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Archive 2014 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.

  
 
Matt OHarver
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


I realize this isn't "sport" related and it's gear related, which should go into another category, however based on what I need sports photographers are the ones that I feel this should be tailored for.


I need/want a rolling hard case that will hold 2-3 AB800's, with stock reflectors and cabling, and also 2 PCB Mini Vega bonds.

I have been doing LL photos for the local club, and because of a late start for them due to weather, they had not done team and individual. I contracted with them to do them, and agreed(against my better judgement) to do them 3-4 teams an evening until I had all 32 teams done. So I am lugging all the gear to the set up spot 3-4 times a week. I have realized that an investment in a nice roller would help this and also give me storage for them while not in use.

Does anyone have a suggestion on what to buy, and even better a photo of what you are currently using?

Thanks in advance.

Matt



Jun 12, 2014 at 11:49 PM
Top Gun
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Matt after seeing one of these in person it is on my short list of items to buy.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=kata+rolling&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

I am looking at the extra large for myself but I am thinking a medium or large would suit you just fine.

A little bit pricey but they are really well made and should last for a while!

-Isaiah



Jun 13, 2014 at 02:49 AM
James Broome
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Is this too big?

It's the Pelican 1650 w/ dividers and optional lid organizer. $322 from B+H.








Jun 13, 2014 at 07:03 AM
Matt OHarver
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Thanks for the link Top Gun. James what kind of case is that? I actually own 4 Ab800 so that might be nice.


Jun 13, 2014 at 07:26 AM
rdalrt
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


+1 to the Pelican 1650.









Jun 13, 2014 at 07:35 AM
Matt OHarver
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Thanks guys, after looking at your setup, looking at them online with the dividers and top piece. I decided that is exactly what I needed to store and transport them, so I ordered a full set up from Amazon and will have it early next week. Thanks again for the input.


Matt



Jun 13, 2014 at 08:56 AM
pat.kane
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Though Matt has already made his decision, I thought I would add that I've seen similar posts in the past with quite a few people deciding on the FatMax 4-in-1 Mobile Work Station

http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-020800R-FatMax-Mobile-Station/dp/B000V29B7K



Jun 13, 2014 at 03:53 PM
Focus Locus
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Pat Kane raises an excellent point, without necessarily articulating it. But I like things spelled out, so here goes:

The Pelican lacks a very important feature for field sports.

Big wheels.

Rolling over grass, gravel, and whatever that grit is called that covers all the bases, the pitcher's mound, and home plate, is literally hell on wheels. Especially those itty bitty Pelican wheels.

I've burned through three different versions of that 1650 over the years. In the earliest version with the flip up handle, the wheels didn't have ball bearing cartridges, so the plastic axle bores would wear eccentrically, and wear out. Also, the wheels were positioned too close together, causing the case tip wrench your wrist from side tipping while rolling.

Later, when the handle moved to an externally added back panel, and impact deflection ribs were molded into the side of the case, the wheels were moved more towards the outboard ends, but not entirely. And despite the wheels being dually's on both sides, they were still too small to not get stuck in gravel. Even a piece of pea gravel can stop the case in its tracks.

The darn case weighs 29 lbs empty without the divider set. Put the divider set, the lid organizer, and those heavy copper leads for your lighting, not to mention the heads/packs themselves and all the accessories, and you're talking 75-80 lbs of density rolling on a 2" diameter wheel with a 1" radius. It won't roll well on gravel. And that baseball field grit will get between the dually wheels and grind them up too.

The latest version of 1650, as shown in both pics above, with the shorter side handle, the cheesier back pull out handle borrowed from a smaller form factor case, and with all the impact deflection ribs thrifted out of the mold, still doesn't have big wheels. And that's what is needed on a grass and dirt ball field.

That's where something with wheels like the FatMax that pat_kane pointed out finds merit.

Robert Hanishiro of Sportsshooter published a nice article in his newsletter about 10 years ago on this issue. It isn't new for sports photographers. The article was related to covering the 2004 summer Olympics. One of the parking lots the media was assigned to park in was all gravel. That sucks in a Pelican. I know from first hand experience. I've got a half dozen of them.

I'd suggest a dolly with big wheels to roll your new Pelican out to the ball field on.



Jun 14, 2014 at 01:32 AM
Matt OHarver
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Focus Locus,

Thanks for the input and those are all valid points. However looking at the dimensions of that Fatmax, I have to wonder if that would even fit in my car. Which is something to also consider. While it may be great to get it on and off the field with ease, if I can't get it TO the field it really doesn't do me that much good. I use a Think Tank airport bag for my camera and lenses and I have yet to find a field that it won't go on, and the wheels are about the same size.


Matt



Jun 14, 2014 at 08:15 AM
Focus Locus
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


If your Think Tank will roll, the Peli will roll. I think Doug put slightly larger luggage "mag" wheels on the Airport Security... I want to say they are 3" in diameter, which adds a lot more leverage to roll over uneven terrain... but it has been a while since I've looked at TT bags, and I don't own any of their rollers.

The issue with TT soft sided rollers that I have is that they are not as rigid when partially full. They also REQUIRE the dividers to maintain their structure. Sure, you can put the dividers wherever you want, but if you run the bag without ANY dividers, you have a pillow case. With a Pelican, or Strongbox, or a LightWare, or a FatMax, or one of those LowePro models whose name I forget, or a Tenba, or one of those Tamarac models whose name I also forget... it doesn't matter if you have dividers in there or not. This might not be important to you. But it was important to me, because my gear selection might change for every job.

Or at least my mind does.

Harbor Freight sells a fold flat dolly with HUGE wheels real cheap. It will fit in Smart Car.



Jun 15, 2014 at 05:52 PM
josh_jordan
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Does anybody have a picture of a packed fatmax?


Jun 15, 2014 at 06:59 PM
josh_jordan
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Also, I guess I might have misunderstood, but CAN you change out wheels on a pelican case? I googled it, but didn't find anything


Jun 15, 2014 at 09:15 PM
P Alesse
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Top Gun wrote:
Matt after seeing one of these in person it is on my short list of items to buy.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=kata+rolling&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

I am looking at the extra large for myself but I am thinking a medium or large would suit you just fine.

A little bit pricey but they are really well made and should last for a while!

-Isaiah


Thanks for the linke Isaiah. I need a bag that will hold stands and umbrellas. I have to measure up what I have, but this bag looks good. Hoping it is durable for the price.



Jun 16, 2014 at 10:02 AM
Focus Locus
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


josh_jordan wrote:
Also, I guess I might have misunderstood, but CAN you change out wheels on a pelican case? I googled it, but didn't find anything


You certainly can REPLACE wheels on Pelican cases. The way they are replaced has changed over the design cycles of the 1650 case that is the subject of this thread, but yes, they can be replaced with the same type Pelican wheel.

But they cannot be CHANGED, say to a larger wheel, or even to an inline skate wheel. The wheel location and axle holder is not that conducive to alteration, unless you step up some mechanical creativity to build a radical frankencase.

I've changed wheels three times in 10 years on my Pelican 1510, the smaller airline carryon sized wheeled case. The entire caster module swaps out very easily. The exact same module is used on the slightly larger 1560, which I also use regularly.

One of issues about the FaTMAX case above that I would be concerned about is the top loaded design. It isn't a problem if whenever you deploy the contents of the case, you need to utilize ALL of the contents. But if you only need one or two things, and those things happen to be at the bottom of the FatMAX, then you still have to unload everything just to get to them.

So for a lot of photography gear, the FATMAX may not work out so well in the bottom portion of the case... unless that is where you keep your 4, 5, and 6 lined up in a row ready to rock. But lighting set ups are usually all or nothing deployments, so the top loading aspect of the main compartment shouldn't present as much of an issue. JMHO.



Jun 16, 2014 at 12:56 PM
finster1018
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


geez, REALLY dudes? Got a large Sterilite container from Walmart for $5 with attachable lid and a foldable dolly from B&H for $25 with some bungies. Holds all 4 of my AB lights with attachments, extension cords, batteries, softboxes and then some. Can pile the lightstands on top if I have to. Works great! Only if I were traveling or shipping my equipment would I consider some of the other options here. Flame if you must but if I'm going to spend money on equipment, I'd rather it apply to my camera and not so much on what it is stored in. Never had to change wheels on my dolly and it goes across grass nicely. Everything stores neatly and is very accessible. My wife frequently tries to steal my dolly for other things so I have to hide the dang thing!


Jun 17, 2014 at 06:58 AM
gene2632
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Paul, if you are looking for a bag for stands etc, I use one that looks like a hardshell golf club bag. I got it at B&H years ago, hard ABS plastic, wheels, travels well, ships well. SKB Freedom.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=SKB+Freedom&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=



Jun 17, 2014 at 12:26 PM
Top Gun
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Paul,

I ended up ordering one last week and it will be here on tuesday. I will give a review once I get it.

I too needed a bag to hold stands and strobes with room for light modifiers. I have used a golf bag in the past for light stands with a rolling Pelican im2750 to tote the strobes. It was too cumbersome getting in and out of gyms. This will hopefully be an all in one solution.

http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail_storm.php?Case=iM2750

P Alesse wrote:
Thanks for the linke Isaiah. I need a bag that will hold stands and umbrellas. I have to measure up what I have, but this bag looks good. Hoping it is durable for the price.




Jun 23, 2014 at 12:23 AM
P Alesse
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · OT: Rolling case for Strobes.


Top Gun wrote:
Paul,

I ended up ordering one last week and it will be here on tuesday. I will give a review once I get it.

I too needed a bag to hold stands and strobes with room for light modifiers. I have used a golf bag in the past for light stands with a rolling Pelican im2750 to tote the strobes. It was too cumbersome getting in and out of gyms. This will hopefully be an all in one solution.

http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail_storm.php?Case=iM2750




Too funny. I ordered one too and it will be here Tuesday. I measured all my stands and umbrellas and it looks to be good to go.



Jun 23, 2014 at 05:21 AM





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