Has anyone had any thoughts about this yet? Please share if you do! Ideally, I'd like to find one whereby I could leave the DOF adapter, lens and MB on it but that's not essential (although desirable). Portabrace has always appealed but they're not saying anything on their website about the EX3 yet (which I assume has different needs because of its overall height and length).

Thanks in advance,

Jus.

I discovered the ideal bag in a fishing tackle shop for £39 - $80.

I recently got a very nice Petrol roller bag (PWR-HDV, it has pull out handle, airline carry on luggage style) which I'm hoping will do as the "central divide" is detachable/movable in position (camera goes one side and ancillaries the other).

I think the biggest issue I see with the EX3 (I don't have it yet, it's on pre-order) will be the LCD screen. Unlike the EX1 it WON'T fold out of harms way if I've interpretted Phil Bloom's excellent video review correctly, it will just tilt up or down (but I see in the online manual that the pivot axle - if that's the right word - is adjustable and can be locked so it can be slightly further out from the body or not). But, even so, it will still always be sticking out (with or without the easily detachable viewfinder "scope").

I think any bag will have to ensure adequate protection/support for this LCD screen "sticking out" as I can see it might be a weak point/easily twisted or broken and needing to be protected from any crushing force. Note that the EX1 screen may not as rugged as it might have been - several reports of it coming loose/hanging at a drooping angle on DVinfo already. So, I will be thinking carefully about how it's packed in whatever bag I end up using with the above point in mind.

If anyone who has handled an EX3 has any comments about my percieved vulnerability of the LCD please let us know your thoughts.

Justin,

It doesn't matter what Porta brace recommends for an EX-1 alone because the footprint your talking about is huge. I intend to play around with a portabraces for full size 2/3" cameras.
I have a CSDV4 which almost accomodates the rig with EX, rails Letus and a prime, but no zoom , certainly no MB and I can't really close the top fully so its strictly for carrying around by hand in safe situations.

I discovered the ideal bag in a fishing tackle shop for £39 - $80.

Is it padded?

Justin.

Justin,

It doesn't matter what Porta brace recommends for an EX-1 alone because the footprint your talking about is huge. I intend to play around with a portabraces for full size 2/3" cameras.
I have a CSDV4 which almost accomodates the rig with EX, rails Letus and a prime, but no zoom , certainly no MB and I can't really close the top fully so its strictly for carrying around by hand in safe situations.

Yes, I realise EX1 bags won't do. The issue re. the projection of the LCD is pertinent since it doesn't slide laterally like a normal viewfinder from a larger cam often will, IIRC. I could settle for having to remove the MB - the Redrock one I ordered is massive anyway. Perhaps one should treat the whole set-up like a big camera, since I'm likely to use it 'fully dressed' most of the time anyway, and look into a hard case? Not my first choice but I will need something decent before mid August and a shoot far away.

I think the biggest issue I see with the EX3 (I don't have it yet, it's on pre-order) will be the LCD screen. Unlike the EX1 it WON'T fold out of harms way if I've interpretted Phil Bloom's excellent video review correctly, it will just tilt up or down (but I see in the online manual that the pivot axle - if that's the right word - is adjustable and can be locked so it can be slightly further out from the body or not). But, even so, it will still always be sticking out (with or without the easily detachable viewfinder "scope").
...

I think any bag will have to ensure adequate protection/support for this LCD screen "sticking out" as I can see it might be a weak point/easily twisted or broken and needing to be protected from any crushing force.

I agree. I wonder if I need to be thinking about something like this:

http://www.petrolbags.com/products/Camera_Bags_I/PCC-2/PCC-2.htm

Or is that too far fetched? The issue for me will be airline travel though. No way that's going in the overhead locker now, is it?

Jus.

A Sports Duffle Bag (with wheels) does the job for me. I pad the base and sides with bath towels/rubber foam. EX1 with Letus fit well and travel OK in my vehicle.

Justin, I put some padding shaped foam in the bag. It is big enough to have the camera with matte box and viewfinder with hoodman in place. Sorry but never worked out how to put pictures on this site for viewing and have recently junked them. The reason for buying the bag was the fact that Portabrace etc did not have one that would take camera with matte box.

The EX3 viewfinder is fitted to a bracket that rotates round a central pivot. The pivot slides in and out. So you can adjust the view finder, up, down, forwards, back by about an inch either way as well as moving it in and out about an inch. It also tilts up and down, but as has been said the one thing it does not do is fold away and it is a big beast.

The EX3 viewfinder is fitted to a bracket that rotates round a central pivot. The pivot slides in and out. So you can adjust the view finder, up, down, forwards, back by about an inch either way as well as moving it in and out about an inch. It also tilts up and down, but as has been said the one thing it does not do is fold away and it is a big beast.

Still weighing my options but need to decide soon.

Jus.

Hope this doesn't sound too crazy.... but you might look at some of the cases in a
music store... they may have just the size you need.

Hope this doesn't sound too crazy.... but you might look at some of the cases in a
music store... they may have just the size you need.

Not crazy at all...

OK Then, another option might be one of those airline carry on bags for golf clubs that you see in the sporting goods stores... if you want to have the rails and adapter in place..

There are several Bag threads going on the EX3 but thought I'd post a link in here to a sort of solution for getting one into the cabin for airlines in the UK/EU. Note we have strict and much smaller maximum bag dimensions than some areas. No it's not a perfect solution but it's workable!

Airline transportation - Page 2 - The Digital Video Information Network (http://www.dvinfo.net//conf/showthread.php?p=971655#post971655)

I'm sold on the Kata - how long is everything end to end? I could tell you if it would fit in my bag. It really protects the viewfinder great.

Even their backpack might fit everything - the BP-502.

Internal length of the Petrol PCCB-2-N shown in the pictures in that link with my EX3 in it is 48cm (about 19 inches). I now Kata bags are good but I'm happy with my solution and like Petrol bags just as much! Kata BP502 looks really good but exceededs even the British Airways carry on maximum dimensions (larger than most over here) in both length and width so would be a bit of a gamble, especially on smaller jets within Europe.

I prefer my Kata CC-197, but I was thinking that the CC-195 would be a great option as well. It is supposedly good for airlines, but I am not sure about the smaller European jets. Exterior is 11 x 12 x 24 (approx) and is 23 inches long inside - easily encompassing the camera even with a folding shoulder mount on it.

I've got the Kata CC-197. The bag is great but it is big. I am really surprised to hear that people can use it as a "carry on" with the airlines.

I would prefer to have a smaller one for those times when you don't need to carry a lot of extra stuff. The Kata BP-502 backpack is really appealing as an alternate to the CC-197 allowing you to hand carry other stuff.

I've got the Kata CC-197. The bag is great but it is big. I am really surprised to hear that people can use it as a "carry on" with the airlines.

I would prefer to have a smaller one for those times when you don't need to carry a lot of extra stuff. The Kata BP-502 backpack is really appealing as an alternate to the CC-197 allowing you to carry other stuff.

That's why I was recommending the 195 for airline transport - those few inches really make a difference. I think I'll be fine on "some" flights with the 197, but certainly not all.

And I can neatly place my wide lens adapter, 2 wired lav's, 2 wireless systems, Sony pro headphones, shoulder mount, case for cards and adapters, cables, Anton-Bauer charger and spare battery, and my 13" Dell notebook in my case. Because of the rectangular shape, I can put almost as much in it as in the larger BP-502. I have them both here and tried them out. the 197 accommodates the viewfinder much better than the BP-502.