Frequently Asked Questions

If your case is poorly designed your equipment is at risk. You can’t afford downtime when it comes time to shoot. A proper case keeps you working and lowers maintenance costs. Additional pockets to stow and organize auxiliary devices, cables, batteries, and media are a time saver. Keeping your kit in working order and close at hand is a primary function of a good case. Being able to stow your kit ready to grab and go with confidence lets you concentrate on the job at hand.

There are a number of accessory choices available to camera operators that change the footprint of the same device. We encourage you to ask yourself what accessories might be in your future. Where are you going to put spare batteries and media? What kind of work do you do? Here at Strut we don’t have a one size fits all mentality. We listen!

Yes, it may seem advantageous to have high nap, fluffy, linings, and you will see plenty of these in the marketplace. The downside is that in the world of fabrics, the process that creates high nap often breaks the fibers and can create lint. Even if the “fluffy” fabric is designed not to produce lint, it will still hold unwanted dust, dirt and moisture more than a smooth fabric. Furthermore when these fabrics get dirty they will be difficult to clean. Dust and dirt are enemies to your camera and lead to expensive maintenance and repair. Here at Strut we opt for a light colored 200 denier coated nylon lining for superior durability against abrasion and wipe-clean convenience. (see The Strut difference)

Most traveling professionals agree that their most important carry on item is their camera. Your camera is your work. Varying airline requirements, smaller airplanes, and new safety/security regulations make it difficult to offer one solution. Go to your airline’s website prior to traveling to review their policies. We have often quipped that we can’t make a case smaller than the camera. Disassembly defeats the idea of a field case. Attempts to make a case that expands and contracts are noble efforts, but end up being expensive, and are not good substitutes as a primary case. Hard cases designed to ship as baggage are a last resort since it brings a level of uncertainty due to potential theft, damage, or miss routing. Furthermore, a hard case is a too cumbersome to be considered as a field case and gets left behind in the hotel room, leaving the camera unprotected in the field. Fortunately cameras are getting smaller.

a)  Chose a case and camera combination that is within the size requirements of the airline. Leave outside pockets empty when traveling and be sure to keep the camera “operable” with charged battery in case you need to “prove” it is a camera at check-in. Pack extra socks and underwear around the camera to give it extra padding. Include an extra battery and tapes (well separated from the camera body) in case your baggage doesn’t make it to your destination at the same time you do.

b)  If you must ship your camera in a hard case, pack your field case with clothes so you will have a field case for the camera on location.

c)  If the flight attendant challenges your camera as acceptable carry on size. Don’t be afraid to tell them that this is expensive equipment beyond the limits that the airline will insure and it must stay with you. If necessary politely ask to speak to a supervisor realizing that the flight attendant is only doing his/her job. Or perhaps they have alternative on-board storage they can make available to you. If no one brings it up, let sleeping dogs lie.

d)  Weight requirements for carry-on luggage have not been strictly enforced in the USA to date. International travel is different and should be checked during the planning stages of your trip. Think about wearing a photog vest or jacket with lots of pockets in case you have to re-distribute items at the last minute to meet physical size or weight requirements.