recommendation on case for LTR?

[adam berk]

I'm currently looking to upgrade to a new and better case for my aaton LTR. My current case is beat, and isn't really cut out for shipping or checking into airplane baggage. Abel recommended me over to A&J Cases. The cases there seem really nice, and I'll probably end up with one, but none of the designs they've showed me look to have ample space for storing the two batteries, rods, and wooden grip I'd like to keep in the same case as the camera.

 

Anyone have any tips?

 

thanks,

adam

[Chris Keth]

I'm currently looking to upgrade to a new and better case for my aaton LTR. My current case is beat, and isn't really cut out for shipping or checking into airplane baggage. Abel recommended me over to A&J Cases. The cases there seem really nice, and I'll probably end up with one, but none of the designs they've showed me look to have ample space for storing the two batteries, rods, and wooden grip I'd like to keep in the same case as the camera.

 

Anyone have any tips?

 

thanks,

adam

 

Have you checked Pelican and Stormcase? Thet both have an awful lot of configurations, are both waterproof, and nearly indestructable. Perhaps one would fit your needs.

[Mitch Gross]

The standard case from Abel would hold the body, two mags, rods, handgrip and have room for some other little bits. You might be able to squeeze in two batteries but then you'd still need to get the charger somewhere. Personally I think that would be a very heavy case. I'd suggest one case for camera & mags and another case for lenses & accessories. Frankly I'd like the lenses to have their own case but it all depends on how much you have and what you can afford.

[Brian Drysdale]

The exchange rate might be against you, but Case Design make great cases. They're used by rental companies.

 

http://www.case-design.co.uk/

[adam berk]

I actually just got off the phone with Janet at A&J Cases. We discussed some modifications to the standard Abel #119 case that would allow for a bigger, more padded accessory compartment, two padded slots for batteries, wheels and a retractable suitcase style handle. I'm looking forward to getting the drawings back from the designers. Janet has been extremely helpful and willing.

[Marc Alucard]

Good guys. I have cases that have flown hundreds of times.

 

ATA flight cases get heavy quickly. Mitch is right. Think about two smaller cases for easier carry, and airline weight limits.

 

 

Hybrid Cases

[adam berk]

Good guys. I have cases that have flown hundreds of times.

 

ATA flight cases get heavy quickly. Mitch is right. Think about two smaller cases for easier carry, and airline weight limits.

Hybrid Cases

 

 

Yeah you're right about the airline weight limit. That 50lbs can fill up quick for US flights. It would kinda suck to plan to pay $25 extra at the curb every time I fly. Perhaps I should look back at the Pelicans again. A&J can do custom foam for those things too. I wonder if it would be possible get everything I want in one case that fits the weight requirements with a Pelican. I'll give Janet a call again tomorrow.

 

adam

[Marc Alucard]

Yeah you're right about the airline weight limit. That 50lbs can fill up quick for US flights. It would kinda suck to plan to pay $25 extra at the curb every time I fly. Perhaps I should look back at the Pelicans again. A&J can do custom foam for those things too. I wonder if it would be possible get everything I want in one case that fits the weight requirements with a Pelican. I'll give Janet a call again tomorrow.

 

adam

 

 

I fly gear about 25 round trips from Dallas to Las Vegas a year.

 

I ALWAYS tip the baggage guy who checks me in at he curb counter and I NEVER get hit the up charge. So far. LOL

 

BTW- Pelican cases are still pretty heavy.

[Mitch Gross]

From my personal experiences with camera cases, plus observing other owner/operators and all our rental customers, I can tell you that it is vastly preferable to have a few medium sized cases than one big one, even if it on wheels. The thing just becomes a beached whale that you'll want to ditch right away.

 

Think of it this way, when shooting, you'll basically empty out the camera case. Build the camera with a mag and handgrip, maybe stash the second mag in a run bag. From the lens case you extract the charger and station itby an outlet somewhere, leaving a battery or two in the case along with your glass. This is the perfect case to have next to you by the tripod all day long.

 

Before I sold my Aaton, I really had it all worked out case-wise. One case held the body & two mags. Another heldall my primes. Another held batteries, charger, the zoom and a third mag. Still others held all the accessories (mattebox, handgrips, etc.) and the filters. At the beginning of the day I built the camera with one mag and kept the other two in the camera case. This became the storage spot for mags for the day, still light and small enough to run around with. The accessory case was completely emptied and assembled onto the camera and then stowed. The prime case would always be by my side with the zoom case and filter case sitting on the cart ready if I needed them. It was a very efficient way to work and no case weighed more than about 30 pounds, much less the airline limit of 50. Have you ever lugged 50 pounds of dead weight? Trust me, it sucks. If I must do it I prefer to have roughly half in each arm via two cases to balance the load.

 

Invest in a good A&J-type case instead of a Pelican. APelican bows in the middle if someone stands on it, and trust me they will. A good sized lens/accessory casemake theperfect seat next to the tripod and you'll always have room to expand your kit or add items you rent for the day.

[adam berk]

From my personal experiences with camera cases, plus observing other owner/operators and all our rental customers, I can tell you that it is vastly preferable to have a few medium sized cases than one big one, even if it on wheels. The thing just becomes a beached whale that you'll want to ditch right away.

 

Think of it this way, when shooting, you'll basically empty out the camera case. Build the camera with a mag and handgrip, maybe stash the second mag in a run bag. From the lens case you extract the charger and station itby an outlet somewhere, leaving a battery or two in the case along with your glass. This is the perfect case to have next to you by the tripod all day long.

 

Before I sold my Aaton, I really had it all worked out case-wise. One case held the body & two mags. Another heldall my primes. Another held batteries, charger, the zoom and a third mag. Still others held all the accessories (mattebox, handgrips, etc.) and the filters. At the beginning of the day I built the camera with one mag and kept the other two in the camera case. This became the storage spot for mags for the day, still light and small enough to run around with. The accessory case was completely emptied and assembled onto the camera and then stowed. The prime case would always be by my side with the zoom case and filter case sitting on the cart ready if I needed them. It was a very efficient way to work and no case weighed more than about 30 pounds, much less the airline limit of 50. Have you ever lugged 50 pounds of dead weight? Trust me, it sucks. If I must do it I prefer to have roughly half in each arm via two cases to balance the load.

 

Invest in a good A&J-type case instead of a Pelican. APelican bows in the middle if someone stands on it, and trust me they will. A good sized lens/accessory casemake theperfect seat next to the tripod and you'll always have room to expand your kit or add items you rent for the day.

 

 

This is definitely a very convincing argument. Do you by any chance have any design serial numbers for A&J that correspond with something you'd recommend as a lens/accessory case?

 

 

thanks to everyone for your comments,

adam

[Marc Alucard]

Hello Adam,

 

Stick to recessed handles and recessed butterfly latches. Use wire ties to secure the latches and tape extras to the case in the event the TSA inspector is kind enough to replace them.

 

I don't like wheels mounted to the cases. They are easily damaged and seldom large enough to handle the outdoors.

 

We found that TSA was never able to correctly reclose a Pelican case and we had partially open cases come down the baggage carousal.

 

Good Luck!!

 

Cheers,

Marc

[Mitch Gross]

This is definitely a very convincing argument. Do you by any chance have any design serial numbers for A&J that correspond with something you'd recommend as a lens/accessory case?

thanks to everyone for your comments,

adam

Don't have the info handy, but just call our LA office and ask them about our standard long accessory case. It has adjustable dividers and there are foam inserts available for primes or zooms. This is what I personally owned before joining Abel.

[adam berk]

thanks again everyone