BUILDING the WORLD'S BEST CAMPERVAN (for photography)
I can't believe this is actually happening! Got the van and hopefully won't ruin it!!! HA HA
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NIKON GEAR (Main STILLS camera)
Current landscape camera - Nikon Z8 - geni.us/nikonz8
Awesome telephoto lens - Nikon 70-200m f/2.8 - geni.us/nikon70200
Great ultra-wide angle lens - Nikon 14-30mm f/4 - geni.us/1430mm
Hiking mid lens - Nikon 24-70mm Z f4 - geni.us/nikon2470
Sharpest mid lens - Nikon 24-70mm Z f2.8 geni.us/2470mm28
Very long lens - Nikon 500mm F5.6 - geni.us/nikon500mm
FILM GEAR
AWESOME DRONE - geni.us/dji_mavic3
Nikon Z6 - geni.us/z6nikon
Nikon 20mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon20mmz
Nikon 24mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon24mm
Nikon 50mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon50mmz
Nikon 85mm Z F1.8 - geni.us/nikon85mmz
OTHER PHOTO GEAR
Clever camera strap (peak design) - geni.us/PDstrap
Microfibre Cloths - geni.us/microfibre
Rab Downpour Pants - geni.us/rainpants
Awesome sensor brush - geni.us/brush4sensor
GorillaPod - geni.us/Kb9mV
The great printer I use Canon P1000 - geni.us/cIIc
Great bag for hiking - Tenba 24L - geni.us/orPwh
Great bag for travel (carry on) - Tenba 32L - geni.us/tenba32l
Super light Benro Travel Tripod UK - geni.us/Benrotravel
A must have for tripod (L bracket) - geni.us/myLbracket
Lightweight tripod - Benro Mach3 Carbon Fiber Tripod - geni.us/benromach3
Should call it "Nigel Vanson"
It will be the only thing named 'Nigel' this year in the UK - name is dying out... sad... ha ha
He looks nothing like him ???
@@NigelDanson You should call it ViewfiNDer. You will use this handsome van to find beautiful views and your initiales will be part of the name... And it is a term related to photography.
Nigel Vansion. Because it's a van-mansion.
Wow! That is a big van!! Can’t wait to watch this series!
It was fun to see this in person and getting even more BTS ;) But one thing is for sure, it's definitely not luck that you got that workshop done, you busted your butt off for that! Looking forward to you visiting me in Denmark once it's done :D
Thanks Mads
You could call it Bamm-Bamm.
If you’re having a bad day. Watch one of Nigel’s video. So much happiness in this gent, it’s contagious !! Thanks for sharing Nigel. Amazing project you’ve completed there
Love seeing you so happy, Nigel. Thanks for sharing.
Judging by the work you have done to create your workshop you will have no issues converting your van. I have a van the same size and the freedom it gives us to just go and stay where you want to photograph is great, self sufficient for days is a bonus. Good luck with your project Nigel
I'm sure you've already thought about this, but in case you haven't, be sure to include hidden lockable storage, as well as a safe for storing your camera gear. Also, a slide out or storage location specifically for tripod(s).
It’s great to see you so excited Nigel!
Wow love the workshop, looking forward to the the van build series. Your videos always lift my spirits with your enthusiasm, thank you Nigel.
I love everything about this. Love seeing you inspired and happy! Also, woodworking and photography are all I watch on KZhead. Seeing it all rolled into one makes me very happy!
Awesome! Thank you!
Nigel...this is simply awesome - especially the rooftop deck! Sure beats the tallest of tripods for that added EXTRA height advantage. Your excitement for this project is infectious. Thanks for letting us tag along!
Top tip - sikaflex stops squeeky interiors! Check out Liam the terrible (Coalition vans), greg virgoe, Adz Ventures... Sara & Alex James for inspiration/ how to's. Looks like a fantastic build though from the renders.
Wow. What a lot of hidden talents; 3D printing, woodwork, interior design etc. Well, maybe not so hidden now 😅 Really looking forward to this series. Love the fact its going the opposite way to Thomas Heaton's tiny 1 person photo van.
That is one incredible workshop for a photographer! I am very jealous! I'll be following your progress closely as I an interested to see how everything turns out. Exciting!
I'm smiling now for how happy you are to get this started! Definitely love hearing about how you make the shop to make the parts that make the van. Hats off to you good Sir!
Will follow your conversation keenly .. we are just about to take possession of a ford transit high roof LWB (ordered a year ago here in Oz!) and will be converting it to a campervan. A bit of advice I read and took note of is it’s a good idea to be able to access the cabin from the back internally, in case of needing to make a quick getaway (weirdos outside the van for eg) or even heavy rain making it unpleasant to have to get outside to enter the cabin. Anyway, exciting times! Enjoy the build process .. as will we 😊
What an exciting project Nigel, your vision looks incredible. I am a fellow van lifer as well, so very much look forward to following your build, and the adventures yiu have in the future. Just one tip, ensure you can get through the window between the bulkhead and the cab, in case you're ever in a situation where you need to leave a particular location quickly and it's not safe to have to open your doors and get out of the habitation area into the cab. Good luck with everything.
Yep. I am going to change this I think and have a sliding door
You're right; a BIG van! Looking forward to future videos showing van construction and on the road. Looks like a great idea and I loved the Ansel Adams comments. I've seen online photos showing Ansel on his station wagon's roof.
Love your comment on the pacemaker & induction hob - I hope you don't manage to power yourself down!
What a machine 💪 Great to see you so excited about the project. I'm sure it'll be amazing once finished. Also the new workshop looks amazingly stacked with fun tools that'll make the process a joy! More than happy to hit pause on the photography content for a couple of weeks to see how this project develops 👍 All the best from Germany
Looking forward to watching your camper van come to life !
Looks fantastic Nigel looking forward to the build 😊
Thanks for sharing Nigel, can't wait to see the rest of the series.
How wonderful for you, Nigel! It does my heart good to see you so happy and looking forward with excitement.
Looks like a very exciting project. Looking forward to following its progress.
Great start to the van series. Looking forward to seeing it through. Good to see you happy.
Rather than the induction cook top, or next (left) to it, I would want an electric pressure cooker (like "Instant Pot"). It has very little thermal losses with the pressure pan inside the shell and under the lid, and as it can cook at 120C, it uses less energy in that, again. A smaller version than the "average" 6 litre would do the trick in the camper. Start test-cooking at home until you get the hang of it. You may not need the microwave because of it, and may never use the induction top once you "get" it. You have considerable time before you can decide on what it will be, ultimately. And then when the wife travels along and you want to treat her on more sophisticated meals, you could go into the risk zone. But don't tell her this, because she will not allow you to cook for her ;). You could create a cylindrical recess in the work top to hide such a pan, mostly, but need to take it out to program it and the AC cable needs its place. That would take drawer space away, but in your case, I'd not have, e.g. the microwave and most things in kitchen drawers are almost never used. If you place the fridge higher to use the microwave's space, then a drawer underneath it gives easy access to food reserves. Don't go into analysis paralysis - in my case it would be an easy decision. Opening a pressure cooker can release a lot of steam if you want fast access to the 120C contents, just letting it cool down to 100C and that problem is gone. It can double as an oven maybe, cook rice to perfection, slow cook, and much more. And you need a bigger pan less.
Very excited for you ! The 3D model is beautiful! Impatiently waiting for the transformation and the special features ! Enjoy !
I'm looking forward to this series as much as I do your photography adventures. Good luck with it all Nigel
This is fab Nigel. So looking forward to seeing it take shape. Thanks for sharing it with us.
I´m happy for you Nigel!
Looking forward to seeing your vision coming to life Nigel in the build out videos. I’m sure you will end up with an amazing campervan when all the work is done
Hey Nigel, what a pleasure to watch, you are rightly enthusiastic about your workshop and your beautiful campervan you have thought out the lay-out and implementation very well it looks great, can’t wait to follow the entire process, thank you for already giving us a sneak preview.
Looking forward to this project!
Simply love these type of videos. My father was a carpenter too and much of that I learned from him I have used in all the houses I lived inn.
Should be a great build project Nigel. Looking forward to seeing it through.
Nigel! I have been looking forward to this video. You can tell you're really excited and really happy about it. It is going to look amazing! I can't wait to follow you on this journey. Thank you so much for stepping out of your comfort zone and doing these types of videos as well. Fantastic work as always!
Exciting times, I'm looking forward to the series. I built mine with photography in mind.
Looks fantastic, can't wait to see the finished product
Exciting times ahead! Look forward to seeing your build!
I'm so excited for this. Can't wait to see it finished 😊
Awesome! I’m looking forward to the series. I built my 4x4 sprinter a few years ago and the adventures we’ve had since are priceless.
Cheers Nigel! This is going to be exciting! Looking forward to it as it unfolds!👍
Wow! What an exciting project! Nice job on the shop. The 3D models look amazing. You’ve obviously planned extensively. Excited to watch it all come together!
I am so excited about this new chapter in your videos! Can’t wait to see the whole series, the end result AND you putting to use!
Looking forward to it. Love the design. One of the best I have ever seen.
Good luck with the build Nigel. Can't wait to see how you get on.
NIgel, it was so good to hear the amount of enthusiasm in your voice throughout this whole video. Hoping that the van build goes well and really looking forwards to seeing both the build and how it works out when you go out to take photographs. [Edit: Yes, I am somewhat jealous of your workshop!]
Looking forward to watching this conversion. Glad to see your inspiration! Thanks Nigel…. Looking forward to your new adventures that will allow you to get back out and start snapping some pictures! All the best…
Great video Nigel! Can definitely feel your passion for this build. I'm stoked to see more of your new content where you took the “reigns” off. 🙏🏼
Looking forward to watching the buildout. The design looks like what I’ve been imagining in my head.
Fantastic stuff Nigel, what a project! Now subscribed & will follow the progress with enthusiasm 👏👏👏
Look forward to it.
Looking forward to the build ! 🤩
What an exciting project. The 3d video of it looks amazing. Can't wait to see it when its finished
Hi Nigel, looks good.(Sorry for my english I am from germany) You look Happy and always building somthing by his own hands is pure satisfaction. And this is what matters. But for me this would much to big. I ride for decades my bike through a lot of countries . Mainly in the south of Europe. My focus was always the trip not to take pictures. But a lot of great places I could not visited without having such a small vehicle. Now having Family and focus a little more on taking pictures, I now prefer cars , but as small as possible . When the Family is at the beach, I drive into the country to find place to picture. And I'm so happy to have still a small car because otherwise I could not go to a lot of phantastic places. If I would need more room, I always would go for a trailer. In your Campervan ... you should definitv find some place for a bycicle or better a scooter. Have a great time with your campervan.
Good luck, really looking forward to seeing the build
This project looks so exciting and inspiring. Can't wait to see it to unfold.
Naming the van... Pebbles and... Bambam! (the Bambamvan)
Wow, your camper van build is awesome Nigel. Yes, you are lucky to be in a position to do this, but you've worked hard to achieve your dreams. Enjoy every moment of this new journey/adventure. Can't wait to see each video as you progress to finality. We've just bought a camp trailer to allow us more freedom exploring my country to enable me to take more photographs. As we take it out on small journeys we find out what we need & what we don't, then we can do a big trip. Exciting times. 😀
I already love it!
Wow, what a vision you have for your van conversion. It's going to look amazing. So much space.
I think I would have a daughter drool over your handy work in the shed! Nice work Nigel. The excitement in you for the project is great to see.
Like many I expect ... I'm hooked; thank you!
Enjoy your videos immensly. Here's a text for your van, which seems appropriate to the way you dance your shoots: Move. Be still. Moving. Then still.
Brilliant mate. Nice n tight getting into the Drive. Workshop is mega. Design looks great. Looking forward to see it progress.
Good luck Nigel, I converted a crafter like yours as a lockdown project. Hard work but once your done it is such a satisfying thing to do. Plans look great!!
So excited to watch you build out the van!
Looking forward to following your journey. Let's go Giants!
You seem so excited.....its great...good for you. I cant wait to see the van when its finished!
Should have on the side... Doesn't get better then this! Can't wait to see what you do.
Great series Nigel - look forward to seeing the conversion bit by bit!
Best of luck with the build! I’m sure it will be immense once it’s finished! 😊
Nice to see you so happy Nigel, you will enjoy it a lot once you are ready for the first trip. Good luck with your fit out. Greetings from Germany Michael
Super excited for this series! As it matches my interests perfectly well 😁 looking forward for the next episode! 🙌
I'm very envious and also full of admiration. Best of luck Nigel, but by the look of your workshop and by the sound of your enthusiasm, you won't need it. Looking forward to eventually seeing the finished product, but probably not as much as you're looking forward to using it.
I am following you couple of years because of landscape photography.I love your enthusiasm and big ambitious soul. Great you stepped out of your niche and share your story . I like it ! I am bussy with camper conversion too...
Nice plan for the van loving the idea of a foldable roof deck. Where you have the front table and seat if you took the cabin divide away completely you could have couple of swivel seats and also easy access to the drivers seat if you need to move off without going outside. Looking forward to the next episode if your workshop is anything to compare to the van is going to look a beauty.
Great intro Nigel. I've been anxiously waiting for you to start this series because I know you will do it right vs some of the shoemaker conversions that I've seen done. Cheers
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the build in your new van. Definitely a bit tight getting through the gate. I was cringing when all i could hear was beep, beep, beep. Your workshop looked really nice. The design that you did for the van looked absolutely amazing. Can't wait to see the start to finish video's Nigel. You have worked hard to get what you have got and deserve it.
Looks as though it’s going to be incredible. Good luck to you Nigel - can’t wait to see the finished article
Lovely to see the enthusiasm.
I’ve been looking forward so much to your build videos.
Love it! Can't wait to see more 🤩
Can't wait!
Looks like a cool project! Can't wait to see more!
Love the roof deck idea. But wouldn't moving around in the van underneath cause movement & vibration if you take long exposures, Timelapse's or star trails?
Thanks for showing your workshop and your campervan. Very cool design!
Aweseome project!
Wow. That is going to be so cool. Can’t wait to see the finished product. 👌🏻
Really looking forward to this build Nigel good luck.
This is unbelievably impressive, Nigel, you are a man of so many talents! What a stunning project this is! It's great to see you so so excited and happy again. Please be careful with that stove and your heart (perhaps choose a normal ceramic cooktop instead of induction?) and get good insurance and some theft-proof "camouflage" for your spectacularly equipped van. Looking very much forward to the next installment of your project!
Nigel, I love watching van builds so I'm looking forward to following your build. BTW, You may want to reconsider not being able to access the driver's seat late at night in case you need to leave the area quickly. Another tip a van lifer gave was to install windows in the rear doors so you can see behind the vehicle at night.
I have to say that having a camper van is one of the things I'd like to do, although probably not as extravagent as most people's. All I would really need is a bed, a desk (to use my laptop) and some sort of place to use a camper stove (perhaps the same desk), so a simple build, it many of these camper build videos I've seen online are giving me some good ideas so hopefully one day I can build one (cheaply) as having a decked out camper is not really that important to me (as long as it has a comfortable bed and a workspace, and maybe a portapotty of some sort). That being said, I might just be better off looking for a used one that's already built, or even a small motor home of some sort (less work, but potentially more problems). About the only thing I would want to make sure I had was some sort of power system so I could work off-grid fora while (either a generator and/or solar).
Very exciting. I look forward to your van build videos.
Sounds epic, Nigel - looking forward to seeing it all come together :)
Oh mate. Yeah this looks great! Can’t wait to see it all unfold. You are obviously such a clever guy… what with the obvious photo and video skills and now joinery, CAD and engineering etc. Good on you Nigel. Exciting times.
Love it Nigel. I used to convert bespoke vans. I once did a crafter that was on show at Exeter caravan and camping show. I did the entire job on site with hand tools. Not easy, but I think looked good in the end. You’ll love the process and pull your hair out at the same time 😁👍
How about calling it Big Bertha ? I cannot wait to see it completed.
Good luck with the build. Design looks great. Will be watching with interest.
So.... Super Glad for you.... enjoy....