Waterproof / tight hard shell case

[stan_o]

I have emailed a few makers of hardshell cases with no response, so

I offer this quest to you folks:

 

I need a hard shell waterproof case to hold my 8x10 Deardorff, 5

film holders, 3 lens, 2 boxes of film and a few other accessories!

 

Thanks for the help

[gene m]

CNN has been showing tens of thousands of ammunition cases abandoned by the Iraqi "army." I'll bet they'd make great camera cases.

[dan_fromm1]

www.cases4less.com gives dimensions for a number of hardshell cases. Some of them may suit you. You'll have to do the layouts yourself.

 

Cheers,

 

Dan

[steve_feldman2]

Pelican cases.

[michael_chmilar]

The Pelican cases are very sturdy and waterproof. They can take a serious beating!

 

When I bought cases for my 4x5, I took all of my gear into a store, to see what case sizes I needed. They make quite a variety of shapes and sizes.

 

I split my gear between two cases (camera in one 1400 case, everything else - 4 lenses, spotmeter, quickload holder, loupe, etc. - into a 1450 case), rather than try to put everything into one. I prefer to have two manageable cases instead of one really bulky one.

 

These cases, stuffed inside of a Dana Terraplane backpack, accompanied me on a 14 week trip through S.E. Asia. My gear was well protected (while traveling on local busses), but also easy to access when shooting.

[bob_salomon]

The Rimowa Tropicana cases are waterproof to 67', use no "O" rings, are fully insulated

against heat and cold and have full modular interior partitions. When fully loaded they will

float.

 

Available with or without wheels and handles. Use no foam for partioning. Plus you can

stand on them when you need a higher viewpoint.

[john_cook1]

Stan:

 

I can testify from experience that both Pelican and Rimowa cases are excellent, although I've recently had difficulty finding Rimowa. Another I have used with success is Tenba Aircases.

 

But just a word of caution: In 1969, my new 8x10 Deardorf came with a case which held everything you listed. I could hardly lift it, much less carry it any distance. My very strong advice is to split up that outfit among more than one case.

 

John

[ellis_vener_photography]

The waterproof aluminum cases from Zarges. They are made to NATO military standards. They are absolutely the best.

[john_kasaian1]

Stan, If you're ever in Elko, Nevada, check out the army surplus store at the West end of down town, just past Capriola's Saddle Shop. They've got everything from anntenea masting to generators the size of small houses for sale, and especially mil-spec boxes you could drop out the hind end of a C-130 without busting the fragile stuff inside. Good Luck!

[jerry_flynn1]

I second the nomination of Pelican cases. I have all my 4X5 gear in a model 1610 that has wheels and a built-in handle. I have flown with it several times as checked luggage and it and the gear have weathered the experiences quite well. It is big and heavy, so it is not perhaps the best choice for the trail, but it makes a good travel case and studio-in-the-trunk-of-a-car. I carry my 5X7 back and a few extras in a separate Pelican.

 

The cases are carried by a couple of local dealers in my area, but are available from several sources on the Web.

[tim_atherton2]

Our local drug store/chain seems to have taken to stocking Pelican cases - every now and then they seem to get a cross section of the various sizes in in one go.

 

Pelican makes a largish case which also ahs wheels and a pull out handle. More box xhaped than "case" shpaed. It's a biggish bugger, but I took my Deardorff in with about the same amount of gear as you list, and this was the only one that would really take it. (you could maybe squeeze that lot into one of the slightly smaller ones they had, but it was a bit too tight).

 

I'll see if I can figure out the model from their website.

 

tim

[tim_atherton2]

I'd say it was either the 1610 or 1620 case I think (the 1660 looks bigger than the oens I looked at):

 

http://www.pelican.com/product/cases/index.htm

 

take the interior dimensions and find a cardboard box the same size and see if it works for you!

[Troll]

Hmmm. Are Haliburtons out of fashion, or out of manufacturer?

[tim_atherton2]

not generally waterproof for one thing

[stan_o]

Thanks all for the suggestions, I will probably split things up with two cases for ease of carry and weight when portaging. Waterproof is a big deal as I will be on the water for about 3 weeks at the end of next month.

 

Thanks again!

[bob_salomon]

"re Haliburtons out of fashion, or out of manufacturer"

 

They are not waterproof. They are water resistant but you take it down to 67' (2

atmosphers) like you can with the Rimowa and you will have some very soggy equipment.

 

The Pelican are waterproof to a few feet but even that is more then the Zero cases are.

[jnanian]

snip "

and especially mil-spec boxes you could drop out the hind end of a C-130

without busting the fragile stuff inside."

 

i have one of these cases, it works pretty well ...

 

haven't dropped it out of a plane though, so i can't attest to the fact that your

"stuff" won't have problems when it lands :)

 

- john

[dave_mueller]

My vote for Pelican. Unfortunately, I've had the opportunity to test the waterproof claim on several occasions. The good news is that my gear stayed perfectly dry. I have a few small cases for 35mm cameras, and one strapped to the back of my motorcycle as a "trunk". I doubt you could pull a large case down under water by yourself. Getting it to 2ATM would mean it's inside a sinking boat, in which case you've got other problems.

 

I've found their support to be very good, I sent an email once asking what type of glue will stick to the cases. The next day a guy called me and gave me the name and part number for a 2 part epoxy (which I don't remember at this moment).

[david_ditzel3]

Stan,

I own both a Pelican case and a Storm case. I like the Storm cases better than Pelican because the latches have a release to make opening much easier. The Pelican case latches are difficult to open in my opinion. Other than the latch, the cases are very similiar. I purchased my cases from www.cases4less and recieved good service.