Home Video Hints: A Videographer's Family Vacation

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It's time to dig out the khaki shorts, dust off the pith helmet, polish the old puttees and set forth on that grueling annual trek: the summer vacation. And, to keep your camels or elephants from collapsing under the weight of your junk, you need to give careful thought to your video outfit. So, let's inventory the usual and customary parts of a location video kit (a vacation is really just one shooting location after another). Since most casual shooters travel light, you won't want everything on your ready-for-anything Swiss Army list. Just use it to select gear that fits your style and this year's vacation destination.

Camera Gear
If your kit won't include a camcorder, you can safely stop reading here. Once past that obvious essential, be sure to take its remote control useful for difficult camera positions or for getting yourself in the picture.

Add-on lens converters are useful too. I don't need a tele-adapter, but I love my high-quality wide-angle converter for dramatic scenes and architectural shots. Lens filters are a must, especially the "transparent lens cap" filter (UV, 1A or skylight) that keeps water, dust and greasy fingers off your expens…