Camera hard cases

[BetterSense]

I want a hinged hard case that I can put custom-cut foam into. I would like to fit my 3 olympus 35mm bodies and some lenses, and my macro extension rings and small flashes. That way my 35mm kit can all be in one place.

Has anyone done this? Did you just cut the foam with a knife? Does anyone know of a good source for hard cases and foam?

 

[benjiboy]

Look at Pelican cases http://pelican.com/ I use a 1510 it has wheels on.

 

[Rick A]

I used to have my Oly kit in a hard case. I still have the case, but my kit is back in a shoulder bag, more convenient.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Second the Pelican suggestion.

BS, before you cheap out and use DIY foam, educate yourself about the stuff.

I make this suggestion because my hard cases (Pelican 1500 for my Nikon kit, Tundra 821 made by Underwater Kinetics, for my Beaulieus) came with very durable pluckable closed cell foam. Very durable as in "I've had the cases for 24 years and the foam hasn't started to break down yet." Closed cell foam is desirable because it doesn't absorb anything. I use open cell foam from the local upholstery/fabric store in aquarium filters; spare foam pads left on the shelf slowly harden and crumble.

I haven't checked for years, but B&H used to sell replacement foam for Pelican cases. So if you decide to use a case you bought without foam, that may be a good source for you.

 

[phaedrus]

Get a Pelican case and some assistants to carry them. IMO, they're cases to store things in, not to use in the field if the field is more than a few steps away from the trunk of a car. Much too heavy for that.

 

[benjiboy]

Get a Pelican case and some assistants to carry them. IMO, they're cases to store things in, not to use in the field if the field is more than a few steps away from the trunk of a car. Much too heavy for that.

Mine is a 1510 has wheels on and an extendable handle is great for travel, on arrival I decant what I want for a days shooting into a Domke bag that packs flat in my checked in travel bag, while I agree with phaedrus I wouldn't recommend them for use in the field to work out of but as a secure waterproof and almost bombproof way to protect, store and transport you'r gear from one gig to the next they are unbeatable.

 

[winger]

Some Pelican cases have pluckable foam, but some don't so check first. I think the smaller ones are more likely to have it. Having recently had to custom fit a rifle into a case without pluckable foam (I used a scalpel to cut, but a heated knife is suggested by Pelican), I'd definitely prefer pluckable.

 

[benjiboy]

I prefer the moveable partitions in my Peli case they're much more versatile than foam, it's easy to change the configuration to suite different types of equipment and you can get a lot more in.