Tamrac 2248 Soft Case for Canon XL1
a review by Don Palomaki

Tamrac offers the model 2248 TEK series soft case for the XL1. Here are some parameters on it.  (Dimensions are approximate.) Tamrac calls it a "Sub-Compact Camcorder Case" in their "Carry-On Camcorder Case" line.

The one I obtained is a typical Tamrac forest green soft case made of 1000 Denier waterproofed nylon, It is well padded and includes plastic armor for protection.

The main compartment has a plastic stiffened recess for the EVF.  The XL1 fits nicely in the main compartment with the standard shoulder rest. There is a pad in the compartment at the lens end that is attached with velcro. If you remove this pad, then you can insert an XL1 with MA-100 XLR adapter installed (including the accessory bracket). However, it is a tight fit.  The main compartment is double zippered.

Other compartments: on the back side are a pair of 6"x7" flat zipper compartments, suitable for thin, flat items up to, say 3/4" thick.

On the front is a flat pocket, about 6.5" x 13", closed by a velcro flap.  It too is suitable for flat objects up to say 3/4" thick.  The flap includes a 3"x4" window compartment for a name tag, pass, or similar papers.

The front side is also a zippered cover for an inner compartment. The second compartment contains a 2"x4"x11" zippered accessory compartment.  This can be used to carry spare batteries, remote control, or other similar items. It also has a 2"x4.5"x7" pouch with a velcro closure suitable for the battery charger.  The main compartment's EVF recess projects into this area as well. I have carried additional accessories loose in this area including earphones and a pair of 10' XLR cables.

On the inside face of the front cover is a 7"x14" zippered mesh pouch suitable for thin items.

The 2248 has two leather-padded handles and it has an adjustable length removable shoulder strap with a leather shoulder pad.

It should fit in air line overhead bins. However, it is not designed to protect the XL1 from the rigors of checked baggage. As with any soft bag, hard impacts may damage the camcorder, especially the microphone which does not have quite the same degree protection offered the EVF, especially when configured with the MA-100 is attached.

While the fabric is waterproofed, I'm not so sure that water could not enter via the zippers in heavy rain. I carry a standard 55 gallon size trash bag to provide extra protection when sitting out in the rain.

Overall, this is a nice product and I've found it carries well.

The MSRP is on the order of $225, and street price in late September 1998 was around $160, making it about $70 lower cost then the PortaBrace CTC-2. Check your usual Tamrac sources for current price and availability.

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