C100: Hard Case with Custom Foam Interior for Canon C100: Texas Media Systems

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Texas Media Systems is working with SKB to develop a C100 hard case with a custom cut foam interior that will be similar to the SKB C300/C500 Case below.

Here's a few questions that came up while i was talking to SKB's product manager:

do you want a handle and wheels on the case?

do you still want the handle and wheels if you lose some interior depth and the cost increases?

would you give up the Airline Overhead Bin size rating for a larger case that allows the C100 to remain fully assembled?


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Thanks in advance for any feedback you can provide.

terry

 

[chappelldigital]

I have the Pelican 1510 - if I were to get a custom fit case, I would not want to lose the handle or wheels, regardless of the loss of space and additional cost (I almost wouldn't consider a case without a handle or wheels actually).

I would also not care to have it full assembled in the case, as sometimes when I shoot, I dont use the top handle anyway (I currently always take the top handle off).
The case would be more appealing (to me) if I knew it was still able to fit airline carry-on sizes.

 

[Tim Nitsch]

here's a few questions that came up while i was talking to skb's product manager:

do you want a handle and wheels on the case?

Do you still want the handle and wheels if you lose some interior depth and the cost increases?

Would you give up the airline overhead bin size rating for a larger case that allows the c100 to remain fully assembled​

Yes
Yes
No, overhead bin capability is a must.

 

[bengiles]

My perspective:I think it depends on whether you view the C100 as a "finished" package that's ready to pull out of a case and use in it's vanilla form.

I don't, after 18 months of fairly relentless use and occasional bouts of wailing and gnashing of teeth.

However, combined with a Ninja Blade, V Lock batteries and a sturdy shoulder mount (in my case a Tilta that locks solidly to a Sony VCT-14 tripod plate), it's now very usable - both hand held and tripod-mounted. But that makes it a slightly bigger proposition to carry around.

So, the case - if, like me, you have a C100 "rigged" to work the way you want, a small and cute SKB case would mean a lot of rig and de-rig time. We have a couple of large SKBs for camera and lighting and they just go in the hold of a plane - the lenses then go with us in soft Billingham carry-on bags.

Here's a large SKB model number 3I-2317-14B-C (on wheels - crucial for this size) with a "rigged" C100:



Final Analysis (my opinion): I think the smaller SKB you're proposing could sell well, but could end up sitting empty on the shelves of people who buy it early in their C100 ownership, only to find that the C100 itself needs a bit more rigging to really earn it's keep.

Ben.

 

[MattDavis]

Hi Terry -

do you want a handle and wheels on the case?

Yes - this won't be the lightest of cases and these days I don't usually get an assistant to help with the bags.

do you still want the handle and wheels if you lose some interior depth and the cost increases?

Yes, it will still cost less than an Osteopath.

would you give up the Airline Overhead Bin size rating for a larger case that allows the C100 to remain fully assembled?

Never. Ever. Ever. 75% of my shoots involve a plane ride, and if my underwear and socks go on their own private holiday without me, I can pick up new ones. I can't do that with my gear, so I fly WITH my gear. Besides, the time it takes to put the 'hat' on is the time it takes to do an Auto Black Balance (just for luck, you understand).

I too have a Peli 1510, though I have padded dividers and a lid organiser as I can squeeze a little more in, and play around with which lenses to take. However, if I were to rent my kit out, I'd want a laser cut insert like these so it's obvious if something's missing.

One thing I would add - would there be room to fit the Zacuto C500/300/100 baseplate under the camera if you took a little window of foam out of the top?

 

[mhood]

Never. Ever. Ever. 75% of my shoots involve a plane ride, and if my underwear and socks go on their own private holiday without me, I can pick up new ones. I can't do that with my gear, so I fly WITH my gear.

Matt's points are my points. My 1510 is packed (mics, LED lights, 7D B cam, lenses, lots of other stuff) and since it is never checked, I have had nothing broken after hundreds of domestic and international flights. Frankly, I don't believe I want or need all that foam taking up room in my case.

Back by popular demand, a pic of my 1510...

 

[DNN]

I'd like a case that can accommodate the C100 with the handle affixed with room for the Wooden Camera plate, mic on the stock holder and a Sachtler sideload plate. Anything else I can add on afterwards. Most of my work is within driving distance, though I do have a 1510 for travel that's already setup to take my disassembled C100. I've been using a Tenba Roadie shoulder bag but am moving over to hard cases and carts with everything else. I do have a 1604 with padded dividers that I really like, but I currently use that primarily for sound gear and accessories. What would be helpful is to include better way to secure hard cases to a folding cart. Pelican cases can sometimes be uncomfortably slippery. Maybe add ridges across the bottom or on the corners with reinforced holes that can be used to secure tie down lines.

 

[slidemaster]

Im with Matt. DNNs idea is nice but will realistly be a very small percentage of users.

 

[nedcam]

The case will need wheels since it's for traveling. However, I have never had a use for pre-cut because: Things Always Change. You need the versatility and modularity of dividers such as Mhood's post above. What are the chances that the precut will serve your situation as time goes on? Zero.

There seems to be a LOT of wasted space that could be used if it had dividers instead of foam.

Sometimes TSA will open a case if it looks suspicious in xrays and who knows if they will remember how to put the puzzle pieces back together.

In the good old days when we had to travel with larger CRT monitors we would use pre-cut cases such as this because the shape of the monitor doesn't change. However, for a cameraman who is constantly packing according to the needs of the shoot, I would see a pre-cut as absolutely useless.

My two cents.

 

[puredrifting]

I agree with Ned, what I pack changes for almost every shoot. I take a lot of different lenses, filters, etc. to Africa for two weeks versus for a local indoor shoot for one day. There is also the 50lb weight shuffle when flying, I am always juggling different pieces to different cases to make the under 50lb limit. I don't see a big market for the pre cut cases other than for rental companies where I think they make more sense. Personally, I carry my cameras and lenses in a soft backpack, wrapped in my clothing for the trip when I fly, I find hard cases to be a PITA for stuffing into overhead and wheeled cases to be a PITA for running through airports when you are late for a connecting flight. I have a Cinebags backpack too, they are nice when you need to fly with a laptop but they too lose a lot of efficiency due to the dividers. With a C100 body and a couple of lenses, that easily fits in my soft backpack along with batteries, cards, chargers, mics, even XLR cables. I just find hard cases for cameras to be unnecessary unless you have a larger camera like a RED or FS700. With DSLRs, M43 and C100s, put it in a backpack and call it good. Clothing, wrapped carefully, neoprene lens bags and everything is cushioned and has some protection. I have been flying this way for about five years and other than a small scratch on my 5D MKII body where something rubbed against it, no problems.

 

[silverrush540]

Matt's points are my points. My 1510 is packed (mics, LED lights, 7D B cam, lenses, lots of other stuff) and since it is never checked, I have had nothing broken after hundreds of domestic and international flights. Frankly, I don't believe I want or need all that foam taking up room in my case.

Back by popular demand, a pic of my 1510...

View attachment 91765

Do you ever run into the issue of connecting flights using smaller regional planes? I usually try to bring everything in the 1510 but keep running into these smaller planes that can't fit the 1510.

 

[mhood]

Do you ever run into the issue of connecting flights using smaller regional planes? I usually try to bring everything in the 1510 but keep running into these smaller planes that can't fit the 1510.

I fly out of DFW and avoid regional jets like the plague. I do my best to only take direct flights and rent a car when I have to. The only damage I've suffered was to a laptop in a backpack/roller that was too big for a regional jet. They made me check it at the gate, then dropped it 10 feet onto the tarmac.