Smallest bag for XH A1 - without having to take off the accessories.

[Michael Wisniewski]

It seems like there aren't many options for bags of this particular size. So here's the short list.

For XH A1 with 3rd party shockmount or light, wireless receiver, xlr cables
1. Petrol PCUB-HD HDV U-Bag
2. Strut DVT-4 Transport Case

These might fit your rig if you're using a matte box with rails, external 3rd party batteries, and/or a hard disk recorder.
3. Kata CC-195
4. 16x9 Inc. Grab & Shoot Camcorder Bag, Large

NOTES:
My original budget was US$100-$150. But it ended up having to be at least US$250-$300.
Basically the bag has to have the following internal dimensions to accomodate most basic accessories:

18" long - to accomodate a shotgun mic with something like a Rycote Softie.
8" wide - to accomodate regular XLR cables (7" if you use a right angled XLR cable on the body, HOSA makes them by the way)
11" high - to accomodate a 3rd party shockmount or light. The height of 11" knocked out 90% of the bags out there. The majority of the bags left with a height of 11" were mostly "gigantic" and not easily portable.

[Matt Bishop]

I personally like hard cases better and have always used them. I have the xha1 with shotgun and wireless mounted on it and am using this case. Very good hard cases and the cheapest I have found. Something to consider.

http://porters.com/Merchant2/merchan...roduct_Count=0

Everything fits very well and holds a lot of the accessories too.

Matt

[Matt OBrien]

I am having a similar dilemma. I love my pelican 1510, but it is completely impractical for any nature videography where I would prefer to hike in and out. I recently hiked down a trail to a local waterfall and resorted to wrapping the camera in a beach towel and putting it in a backpack... far from ideal in my mind. I would love a padded backpack solution that would allow me to keep a shotgun mic mounted to the camera, with some spare room for headphones. In a perfect world there would be straps on the exterior for a tripod. Any ideas?

EDIT: Just came across the Kata HB-207 which may be my solution. Need to check dimensions though.

[Bill Pryor]

I have a Petrol PCUB-1N. I think it's a little bigger than the one in your link. I keep a shot shotgun mounted on the camera, as well as a Sennheiser wireless receiver mounted up on the hot shoe. I like the big pockets on the sides for tapes, batteries, cables, etc.

There are padded and compartmentalized big backpacks designed for cameras. In fact Petrol has some, as well as (I think) Portabrace.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Thanks for that, those Petrol PCUB-1 bags are really nice, I was admiring them at B&H today. They're specifically designed so you don't have to take off the accessories. For my setup I'd have to get at least the Petrol PCUB-2. And the Kata HB-207 definitely fits the bill, I think the only dimension that you have to watch out for is the 7" deep - but getting the right angled XLR cables will solve that.

[Michael Wisniewski]

Actually the Kata HB-205 looks like it will fit the XH A1 with basic accessories, but it's going to be a tight fit as it's only 6.2" deep, so the bag might bulge a little. Still it might be worth it to save on the bulk.

[Bob Thompson]

I am doing a lot of hiking with the XH-A1 and this backpack is just the thing

http://products.lowepro.com/product/...AW,1958,14.htm

Here it is in use

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jingbar/2472758595/

[Matt OBrien]

Bob, do you have a picture of the A1 in the bag by chance? Do you have a mic mounted to it? My other concern is if there is adequate support, it doesn't seem as if having the camera's entire weight on the lens would be ideal. Possibly there is more to the bag than what is seen on the site. I don't see how that support horse shoe device would be usable with the A1.

Thanks

[Bob Thompson]

Matt, Sorry I don't have any shots of the AI in the bag, I only use the camera mic as most of my videos taken in the Country Parks are set to music. Yes the camera goes in lens first but under the camera I have a first aid kit and rain jacket. On both sides of the camera I am able to fit tapes, batteries and most importantly lunch. I don't use the support horse shoe but I also take a small towel which I put around the camera.

Bob

PS: I take the matte box off the lens so that the camera fits flatter on my rain jacket

[Bill Pryor]

Last month I was in Chicago and wanted to get a few shots of some crowds downtown. I had an old backpack with me, just an ordinary average size one that wasn't expensive at all. By taking the lens hood off the camera, it fit perfectly in the bottom. I had to slide the shotgun mic back a couple of inches but left it in the mount, and the antenna on the wireless had to curve down a little. You wouldn't want to do this for serious hiking, but just to have something to put the camera in, it was OK. A slightly larger backpack would be better, and a piece of 1" foam in the bottom would be good.

The Petrol PCUB-1 is where the camera lives normally. For years I used Portabrace bags and they're great, but I thought I'd try Petrol when I got the Canon. I actually like it better, mainly because of the hard bottom on the outside with little feet. You don't have to worry about things getting wet if you set the bag down in a puddle of water (which I've done before).

[Matti Remonen]

Originally Posted by Michael Wisniewski

Actually the Kata HB-205 looks like it will fit the XH A1 with basic accessories, but it's going to be a tight fit as it's only 6.2" deep, so the bag might bulge a little. Still it might be worth it to save on the bulk.

(hmmm... uploading does not work for some reason, so no pictures...)

Here's some pictures from my Kata HB-205.

The backpack contains now:
- XH-A1
+ one extra battery (BP-970G)
+ charger
+ two Sony batteries (for battery adapter)
+ charger for 'em
+ battery adapter to power extrernal display (7.2V -> 12V)
+ Manfrotto 503HDV fluid head
+ some cables

Still missing: Datavideo 7" display + cables

As you can see, the XH-A1 fits in quite nicely but you cannot have the external mic attached to it. The XH-A1 is reserved mainly for indoor sports shooting (floorball).

For reference I've also included my "traveling pack" Tamrac Expedition 7, which contains:
- Sony HVR-A1E
+ Rode NTG-1
+ Beyerdynamics MCE-72
+ Rycote Softies for both mics
+ XLR-cables
+ power cables
+ HVR-A1E XLR-adapter
+ LANC controller
+ extra video light
+ light diffuser for the light
+ charger
+ 2 extra batteries for camera
+ Nokia cell-phone charger
+ 2 Raynox wide-angle lenses (0.6 and 0.3)
+ still camera (Sony F707)
+ 2 extra batteries for it
+ bunch of filters for camera and wide-angle lenses
+ video tapes + cleaning cassette
+ memory cards
+ few other items

And this all can be taken into airplane as hand luggage...

[Ray Lindsay]

What about this one? I am getting ready to go on a plane and my huge Kata backpack won't fit in the overhead. This one has 18 x 10 x 10 dimensions? Is that close enough or does it have to be 11" tall?

http://www.portabrace.com/productA-DVO-2U

[Rudy De Smedt]

Hello,

I am quite happy with the Lowepro Flipside 300
http://products.lowepro.com/product/...00,2083,14.htm
It was developped for still camera's but the XH A1 fits perfectly in it. Additionally it is the ideal solution if you want to use your camera during hiking. During walking you can "flip" the backpack to the front (it stays attached to the lower belt) and take out your camera.
The camera is well protected, there is additional room for tapes, SD and others and even a tri-pod can be attached.
Try it out !

Greetings,

Rudy

[Viimar Lindau]

Rudy,
Could you please post photos of your bag and camera here. By comparing the sizes of camera and interior size of this bag I come to the result that there is not enough room for the camera. I'd really like to know how you did it. I'm looking for a bag for my A1 and backpack style is my favorite as I'm doing also hiking.

[Michael Wisniewski]

For reference a stock XH A1 without accessories is:
6.4" Wide
7.4" High
13.8" Long

After adding basic accessories:
7-8" Wide (xlr cables)
11-12" High (shockmount/light/wireless)
15-18" Long (shockmount + mic/softie)


It would be easier to shop for a bag if there was a quick release shockmount adapter, but I haven't been able to find one that's truly "quick release".