Camcorder bag suggestions for XH-A1 at DVinfo.net

Stephen Sobel · November 15th, 2007, 05:06 PM

I'm interested in hearing from XH-A1 owners as to what camcorder bag you are using. I'm looking for something to use around town, on the road, and as an airline carry-on. I've read some threads with posts by people who had recently bought a bag or who were thinking about various bags - I'm particularly interested in opinions from people who have had the A1 for awhile, and therefore have some decent amount of time using their bag or bags.

Bill Pryor · November 15th, 2007, 05:14 PM

I have a Petrol PCUB-1. I believe it cost about $170 or so. It has nice big side pockets, and I like the hard bottom underneath so if you set it down on wet grass it doesn't get into the fabric.

A friend bought an XH A1 from Tapeworks Texas and got the free Camrade bag. I think it sells for around $150. It's lighter weight and slimmer, though a bit longer, than my Petrol. I think it might be better as a carry-on. The Petrol probably offers better protection, while the Camrade is softer. The Petrol's sides are more rigid, so for example, you could put another bag on top and not squish it down. The Camrade bag is more squishable. But it is thinner and lighter and easier to carry around. My Petrol is close to a year old now and has no problems. I think it's as well made as the Portabraces I've used for years with other cameras and equipment.

Stephen Sobel · November 15th, 2007, 05:29 PM

Is that the same as the Petrol PCUB-1N U-Bag, which B & H has for $179.95?

Do you know anything about the Petrol PDRB-3 Dr. Petrol Bag? I just saw it on B & H while looking up the other Petrol bag.

Do you know which Camrade bag is the one for the A1?

Manuel Fantoni · November 15th, 2007, 06:12 PM

lowepro magnum aw

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Shoulder.html

Malcolm OBrien · November 15th, 2007, 06:47 PM

I never seem to have enough space for all the 'extra' bits..The Petrol PCCB-2N comes pretty close for me, firm base, excellent protection and meets most carry on regulations.

http://www.petrolbags.com/products/C...B-2/PCCB-2.htm

Bill Pryor · November 15th, 2007, 07:11 PM

Mine doesn't have the U...just PCUB-1N

However, I just got on B&H, and that PCUB-1NU is the same one, and you still get the free rain cover. There's all kinds of velcro'd stuff inside you have to pull out, and the camera is a pretty nice fit. They give you a couple of little U-shaped velcro pads, and I stick one down so the base of the camera sits against it, then I stuck the other one at the end of the bag for the lens to run up against if the camera should tilt and slide. They also have a velcro strap you can stick across the bottom and look around the camera to hold it in place better, which is good if you stick the camera in an overhead compartment on a plane.

Stephen Sobel · November 15th, 2007, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Pryor

Mine doesn't have the U...just PCUB-1N

However, I just got on B&H, and that PCUB-1NU is the same one, and you still get the free rain cover. There's all kinds of velcro'd stuff inside you have to pull out, and the camera is a pretty nice fit. They give you a couple of little U-shaped velcro pads, and I stick one down so the base of the camera sits against it, then I stuck the other one at the end of the bag for the lens to run up against if the camera should tilt and slide. They also have a velcro strap you can stick across the bottom and look around the camera to hold it in place better, which is good if you stick the camera in an overhead compartment on a plane.

Can you fit the A1 in it with the lens hood on and with an external mic?

Benjamin Hill · November 15th, 2007, 08:44 PM

I like to travel light so I use this one and it fits well under a plane seat or in the overheads:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...arry_Case.html

Mine doesn't say Panasonic on it BTW and the HVX200 or the XH-A1 fit just fine. It's very stiff and durable but compact.

Hugh Walton · November 15th, 2007, 10:57 PM

I love my Porta Brace CS-DV3U. I don't like to carry a large camera bag, so the CS-DV3U is perfect. It fits the XH-A1, shotgun, tapes, batteries, cables, charger, etc. perfectly. Although Porta Brace is expensive I can say that you definitely get what you pay for. The bag is very well built and provides good protection. If you want a bag with lots of extra storage space then the CS-DV3U might not be the best choice for you.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rder_Case.html

Hugh

Shiv Kumar · November 16th, 2007, 12:44 AM

Stephen,

Are if you're looking for a hard case for the A1 you could look at the pelican
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...se_Black_.html

It's light and compact but yet solid case and meets the current FAA regulation for a carry on bag. I recently bought it and my camera lives in this case. I've travelled a few places with this case as well and I feel comfortable and confident when I travel around with this case.

The complete camera (hood, battery charger, cables etc.) fits in with some room to spare (not much). Not sure what mic you have but it should fit in there too.

Daniel Park · November 16th, 2007, 03:52 AM

I've been more on less happy with my Impact bag:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...order_Bag.html

It appears to have the exact same form factor as the Petrol bag linked to by a previous poster, for about half the cost.

I've got the lens hood on, and a Rode NTG-1 inside an SM5 shock mount, and the only thing I have to do prior to shoving the camera into the bag is to unplug the XLR cable from the camera. Even this is something I could probably avoid with a right-angle connector on the male end.

Here's a pic of the camera inside my bag:

http://screencast.com/t/JazceMFdi

David Chia · November 16th, 2007, 05:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiv Kumar

Stephen,

Are if you're looking for a hard case for the A1 you could look at the pelican
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...se_Black_.html

It's light and compact but yet solid case and meets the current FAA regulation for a carry on bag. I recently bought it and my camera lives in this case. I've travelled a few places with this case as well and I feel comfortable and confident when I travel around with this case.

The complete camera (hood, battery charger, cables etc.) fits in with some room to spare (not much). Not sure what mic you have but it should fit in there too.

Because of the weight of this case 15lb. (6.8 kg) bare , You might not get it on at some airport or airlines as a hand-carry after you put the camera inside

Malcolm OBrien · November 16th, 2007, 10:48 PM

Shiv,
That Pelican 1510 looks pretty good to me..the Pelican 1600 is available down under with precut foam for the Canon A1. The 1510 is a better carry on size as you say...how much foam trimming did you have to do?

Shiv Kumar · November 16th, 2007, 11:03 PM

Malcolm,

You literally pull off the foam by hand. I'd say you tear off half the foam since the camera and stuff takes up quite a bit of space.

I think one advantage of "do-it-yourself" is that you can lay out things the way you want/need rather than have to live with a specific pre-cut layout.

I could show you the inside of the way my layout is if you'd like. I'm not near the camera nor my still camera at this moment or I'd have posted a few photographs anyway.

Also note that the pockets thinghy you can buy (extra) is pretty much useless (for our purpose at least). I bought it and don't use it for two reasons:
1. screwing that thing on is more than just a pain. You will need to drill tiny holes prior to screwing the thing on because the screws are so tiny and the angle is so odd that applying pressure to get the self threading screws to catch a tread is hard.
2. The A1 pretty much comes right to the top of the foam so you don't want stuff in these pockets applying pressure anywhere on the A1.

Malcolm OBrien · November 16th, 2007, 11:41 PM

Shiv,
Thanks a lot for the detail..if you have a chance to show a view of the inside that would be great..however your info has certainly steered me toward a 1510 hard case for many assignments.

November 15th, 2007, 05:06 PM	#1
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	Camcorder bag suggestions for XH-A1 I'm interested in hearing from XH-A1 owners as to what camcorder bag you are using. I'm looking for something to use around town, on the road, and as an airline carry-on. I've read some threads with posts by people who had recently bought a bag or who were thinking about various bags - I'm particularly interested in opinions from people who have had the A1 for awhile, and therefore have some decent amount of time using their bag or bags.

November 15th, 2007, 08:44 PM	#8
Benjamin Hill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Iowa City, Iowa Posts: 670	I like to travel light so I use this one and it fits well under a plane seat or in the overheads: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...arry_Case.html Mine doesn't say Panasonic on it BTW and the HVX200 or the XH-A1 fit just fine. It's very stiff and durable but compact. __________________ youtube.com/benhillmedia linkedin.com/in/benhillmedia

November 16th, 2007, 12:44 AM	#10
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Stephen, Are if you're looking for a hard case for the A1 you could look at the pelican http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...se_Black_.html It's light and compact but yet solid case and meets the current FAA regulation for a carry on bag. I recently bought it and my camera lives in this case. I've travelled a few places with this case as well and I feel comfortable and confident when I travel around with this case. The complete camera (hood, battery charger, cables etc.) fits in with some room to spare (not much). Not sure what mic you have but it should fit in there too. __________________ Canon XH-A1, Libec LS-55M, Letus Extreme, Steadicam Merlin, PPro CS3

November 16th, 2007, 03:52 AM	#11
Daniel Park New Boot Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Huelva, Spain Posts: 21	If looking for a sub-$100 solution... I've been more on less happy with my Impact bag: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...order_Bag.html It appears to have the exact same form factor as the Petrol bag linked to by a previous poster, for about half the cost. I've got the lens hood on, and a Rode NTG-1 inside an SM5 shock mount, and the only thing I have to do prior to shoving the camera into the bag is to unplug the XLR cable from the camera. Even this is something I could probably avoid with a right-angle connector on the male end. Here's a pic of the camera inside my bag: http://screencast.com/t/JazceMFdi

November 16th, 2007, 11:03 PM	#14
Shiv Kumar Major Player Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gainesville, VA, USA Posts: 327	Malcolm, You literally pull off the foam by hand. I'd say you tear off half the foam since the camera and stuff takes up quite a bit of space. I think one advantage of "do-it-yourself" is that you can lay out things the way you want/need rather than have to live with a specific pre-cut layout. I could show you the inside of the way my layout is if you'd like. I'm not near the camera nor my still camera at this moment or I'd have posted a few photographs anyway. Also note that the pockets thinghy you can buy (extra) is pretty much useless (for our purpose at least). I bought it and don't use it for two reasons: 1. screwing that thing on is more than just a pain. You will need to drill tiny holes prior to screwing the thing on because the screws are so tiny and the angle is so odd that applying pressure to get the self threading screws to catch a tread is hard. 2. The A1 pretty much comes right to the top of the foam so you don't want stuff in these pockets applying pressure anywhere on the A1. __________________ Canon XH-A1, Libec LS-55M, Letus Extreme, Steadicam Merlin, PPro CS3

November 15th, 2007, 05:14 PM	#2
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I have a Petrol PCUB-1. I believe it cost about $170 or so. It has nice big side pockets, and I like the hard bottom underneath so if you set it down on wet grass it doesn't get into the fabric. A friend bought an XH A1 from Tapeworks Texas and got the free Camrade bag. I think it sells for around $150. It's lighter weight and slimmer, though a bit longer, than my Petrol. I think it might be better as a carry-on. The Petrol probably offers better protection, while the Camrade is softer. The Petrol's sides are more rigid, so for example, you could put another bag on top and not squish it down. The Camrade bag is more squishable. But it is thinner and lighter and easier to carry around. My Petrol is close to a year old now and has no problems. I think it's as well made as the Portabraces I've used for years with other cameras and equipment.

November 15th, 2007, 05:29 PM	#3
Stephen Sobel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 408	Is that the same as the Petrol PCUB-1N U-Bag, which B & H has for $179.95? Do you know anything about the Petrol PDRB-3 Dr. Petrol Bag? I just saw it on B & H while looking up the other Petrol bag. Do you know which Camrade bag is the one for the A1?

November 15th, 2007, 06:12 PM	#4
Manuel Fantoni Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Madrid,Spain Posts: 41	lowepro magnum aw http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Shoulder.html

November 15th, 2007, 06:47 PM	#5
Malcolm OBrien New Boot Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Blue Mountains NSW Australia Posts: 15	I never seem to have enough space for all the 'extra' bits..The Petrol PCCB-2N comes pretty close for me, firm base, excellent protection and meets most carry on regulations. http://www.petrolbags.com/products/C...B-2/PCCB-2.htm

November 15th, 2007, 07:11 PM	#6
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Mine doesn't have the U...just PCUB-1N However, I just got on B&H, and that PCUB-1NU is the same one, and you still get the free rain cover. There's all kinds of velcro'd stuff inside you have to pull out, and the camera is a pretty nice fit. They give you a couple of little U-shaped velcro pads, and I stick one down so the base of the camera sits against it, then I stuck the other one at the end of the bag for the lens to run up against if the camera should tilt and slide. They also have a velcro strap you can stick across the bottom and look around the camera to hold it in place better, which is good if you stick the camera in an overhead compartment on a plane.

November 15th, 2007, 10:57 PM	#9
Hugh Walton Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New York City Posts: 77	I love my Porta Brace CS-DV3U. I don't like to carry a large camera bag, so the CS-DV3U is perfect. It fits the XH-A1, shotgun, tapes, batteries, cables, charger, etc. perfectly. Although Porta Brace is expensive I can say that you definitely get what you pay for. The bag is very well built and provides good protection. If you want a bag with lots of extra storage space then the CS-DV3U might not be the best choice for you. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...rder_Case.html Hugh

November 16th, 2007, 10:48 PM	#13
Malcolm OBrien New Boot Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Blue Mountains NSW Australia Posts: 15	Shiv, That Pelican 1510 looks pretty good to me..the Pelican 1600 is available down under with precut foam for the Canon A1. The 1510 is a better carry on size as you say...how much foam trimming did you have to do?

November 16th, 2007, 11:41 PM	#15
Malcolm OBrien New Boot Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Blue Mountains NSW Australia Posts: 15	Shiv, Thanks a lot for the detail..if you have a chance to show a view of the inside that would be great..however your info has certainly steered me toward a 1510 hard case for many assignments.