What camera case?

[SamT]

Why the down on ammo tins Master Sam - don't think they do any more harm to caves than  all the other metal work we drag through 'em. They're very cheap (or free)

Quite simply because a better, lighter, more cave friendly, *inexpensive* alternative exists in the form of the Darren Drum. Ammo cans are just gert big lumpy heavy things to try and drag through caves. Its not just the convservation aspect - you have your knees to consider!!, they are just bloody awkward things.

Why recommend a newbie go and spend a fiver on one of them - when they can spend a fiver on a darren drum.
OK - £7.99.

(They) do the job

Rope ladders 'did the job' but we dont use them anymore.

lets face it some of the best (IMHO) under ground pics were taken with some very expensive hardware trusted to them!

The quality of the photos has nothing to do with the method of carrying the camera.

 

[mrodoc]

Been taking cave photos for 30 years usually with slr now top end digital compact. Originally ammobox but now a pelicase. For really wet conditions (and sumps) a rocket tube as it has an o ring (although be careful as mine recently leaked).  The sandwich containers with oring seals and clips are also very good and I have used them for flashguns in wet caves where they wouldn't be completely submerged for more than a second or two.

 

[SamT]

Hmm - dont pelicases and Darren drums also have 'O' rings.

 

[paul]

Hmm - dont pelicases and Darren drums also have 'O' rings.

Yep - but Pelicases have been known to leak a bit at shallow depths if submerged (we got a diver to carry one through the sump last year at Holme Bank Chert Mine and it did leak a little). Possibly due to dust or dirt on the seals.

 

[graham]

Been taking cave photos for 30 years usually with slr now top end digital compact. Originally ammobox but now a pelicase. For really wet conditions (and sumps) a rocket tube as it has an o ring (although be careful as mine recently leaked).  The sandwich containers with oring seals and clips are also very good and I have used them for flashguns in wet caves where they wouldn't be completely submerged for more than a second or two.

Do you still carry the "sausage" Pete?

 

[shotlighter]

[

lets face it some of the best (IMHO) under ground pics were taken with some very expensive hardware trusted to them!

The quality of the photos has nothing to do with the method of carrying the camera.
[/quote]
Quite agree - I was pointing out (probably not very well) that one of our best u/g photographers trusts his very valuable kit to them.
I hadn't considered the question of cost 'cause I don't think I've ever had to pay for one. Regardless of the fact that they are, as you point out bloody awkward, that fact alone makes 'em tops (I'm a mean ole git!).

 

[ogofmole]

If you go for the Pelicase don't use the internal form that comes with it, as it will draw moister into it when you open the case in damp areas. I use the 1300 Pelicase and bubble wrap, this keeps my D70 firm with no rattling around, I also keep a small piece of cloth to wipe hands with before handling camera, although my camera is covered in clingfilm before taking underground.

 

[shotlighter]

The tip about cloth to clean hands is, I think essential. In addition I'd include some surgical gloves or similar for those occasions when cloths aren't enough alone.

 

[francis]

I am saving up for a Nikon D80/D200 (The D200 looks better for underground/bad weather use as the house is made of metal and has some seals against water and dirt, but costs more).

After reading this thread I think I am going to get myself a Pelicase. Which pelicase is the best one for a Nikon dSLR sized camera with an extra flash?

Francis 

 

[SamT]

The tip about cloth to clean hands is, I think essential. In addition I'd include some surgical gloves or similar for those occasions when cloths aren't enough alone.

It doesnt matter how many clothes/gloves etc you take - your camera will still get a bit muddy. its a fact of caving life.

 

[mrodoc]

No Graham the sausage was retired over 20 years ago. Currently it's a yellow pelicase and nowt else. It makes caving a pleasure although from the model's point of view although I can take pics quickly I can take an indefinite number so they still get hypothermia/start whingeing.

 

[ogofmole]

I am saving up for a Nikon D80/D200 (The D200 looks better for underground/bad weather use as the house is made of metal and has some seals against water and dirt, but costs more).

After reading this thread I think I am going to get myself a Pelicase. Which pelicase is the best one for a Nikon dSLR sized camera with an extra flash?

Francis 

I have both the Nikon D70 and D200, The D70 is used most of the time underground, as I have found it to be a excellent workhorse. Digital noise is minimal with the D70 when using 30 second exposures. As for Pelicases I find it easier to use two cases a 1300 for the camera D70 or D200 and a 1150 which will hold 3 flashguns and 3 Fireflys. This way I can get both cases in one tackel bag with Tripod, this makes it easier to get around.

 

[graham]

No Graham the sausage was retired over 20 years ago. Currently it's a yellow pelicase and nowt else. It makes caving a pleasure although from the model's point of view although I can take pics quickly I can take an indefinite number so they still get hypothermia/start whingeing.

My dear wife wishes to remind you of three ocassions:

a) The time you had her lying in the stream in Cuthbert's for 20 minutes and then told her (some months later) there was no film in the camera.

b) The time She and Jim Durston were kept standing under a waterfall half way up a pitch, also in Cuthbert's, before they rebelled and p****d off before any photo was taken..

c) The hour and a half she spent in the Swildon's blockhouse on a "quick trip to Sump One and back" while you took my photo. Getting into the cave took longer than the rest of the trip.

 

[Dep]

...
For dryish places, low cost, and simplicity, suggest you trundle into a local cheap store and see if you can buy a food container with seal and clip down lid (clip down on at least the two long sides but the cheap one I found for a couple of quid had 4 good clips and silicon seal); then get some material such as an old sleeping mat and cut / contact glue it to make nice snug secure camera place in this box. Works real fine and is low weight compared to Peli
...

Geoff's cut down sleeping mat inside plastic case is pretty nifty (I've seen it) - and the same idea could be upgraded easily to wetter sites using a better quality container.

The waterprrof bags seem to have best use as secondary protection for the camera once out of its case - to protect from casual splashes. Probably less use for general transportation underground from what I have seen of other people's kit.

 

[footleg]

The following set-up has served me well for many years with all types of cameras:

Standard caving tacklesack, lined with camping mat foam for padding, then a dry bag inside that.
Into this I put variously (depending on size of camera) a BDH container with the camera inside, camera in a plastic tub, camera in a ewa-marine diving housing.

This provides a waterproof but protective and equally importantly 'easy to cave with' camera bag. There is room in the dry bag for additional flash guns (as many are you realistically ever need) and spare batteries, towels to wipe hands, lens wipes, etc. It is also much lighter than other hard case alternatives.

The ewa-marine housings are watertight PVC bags with a glass window. Great for digital cameras which can be focused manually using push buttons, but not possible to mount on a tripod. I mostly use slave units and don't carry a tripod, so this is fine. If I have to take the camera out of the housing then it still provides fully waterproof protection for the camera for transport through the cave (the dry bags tend to let in small amounts of water if submerged).

 

[francis]

How much can you fit into a 1200 Pelicase? Will I be able to fit 1 SLR (analog at the moment but going to upgrade to a digital Nikon when I can afford it) and 2-3 flash guns? The reason I'm mentioning a digital SLR is that they are bigger than the Pentax P30 I have now, and I dont want to have to buy another case later on.

Francis

 

[footleg]

Your best bet is to find a friendly camera shop which sells both the camera you plan to buy and stocks peli cases. Then try them out with the lens you want to see what fits. I found that some digital SLRs have quite deep bodies, and will not fit in many peli cases unless you remove the lens. One of the main draw backs to digi-SLRs is that the sensor is prone to attracting dirt (unlike film where the exposed bit of film is replaced for each picture) so you really don't want to be removing lenses underground if you can help it!

 

[francis]

Sadly, there are hardly any places that sell pelicases in Norway, so even if it would be good to try first then I will probably end up buying the box on the internet.

Francis

 

[ogofmole]

How much can you fit into a 1200 Pelicase? Will I be able to fit 1 SLR (analog at the moment but going to upgrade to a digital Nikon when I can afford it) and 2-3 flash guns? The reason I'm mentioning a digital SLR is that they are bigger than the Pentax P30 I have now, and I dont want to have to buy another case later on.

Francis

You will not fit a Nikon D70 with Lens fitted into a Pelicase 1200 as the case is only 104 mm deep, and the camera is 130mm high without any padding. If you only want to carry one case, then you can just about get a Nikon D70 with 18-70mm lens and two flashguns with fireflys into a Pelicase 1300 as I have just tried it using bubblewarp as packing.

 

[francis]

Thanks a lot!

I will get the 1300 then

Francis