When you step into your Sprinter conversion, do you think: “I have two hours to do all this editing before the shoot is finished, then they’ll need the finished product”? Carson Blume is a professional photographer, and he also supports other professional photographers as a digital technician, so he’s used to high-pressure work days. When photographers are doing on-site shoots in remote areas, they need a way to review and edit their work quickly. Where others saw a problem, he saw an opportunity – why not have a mobile Sprinter van with all the needed equipment on-board, ready to go where needed? He contacted Sportsmobile in Fresno with his requirements, and together they worked out a plan for converting a 2005 Dodge Sprinter 170″ extended-body van into the ultimate pimped-out Sprinter conversion for supporting location-based photography.
Since starting Digital Capture Systems in 2006, Carson has worked with many high-profile photographers on location shoots, and has refined his equipment choices:
“The equipment inside consists of two 8-core Mac Pros with 16 GB of RAM and 6 interior hard drives. Each Mac Pro has a 30” Apple Cinema Display and each has the ability to run both displays in dual display mode. There is also a 5-disk MacGurus SATA Burly Enclosure that each Mac Pro can share.
The first workstation is used primarily for capture, whether tethered to a Medium Format Digital Back, a 35mm DSLR or downloading from memory cards. The digital technician on this workstation makes sure the images are checked as they come into the computer for the desired exposure, sharpness, etc. The selects are then processed out to be retouched on the second workstation and/or placed into a layout. The layouts or finished files can then either be printed out, e-mailed or placed on a hard drive for delivery.
“All this is powered by two 4D lead-acid batteries that are energized by a solar panel and/or a 150-amp alternator on the engine. When we need to run the air conditioning unit or power additional power outlets, we have a 5000-watt generator under the back of the van…In addition to the AC unit, there is a three-person-wide sofa in the back for clients to relax on with a modest-sized desk for laptops as well as 3Gx2 WiFi, a fridge/freezer combo, a microwave, and we are planning on the addition of a espresso maker.”
A 3500W Xantrex pure sine inverter provides the clean power needed for the many onboard loads. For a Sprinter van like this one, obviously the power system is key: does it have enough juice? Carson: “I’ve now lived and worked out of this thing for three months at a time over several years, and I feel like I know it pretty well…other than an annoying and mysterious problem that turned out to be a faulty wheel speed sensor, the van itself has been great.
The walkable roof rack and roof A/C have both been useful at times, but they’re both heavy and affect fuel mileage noticeably. Next time I’ll go with mounting two or three solar panels directly on the roof and a couple of Fantastic roof vent/fans instead of the A/C. I think I’d also go with just one workstation, more and better batteries (maybe sealed AGMs), and ditch the heavy generator for a small portable one. There’s never enough power and space for everything! ”
The Digital Capture Systems Sprinter conversion was featured on Wired.com in November 2008.
Check out the video where well-known pro photographer Chase Jarvis gives us a tour of the Digital Capture Systems Sprinter:
Gallery – Pro Photographer Sprinter Conversion
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ASKING YOUR FEEDBACK: Are you a photographer looking for a studio on wheels? Would you choose a Sprinter – why or why not?
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