Panasonic Hard Shell Case - Is it nice?

[DaFireMedic]

Here's how I keep mine from being tampered with:

I love it. Any trouble checking it into baggage on an airplane?

Nah.. that's way too obvious.. do something like spray paint "St. Teresa, United Baptist Church - Bible Study Group 3" on it.. nothing from a church looks appealing and that's the damn truth!

You try to start this argument on every forum you show up in, regardless of the thread subject.

Quit trolling......

 

[D.R. Gates]

I love it. Any trouble checking it into baggage on an airplane?

Let's just say I'm on their list.

:undecided

 

[AdrenalineSleep]

I am looking into getting a Pelican for my HMC. The 1560 is nice and all but it look a little large and unwieldy (sp?). Maybe my perception is off. Can anyone post a picture of the case with the camera on top (or inside for that matter) for comparison?

I am at most going to be carrying camera, batteries, chargers, SD cards and assorted paperwork. Looks like some of these might be too big.

Recommendations on a case to store a smaller setup?

 

[Shizznid]

I am looking into getting a Pelican for my HMC. The 1560 is nice and all but it look a little large and unwieldy (sp?). Maybe my perception is off. Can anyone post a picture of the case with the camera on top (or inside for that matter) for comparison?

I am at most going to be carrying camera, batteries, chargers, SD cards and assorted paperwork. Looks like some of these might be too big.

Recommendations on a case to store a smaller setup?

Here are a few photos of my HMC in a Pelican 1560 case. Even with the camera, a small LED light, batteries, charger, and a Sennheiser lav kit, I've still got plenty of room for other stuff.

 

[AdrenalineSleep]

Here are a few photos of my HMC in a Pelican 1560 case. Even with the camera, a small LED light, batteries, charger, and a Sennheiser lav kit, I've still got plenty of room for other stuff.

Thanks much. That pretty much looks like the amount of stuff I would be bringing with me. I might opt for a smaller case.

thanks for the pictures!!

The pictures bring up another good question... Is it Ok to keep the camera stored for extended periods of time with the eye cup inverted like that? I just removed it and put it in another compartment of my camera bag because i didn't like the way it looked flipped like that. Am i being paranoid?

 

[Shizznid]

The pictures bring up another good question... Is it Ok to keep the camera stored for extended periods of time with the eye cup inverted like that? I just removed it and put it in another compartment of my camera bag because i didn't like the way it looked flipped like that. Am i being paranoid?

Yeah, you're being paranoid. I have a few DVX's, Sony V1U's and Z1U's, and a bunch of other cameras. I've kept the eye-cup inverted like that forever, and never had a problem.

 

[sagedrummer]

Really nice work on the foam inside your case. Did you have that custom done or did you do it yourself?

 

[AdrenalineSleep]

Really nice work on the foam inside your case.

I second that Shizznid . More importantly though:

That pick and pluck foam eventually wears down on the surface and you get the powder-like residue in/on your equipment.

Have you experienced this with your setup?

 

[BrianMurphy]

If you intend to "carry on" when flying you may have problems with some airlines and the size of the 1560. They are not as easy going as they used to be especially on short hops between major cities.

 

[D.R. Gates]

Have you experienced this with your setup?

No, but a friend did. That's why I went with the dividers.

I will say, with the HMC150 being tapeless, there's really less to worry about in regards to residue getting into the tape mechanism. So maybe it wouldn't really be a big deal if you had the foam.

 

[Shizznid]

Really nice work on the foam inside your case. Did you have that custom done or did you do it yourself?

That MUST be sarcasm. Of all my gear, and all my Pelican cases, this one has the most hack-job, half-assed foam job of all of them! (I had to do it in a hurry, on my way out the door for a shoot!) :dankk2:

As for the airline carry-on, BrianMurphy is right - it can be a pain in the ass. I've flown with the 1560 case a few dozen times, and I normally have to check the case. Personally, (knock on wood) I've never had a problem with damage, etc. If you must check your gear, always try to do a "gate check-in" - your gear goes on last, and comes out first.

I've never experienced any type of powder-like residue with the foam degrading.

 

[BrianMurphy]

If you must check your gear, always try to do a "gate check-in" - your gear goes on last, and comes out first.

I had to do this often over the past couple of years especially on small planes flying in the Arctic and in Brazil. The only issue with doing this (when you can) on major routes is if the ground crew is in a hurry, it gets tossed on board with the baby strollers. It is still the way to go if you can't carry on. I went with the Thermodyne Case.for me it has worked out well. I bought a used one for my DVX previously and a new one for the HMC. It is sized to the airline specs, it very rugged as we found out when it was on the back of a golf cart and the director jumped in and took off. The case flew off the back and tumbled down a hill on the stone cart path coming to rest thirty feet later . A few scuffs on the surface and not a thing out of place inside since it is cut to fit perfectly.
But in the final analysis a good case is one that works for you. I got back Wednesday from a road trip and as you can see from the pics I travel with a few cases. From my Kessler Crane to Brevis and lenses none have ever let me down....like my friend above says "touch wood"

 

[rudetay]

Can someone that owns the Thermodyne case take a picture of the inside or provide some more information on how much room it has for extra stuff on top of the camera?

I mostly just want to make sure it might work if I'm carrying a wireless, shotgun, handheld mic, and maybe some extra stuff.

I'm deciding between the Pelican and the Thermodyne. I have a small pelican for my SLR I take on harsh weather trips, and I use one for my laptop, so I'm familiar with the product, but the custom cut foam of the Thermodyne is tempting.

 

[BrianMurphy]

Here you go:
In my case I carry:
2 large batteries
1 small battery
1 Charger and associated cords and cables for AC operation and Charging
2 Short XLRs
1 Set Shure ear buds in one side of a dollar store change purse and a 9v in the other.
1 Remote Control
1 Varizoom rocker zoom/iris/focus control
1 Rode SM3 shotgun suspension
1 5 LED Flashlight
1 Pelican SD Card Case-Loaded with 8 16 Gig Cards
1 Transcend Card Reader
1 PenKnife style Alan Wrench/ScrewDriver
1 B&W UV Filter/case
1 B&W Circular Polarizer
1 Cavision 1568B Rod assembly and 10" Carbon Fibre rails
1 Cavision RHD 1560 Dual Grip assembly
1 Spare Manfrotto quick release plate
1 3.5mm Headphone splitter cable
1 bottle lens cleaner and two micro fibre clothes
1 Lens Pen
1 Bubble Level
2 Dollar Store clip on LED lights
1 Panasonic User Manual

 

[sagedrummer]

I wasn't being sarcastic, it looks good from the photo. Is that the "pick and pluck" foam option from Pelican?

That MUST be sarcasm. Of all my gear, and all my Pelican cases, this one has the most hack-job, half-assed foam job of all of them! (I had to do it in a hurry, on my way out the door for a shoot!) :dankk2:

As for the airline carry-on, BrianMurphy is right - it can be a pain in the ass. I've flown with the 1560 case a few dozen times, and I normally have to check the case. Personally, (knock on wood) I've never had a problem with damage, etc. If you must check your gear, always try to do a "gate check-in" - your gear goes on last, and comes out first.

I've never experienced any type of powder-like residue with the foam degrading.

 

[Shizznid]

I wasn't being sarcastic, it looks good from the photo. Is that the "pick and pluck" foam option from Pelican?

Yup. Pick and Pluck all the way...

 

[rudetay]

I just purchased the carry on safe size Pelican Case (1510) with the padded dividers.

Easily fits the camera and most required extras, and avoids the carry on problems of the larger pelican cases. The adjustability of the padding and the wheels pushed it over the Thermodyne for me.