Camera Case Foam Design

[Transposure]

Hey All,
I am resurrecting this thread because I have a specific question relating to the design of a new case upon which I am working.
I found a great condition Phase One Aluminum case (Amabilia) and I am outfitting it with www.mycasebuilder.com custom foam. I love this process and product.
So, I created a new design to suit my needs. 3D design below..



The foam is meant for this case...



If you haven't guessed, I am going for the James Bond look. LOL

Anyway, one item I am planning for, and do not yet own, is the Waist Level Viewfinder for the XF. That is the the squarish cutout near the center. I obtained the dimensions of the WLV from the Phase One site. It says the WLV is 2.6378"x.6693"x2.2441" (converted from metric).

However, after seeing the following photo, I want to take into account the height of the WLV with the rubber cap installed. You can see it below. It appears the Phase One spec'd width and length are unaffected, but the height is a question. Can someone measure the height of the WLV with the rubber protection cap installed? In the photo below, I am looking for height from the table top to the top of the WLV as it is shown.



Thanks in advance!!
Ken

 

[Steve Hendrix]

If you haven't guessed, I am going for the James Bond look. LOL

Anyway, one item I am planning for, and do not yet own, is the Waist Level Viewfinder for the XF. That is the the squarish cutout near the center. I obtained the dimensions of the WLV from the Phase One site. It says the WLV is 2.6378"x.6693"x2.2441" (converted from metric).

However, after seeing the following photo, I want to take into account the height of the WLV with the rubber cap installed. You can see it below. It appears the Phase One spec'd width and length are unaffected, but the height is a question. Can someone measure the height of the WLV with the rubber protection cap installed? In the photo below, I am looking for height from the table top to the top of the WLV as it is shown.

View attachment 130105

Thanks in advance!!
Ken

2.75 x 2.4375 x 1.0625

This with rubber protective cap attached.


Steve Hendrix/CI

 

[Transposure]

I received my foam design from www.mycasebuilder.com and I have to say, it is fantastic!
I previously used their PE (polyethylene) foam, which is a step above their PU (polyurethane) foam. But this foam is called their "pro" foam and it is very high density.
I picked up a second hand Amabilia Case branded as Phase One and measured it up. If you scroll up, you can see the design I created using the online 3D modeling app. The finished product is nothing short of spectacular! I want to design foam inserts for EVERYTHING!!

 

[Frederic]

Ken,

Now you've tried both the PE and pro foams which one would you recommend ?
For 'delicate beasts' such as the rodenstock HR32 I'm not sure high density foams are the best for instance. Wouldn't PE foams absorb less shock than PU/ester ?

Thanks
Frederic

 

[NoBob]

Yes, curious, too, about which foam is recommended.

 

[young'ee]

Also interested in this and the various foams.

I hope Ken comes back and updates the thread.

@Steve

Could this be a good way to line the cases? Thoughts?

 

[Transposure]

Ken,

Now you've tried both the PE and pro foams which one would you recommend ?
For 'delicate beasts' such as the rodenstock HR32 I'm not sure high density foams are the best for instance. Wouldn't PE foams absorb less shock than PU/ester ?

Thanks
Frederic

There are actually three foams that I have used in my many Pelican, HPRC and similar cases over the years. And, although I do not have a Rodenstock, I do have a Schneider Kruznach 35 for my Cambo, so I do know of the delicate nature to which you refer.

PU (polyurethane) Foam - This is the typical pick and pluck foam in standard Pelican cases. It has more give, and thus more of a delicate nature, but it deforms and breaks down much more quickly than other foams. Personally, I dislike this foam. The main reason is the short term deformation and degradation. Also, over excessive use and time, this foam degrades and produces a foam dust that is a pita.

PE (polyethylene) Foam - This is harder to the touch and very resilient. It has been my go-to foam for a while now. It holds its shape and still provides cushion for camera equipment. I like to think of it this way...it your case falls off the back of the car or is mishandled by baggage handlers, this foam seems to be able to take larger shocks. It definitely resists deformation from repeated use and pressure.

Pro Foam - The company that made my inserts calls it this. It is a closed cell foam, but much more dense than the typical PE foam I am used to. It has a somewhat "luxury" feel to it. I really like it. It is what I used for this last insert in the photos. By the way, I have a second copy of this last insert if anyone is interested. You would need to source the case but would have a perfect fitting foam.

 

[young'ee]

Interested to know if anyone ever did an insert for an F-Stop ICU ?

Would be very interesting to see how that worked out and looks.

 

[hcubell]

Re: Custom Foam Insert for Hasselblad X1D Kit

Taking Ken's lead, I tried my hand at a custom insert for my Hasselblad X1D kit. I'm using a Pelican Air 1535 rolling case. The process was fun and the result was excellent. I wrote an article detailing the process, with tips for those who'd like to give it a try:

http://www.joecolsonphotography.com/2018/10/23/custom-foam-insert-for-hasselblad-x1d-kit-using-mycasebuilder/

The primary design requirement for the foam insert was that it would be able to accommodate the Hasselblad X1D camera body, the native 21mm, 30mm, 45mm and 90mm lenses (with hoods), four batteries (plus the battery in the camera body), a small accessory case, charger and cord, and two circular polarizer filters. In other words, a "go bag" that could be thrown into my car or carried onto an airplane with everything I'd need for a landscape shoot.

Thanks to Ken for the inspiration.

Joe

Terrific article, Joe. Two questions. One, could your foam insert be sized to fit in an FStop ICU? Two, where are you putting your 135mm XCD lens and TC when they arrive!!!!!!!!!
Thanks, Howard

 

[DB5]

Thank you so much for this thread!

I have been searching for this very sort of thing and will definitely be using it in the very near future.

THANK YOU!!!

:clap:

 

[Transposure]

Congrats Joe! Great job!
I enjoy the design part of this kind of thing almost more than the use part!

 

[Transposure]

Thanks Howard. I don't know the answer to your first question because I'm not familiar with the FStop bags/ICU. MyCaseBuilder can accommodate just about any bag if you supply dimensions. Regarding the XCD 135mm and Extender, that calls for a new custom insert!!!



You're very welcome. Ken ("Transposure") started the thread and is now an official enabler. :ROTFL:



Me too. My wife couldn't drag me away from my computer while I was in "design mode". Ken, thanks for enabling my new obsession.

Joe

I am on my 4th design with them. Looking to do #5 now.