New Camera - Case Suggestion ?

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Not sure if this is the right forum to post this so apologies if not. l just bought my first film camera in 25 years courtesy of a well known auction site.Seems in pretty good nick though I've ordered a set of replacement light seals.

The AE-1 was the first camera I ever bought as a student. Cost me an eye watering £125 in 1982! I then proceeded to leave it on a train to Chester :( Luckily it was insured but the replacement then got stolen in a burglary in Bolton in 1996. Was never too impressed with the Canon replacement the insurance offered that time (think it was an EOS model) as it felt v light and insubstantial by comparision

Anyway - this didn't come with a case and a quick search revealed the original PVC versions are either very tatty or now go for upwards of £100! I wondered if anyone could recommend a suitable case?

Photo 10-08-2018, 20 32 42 copy.jpg
 
Tempted! but thinking about transporting it in rucksack when out and about/fell walking etc
 
Congratulations on the new camera and welcome back to the world of film. Lots of good info on here on everything from buying film and getting it developed and scanned to where to get your camera serviced or repaired. A lot of very nice and helpful people too, plus a good bit of banter! :)

To be honest, I'd forget about the original type 'never ready' case, as mostly the PVC seems to have gone hard on them and is either cracking and flaking off or probably going to start doing that soon. If you're looking for something to protect and store the camera in when walking around the have a look on that well know auction site for a mint condition second hand 'over the shoulder' top-loading type camera bag. However, do pay attention to how they open, some hinge one way, some another, so think which way you want the lid to go when you're trying to pull the camera out. It's a matter of preference really. Lowepro seem to make ones that stand the test of time. Do think about what lenses you might get for it too, and make sure the case you get will accommodate the camera with such a lens fitted. Hope this is useful and I'll look forward to seeing some results from your new camera.(y)
 
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I never use cases on my cameras, but they're Pentaxes so may be more sturdy... :D Seriously, cameras of that age are pretty robust, there's no screen etc to get scratched. You might get a bit of wear on the edges but it's called "patina"! If I'm taking more than one lens I'll use a Tamrac shoulder bag as Mr B suggests; it's quite small but I've been known to get two Pentaxes with lenses plus an extra couple of lenses and film rolls, plus the usual filters etc in the front pocket.

When I first got my Pentax ME in 1978, I did use the case, and looking back it was a right pain. That original case has pretty much collapsed into a heap of cracks, and anyway IIRC didn't have a tripod socket on it. Go commando as David suggests!
 
Well for cameras with complete cases I only use the bottom case anyway and to stop cameras\lenses hitting each other (inc ones without cases) in a back pack etc...... use bubble wrap.
H'mm I have a box full of top cases (and some full) over the years and even used some bottom cases from different makes to fit a camera with a slight bodge :rolleyes:
 
Use a top-loading pouch with a shoulder strap. You then have two methods of carry - over the shoulder and across the body, secure but fast to access - or in your bacpack for best weather / impact protection, and also freer movement if you were scrambling / climbing.

The narrow shape of a pouch makes for easy insertion into a pack. Longer pouches can be got that allow a second prime, say, to be stashed under the one mounted on the camera body, which is carried lens-down.
 
I bought a Camera Care Systems (not around any longer as far as I know, but they were the dogs danglies back then) Cordura top-loading pack for my Practika SLR back around 1979 (cost nearly as much as the camera did) and it's still what I use today when I'm taking one of the old style film cameras out hill-walking - i.e. where it's likely to end up peeing down with rain at some point, or the camera's going to swing into some rocks i'm scrambling up...

I've a much larger version by Lowepro that does the same job for either the eos film or digitals...

The "never-ready" cases are, frankly, a waste of time - either the camera needs a proper degree of protection, or it'll be fine on it's strap round your neck.
 
If for carrying inside something else then I'd go for a draw string bag - neoprene or chamois leather just to protect it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TRIXES-Neo..._m_ydtq85ubxqzn7px_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&s=photo for example

I have one of those and very happy with it, bought a medium size one, so I can use it with all my film and digital SLR bodies, even when zoom lenses are attached. Of course is not the most elegant option out there, but it protects the camera very well.
 
I only use never-ready cases whilst I am storing cameras - it keeps them snug, and are obviously not significantly bigger than the camera itself.

I tend to use a top loading case (all the major bag manufacturers will have a couple in their range). The lens 'snout' bit tends to be a bit longer than most film/analogue era primes, but that's usually not too bad.
 
I have a couple of the excellent CCS pouches Mark mentions:

http://www.ccscentre.co.uk/product_ranges/classic/slr_pouches.html

But unfortunately he's right - they haven't been made for some years (RK Photographic has some new old stock, though not in the ideal size for an AE-1, and they turn up secondhand at places like Ffordes and ebay).

I also like the SLR wraps from Zing:

https://tiffen.com/zing/

Properly stretchy, thick neoprene and a clever one piece design that protects your camera in a larger bag without adding too much bulk.
 
A problem with a lot of those CCS pouches was that the strap loops were on the back rather than the sides, thus offset from the centre of gravity when loaded, and the pouch never hung right somehow. There are better options in this regard. Also they were fairly bulky for what they did. Well constructed though.
 
A problem with a lot of those CCS pouches was that the strap loops were on the back rather than the sides, thus offset from the centre of gravity when loaded, and the pouch never hung right somehow. There are better options in this regard. Also they were fairly bulky for what they did. Well constructed though.

oh, i'm not saying they're the best ever... I bought mine back in 1979, when they were pretty much "the only game in town", and, with a couple of re-proofs it's still working - my Lowepro one is far better in every respect, apart from one, it's waaaay too big for the A-1 or similar cameras - I can pretty much get all of my Canon FD kit in there, with the exception of the 70-210 zoom (and that'll go in the add-on lens pocket if I wanted to) - I suppose I COULD look for a newer replacment, but it does what I need - the strap loops fasten to my rucsack straps with a couple of carabiner's and it just sits there on my chest ready to grab the camera when I need it.
 
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