Buying a camera cart

Brian Nelligan · September 13, 2009

I'm going to be buying a camera cart soon and was looking for some advice. I found one that seems like a pretty good balance between quality/price and is customizable. Is this a good price? Is there any other place to buy camera carts besides filmtools.com?

Here's the one I'm looking at

Thanks,

Brian

Michele Peterson · September 13, 2009

Backstage equipment sell carts as well. Their magliners are usually the same price as filmtools. Magliner's are VERY popular. That one is the same style as magliner's brand. I found a magliner used for $100, being sold by a plumber. Since it was form a different industry it did not have the immediate mark-up that anything film related usually does. I then bough the nose extension and shelf to add on

Jamie Metzger · September 13, 2009

^ I plan on doing something similar. There is a magliner store in SF which will sell most of the cart at a much cheaper price. This helps since you now have more money to put into accessories.

I like the back stage carts, but is it my understanding that you can't fold them up as easily as a magliner?

Jamie Metzger · September 13, 2009

Btw, $775 for the cart is a pretty good deal ( the deal being $200 off). Pop a mitchell plate on there and tripod hooks and your pretty golden.

Also if you plan on putting this in your vehicle, make sure it fits.

Brian Nelligan · September 14, 2009

Thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to order this one. I found a number of sites that sold modified magliners and parts. I thought maybe I could save some money by assembling it myself but it's cheaper to buy it pre-built. I'm looking forward to customizing it. In addition to the tripod hooks I also upgraded to the 10" spinning rims! = )

Gregor Grieshaber · September 17, 2009

I'm looking forward to customizing it.

i can highly recomand this product. it is much more comfortable than a ronford baker plate. you can mount it on this one (without the mitchell base of course).

John Waterman · September 22, 2009

I called in to Backstage and had them build me a custom part that I just LOVE for my Mag cart. It is the front Mitchel mount piece, but instead of having the front box mount on the oposite side I have a dovetail plate mount. I plan to get a quick release plate to mount on it.

Marque DeWinter · September 22, 2009

I called in to Backstage and had them build me a custom part that I just LOVE for my Mag cart. It is the front Mitchel mount piece, but instead of having the front box mount on the oposite side I have a dovetail plate mount. I plan to get a quick release plate to mount on it.

John mind if I ask how much you paid for it?

Thanks,

marque

September 22, 2009

I'm going to be buying a camera cart soon and was looking for some advice. I found one that seems like a pretty good balance between quality/price and is customizable. Is this a good price? Is there any other place to buy camera carts besides filmtools.com?

Here's the one I'm looking at

Thanks,

Brian

I have the short version of that cart. It's great the way it folds up ( I have the original casters on it) but It has gotten a bit sloppy over time though. but still does the job.

John Waterman · September 22, 2009

John mind if I ask how much you paid for it?

Thanks,

marque

It was the same cost as buying the two parts seperately, the custom welding was free!

A Clint Litton · November 20, 2009

Backstage equipment sell carts as well. Their magliners are usually the same price as filmtools. Magliner's are VERY popular. That one is the same style as magliner's brand. I found a magliner used for $100, being sold by a plumber. Since it was form a different industry it did not have the immediate mark-up that anything film related usually does. I then bough the nose extension and shelf to add on

Looking to do something similar...where/how did you find the shelf to add-on? Was looking on Magliner but there's nothing from them, so just trying to figure out where else to go.

Cheers,

Clint

David Rakoczy · November 20, 2009

I'm going to be buying a camera cart soon and was looking for some advice. I found one that seems like a pretty good balance between quality/price and is customizable. Is this a good price? Is there any other place to buy camera carts besides filmtools.com?

Here's the one I'm looking at

Thanks,

Brian

I just bought the Junior Version of that cart. This Cart. I was told it is more popular and easily fits in (a) car. The 4ft one you have linked may not fit in many vehicles.They said the Junior is better when working a lot of interiors. It all depends on what you are doing.. if it was for Stage or a lot of exterior work, I would not hesitate to have the extra real estate the 2x4 cart provides... but for me.. the 2x3 made more sense. They said mine will also have a baby pin (not pictured)... that now comes with that Package.

Also having some Grip and Electric carts being built by Noma Fabrication... don't get me started on carts...!!!

Chris Keth · November 20, 2009

Also consider the kind of places you tend to shoot. If I lived in NYC for example, I wouldn't buy a senior size cart because it wouldn't fit in a lot of the elevators there.

Edited November 20, 2009 by Chris Keth

Allen Dunn · January 1, 2010

I'm going to be buying a camera cart soon and was looking for some advice. I found one that seems like a pretty good balance between quality/price and is customizable. Is this a good price? Is there any other place to buy camera carts besides filmtools.com?

Here's the one I'm looking at

Thanks,

Brian

I have a Nalpak Magliner Gemini Jr with extended nose, carpeted bedplate and carpeted shelf for sale in case you or someone else might be interested, $450.00, email me if you are interested allenjdunn@comcast.net. It's located in the Chicago area, but can ship.

Allen

Sam Martin · January 2, 2010

Magliners are the way to go. We have many of them, always reliable and never had any problems!! They are a piece of kit I never have to worry about...

David Rakoczy · January 2, 2010

I have a Nalpak Magliner Gemini Jr with extended nose, carpeted bedplate and carpeted shelf for sale in case you or someone else might be interested, $450.00, email me if you are interested allenjdunn@comcast.net. It's located in the Chicago area, but can ship.

Allen

The bottom shelf looks way to narrow. I recommend this Jr. Cart from Filmtools.

Allen Dunn · January 3, 2010

The bottom shelf looks way to narrow. I recommend this Jr. Cart from Filmtools.

The bottom shelf is the deck of the cart. It's really nice since you can use is both as a 4 wheeled cart and as a two wheeler for moving gear around. Most of the units that are modified no longer work very well as two wheeled units.