Bomb proof camera cases?

[Mumster]

Anyone know of a bomb proof camera :camera: case? I'm afraid to take my good camera skiing,.... The carrier I have is reasonably padded, but I'm still reluctant. I'd like a camera carrier that would protect it if I fell on it, or it crashed into a rock.

[skicdave]

Here you go Mumster... http://www.armorbyotter.com/

Congrats on :1stracks: mum et dude.

[Mumster]

Thanks, Daverama. DMC gets NY first tracks credit too.

Let's hope we have opportunity to try to get first tracks :1stracks: award for PA soon. We saw a few flakes :snowflakes: in the air, but nothing is accumulating....up to 60 degrees next week. :(

[TenSeven]

Pelican Cases (http://www.pelican.com/)

...or this one.

[M@]

I've got a pelican for my laptop, and I have to say it is amazing. It's excatly the case I wanted. It weighs a bit more than I'd like, but it holds the laptop, a couple cards/manuals/cables/cd's perfectly. It's "whikad" tough. I through it in the back of the wagon with the dog and ski boots and I don't have to worry about the computer at all. I think it's waterproof too.

I have an "Otter" case for a palm and one for the camcorder too. They are padder and definatly water proof.

Most folks I know put the digicam in a plastic bag. Keep it in a chest pocket and it probably won't get hurt. But if it does, you get to get a new one!

Suzy doesn't let me take the good digi-camera skiing. She is the smart one. We need it for pix of the kids. I have to bring the rock-cam.

M@

[skicdave]

I end up wearing a regular camera case to hold both video and still attached around the waist. Its a nuisance but if I didn't I would be pissed if I missed a photo op. Best bet would be something like the patrollers wear to strap a radio to their chest.

I've hauled the bigger 8mm digicams and cameras around for years and have been lucky enough to not have had a 'camcident' (knock on wood).

Anybody consider one of the helmet cams?

http://www.realandvirtual.com/videocamera/snowski/index.shtml
http://www.jonescam.tv/helmet_cam_video.html
http://www.bulletcam.com/products.htm
http://www.helmetcamera.com/index.htm

[Mumster]

I'm putting these cases on my Christmas :santa: list.

[el-bagr]

For my tiny digicam, ziplocs and a basic store-bought padded pouch have worked well so far. Just yesterday it took a 10' fall off an icy cliff with no problems, and has survived a number of inside-my-coat crashes.

Dave, I did rig up a shouldercam a few times years ago by wearing a backpack containing an open laptop running video capture software off an early USB webcam sitting on my shoulder (no helmet at the time, and the cable wasn't long enough anyway). The footage sucks, and I couldn't ski very aggressively anyway due to fear of breaking the computer.

[M@]

That backpack web cam idea sounds great! I think I could get it to work with my cell phone as a modem, and maybe webcast some tuckerman stuff this year. I've got a crappy little laptop I've been trying to bring back from the dead, and didn't know what I was gonna use it for (I was thinking the kids would like it.) It may be the portable webcast machine!

I'd probably want to put this in Suzy's backpack maybe. She doesn't carry skiis, and that way I could operate the laptop from time to time without anyone having to take off their packs.

M@

[skicdave]

el-bagr:
Dave, I did rig up a shouldercam a few times years ago by wearing a backpack containing an open laptop running video capture software off an early USB webcam sitting on my shoulder (no helmet at the time, and the cable wasn't long enough anyway). The footage sucks, and I couldn't ski very aggressively anyway due to fear of breaking the computer. Hey el-bagr,

I had an old 8mm camera I mounted on my shoulder with a shoulder pod for mountain biking. That was in the 80's when the cameras didn't have the image stabilizers. Fun to watch though... ridiculous with the size of equipment back then.

I've used the same camera at Sugarbush, Ste Anne and other mountains, mounting the camera with an odd set of attachements to the back of my old Nordica boots (via the back cant screw). I'd race down behind friends at break neck speed. Was fun/silly... but after a while the novelty wore off. Was a pain to install to at the top of the lift in -20C.... hey I was younger then.

I was contacted by a company last year that had new helmet cams that you could connect to your own video camera... I'll have to dig up that info if I get a chance.

The ultimate solution:

5MP still camera, helmet mounted. Auto flip up lens cap (auto close on detection of snowmaking equipment), 20x zoom with sunglass/goggle mount viewfinder. Operated by voice commands of course so your fingers stay warm. Add auto download to website via some magic new technology (ie anything but cell!). Rotating mount so you can pan back to capture image of the guy/gal eating your dust.. er snow. Super sports mode of course.

Thanks :santa: !

[RR]

I wonder if anyone makes a light weight, padded battery pack for digital still camers? Cold batteries seem to freak out the cameras I've seen so far.

[skicdave]

RR:
I wonder if anyone makes a light weight, padded battery pack for digital still camers? Cold batteries seem to freak out the cameras I've seen so far. How about putting in one of those chemical handwarmers in the camera case RR? Mind you they are about $1 each I think.

[TenSeven]

Check this out for action video cameras...

Action Camera (http://www.helmetcamera.com/)

[RR]

Good thought about the chem-warmers, but they depend on plentiful Oxygen to work. They consume the O's pretty quick, a camera sized peli-box doesn't hold much air. Then there's the lense rapid fog problem when a warmish camera is brought out for skiing pix.

Arctic type headlamps are shipped with belt packs or neck loop pouches to keep the batteries warm, the 3.5'-4' power cord runs from the battery case to the lamp. Something like that for digi-cams would be very nice.

[Mumster]

RR:
Then there's the lense rapid fog problem when a warmish camera is brought out for skiing pix. RR: I already discovered that problem when testing the camera. It's annoying.