Last Updated on 02/04/2012 by Mike Pouliot
If you’re like most photographers (amateur, enthusiast or pro), protecting your gear is probably a major concern for you. There are thousands of different bags and cases on the market but very few of them will protect your gear from the harshest of elements. I often leave my gear behind when I know that I’ll be in less than ideal conditions (kayaking, skiing, hiking in harsh conditions, etc.) because I don’t want to run the risk of ruining my gear. Yes, I have insurance but I like to avoid unnecessary risk to my gear when possible. Most traditional bags do not provide enough protection from shock and the elements while most hard cases are good for transportation but they are way too bulky to carry. I recently stumbled across a Kickstarter project that seemed to solve the problem of a truly transportable rugged case and it is called the Cam Crate.
The Cam Crate is a weather-sealed hard case that protects your camera and lens from water, dust, dirt, mud, shock and other things that may not mix well with your DSLR. Matt Geyster, an avid photographer and fellow Bostonian, came up with the idea after leaving his camera behind on a boating trip because he was afraid of his DSLR getting wet. I think we can all relate. The exterior of the case is constructed from a super hard and durable plastic while the interior is padded with over one inch of padding on all sides. Sounds pretty rugged to me.
The Cam Crate is designed to fit most DSLRs and Matt confirmed that it will even fit larger bodies like the Canon 5D and Nikon D700 with a lens. Smaller body DSLRs (think Rebel series or smaller) will even fit with an averaged sized zoom lens (think Canon 70-300mm). Matt is also looking into creating a larger version that will fit DSLRs equipped with a battery grip.
Based on comments and updates on the Kickstarter page, Matt seems open and accepting to recommendations and enhancements to the product before it goes into production. From what I’ve seen, it looks like he has decided to upgrade the foam used inside of the case and he is also working on, and I quote “…an attachment of some kind to the back of the case so you can attach it in a variety of ways.”
Interested in the Cam Crate? Well, you still have a few days to help make the Cam Crate a reality. Pricing info is below:
As I write this post, funding for the Cam Crate is roughly $3k short of it’s goal. If you’re interested in helping make the Cam Crate a reality, you’d better act quick as funding for the project ends on Friday, 2/10/12 at 5:55EST. Check out the official Cam Crate KickStart page for more details.
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