Pelican 1610 (Black) Case with Foam

My wife and I are wedding photographers and we use a 2 camera system. We typically bring separate bags/backpacks to events which contain our camera bodies, lenses, strobes, and accessories. All of the bags go into a large Stanley work box cart along with other gear like tripods, monopods, stands, lighting accessories, etc. I was looking for a way to consolidate all of the camera specific gear where I don't have to dig around through several bags to find what I'm looking for: bodies, lenses, strobes, batteries, memory cards, etc. I wanted the bag to be strong but portable, secure, with easy access to my gear. Weight was less of a concern. The box is fairly weighty (it is made from thick stock), but it is not meant to be carried around. It was meant to be carted ... MoreMy wife and I are wedding photographers and we use a 2 camera system. We typically bring separate bags/backpacks to events which contain our camera bodies, lenses, strobes, and accessories. All of the bags go into a large Stanley work box cart along with other gear like tripods, monopods, stands, lighting accessories, etc. I was looking for a way to consolidate all of the camera specific gear where I don't have to dig around through several bags to find what I'm looking for: bodies, lenses, strobes, batteries, memory cards, etc. I wanted the bag to be strong but portable, secure, with easy access to my gear. Weight was less of a concern. The box is fairly weighty (it is made from thick stock), but it is not meant to be carried around. It was meant to be carted around, hence the wheels and retractable handle. If someone told me it would survive a tumble over Niagara Falls, I would believe it. It fits both of my camera bodies with 24-70mm lenses, plus 5 more lenses ranging from a fisheye to two 70-200mm lenses. The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L fits in the box standing on end. I can also fit 2 flashes and all of my accessories (batteries, filters, memory cards, blower, etc.) into a separate compartment I made for this purpose.I have only a few nitpicky issues with the box, and they are almost not worth mentioning. One is the latches are slightly hard to engage. They take a bit of force to open and close, but this is probably necessary to ensure a tight seal when closed. Another is the egg crate foam in the lid keeps falling out whenever I open the box, but I will soon remedy this with some double stick tape. The retractable handle is slightly low when extended. It's a minor inconvenience for me since I'm not very tall, but those over six feet might find it to be even less convenient. Aside from all that, the price is pretty high considering when all is said and done it is a plastic box, albeit a very useful one. The security and convenience it provides helped me justify the cost.Overall, I'm very impressed with the construction and quality of this box, and the dividers make it customizable to suit the needs of the photographer with a lot of gear. It fits into the trunk of our Nissan Altima, and even loaded with all the gear I mentioned above, I am still able to carry it short distances with either the large side mounted grab handle, or the two grab handles mounted on the ends. It's strong enough to stand on, and also makes a great imprompteau seat. This box is way too large for someone with one camera and a couple of lenses, but for a photographer with a 2-3 camera "system", it's perfect.

I bought this case as a much more durable alternative to the traditional suitcase for travel. I originally bought a Pelican 1510 for that purpose but found that I needed something bigger. This thing is able to swallow up an impressive amount of stuff and keep it protected from the elements and airline baggage handlers. The option to lock the case with padlocks is a plus for me, keeps the honest people honest.I know using these cases for transporting clothes and stuff isn't what they were originally designed for, but Id rather spent more on a case that will probably last me the rest of my life than having to replace suitcases all the time. Plus without the foam, I can make my own organization system that works for me.For the times I have transported delicate ... MoreI bought this case as a much more durable alternative to the traditional suitcase for travel. I originally bought a Pelican 1510 for that purpose but found that I needed something bigger. This thing is able to swallow up an impressive amount of stuff and keep it protected from the elements and airline baggage handlers. The option to lock the case with padlocks is a plus for me, keeps the honest people honest.I know using these cases for transporting clothes and stuff isn't what they were originally designed for, but Id rather spent more on a case that will probably last me the rest of my life than having to replace suitcases all the time. Plus without the foam, I can make my own organization system that works for me.For the times I have transported delicate things, these cases work great for that too. Helped a friend with his photography equipment and the case kept his lenses and all that safe while it bounced around in the truck, just remember to use good straps to secure the case down, not bungee cords like we did. :)All in all, worth the price of admission. Id recommend these cases to anyone.

This case is just... SO... AWESOME. When it came to the door, it was in a flimsy cardboard box, kind of falling apart. But that almost made pulling the actual case out so much more overwhelming. The case itself is so impressive, nothing rattles, the plastic is a tough composite, which flexes just enough to let you know it will never crack. The wheels don't jiggle, but are still very smooth, everything about the case spells rugged. Opening up the case the padding from the dividers were just everywhere. It comes with so many pads, I don't think there's a way I'd ever use them all. Here's where the case gets a star off from perfect. It doesn't seem like the interior padding was made for this case. It kind of turns up a little instead of sitting against the walls, ... MoreThis case is just... SO... AWESOME. When it came to the door, it was in a flimsy cardboard box, kind of falling apart. But that almost made pulling the actual case out so much more overwhelming. The case itself is so impressive, nothing rattles, the plastic is a tough composite, which flexes just enough to let you know it will never crack. The wheels don't jiggle, but are still very smooth, everything about the case spells rugged. Opening up the case the padding from the dividers were just everywhere. It comes with so many pads, I don't think there's a way I'd ever use them all. Here's where the case gets a star off from perfect. It doesn't seem like the interior padding was made for this case. It kind of turns up a little instead of sitting against the walls, because one of the sides is too long. Seems like a small thing, but it actually hinders the setting of all of the other walls in the interior. Does it affect performance? Maybe, maybe not! Anyway, the case is enormous, weighing in at 22lb, empty, there's practically no hope in getting this thing standard airline check-in compliant at 50lb. No matter, it's a great way to lug things around by car, and worse comes to worst, I can always pay the extra bit for overweight luggage. I chose the 1614 because I needed it to carry my portable studio. Here's a basic list of the things I always have in it: 3 einstein e640, cables, 7reflectors, 20, 30, 40 grids, vagabond mini, extension cords, power strips, and a 24 flat panel monitor for on-site proofing. On top of that, there is plenty of space to fit at least 2 more vagabond minis, or another einstein, and other accessories. This is a fantastic case, and I will definitely be getting a couple more down the road!