What do you think of my DIY camera storage box?

[RedSpectrumPictures]

I made a camera storage box for my design and technology coursework, and I am doing the evaluation section now. I would love to get some feedback from camera users to put into my evaluation section.

I suppose if you can answer questions like, - First impressions? Aesthetics? Suggestions for improvements? Does it look well made? And any other pieces of feedback

I know its hard to give feedback on something you can't physically touch, I have added some photos and a short youtube video of me using the storage box to sort of give you an idea on the product.

I am no professional, this was something I had to make for my college resistant materials class.

 

[Egg Born Son]

It looks cool and well made but definitely a novelty item for the casual shooter. The shape is impractical for frequent use. One thing you could do to improve it is add a soft lining to provide some impact shock protection and prevent scratches for the camera equipment. Those dividers I hope are at least plastic and not metal. Professional storage would have either an insert (with cutouts) or soft dividers that can be repositioned to fit around the user's gear. This is because no two cameramen own identical sets of equipment. Additionally we tend to be addicted to acquiring new gear we don't need resulting in an ever-evolving equipment list, so flexibility in the design is important. Kata or Petrol are a couple of brands you could search for examples of professional bags and cases. Also note that these days the professional equipment will often make the interior material brightly coloured to make it easier to find things in a bag (typically full of black equipment).

The box does look solidly made and the film motif is well realised (although more symbolic in the digital age...a memory card shaped box is hardly inspiring!). I can see there being a market for something like this for the casual shooter. For that consumer only the dividers need to be looked at. I guess there would be mixed feelings from a professional or even amateur about sporting a case shaped like a film strip but the larger issues would be the material (padded fabric preferred - lighter, more flexible, better impact protection), the dividers, and ability to be easily carried (carry-strap or wheels and handle for larger cases).

In terms of your course I could also see this being refitting as a storage box for dvds or photo albums or other film related memorabilia so the design does have some flexibility. It all boils down to your target market as much as its functionality. I could definitely see this selling in a homewares store or an ikea more successfully than a camera shop but as a novelty item I definitely could see a larger camera shop getting one or two just to have them on the shelf.

The wife/girlfriend/mother would definitely buy this for a cringing professional cameraman for their birthday and then not understand the luke warm reception! (or at least my mother would - "but it's got a film-strip on it, you love your camera..." hehe yeah thanks mum...) rogar-Dum(DBG):

 

[paulears]

I't a well build, good looking project, and will no doubt get good grades because of the difficulty of producing the curves. I've pursued the aim over the past few years that nothing I buy ever comes naked - so no matter what I buy, it goes in a proper case. Proper cases for me have protection on the corners, protection on the inside and can take the weight of other heavy things on top of them. My van is square, so making a proper pack would be really a pain with all the curves. I'd also be cursing the sharp angles - some look quite likely to trap fingers and leave marks or even draw blood. How does the lid stay on? I see no catches or ability to stick a padlock on. None of the corners have protection, so they will soon be rounded off. It is white, so will be dirty very quickly, but worse still - how do you carry it. The best protection for my video cameras has to be the moulded ones I had my old beta cams in - nice strong catches, 4 casters, handles and internal foam. When I retired those cameras, I kept the cases and changed the foam inside to be suitable for the new ones. Cases protect the stuff inside, and outside can survive the kicks, bangs and knocks. That's what cases are for. I don't think pretty and smart cases are really for use - they're for looking at.

Your project looks good, it looks made very well - but as a means of keeping an expensive investment safe? Not so sure?

 

[jambredz]

If it aint broke don't fix it As others have said, this seems to be very well made and its cool looking, however it seems pretty impractical for the serious shooter. Egg Born Son covered most of it already. We like the padded easily adjustable inserts because it is very flexible to varying situations and it also provides well needed padding and protection to our expensive gear. This would really be good as a interior design piece though.

 

[RedSpectrumPictures]

To start of with, thank you for the really useful feedback, I can make a whole page in my coursework just on your response
I really like what you had to say about making a SD card shape box, made me laugh.