By: Andrew Seltz
I do a lot of corporate video projects that involve traveling alone with my gear in tow. I have spent many mornings pulling multiple roller bags through the airport with a tripod case on a shoulder strap sliding of one shoulder and my carry-on bag sliding off of the other. Getting around with a pile of bags and cases can be a real pain, and bringing a cart or dolly is just one more piece of extra baggage to check onto the plane. Well, no more!
Porter Case to the Rescue
The company I work for recently upgraded my equipment and I was able to order a complete new camera package. I chose to order a Porter Case for the camera instead of buying the manufacturer's case. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
This past weekend I traveled on a shoot and was able to carry 2 cameras, 2 tripods, my suitcase (mostly filled with extra gear), and my laptop bag with ease! I flipped out the handle on one case, stacked everything else on top, and secured everything with the built in tie-down strap. I was able to quickly stack and unstack things as I loaded them into my car, got onto shuttle busses, and checked in at the airport.
Porter Case Even Save Me Money
When I got to the check-in line at the airport I was surprised to find that my new camera case was small enough to take as carry-on baggage. My b-camera operator and I carried the cameras onto the plane (and reduced the risk of having them abused by baggage handlers). This saved me over $100 in extra fees that I am used to paying for when traveling.
The Porter Case comes with several layers of blank foam padding that you can cut and shape to fit all of the gear you need to hold. It took a little creativity to fit everything in, but I got a Sony Z1U HDV camera, 4 high capacity batteries, cables, remote, battery charger, shotgun mike with wind screen, wide angle lens, and a Century matte box with rails packed into the case with enough of padding to keep everything safe.
It was a little bit of work customizing the foam padding, but well worth the effort. I have all of my essential gear packed neatly in one case.
The Porter Cases are not perfect (but almost!) My biggest complaint is that there is no handle on the top of the case. Everytime I put the bar handle down to stow the case, I found myself reaching for a handle that wasn't there. There is a handle on the side, but I kept instinctually looking for one on top. (All of the rolling luggage I have is designed this way, so I'm used to it.)
I also wish the latches on the case were a little more rugged. They are very sleek briefcase type locks.
I had to load up my camera in a big hurry at one point, in order to catch my ride back to the hotel. I didn't get everything packed perfectly and the locks didn't close properly - but I couldn't tell because the case stayed shut. While I was dragging the bag along, it popped open. Nothing fell out, but I got a horrific image in my mind of the case opening up in the hands of a baggage handler and a $5000 camera package spilling out onto the tarmac. A luggage strap will help here, but I wish they had just used a more sturdy latch. Thanks to the small size of the case, I plan to always carry it onto the plane too.
Without hesitation, I can say that the Porter Case is one of the best investments I've made in gear this year! If you travel - GET ONE TODAY!
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