By James Booth
You've spent hundreds, maybe thousands on your camera gear, right? But what are you doing to keep that gear safe? Don't resign your camera to a purse, backpack, or briefcase. Quality photo equipment will last the better part of your life if properly cared for, and a quality case will protect your equipment for the duration of its life.
The styles
There about as many styles of camera cases as there are cameras, but most fall into a few broad categories. Fitted cases are shaped like your camera, and are generally made of leather, but can be just about any material. A fitted case is really more like a skin for your camera, and because each case is molded in the same shape as the camera, they're specific to each model. Some have flaps that can be opened to reveal the lens and/or back of the camera, while still staying attached to the camera body.
In my opinion, these fitted cases serve about as much purpose as putting a Faberge egg in a Ziploc bag. They may be an added benefit for the occasional jostle when on a trip to the zoo, but I wouldn't trust it to keep my camera safe long-term.
Next up on the list is the gear bag. Gear bags are very popular and come in a wide variety of sizes and configurations. Some gear bags are really nothing more than a glorified soft-sided lunch bag, while others are as large as a duffle, with multiple compartments and removable sections. The bag in Figure A is typical of the standard gear bag.
FIGURE A
The gear bag, although popular, is essentially a purse for your camera. (click for larger image)
A sub-category of the gear bag is the gear backpack. Personally, I've always thought the gear backpacks were pretty neat. As you can see in Figure B, the gear backpack has convenient little compartments arranged in such a manner as to evenly distribute the weight of your gear.
FIGURE B
The gear backpack is essentially a gear bag turned on its side. (click for larger image)
Although I wouldn't rely on a gear backpack for permanent storage and transportation of my equipment, it's very convenient for a location shoot, particularly if you have to trek to a remote spot. Many of them even have external straps to secure a tripod.
For true full-time protection and safety, I only trust a hard-shell case. Hard-shell cases generally come in either plastic or metal, and can be foam-lined or not. In truth, the plastic cases would be more desirable than metal ones. The plastic cases are constructed of a high-impact plastic for strength, and usually have an O-ring seal to make them waterproof. Depending on what you put in them, plastic cases will in all likelihood remain buoyant if immersed in water.
The metal cases aren't likely to float, and are most probably not waterproof either, but they sure look neater. They're reminiscent of the brushed steel briefcases seen all those spy movies, and for some reason just feel more sturdy than the plastic ones.
In either case, many of them will be lined in foam, with generally two layers on the bottom and one in the lid. The idea is to make cutouts in the middle layer of foam to completely encase your equipment, like you see in Figure C.
FIGURE C
A hard, foam-lined case will provide the most protection for your equipment. (click for larger image)
Most of the non-foamed varieties have adjustable compartments that can be arranged and configured to suit your tastes and your equipment, which is definitely a plus. The non-foamed hard cases are just as valid when it comes to storing your gear, and I've seen quite a few professional photographers rely on them. For my piece of mind though, I just prefer the foamed cases.
Honestly, when it comes to your gear, not everything has to be encased in foam to keep it secure. Your camera and lenses are the most critical and should be secured as much as possible, but things like lipstick brushes, lens cleaning cloths, cables, external flash units and the like are perfectly safe in a hard-shell compartment case. Ideally, I'd like to have a mix of the two, with foam for my camera and lenses, and adjustable compartments for the rest of my gear.
The cost
Here's where your wallet will take a hit. Photographic equipment is a market that has some of the worst mark-up practices I've ever seen. I've seen hard-shell camera cases for five times the cost of the identical product sold as a gun case. This is where the bargain hunter in you can rise to the surface. Used camera retailers, swap meets, garage sales, and even eBay are good places to find quality hard cases at a discount price. Make sure to really look at a case carefully before buying.
Just because you're putting a camera in a case doesn't mean it has to be a "certified" camera case. One of my earlier cases was originally a rectangular backpack designed to hang in a school locker, to which I added foam inserts. My last metal case I found in the tool department at Wal-Mart. It even had "pick-and-pluck" foam inside, which is foam that has been die-cut into half-inch squares to make it easier to create cut-outs specifically for your equipment. This is the very same foam that comes in those "certified" camera cases with price tags of over $100.
Conclusion
Don't trust the safety and security of your camera gear to just any old handbag. By investing in a quality case to protect your quality gear, it will last a lifetime. You don't have to spend hundreds on an "official" camera case to protect your gear either. Shop around and you'll often find a quality case at a budget price.