(Note to the community: This is a repost of an article written late last year, updated a bit and with more photos. As written this article applies to the Pelican 1600 but may be applicable to other Pelican models as well)
Pelican manufactures some of the best hard cases around. These rugged and extremely durable cases are sold in a variety of sizes to accommodate a wide range of equipment. The Pelican 1600 is a popular model for DV gear, and several online communities highly recommend it as the ideal case to use with the Panasonic AG-DVX100 and AG-DVX100A. Another model to consider is the slightly larger 1620, while other users have reported success with cases as small as the Pelican 1400, a very tight fit but perfect for kayaking or mountain climbing adventures.
Waterproof, airtight, and pressure controlled, these cases come with a lifetime warranty. However, these cases are popular not only because of the excellent protection they provide but because of their ability to accommodate practically any assortment of gear in a custom configuration.
Open a Pelican case and you’ll see how this is accomplished. A Pelican case is lined with four layers of foam: an egg-crate shaped layer, which lines the lid, and three other layers located in the storage area of the case itself. The bottom-most layer of this section is for additional shock absorption whereas the other two are made in such a way that you can customize them for a specific fit.
This is possible because these two foam layers have been perforated with deliberate but small incisions so that you can remove whole sections of foam all the way down to squares a half-inch in size for a snug fit. These incisions may be difficult to spot at first so look carefully! Simply tear the foam away to make room for your camcorder and accessories, taking care not to be too rough since a bad tear will leave uneven edges.
Despite the custom fit you can achieve with these cases, preparing a Pelican case can take some time and careful consideration. What essential accessories will you include along with your camera? How will you arrange them? Pelican recommends placing all the equipment you want stored in the case on the surface of the foam, and then marking the measurements with toothpicks. You remove foam blocks according to the closest fit for each lens, camera, or any other equipment.
In an attempt to simplify this process, I quickly drew up a camcorder template for those members of the DVX User community who are interested in purchasing a Pelican case. Unfortunately, this template only accounts for the camcorder itself; you’ll have to measure for your other equipment the old fashioned way.
Pictured below are two templates, followed by a few photos of the setup in discussion. The first template – Template 1 – is a default measurement guide for the AG-DVX100(A) while the second template – Template 2 – includes some options you might want to consider. Remember, so that your camera fits properly, you will have to modify two layers of pick-n-pluck foam, not just one!
Pelican manufactures some of the best hard cases around. These rugged and extremely durable cases are sold in a variety of sizes to accommodate a wide range of equipment. The Pelican 1600 is a popular model for DV gear, and several online communities highly recommend it as the ideal case to use with the Panasonic AG-DVX100 and AG-DVX100A. Another model to consider is the slightly larger 1620, while other users have reported success with cases as small as the Pelican 1400, a very tight fit but perfect for kayaking or mountain climbing adventures.
Waterproof, airtight, and pressure controlled, these cases come with a lifetime warranty. However, these cases are popular not only because of the excellent protection they provide but because of their ability to accommodate practically any assortment of gear in a custom configuration.
Open a Pelican case and you’ll see how this is accomplished. A Pelican case is lined with four layers of foam: an egg-crate shaped layer, which lines the lid, and three other layers located in the storage area of the case itself. The bottom-most layer of this section is for additional shock absorption whereas the other two are made in such a way that you can customize them for a specific fit.
This is possible because these two foam layers have been perforated with deliberate but small incisions so that you can remove whole sections of foam all the way down to squares a half-inch in size for a snug fit. These incisions may be difficult to spot at first so look carefully! Simply tear the foam away to make room for your camcorder and accessories, taking care not to be too rough since a bad tear will leave uneven edges.
Despite the custom fit you can achieve with these cases, preparing a Pelican case can take some time and careful consideration. What essential accessories will you include along with your camera? How will you arrange them? Pelican recommends placing all the equipment you want stored in the case on the surface of the foam, and then marking the measurements with toothpicks. You remove foam blocks according to the closest fit for each lens, camera, or any other equipment.
In an attempt to simplify this process, I quickly drew up a camcorder template for those members of the DVX User community who are interested in purchasing a Pelican case. Unfortunately, this template only accounts for the camcorder itself; you’ll have to measure for your other equipment the old fashioned way.
Pictured below are two templates, followed by a few photos of the setup in discussion. The first template – Template 1 – is a default measurement guide for the AG-DVX100(A) while the second template – Template 2 – includes some options you might want to consider. Remember, so that your camera fits properly, you will have to modify two layers of pick-n-pluck foam, not just one!
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