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VIDEO: Eagle Cap 1165 vs Eagle Cap 1200

The 2020 Eagle Cap 1200 and 2020 Eagle Cap 1165 battle in an epic triple-slide vs triple-slide video.  Watch the video and then vote for your favorite Eagle Cap triple-slide truck camper on YouTube.

Vote on YouTube for your favorite Eagle Cap triple-slide camper!

Some things are just meant to be.  When we arrived at D&H RV Center in North Carolina, they had both Eagle Cap triple-slide truck camper models parked side-by-side.  These luxury behemoths featured Eagle Cap’s all-new 2020 interiors with identical decors.  If there was ever an opportunity to compare these two campers, this was it.

We had originally planned on just photographing one of these units to show the new interior, but then we got the idea of producing a video comparing the two units.  We would shoot the kitchen, dinette, and cabover in the 1200 and then cut to the kitchen, dinette and cabover in the 1165.  We have never done a video like that – until now.

The Jesse Driftwood Effect

The night before the video shoot I happened to watch a Jesse Driftwood video on in-camera transition techniques.  In-camera transitions seamlessly blend two shots together with carefully planned camera moves.  The resulting shots appear to magically “fall” or “turn” into each other.

The next morning I decided to take a risk and try Jesse’s in-camera transition technique.  As we climbed the Eagle Cap 1200’s steps, Angela asked, “Do you want the tripod?”  I answered, “No.  We’re going to do something a little different today.  I’m shooting everything handheld.”

I then proceeded to put the camera behind the dinette seat sideways, quickly pull it up to the kitchen area, and then dive it into the floor.  Angela’s face clearly said, “I hope he knows what he’s doing.”  I was thinking the same thing, and praying I didn’t accidentally smash the camera into a countertop.

If you watch Jesse Driftwood’s technique in action, it appears the camera person is either drunk, or trying to break his/her lens.  I literally was putting the camera lens within an inch of a surface and then moving it to another surface with very quick motions.  Terrifying?  You bet.

Many of these attempted in-camera transitions were removed for the final edit, but several actually worked well enough (starting around 2:10) for the finished video.  The real news here is that I learned another video skill and helped make this video a bit more fun.

Another neat trick I learned from Jesse is how to create the, “being in two places at once” effect.  You see this technique in action in the very first scene.  I have screened this video for a number of family and friends and this, “two Gordons” effect always gets the biggest response.  It also scares Angela as she has enough trouble with just one of me.

The snap transition from the 1200 to the 1165 was actually very easy.  Since both campers had the same faux wood flooring pattern, we simply counted how many “boards” from the camera I was standing and shot the two scenes.  When I snap my fingers, we just cut to the next camper with me standing at the same number of tiles from the camera.  That’s it.

Thank You, D&H RV Center

We were in the 2020 Eagle Cap 1200 and 2020 Eagle Cap 1165 at D&H RV Center for the better part of a day.  The team at D&H was very patient with us, allowed us to sequester the campers for the shoot, and accommodated our various requirements; one bowl of green-only M&Ms, red carpet and velour rope between the campers, and freshly squeezed orange juice – all on demand.

Just kidding!  We were fine with the blue M&Ms too.  Thank you, D&H RV Center!

Dive Deeper: Triple-Slide Eagle Cap Reviews

Both the Eagle Cap 1200 and Eagle Cap 1165 have been reviewed in Truck Camper Magazine.  The Eagle Cap 1165 Review was published in 2013 and pre-dates many significant changes made to the camper (and the entire Eagle Cap line) over the past seven years.  It’s still worth a read, but it does not reflect the current materials, build approach or interior of the current production model.

The Eagle Cap 1200 Review was published in 2017 and is current, minus model year tweaks, and the all-new 2020 interiors.  The 1200 review is essential reading for anyone considering this camper as it includes an analysis of the floor plan, specifications, capacities and truck matching – all 100-percent relevant to current production.

For more information on Eagle Cap Campers, visit their website at eaglecapcampers.com.  Click here to request a free brochure featuring the 1165 and 1200.

 

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