Protecting Flashguns

[Steve Clark]

I'm looking into protection options for my flashguns. Wet hands of helpers mainly, but also for use in and around water. I currently use zip lock bags to give some handling protection, but this still allows people to accidentally press the buttons and change modes. Not ideal when dangling somewhere.

Thinking out of the box (hehe), I've spotted a spaghetti tupperware box in asda that looks ok, although a bit big.

Then I came across these. The kind of telescopic box you get hilti drill bits or big milling cutters in :

SQT

CLEARTEC

store.cleartecpackaging.co.uk

I think the 77mm one would take either a Yonguno cheap flash or a godox ad 200 pro (just). You would probably need to tape up the sliding joint with duct tape once you'd turned it on, but that should give a pretty good level of ingress protection.

They are pretty cheap (£2) and almost disposable but there is a large-ish minimum order quantity (115 pieces). Not ridiculous compared to the price of a decent strobe.

Anyone used these? Or found anything similar?

If I ordered some and they work, does anyone want some?

 

[alanw]

Have a look at Lock-n-Lock I use a 430ml cylindrical one for my SkyRay torch (which fits perfectly).

 

[Steve Clark]

Received some sample boxes this morning. These are 'transparent' polypropylene from their stock range. They seem really good for handling and easily sealed up with some tape. Should mean the flashes can be carried in a tackle bag rather than needing a peli case/darren drum. Perfect fit for yonguno / speedlites. The godox AD 200 is apparently the same dims but I need to check it. I will give these an in-cave test soon.

I've requested a sample of a shorter version in Clear PVC. These are non-stock manufactured to order with a minimum quant so need to see how good they are.

 

[first-ade]

If you want a waterproof option, Inglesport did do a version of this box that was clear and fitted a yongnuo in quite nicely with some carry mat foam. Though it appears that the clear option isn't currently available...

 

[rhyst]

I use Yongnuo flashes and I used to put them whole into a Peli 1060 case. If you get the transparent option and cut out a bit of the rubber insert then it seems to let through enough light. That worked well but the 1060 case is quite large and there was a decent amount of wasted space left in the case.

Now I have found that if you dissasemble the Yongnuo flashes then the components pretty much perfectly fit inside a peli 1030 case. I've done this to three flashes and I think the only downside is that the zoom function is a bit impaired. On the pictured one I shaved a bit of plastic of the side of the control section too but that just makes it sit better, not actually necessary. This is very compact and its nice to be able to just hand them out to people who can just clip them to harnesses when they move around.

From memory you need no tools other than a screwdriver, but I think there may be one bit of plastic that you need to snap at some point. Be a bit careful if you do this after having the flash on recently as it does hurt quite a lot if you get zapped by the big capacitor 😬