Are carrying cases ever big enough?

[Pat Chaney]

I seem to have outgrown my carrying case rather quicker than I had intended (not for the first time and probably not the last). So, I'm looking for a well constructed case (soft, shoulder strap style) that will accommodate a PDX10 with large battery, wide hood, XLR box, and K6/ME64 with large fluffy Rycote thingy, all fitted to the camera. Also need room for a folded Steadicam JR, headphones, and the usual collection of filters, tapes, batteries, etc.

Quality and utility more important than price.

Obviously I'd rather my gear wasn't floating around too much in the bag, so something with adjustable securing compartments is probably what I need. Maybe a Lowepro?

Anyone have any recommendations on cases I should be considering?

[Gareth Watkins]

Hi Pat,

There are a number of quality camera bags on the market and as with everything you get what you pay for....Depnds also whether you want a backpack or a shooting bag?

I'm currently using a medium model Billingham for my 950 and similar kit to that you mentioned... XLR pro adatper, wide angle, mics and Rycote + cables...headphones etc.

all fits easily, and the bags look very good. I've had this one for 25 years and it has carried everything from Nikon F3's to EOS 1 didgitals and Lumydine lights..... now it carries my video gear...

it hasn't budged, a quality bag if ever I saw one....And they look very nice too...

Has two front pockets for tapes and filters etc...
A large well padded central pocket that takes the camera, lens, vidoe light and headphones
And a smaller front pocket for cables, mics etc....

Check out: http://www.billingham.co.uk/home.asp

Mine looks like the 445, but the larger model will probably accomodate your steady....

Lowpro do mostly Rucksacks, which I've never found very practical in shooting situations.... great for transporting gear, but then you need to get it all out....to use it. Again good quality gear.

One of the references in photogrpahy was the Domke bag, I believe they make a very good large backpack type bag too.. good quality and very strong... I've still got my 25 year old F2 Domke...

cheers

Gareth

[Gareth Watkins]

Oh I forgot .... Portabrace do a line of specialist Video bags... TV guys I've workeed with used thier gear, and again it's strong quality stuff, and may be more in line with your needs.

http://www.portabrace.com

cheers

Gareth

[Richard Alvarez]

No.

[Pat Chaney]

Thanks for your input Gareth. Actually I have a Portabrace at the moment - that's the one I've outgrown. It's a very good case, and my own fault for not buying a larger one of course.

I have used (and still have somewhere) a Lowepro backpack in the past (for still photography gear) and it was probably the least useful thing I've ever bought, for the reasons that you suggest.

I will look into Billingham, Domke, Loewpro and a larger Portabrace. However one of the difficulties, without seeing the cases in person, is that it's not always possible to tell the internal dimensions or layout from supplier's web sites - hence my request for suggestions.

[Patricia Kim]

Check out www.petrolbags.com. They have some interesting configurations - I like the looks of the ultrawide for extra storage. B&H sells them, but for actual dimensions of the bags, you need to go to the Petrol web site.

[John Hartney]

I'm using a portabrace car2 bag for my pdx10. It carries the camera with the xlr block, a senn me66 with lightwave miniscreen, and a angle bracket mounted to the camera. Then it has bags on the front and sides....

[Pat Chaney]

Thanks Patricia & John.

I think I'll probably go for the PortaBrace CAR3. I hadn't previously seen the Cargo range on the PortaBrace site as they are under the Production & Lighting section rather than Camera Cases.