Channel Updates & Van Build

[@Shannon-q2n]

Finally, a van build that makes sense! Bravo! 😅

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks so much, really appreciate your feedback 😊👍

[@Shannon-q2n]

My pleasure

[@Twa-Dags]

"a tent on wheels" Exactly the aesthetic I went for with my van. Without the Thetford bog 😂

[@DGriffGallery]

I guess things are a bit cosier when you need to make room for the likes of Bran. I can't imagine Winnie the Pooch each being very good company when I'm trying to sleep! 😁👍

[@Twa-Dags]

@@DGriffGallery yeah, Bran starts on in his bed on the floor then ends up on my bed, which is about the same width as yours, 2'6"? Good job I love him 🤣

[@davidskinner274]

Love the nonsense no frills approach with your van.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers David, much appreciated 😊👍

[@michellewesson4409]

Glad to see you back. Found you during Covid, and truly enjoy all your work.

[@DGriffGallery]

Thank you so much, Michelle, that's so kind of you to say. Hope I can continue to keep you entertained 😊👍

[@paulashton2469]

Cant wait for the new format Dave, a great channel as always

[@DGriffGallery]

Many thanks, Paul, I really appreciate you taking the time to comment 😊👍

[@mattthomas1547]

Good to see you again David, Thanks for sharing.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Matt 😊👍

[@CaptainCreosoteRN]

Good to have you back, interesting catchup and look forward. 👍

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers 😊👍

[@mk1photography62]

Good to see you again! Van life will be great for photography I am happy to see varied things too

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers 😊👍

[@iaincphotography6051]

Good to see you back on David. The van, minimalistic and liking your style. Good to see Tryfan & Pen yr Ole Wen over your shoulder.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Iain. The Ogwen Valley print is from one of my very earliest videos shot with a Nikon. It was a birthday commission for my father. He has a much smaller version of the print, but I wanted something which goes back to the origins of the channel and was surprised at how well it printed in such a large format as a backdrop. 😊👍

[@iaincphotography6051]

@@DGriffGallery It looks well indeed.

[@StephenBridgett]

Very enjoyable Griff. Recently found your channel, refreshing. Hope you can continue without adverts. Looking forward to your adventures and will catch up in your channel. Cheers

[@DGriffGallery]

Hello Stephen, thanks so much for your very generous feedback, hope my channel will keep you entertained 😊👍

[@garystone6583]

Very interested in seeing how your channel evolves David. I think your ideas and what you are doing will keep your channel busy with old and new people. i for one will be watching.👍

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks so much, Gary, I always appreciate your very generous support 😊👍

[@ianbarnett]

A great van build film. No faffing around. Love ur simple functional approach to it. Thanks for the tour!

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot Ian, really glad you enjoyed it 😊👍

[@PodgeeWheaverPhotography]

Look forward to the new content 😃

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers 😊👍

[@pascalhibon7928]

I too like simplicity in my van. One of my "design goals" was that I still would be able to use it as a regular cargo van. So no fancy and fixed furniture in the build. In regards to the water bottle, I started just like you did. But in the long run this isn't a convenient solution. When the water level nears the bottom then the waterflow decreases so much that it isn't practical. I now have installed a small sink (a salad bowl with a drain in it) with a tab and a small water pump. This works great while still keeping things small and simple.

[@DGriffGallery]

I totally agree with you about being able to use the van for regular cargo, and all of the furniture in mine is only fixed to the floor with steel L brackets. I made sure that in each case the fixing is easily accessible so they can just be lifted out, either both or one at a time depending on what I need to carry. 😊👍

[@garys639]

Pleased to see you pop up on my daily scroll through my subs, love the minimalist van.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Gary, many thanks for tuning in 😊👍

[@nicknichols4249]

Looking forward to your new topics, best of luck!

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot, Nick, hopefully I'll be able to keep you entertained 😊👍

[@yoki9743]

Hi David, Wow you've been busy.... that little van is ideal for your needs... especially that rear roof part.... absolutely ideal for turning into a "hide".... couple of cammo nets and your away... yes not your genre... but where you live ... so much variation in wildlife... just not birds etc... Only addition I would add to be safe is a decent fire extinguisher...as its too late if those powerbanks or usb's decide to go south... plus especially if your warming up the odd cuppa soup etc with a naked flame... safety in mind David... Oh and looking forward to the review on the ultrawide lens... just nice to hear and see you back... thanks .. Yoki..

[@DGriffGallery]

Absolutely fair point about the fire extinguisher, didn't mention it but there is one 😊👍

[@GreenMorningDragonProductions]

Woohoo! I like it. Always looking for a business angle - D. Griff: Landscape Photography and furniture removals ;)

[@DGriffGallery]

I've got quite enough business interests on my plate as it is!! 😂👍

[@robingrant8082]

Thanks for the very interesting update Dave. As always, I am looking forward to more of your vlogs. I would like to be able to emulate your processed image "look", which I have always admired. Kind regards - Robin

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Robin 😊👍

[@normancoutts]

Just arrived and will tag along for a while if I may. All very entertaining. :-).

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Norman 😊👍

[@DK-bh4yh]

Hi, I notice in the background you have a wandrd backpack, is it comfortable to wear on long hikes. Keep the videos up, very enjoyable.

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi, yes it's great. I used it for one-bag travel for a week in Lofoten, fully loaded, and it worked really well. 😊👍

[@SimonBurnCreative]

Good to see you back, and with so many exciting plans! Nice studio set-up too. 👍

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers mate, the main thing was the lighting. I was forever faffing about with these little LED panels and they either made me look like a waxwork or bounced of other things and my glasses so much that it look like it blooming disco ball!! 😊👍

[@tonyb4326]

Great to have you back David, Very nice images and love the update to the channel, excited to see the new format roll out in future videos.

[@MichaelJones-fv8rp]

Hi Dave, good to see you back on KZbin. I also like your new office set up and I'm looking forward to your new videos. Excellent job on the van build. We'll done Quick Brew! 👍

[@DGriffGallery]

Many thanks! 😊👍

[@SteveZodiac777]

Welcome back David and thanks for an interesting, informative and entertaining video - I'm looking forward to seeing more! Cheers, Darrel

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot Steve 😊👍

[@mikekay6288]

Good to see and hear you again. As a fellow 'short arse' I enjoyed your descriptions inside your van; perhaps 'loo with a view' sessions on your Telford? I welcomed seeing you use a Lumix camera, albeit videoing, as I use the Lumix G9. Looking forward to your next video. Mike in Oz

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi Mike, the G7 took a bit of getting used to and I did find it was much more particular about having a fast SD card than any of my other video gear. But once I'd sorted that out and set it all up it works fine so I was really happy with the footage on this one and hopefully it will do a good job for years to come. But it's not likely to be taken outdoors unless I have a problem with my Olympus and need to use it as a spare. 😊👍

[@alexs5700]

Good to see you back Mr G, looking forward to the new format

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot Alex 😊👍

[@tompetersphotography]

Nice little van build bud 🤙 nice to see you out braving them winds for the dramatic shots that you get

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers mate - been hankering for a way of spending more time out and about for a while now. 😊👍

[@llynlightpaintingandothers6027]

Sounds like an interesting future for the channel.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers, yes, might even include a piece about light-painting. But I'll need your help on that one, as I'm no expert! 😊👍

[@llynlightpaintingandothers6027]

@@DGriffGallery no problem 👍

[@MrBusby]

Nice to see you back Dave. Fabulous images at the start.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers, thanks so much, really glad you enjoyed them 😊👍

[@IanElson28]

Lovely video, looking forward to all the new ideas you’re bringing to the channel. Never got bored of you going up a mountain to photograph, not as if you ram it down our throats every Wednesday! All the best with the direction you’re going!( as for the loo, take a look at travel johns, and I had a bog -in-a-bag. Compact but usable.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers, there will still be plenty mountain in photography of course, just a few more varied topics thrown in along the way 😊👍

[@desgardner7169]

Oh no another white van on the road! thank god its of a sensible size but it's another parking space gone in some layby or scenic spot, it seems you are now set up for another step up from your usual stuff that you put out which I have always enjoyed! I don't drive much these days I prefer public transport but I don't climb mountains either there are not many here in the city, I think gear reviews are ok if you use compatible equipment or have loads of cash to keep changing what you already have, (some people do just that) I shall still watch to see what you have to say though. I wish you luck on your new changes, it seems everybody is doing a KZbin channel now, I hope yours don't change too much! Thank you for the update...

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Des. To be fair, the van will take up no more space than the cars I have always used in the past. As for the channel, I've got a couple of hundred videos over the last five years and going forwards it'll still be pretty much the same sort of thing just with a few extra topics every now and then. And it is most certainly not going to become gear-centric as a rule 😊👍

[@desgardner7169]

Best wishes with the Van after I replied i thought I was a bit OTT but you are not getting any younger and perhaps a van is better than canvas in the winter months!@@DGriffGallery

[@DGriffGallery]

@@desgardner7169 😊👍

[@georgefrench1907]

Genius of practical minimalism. One possible addition: A small ventilation fan might address the condensation issue. (And how about a lightweight trailer so the lovely Mrs. G. could come along?😍)

[@DGriffGallery]

Haha - see my reply to Mr Dunk here regarding the lovely Mrs G! I did think about fitting a fan, but again you're into electrics and cutting a hole in the roof, neither of which is a technical issue for me, it's just that I couldn't be bothered. It's perfectly feasible to open the windows at the front as I have wind deflectors which would keep the rain out and then by popping the roof up just a little I can easily get airflow but keep water out if it's raining. I'm not bothered about the temperature in the van because I'm used to tents. And up on the high ridges it's always 10° cooler than in the valleys anyway. 😊👍

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

Done a great job on the van and the office. Loved the images at the start, and I'm looking forward to your future channel evolution. All the best, Phil

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot, Phil, really glad you enjoyed it 😊👍

[@BrianHorsey]

Interestingly different David. The van build looks simply functional, a mile away from some of the other van build vids I've seen. It sounds as if you're having problems with the change of use, hope it gets resolved soon and we can see a 'maiden voyage' episode.

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi mate, no the issue isn't change of use it simply getting hold of a V5 so that I can tax it. It seems that the DVLA lost the original change of keeper, and then when I sent in a subsequent V62 to 4 weeks later it took them a further two weeks to write back saying that they would require a fee because they had finally located the original change of ownership and the V5 presented wasn't the most current. Standard bureaucracy not helped much by the fact that they were on strike for 15 days during July, not sure about what the current status is of staffing there, but I really wish we could go back to the old days of taxing vehicles over the counter at a local post office! 😊👍

[@BrianHorsey]

@@DGriffGallery We’ve been lucky with the DVLA recently. We’ve both had to renew our 3 year driving licences, I did mine on-line a Sunday and the new licence arrived on Wednesday. Sue had to post off a new photo but the licence was still back in a week.

[@mrdavie99]

Excellent!

[@DGriffGallery]

Glad you liked it! 😊👍

[@tonyb4326]

Great to have you back David, nice images and update to the channel, excited to see the new format roll out in future videos.

[@DGriffGallery]

Many thanks for tuning in, Tony really appreciate it. 😊👍

[@Red35Photography]

Nice to see you again Dave. Also good to see your business is thriving too. In fact, I am experiencing similar 'busy-ness', summer months is my peak time and despite my best effort, I found myself struggling to make videos, and now piling up hahaha. Anyway, hope to catch up at some point, and it's way overdue.

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers mate, thanks for tuning in. Yes, not sure how long we've been saying we really must say hello in person. Perhaps I'll let you know next time I'm on business in town, even if we just grab a coffee for an hour ... 😊👍

[@paulferguson1921]

Great video, always enjoy your work and your individual approach to things.

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks so much 😊👍

[@sue.Hoo123]

I think you’ve done a lovely job converting the van, I totally get your low key attitude re sink and water and I think a very neat job on the carpet lining. I hope you can get it taxed and on its first adventures soon.

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot Sue. Still nothing from DVLA as yet :(

[@jimbutler6925]

Great video, love the van build. It's kind of how I think I'd do it - no nonsense, practical, and cheap. Also really interested in the way you're thinking of taking the channel, that floats my boat. Looking forward to how this all moves forward.

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks a lot, Jim 😊👍

[@davidharle8794]

Good to see you have been busy, look forward to the new look and lots of new adventures with your photography, landscape plus perhaps?

[@DGriffGallery]

Thanks so much for watching, David, and I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. "Landscape Plus" is quite a snappy title which I might steal from you!! 😁👍

[@mrfairycake4333]

Thanks for the update and the van is looking like a great addition 😊

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers 😊👍

[@burtjake4137]

Great to see you back fit and well looks like the van will be a lot of fun really nice images at the start thank you Burt

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Burt, really glad you enjoyed the images 😊👍

[@steveboys5369]

Hi Dave, nice to see you again, and boy, you've been busy. One useful addition to your van might be a curtain for the front to avoid the world being witness to your minor contortions on the chemical loo. Super little van though, looks pretty perfect .. and a testament to Occam's Razor. I'm looking forward to what you do next and eagerly await the next video. All the best to you and Mrs G.

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi Steve, thanks so much for watching. I actually do have black out curtains across the cab. There were one or two details I left out as I was trying to keep it brief. I didn't want to bore people who aren't interested in vans!! 😁👍

[@kathleenhickey7793]

Great to see you back, Dave! I always enjoy your videos. I too am vertically challenged - sometimes it comes in handy. I’m looking forward to your adventures with the van. Also looking forward to the new video series. Ever since I discovered your photography, I’ve been interested in how you did it. Thanks for posting!

[@DGriffGallery]

I spent most of my life feeling that being vertically challenged was exactly that, a challenge. But in later years it has presented numerous advantages, plus I've still got all my own hair and teeth. So that's something! 😂👍

[@alangauld6079]

Nice to see you back Dave. I love the van, I agree with all your choices and that's pretty much how I'd do one. Never understood the wood lining idea! And that sliding roof section is super useful, I didn't know Kangoos had that. Looking forward to the 6mm review, I keep swithering about the 7.5 manual lens (which I know you also have) but the arrival of the 6mm has muddied the waters. My widest lens at the moment is my 9mm fisheye lenscap so the 6mm would replace that. BTW How is the RPS project going?

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi Alan, thanks so much for your feedback. With regards to the RPS project I had almost got to the point of making my final submission, but decided not to go forward with it as I have a number of issues with the RPS its self and won't be renewing my subscription when it's due. I probably won't go public on this as there is nothing to be gained for airing my dirty washing in public but I thought I would just quietly shelve the idea. 😊👍

[@peterlambert3260]

Hi Dave, nice to see you. The van is a great example of the K I S S approach, nice one. Also, the studio is looking very smart and functional, is that the same carpet on your desk top as used in the van ; ) ? Looking forward to your upcoming videos. ATB Pete

[@DGriffGallery]

Hi Pete, no, the van carpet is the most basic sticky tiles I could find on Amazon. The desk is a couple of tiles left lying around by the previous house owner when we moved in 8 years ago. Thrifty! 😁👍

[@Alan-DPhotos]

Hi Dave, welcome back to KZbin 😁 Just a couple of things on the Van build to note from my own experience: 1. The flexible panels only have a 2 year warranty for a reason, they do tend to stop working. As you're not fixing it to the roof you shouldn't experience any removal pains 😆. 2. The wirless reverse cameras are like the solar panels and tend to stop working after a while. 3. I use a Bivvi loo for emergency No 2's or an empty plastic milk container for emergency No 1's. I do have a proper loo for when Mrs D is with me. (Can't fit a milk urn in the van 😊🤣). Have fun 😁

[@DGriffGallery]

Cheers Alan. If any kit craps out on me I'm not too worried as I always go for the cheap as chips option so can easily replace 😊👍

[@evolvingphotons]

Good to see you back. Can I borrow the Laowa 6mm? Please😂

[@DGriffGallery]

Yes of course. Next time we're out together it's yours for the day!! 😁👍

[@evolvingphotons]

@@DGriffGallery so I can’t take it to Malta on holiday with me in October 😇

[@Swaggerlot]

Fancy drawers on the bed, but not under 🙂 You could reduce the width of the bed by having a hinged down section. Hinge up again with supporting legs to make the bed up.

[@DGriffGallery]

Not sure why I'd want to reduce the bed width. It's only 700mm so is perfect for sleeping and sitting and no need to change anything for day / night 😊👍

[@Swaggerlot]

@@DGriffGallery Simple. At 700mm the bed is really too wide for a sitting bench and slightly too narrow for a comfortable sleep width. So you put hinges in the bed base to narrow it for bench use, but widen it for the bed.

[@DGriffGallery]

@@Swaggerlot I don't quite understand your point. it's exactly the right size for me in either use case so I'm nit really sure why you're so concerned about it 😊👍

[@Swaggerlot]

@@DGriffGallery It just looked as though you were cramped for space sitting at the bench. Never mind.

[@DGriffGallery]

No it's fine 😊👍

[@iqueque]

I love your minimalist van build, obviously a work horse and not a vanity project. Did you apply insulation before the carpeting?

[@DGriffGallery]

Yes, plenty 😊👍

[@peterkennington1043]

Hey Dave, great to see you here again, missed you 😀 The van looks functional, you seem to have covered all the necessities of life under a tin roof. Sorry I'll miss the Slate Mill as Ali has commandeered the car that weekend. I'm still happy with my Laowa 7.5mm for astro but the MZ 8-25mm f/4 Pro sits on the camera most of the time. Oh and I do love the infrared GX7 conversion this time of year

[@DGriffGallery]

Pity you can't make it Pete but hopefully will see you again before too long? I really enjoyed the Laowa 7.5mm too, but in the end I found that I wasn't really making that much use of it, because like you, I also had the 8-25 at the time and found that if I needed something wide I was using it more often than not. When I switched over the primes at the wide end, I got the Leica 9mm f/1.7 and was happy enough with that, to be honest. But when Venus got in touch it was too good an opportunity to pass up. And I'm really glad I did because that extra 3mm makes quite a significant difference and with it being such a compact lens it's easy to carry in case I ever need it. 😊👍

[@peterkennington1043]

@@DGriffGallery Looking forward to the Laowa 6mm images, that is truly wide. The reason I use the Laowa for astro is that it is completely manual so I can set the focus and aperture manually without using the screen

[@DGriffGallery]

@@peterkennington1043 the 6mm is manual focus, no motor, but does have electronics for aperture and comms with the camera, exif and IBIS calibration 😊👍

[@Mattthetatt]

Simply brilliant!!! I may get your power bank. Looks perfect. Does it run hair straighteners for my wifey ? 😊

[@DGriffGallery]

I think the inverter would be OK with that sort of thing, but would almost certainly drain the power quite quickly. I'm afraid I'm unable to test the theory though! 😊👍

[@anthony-qm3pn]

Would you like to see the OM-1 Mark II with 26 megapixel resolution as long it is all new technology, with increased resolution without the loss of low light capability over the current model, I feel the 20 megapixel sensor is getting rather long in the tooth, even if it’s is stacked sensor technology, and by OM systems bring me out a camera with all new tech. It would give micro 4/3 confidence or invested in a system that’s not going anywhere after all the lenses I want smaller than full frame system. I do not want to change systems unless I have no other choice for me buying lenses is a major expense.

[@DGriffGallery]

This is a debate which has been going on for some years. I think that photographers requiring high-quality lowlight performance are probably unlikely to gravitate towards micro 4/3 in the first place. But I also think there is a misconception which originated in the very early days of the format around low light performance which it's now very much a thing of the past. Certainly I have not experienced any issues around this with the OM-1. And as far as sensor size goes, if a new version was released with a larger sensor I would be very unlikely to trade up to it as I am more than happy with the results and the size and weight trade off of the existing models. And finally with regards to micro 4/3 petering out, I think with such a large ecosystem and multiple manufacturers allowing for lenses to be used across a wide range of bodies it would be very long time before those lenses would cease to have any use. But I am not any sort of micro 4/3 ambassador. I understand it's not for everybody and I certainly don't try to steer people towards the system, in any active way. I just share what I get out of it, and that's enough for me 😊👍

[@zarrow50]

I hadn't noticed you hadn't posted anything for a while. Good job on the van , hope it runs okay and you have better luck than me with second hand vehicles. Could hove a split bed that lifts up and can be fixed to the van side?

[@DGriffGallery]

I did think about some sort of Murphy bed arrangement, but I didn't really have a use case for it. And the bed is the seating arrangements when I'm not sleeping, so it was easier just to fix it in place. 😊👍

[@zarrow50]

Yes, I was just thinking with a split bed you could move the toilet or whatever in to the space if needed to@@DGriffGallery

[@MrDunk66]

What about the wife Dave! 😂 Nice job on the van!

[@DGriffGallery]

We did discuss this, and she said something along the lines of "not being seen dead in one of those"!!! Although, to be fair, I get absolutely no grief at all about travelling, it's almost as if you'd think she wants me to disappear for days at a time. Can't think why 😂👍

[@MrDunk66]

I don’t understand her reaction - bless the partners! Dave, some midge netting with a few sewn in magnets will make the most of your excellent roof opening in that little van.@@DGriffGallery

[@FredericBonneauPhotography]

New van, new microphone, new lights, new video camera, new office… NEW WIFE?

[@DGriffGallery]

Absolutely not! Eventually managed to get it right on the third attempt so I don't want to jinx it 😂👍

[@Prashant.Khapane]

Van Build, now I know why you were away....expect questions

[@DGriffGallery]

Happy to answer any queries 😊👍

[@bolleolympus]

❤❤👌👌👍👍

[@DGriffGallery]

😊👍

[@davehyper7835]

I wouldn't bother informing DVLA. There's no major changes to van really and if you want to register it as a camper you'll need 2 windows each side put in, graphics on the side of van, sink and a bunch of other things. Not worth it. Nice little van though.

[@DGriffGallery]

Ah yeah, I wasn't very clear on that. It's not a change of use issue. The problem is that I can't tax it until I have a new V5. And despite sending in all the correct paperwork and fee it's been seven or eight weeks now. There is no mechanism to make contact with them to chase it up. Apparently since I sent my initial paperwork in they have had strike days for about 50% of the time 😊👍

[@davehyper7835]

@@DGriffGallery Ah gottcha!