have backpacks, carry on, etc. Best I've used.

I also recommend something like the Scotte Travel Vest for getting through airports. When you exceed carry on weight limit or have a little bit too much travel stuff, you just make sure you're wearing the vest. Stuff any lenses, camera bodies, etc. in one of the 22 pockets when they weight your baggage, and then repack it once through weight check. They don't count worn weight toward your total. I never really have problems in the states, but overseas they can be super anal and have very tight weight requirements esp on regional flights. And, when you can't speak the language, say goodbye to your friendly negotiating skills and fragile/expensive camera gear explanations. You WILL be checking that fragile carry on. Point: get a travel vest and thank me later.
 
dpavid said:
MeFoto Globetrotter! Never heard of this brand but two users mentioned it so it musty be good! Worth a try for me. Thank you.
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"However, if you don't go to these physical extremes in your photography and travels, we feel the MeFoto GlobeTrotter strikes the best balance between packable size, robust build, and generous capacity, with the most reasonable price in this group of three. Any of these three tripods can take larger cameras and lenses when traveling, but the MeFoto inspires the most confidence when doing so, and that's something that goes beyond the specs and marketing blurbs."

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5352974021/travel-tripods-5-carbon-fiber-kits-reviewed

And a similar review of aluminum travel tripods.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8941642276/travel-tripods-comparing-5-aluminum-kits

I have an older set of carbon fiber Induro legs that I often use when traveling abroad & don't want to draw attention. With the head removed the legs fit into my carry-on luggage & I don't check any baggage. Been trying out Manfrotto's MVH500AH lightweight fluid head, which is better but bulkier then their 701HDV (or Benro's clone).

http://www.manfrotto.com/product/24...fluid_video_head_with_flat_base_(5kg_payload)

When adopting any stills tripod for film use I suggest adding a Acratech leveling base.

http://www.acratech.net/leveling-products/leveling-base-with-stud
 
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I'm just curious, how do you guys pan with lightweight travel tripods? There's just so much flex and play.
 
yslee said:
I'm just curious, how do you guys pan with lightweight travel tripods? There's just so much flex and play.
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Hang weight (backpack, etc) from the column hook or apply hand weight, two hands right below where the head attaches to the base, pan with thumbs/fingertips. Practice. Repeat as necessary.
 
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