Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Lighting => Topic started by: dc on July 27, 2018, 09:21:39 pm

Title: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: dc on July 27, 2018, 09:21:39 pm
Hey all, I have the semi-ridged Trolly case for carrying 2 Siros 800l's. The trolly case works great but I'm ready to expand to 3 lights at this point. Short of pony-ing up for another trolly case which is around $450 at B&H, does anyone have another solution to hold 3 lights at once.

Thanks,   Doug
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: tcphoto1 on August 06, 2018, 09:03:27 am
I think that I've owned just about every lighting case out there and finally found the Lightware cases to be my favorite. I fit my Profoto Acute2, consisting of the pack, 3 flash heads and an old Compact 300 in the 1629 works well. I even found a larger cases for my KinoFlo Diva kit which I prefer over their Shipping case.
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: dc on August 07, 2018, 11:46:27 am
Also considering a Manfrotto Pro-Light Rolling Lighting Gear Organizer V2 (Medium, Black) which has a similar size. If my current try doesn't work I may go in this direction or the lightware bag.

Anyone have experience with the Manfrotto bag?

Doug
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: Balafre on September 19, 2018, 05:29:20 pm
Hi! Don't think of a case as a cost, think of it as a token of your success. You've got 3x Siros. Protect them because they feed and house you. I use Pulso G's & Unilites, where the cost of one flash tube vastly exceeds the cost of a great case. Knowing Broncolor, Siros tubes will be the same! Lightware cases are brilliant. So spend the money - it's an investment in your security and future.
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: dc on September 20, 2018, 01:13:10 pm
Thanks for the input, I believe you're right, point taken. My question is more to how well things fit securely in the different bags, some seem to have good dimensions but interiors may be too loose.

D
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: Kirk_C on September 25, 2018, 01:20:55 am
Maybe they'll have a new case when they introduce the updated Siros on Wednesday.

I have a number of Lightware cases and they've certainly stood the test of time but I carry my Broncolor lights in foam fitted hard cases as they're more delicate than my Profoto and Comet systems.
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: Balafre on October 16, 2018, 07:00:35 pm
Hi - forgot to mention something important. Remove the flash tubes for long journeys or where you're not in control of the cases care or freight. Carry them with you, (not in your pocket!), and almost nothing can go wrong then. All the best!
Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: Kirk_C on October 16, 2018, 11:49:41 pm
Hi - forgot to mention something important. Remove the flash tubes for long journeys or where you're not in control of the cases care or freight. Carry them with you, (not in your pocket!), and almost nothing can go wrong then. All the best!

You really want to keep the handling of flash tubes to a minimum. In 35 years of traveling with lights all over the world I've never had a flash tube broken. And many of those years were with Balcars, the tubes were held in place by friction fit but with just straight wire. Look at the photo of the Siros tube below. Nice big compression fittings that really do hold them in place.

I'd suggest carrying spares rather than handling them unnecessarily. You're more likely to damage them yourself by removing and re-installing them repeatedly.



Title: Re: Need Advice on everyday shlepping case for more than 2 Siros L monoblocks
Post by: Balafre on October 18, 2018, 05:26:04 pm
In principle Kirk_C is right, it just depends upon how much risk you wish to run and the opportunity cost of something going wrong! Kirk_C is right in that our action may sometimes augment the risk, yet he's been fortunate and clearly prudent, but I must repeat I did say remove tubes for long journeys, not across town or inter-state shoots.
A lot of my location work was in some isolated Pacific Islands where the baggage handling procedures are manual not automated, so baggage handlers are big strong lads who can hurl an ox over a fence. Doing things gently does not come easily to them. They've destroyed a lot of my and my colleagues gear, even within protected cases so we're extremely cautious and this hesitation to trust others with your welfare is what I'm trying to impart.
Remember, the 2nd rule of Thermodynamics - all things tend to entropy!

Travel Safely in the Jungle!  :)