Wide Angle Lens Converter for GL / XM

[Raj Anish]

Hi,

I am a newbie so I have some beginner questions :). I have read a number of very informative discussions in this forum about GL-2 cases.

I have the wide lens WD-58H which I use most of the time. Ideally, I would like to just leave the lens on GL-2 when I put it in the bag. Is it unwise to leave it on during travel (say going for a couple of hour drive in a car in or around the town). How about while flying? I could detach it for flights etc. but most day to day use I would prefer to leave it on the camcorder. The three choices that I think should be able to handle this are:

1. PortaBrace CS-DV3/CR3 - Street price $180 (http://www.portabrace.com/Details/CS/CS-DVdetail/cs-dvdetail.htm)

2. LowePro Vidcam 6 - Street price $50 (http://www.lowepro.com/pages/series/vidcam/vidcam6.html)

3. Kata CCC-102 - Street price $100 (http://www.tiffen.com/kata_ccc102.htm)

Questions:

1. Can PortaBrace CS-DV3, that has a little cradle to hold GL-2, can hold GL-2 with wide lens and it's hood on?
2. Is PortaBrace's water resistance and padding quality that better than Kata/LowePro to justify it's much higher price?
3. Is Kata's CCC-102 siginificantly better than Vidcam 6?
4. Suggestions for any other cases that you think may be more appropriate?

Please share your experience. Thanks,
Raj

[Frank Granovski]

The Lowepro Nova 6 is nice.

[Ken Tanaka]

Welcome Raj,
I own a GL2 and both the PortaBrace DV3 and the Kata 102, so I'll take a swing at your questions.

1. Can PortaBrace CS-DV3, that has a little cradle to hold GL-2, can hold GL-2 with wide lens and it's hood on?
2. Is PortaBrace's water resistance and padding quality that better than Kata/LowePro to justify it's much higher price?
3. Is Kata's CCC-102 siginificantly better than Vidcam 6?
4. Suggestions for any other cases that you think may be more appropriate?

1. Yes, with no problem, and with a bit of room at the end to spare.

2. Yes, all-around the PortaBrace is superior craftsmanship, construction and detailing to the Kata. Honestly, I was a bit dissapointed with the Kata; it's just an empty bag with virtually no thoughtful details. The PB features a myriad of excellent features, such as the removable inner case, the pocket for a white-balance card (supplied with the case), etc. The PB shoulder straps alone have become legendary for their comfort and durability. By comparison the Kata pales badly. (I use mine mainly to carry audio gear.)

The top zippers of all of these cases might leak in a hard downpour, but in general rainy conditions the PB will do the job. (Aways a good idea to pack a plastic trash bag or two when on outdoor excursions.)

3. I do not own the Vidcam 6 but I do have a Vidcam 4. I would say that it's very comparable in construction to the Kata, although it's a different box-top (-vs- flap-top) design. Selection between these two would be purely a matter of design preference rather than quality difference.

4. No, I think that PortaBrace's cases are the best soft cases made and I own several.

If there's anything else I can tell you about these cases, just ask. Happy to help!

[Raj Anish]

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the informative reply. I am about to set my heart to PortaBrace and get one :).

Do you think it would be a problem to leave the wide lense on GL-2 while it's in the PortaBrace bag during say a day-long light hike trip or a social gathering shooting? Also, any suggestions as to where can one be bought? I see that bhphoto.com has two but tthey have CR2 and CR4 (not CR3, which is the model for GL2).

thanks much,
Raj

[Raj Anish]

Just to clarify: By possible problem from the wide lense on all the time, I meant would that cause unnecessary strain on the camera body or run the risk of causing some damage due to it's weight?

thanks,
Raj

[Ken Tanaka]

It's no problem at all leaving the WD58H on the lens all day. Some people leave it on all the time.

I bought all of my PB cases from B&H. I really do not know of other dealers. I know B&H carries the case so it's probably just temporarily out of stock. Just use their site to have them email you when it's in (a handy feature). They're probably a bit backed up right now, since they've been closed for a week (Jewish holidays).

[Aaron Rosen]

Now the choice is clear for the soft case, but how about those of us who like a harder shell?

Any ideas for makes / models and sizes? Pros / Cons?

- Thank You.

[Ken Tanaka]

Aaron,
I have a Cases Plus hard case for my XL1s. This relatively pricey case that is built to take a head-on from a Hummer. Multiple density internal foam is really designed to handle physics. It also incorporates a handle and wheels. The main disappointment I've had with the case is

• that the internal foam took more carving than a Thanksgiving turkey to accommodate the XL1s with an MA-100 (forget the MA-200) as well as to provide space for even a moderate amount of gotta-have's, and
• even after all of that work, I could still use just a bit more space in the case.

Take a look a the Kinetics on the main DVInfo pages, also.

You may also be interested in looking at the Pelican 1610 case with the XL1 foam insert. You can find it at the Cases4Less site.

Whatever you do, don't get the shiny Canon case.

Have fun!

[Ben Lynn]

I'm using a Pelican 1550 for my personal GL2 and I'm pleased with that. We use Pelican a lot to handle our robotics and they get shipped all over the country without a problem so I have a lot of trust in Pelican and would recommend them to anyone looking for a sturdy, long lasting case.

The custom case that Ken suggested sure looks great. I've never used one but it seems to well worth the money.

A good hard case should last for years to come and in my opinion it's the best insurance you can buy for a camera.

I'll repeat Ken's advice and say don't go with the Canon case. I've had my hands on one before and it doesn't come close to the lasting protection that you can get with other hard case companies.


Ben Lynn

[Aaron Rosen]

Great! Thanks for the info. I esp. appreciate a case that can take a beating from a Hummer. Due to the line of work I'm in the case will get a beating like it's going out of style.

The foam will be an issue but nothing an ink pen and a table saw or elec. turkey carver can not fix. I was hoping for some of that "camera foam" mentioned on another thread... ; )

As for the XL1 insert, do you know if there is a GL2 insert? If not, their precut stuff should work.

I will be adding the GL2 with the WD-58h (attached) plus an MA-300, some sort of mic, the bats. and film, charger and ear plugs.

Just curios, why a negitive review of the Canon cases?

[Ken Tanaka]

Aaron,
I don't know of a case with foam designed specifically for the GL2, but I suspect that you'll be able to craft your own pretty easily with a Pelican or Sorm case and pick-and-pluck foam.

The issues with the Canon hard case are, in my opinion, three-fold. First, it carries a premium price tag with little or no discounting. Second, its true sturdiness and design quality is really not commensurate with its premium price. Third, its shiny gaudiness and "Canon" label plate scream "Steal me! I'm bound to contain something of value!", like a 3-piece set of Louis Vuitton luggage.

[Aaron Rosen]

Thank you again.

I agree with your observation re: the "steal me" factor.

The Pick-n-pluck foam comes from Pelican. Anyone else?

[Bob Benkosky]

Which companies make the best bang for buck wide angles lenses???

Also, how important are additional filters???

[Ken Tanaka]

Canon and Century are the two leaders in wide angle adapters for the GL1/GL2.

Re: filters, it depends on what problem you're trying to solve.

[Marc Martin]

I use a BW Neutral Filter 102 (2 stops) in highlight. Small apertures above f5.6 tends to unsharp the image.