Man Purse

DaveB

DaveB

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I'm taking several extended canoe trips this summer and need to protect my kit from water, impact and shock as best I can.

Pelican claims their 1200 case will remain bouyant in salt water with a 7.94 lb load. Nice to know if you're visitng the Dead Sea.

I suspect on the lakes and rivers of Canada this one would sink like a stone.
 
If it doesn't float in your bathtub (and even if it does), tie it to another flotation device (e.g., a neon foam buoy). This will make it a lot easlier to track if you do go over -- I say this from experience (the going over part and losing equipment, nothing as expensive as an M8 though). Even if it floats, the 1200 will likely be partially submerged and hard to see.
 
isn't the M8 sticking out quite a bit too much there? And you're gonna let the Pelican squish your leather? I would take a water resistant p&s, either film or digital.,,
 
As a practical matter I always carry my cameras in a Pelican box which fits into a modest sized daypack which I carry on my back while portaging the canoe.

It will share the padded backpack with another small Pelican box containing a satellite phone. The backpack contains a foam liner that I fitted to prevent the Pelican boxes and little tripod from digging into my back too badly.

With all that, a hat, raincoat, box of breath mints, etc. it will probably float. Still, my habit is to clip the pack to the stern thwart of the canoe when I'm on the water or running rapids.
 
ywenz said:
isn't the M8 sticking out quite a bit too much there? And you're gonna let the Pelican squish your leather?
Click to expand...

Yes, it's a pretty tight fit with the half case on, but it does fit. I've carried a Canon Pro1 and telephoto in the same size box for three summers and that's a pretty tight squeeze too. I could take a little waterproof thingy like my son's Pentax Optio, but the Canon and Leica images are worth it.

As for letting the Pelican squish my leather...

I'll try anything once.
 
I have setup a Pelican case for my M8, a smaller 1150. I used it in Scotland earlier this year and it easily coped with some horrendous weather in the Highlands. Planning to take it kayaking around Tofino, on Vancouver Island, in a couple of weeks...hoping it will do fine but not planning on seeing if it floats or sinks in salt water!
 

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DaveB said:
As for letting the Pelican squish my leather...

I'll try anything once.
Click to expand...

I just gotta say, Dave, that I love your sense of humor. Your statement above and your sigline about accountability are hilarious.

On a more serious note, as for the leather strap, I wouldn't worry about it getting squished. If anything, it'll probably help it. I have a couple of Luigi's straps and half cases and find the one that's more used to be much more enjoyable. With time and use the leather softens very nicely which makes it that much more comfortable to actually use. So I say, don't baby a Luigi case and strap and, instead, squish away!

-Randy

P.S. I have no need for a waterproof case, but they sure do look trick!
 
Good luck, Dave. You are a brave man!

BTW, when I fitted my M8 into my pelican case, I laid it down with only the body cap on it. It looks like you might be putting pressure on the controls. You might accidently switch it on and drain the battery or worse🙁 .

I hope you share some of your photos from the trip. I'll be looking forward to seeing them.
 
I have run numerous candian rivers with my gear in pelican cases Dave. They allways floated (even with my CANON 1D inside a large case, dont remember the number). In the end, its the ratio of metal/glass to foam that will float it.

The only times I had to look for the case in the bottom of a river was if I ended up dumping in the drink while running foamy decents; the white water throws the density ratio out the window (too many bubbles 😀 😀 ). So I allways tie the case to the the paddle with a very long line or myself: NOT THE BOAT, or it will hit every rock as the boat drags it...and yes, it did happen to us once...oh the horror, the horror....

take it with you regardless though. in the middle of a calm afternoon on the riverside, with not noise anywhere you will really get to hear how loud cameras are; even rf's 😉

paddles up.george
 
My normal case is the LowePro Omnitraveller. That is a case that seems to be made for Rangefinders, for instance the lenspouches are nice and shallow, not designed for long zooms and very compact. But the nicest thing: it drops into a standard Pelican case with an exact fit, giving great flexibility.
 
georgef said:
oh yeah, and attach something very bright to the case so you can find it LOL
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Unfortunately, it's destined to spend the summer attached to something not very bright...

Cindy, yes there is pressure on the controls as it's a tight squeeze in that box, especially with the half case on it. On the other hand the force is perpendicular to the controls and I don't think it will get turned on. I carry a little Ricoh GR1v in a similar case along with a Canon Powershot and the Ricoh has gotten turned on being pushed into the foam a couple times. No problems with any of the Canons though. If I really want to push my luck with the M8 and a small Pelican box I'll put the Abrahamsson soft release on it. Oh, and Cindy; see the nice safe place I've made for that 50mm lens!

Speaking of tight fits notice that John Friar's camera fits in a Pelican box, albeit without the leather case, that has an interior dimension of about 1/8 inch less than what I'm using. These boxes are cheap insurance for almost any environment. I just bought two from B&H for less than what I spent on a single lens filter. I sit on my Pelican box to keep my pants dry in wet conditions. You could stand on your Leica kit to get a better view. I've never seen a Pelican box with an intact gasket fail in any manner and I have used tons of them for many years. I'm issued medical gear and satellite phones in Pelican cases. And they look pretty innocuous too.

I let my kids watch out for themselves, but I'm always kinda vigiIant when my cameras are vulnerable. I can only relax when my gear is snapped shut inside one of these boxes.

I've got a Pelican 1400 box as well that I've set up for the same camera and that will also accomodate my 90mm and 135mm lenses. Just a little too bulky for an extended wilderness adventure. It feels like I'm carrying a small refridgerator on my back and that defeats the whole RF rationale. But it does have space for a second M8 body...
 
Michiel said:
Will you only get pictures of calm water with this setup?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'll never have a camera out when running whitewater.

I'm way too busy.

Typically, I'll either run first or last in the group and try to get action shots from downstream or from the shore.
 
After too many Jet Blue flights from NYC to California stuffed into my seat with a camera bag at my feet, backpack for reading materials and I-pod, bags with dinner and snacks, a book and toy bag for the kids, I went to B and H and bought a bright orange pelikan 1200 case for my cameras.
The case is great, I can stow it in the overhead bins and not worry about some joker dumping a suitcase on my babies, the kids can use it as a stool while we wait for luggage or to go through security, and the orange be-happy color helps me to keep track of where it is and looks less threatening as I go through security. The cameras are happy, I'm happy, therefore the family is happy.
A win-win-win all around. 😉
 
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My domke bag is my loyal man purse, I've actually gotten more compliments on it then snide "man bag" remarks. Depending on what inserts I use I can fit everything I possibly need.

Nothing to be embaressed about folks, a little man bag action only adds to the fun.
 
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