Jun 14
DIY Camera Case
I’ve started to collect more and more gear for my time lapse habit, and I’ve gone somewhere to shoot more than once only to realise I’d forgotten some piece of equipment, so I decided to make a case for all my stuff.
I did a bit of research, and spent an hour or two at Tokyu Hands (god I love Tokyu Hands!) This is what I came up with:
There is another shot here that shows the layout. As you can clearly see, it’s completely dripping with awesomeness.
By now, you want one for yourself so badly it’s gnawing at your very soul. So here’s how to make it.
Step 1: Case
First, get a travel case like the one below. It needs to be at least 3 times bigger than the space your gear takes up.
Step 2: Foam
Measure the interior if the case, then buy enough foam to completely fill it. You’ll need 3 types of foam:
- a very firm, plain slab of sponge foam (1 piece)
- firm, pre-cut sponge foam like the photos below (3~5 pieces)
- softer, egg carton sponge foam (1 piece)
All foam slabs should be big enough to cover the lid of the case, and about 2~3cm thick.
Step 3: Cutting to Size
The foam is usually sold in fixed sizes, and will be too big for the case, so you’ll need to cut it down to fit snugly inside the interior of the case. Accuracy is important. It shouldn’t move around inside, and it shouldn’t be squished up either. Aim for a snug, precise fit.
Layer the slabs of foam inside the case, starting with the firmest, plain foam at the bottom, followed by the pre-cut foam. The egg carton foam needs to be fixed inside the lid of the case.
Step 4: Layout
Lay your gear out on top of the foam, aiming to leave at least 2 rows/columns of pre-cut squares between each item wherever possible.
Step 5: Carve!
The pre-cut foam lets you remove even single squares of foam at a time, so you can carefully pluck out holes to closely match the size and shape of your gear. I did this mostly with all the layers stacked right in the case, but sometimes it’s necessary to lift off a layer or two to create the deep, narrow, vertical holes.
Be gentle with the pre-cut foam. If you apply too much force you might remove a piece you wanted to keep. Again, go for a snug, precise fit for each item. Too tight will rip the foam, too loose will let things fall out.
Step 6: Fix & Strengthen
Ideally, some strong glue that works on polyurethane foam to cement the layers together would be perfect. But I didn’t have any so I just used some plain packing tape. It doesn’t look as good, but it did help to strengthen up the thinner walls.
That’s it! Now there’s no excuse to quickly grab your awesome case on your way out the door, so you’ll have a better chance of having everything you need when a good photo op appears.
Here are some more shots of my gear in the case.
