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List Price: $271.95
Sale Price: $160.88
Today's Bonus: 41% Off
I purchased this case with foam to protect Nikon equipment used for wedding, location portraiture and sports photography. The Pelican cases are outstanding and are as good as equipment cases get. The waterproof neoprene O-ring gasket, pressure equalization valve and latch design set Pelican cases apart. The 1510's max-allowable carry-on size is a huge selling point if you have even a 1% chance of travel with expensive equipment you want to keep it in your immediate proximity, not in some disgruntled and underpaid baggage handler's tender care. It's a bit on the heavy side if you're used to a soft-sided camera bag, but you would expect that from such a durable case.
The down side of this purchase for me was the "pluckable" foam (which you should cut and never pluck). The foam is a great concept and gives better protection (if cut with thick foam sections between items) than the alternative 1515 Padded Divider set Pelican sells. However, it's VERY unforgiving once cut it's cut. (Tips on cutting foam are below). I recommend you SERIOUSLY consider purchase of an empty 1510 case (no foam) and additionally purchasing the 1515 Padded Divider set instead of the 1510 with pluckable block foam. This will give you much more flexibility and simplicity (unless you never plan on adding new equipment) while still protecting your equipment. For this reason I will eventually (probably very soon) trash the very expensive foam and will buy the 1515 divider set.
If you decide to stick with the foam, hey, it's your money, but here are some tips which will make you less dangerously postal after realizing your mistake:
0) The case comes with 4 foam layers, two thin ones for bottom and the lid, and two thicker ones with the grid of semi-pre-cut pluckable foam. I will be referring to "marking the foam" below. This is done in the thick layers with toothpicks. Gently work a toothpick in to the corner of where the little 1/2 inch foam blocks come together. I'll use the term "hole" for the space you cut out for your equipment. Notice I said cut not pluck. Use a serrated steak knife to gently saw through the semi-pre-cut pluckable blocks for the neatest appearance. Let's make this look professional, OK?
1) Take all the foam out and look at the bottom of the case. See those intruding wheel wells and the intruding handle well? (Pelican had to intrude those into the case's interior to make it fit the airline's luggage size requirements). You don't want your $2000 camera setting on that wheel well as it vibrates while rolling over asphalt or grouted tile. Use the thin bottom foam pad to mark these areas off on the thick pad and only put in shallow holes (no cutting into the bottom thick foam layer) for items such as a flash or 50mm lens in these areas. You don't want tall items like a camera body here! I cut out areas so the bottom layer of foam sits better on the wheel wells optional, but now the top layer of foam doesn't ride up on these corners.
2) Plan on leaving at least 2 to 3 foam blocks (1" to 1.5") of space between all your equipment. Thin foam will be VERY flimsy and will tear when your equipment is being inserted into the holes.
3) Make sure you clearly mark both thick layers with toothpicks, masking tape or something similar so you always know which side is the top. This is way more important than it sounds.
4) Get all your equipment out and arrange it on one of the thick layers, and start marking the foam while arranging your equipment. Remember you may be buying more equipment, so keep your holes grouped fairly close and leave unused space as contiguous as possible. For this step you're looking at everything from above and thinking in 2 dimensions width and depth. Just marking, no sawing yet...
5) Now for the 3rd dimension of height measure to see if the equipment is taller than a single layer of thick foam. These holes will have to be extended through both layers.
6) OK, it's time to get your steak knife and get ready to start sawing. Try to saw out the holes in complete blocks and set them aside to store them. This will greatly aid in fixing problems later on. Tell little Johnny to get away from them give him some bubble-wrap instead. Don't drink alcohol until you're finished. You'll probably need some when you are finished though I suggest The Glenlevit & water on the rocks, but without the water...
7) Think you're done? Wrong. Now work your equipment all the way into the holes and get the cut-out blocks you set aside earlier. Put the cut-outs on top of the equipment so they are level and mark how deep they go down into the hole with a toothpick. Measure from the bottom to the toothpick with a ruler to determine how deep it inserted into the equipment-filled hole. Now transfer that measurement to the TOP of the block instead of the bottom. For instance, if the bottom of the block inserts .75" into the hole, mark off .75" from the TOP of the block. Now saw through that plane with your serrated knife, perpendicular to the semi-pre-cut cuts. Try to be as neat and even as possible. Still looks bad when you're done, right? Since you follow directions well and measured this from the top and not the bottom, the ugly side will not be visible when impressionable clients look into our custom camera case when the equipment is removed. Remove the equipment from the hole, take the top piece you cut with the ugly side down and insert it into the bottom of the hole, then reinsert the equipment, and Hey Look! It's flush with the top!
8) How many mistakes did you make? OK, now move all your equipment a safe distance away, like the next room. Go get some Elmer's glue and put tiny super-thin lines of glue on your mistake blocks, glue them back in very carefully inserting them from the bottom so we don't get any glue on the outside visible parts of the foam. Set the two patched thick foam layers on their tops so the glue you still managed to smear on the bottom doesn't stick to anything (a wet washcloth will help with cleaning up excess glue). Now wait until tomorrow for it to dry so you can go back to step 4. It is now safe to grace a few ice cubes with the gentle caress of some Glenlevit while you wait for tomorrow's adventure in foam cutting.
FINIS) Well, painful though it was, I promise it was less painful than if you would have wouldn't have followed my awesome instructions. Now that it's a couple of hours (or days) later and you're nerves are completely frazzled and that bottle of The Glenlevit is a number of inches lower than before you started, don't you wish you would have listened to my advice about purchasing an empty 1510 and the 1515 Padded Dividers?
;-{>
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For my business I often must travel on short notice so I have a "go kit" packed for 3 day stays designed for carryon travel, and now its all in this case. Let me explain some things not shown in the picture.
First, on the back is the famous roller wheels and pull-out handle for getting through the airports. They are made of black plastic typical pelican tough stuff and don't show here.
Second, this case is sized for the maximum allowable carry-on size, which means no hassles at the airport.
Third, it comes with 2 layers of the famous pick and pluck foam insert. This does the job, but its not a custom fit for everything out there and looks funny. You can also buy closed cell foam sheets and trace out your product's outline, then I like to use an electric carving knife like you'd use on the thanksgiving turkey to cut clean lines and curves. That's a personal matter if I'm traveling, I have smaller pieces of foam for sensitive stuff and often put clothes and such in the rest of the case, taking out the pelican foam.
Fourth, Pelican re-designed their tough as nails snaps. While they kept things closed tight, often getting them open after temperature and pressure changes could be a challenge. The new snap is a 2 step design with a closure step, followed by a locking step. This gives the same strength as before but without busting thumbs to get the snaps open.
Finally, the whole box is tough as nails. Just a note here, it is a heavy piece of carry on but most airlines don't weigh that yet. All the hinges are designed for the rigors of being kicked, dropped, water landings, etc and with proper packing your inside contents are ready to go.
I have one other Pelican travel case that I've owned for over a decade it's their Maximum checked luggage box it's been on alot of airplanes and now has the TSA low security lock so they can peek inside (they usually do and leave me a note on top of my dirty laundry since anything of value goes with me carryon). That box also has wheels and has become much more than a box over the year. It has served as a chair, a luggage cart to carry other bags on top of its wheels, and over 10 years of air and ship travel it has some scuff marks but everything still works. It's why I insist on pelican products and why I was happy to hear they made a max carryon size. My personal view on their divider system sold separately for this case is that it's suboptimal for most applications and a tad overpriced but I'm sure it does exactly what some people need by making lots of padded compartments inside once placed.
Best Deals for Pelican 1510 Case with Foam for Camera (Desert Tan)
I have tried other soft cases and semi rigid suitcase style cases for my cameras, but this is the one. I am able to get just the right amount of stuff in this case. The pluckable foam insert is a well thought out product, but make sure you get your gear layout right before you start plucking. The fact that this case is carry on size is crucial. I would love to get just a little more gear inside, but, without bending the fabric of space and time, I must say it holds as much as I could possibly ask for the size of the case. I was able to get a Canon 5D body (with battery grip), a Canon 20D body, a 24-70 "L" series lens and lens hood, a 10-22 lens for the 20D, a 70-300 (NOT an "L" series) for the 20D, an 18-55 starter lens for the 20D, card reader and cord, extra battery, 10 memory cards, polarizing filter, two canon 550 flashes, extra AA batteries for the flashes, "feet" for the flashes, the radio controller for the flashes, extra 9V battery for the controller, battery charger, AA battery insert for the battery grip, camera straps, lens brush, small multitool, and finally, extra lens caps. While there are a few other small things I would like to fit in there, that is all the breakable stuff plus some, and that is what this case if for. When I get different lenses, I will order new pluckable foam, and I like that I can do that. The pluckable foam is the way to go. Stuff is held without any movement. If a luggage handler drops this case, nothing will shift at all on the inside. That is what I call protection. If you get creative with the two layers of foam, you could probably do a two layer set up of one shallow item on top of another shallow item, but I am afraid I would forget about the item stored in the lower layer. It is a no nonsense rolling (!) case that does one thing exceptionally well protect expensive camera gear! It does that without fuss. The design of the hinges on the lid are a huge plus! They open to set amounts so that the lid holds itself open just past vertical. That way it is out the way, but doesn't slam into the floor when you open it. It is then easier to grab and close. It is a very small but brilliant thing that I now would hate not to have. The wheels roll beautifully, the pull handle extends just the right amount of distance. Don't expect a fancy handle it slides out and locks, slides in and locks. It isn't fancy, but that's the idea. Judging by the design, they planned the pull handle to be a replaceable piece in case it gets trashed. How that could happen, I have no idea, because it is simple and seemingly indestructible, but I like that they thought it through so well. This is the kind of organization and protection I have been looking for. Buy this thing, and never look back. I would also recommend two of the TSA approved Pelican locks.
Honest reviews on Pelican 1510 Case with Foam for Camera (Desert Tan)
My Pelican 1510 is my third or fourth Pelican case. I used Zero Halliburton cases for years, (I got my first in the early 1970's) but they became very full of themselves so I started looking elsewhere. I tried a huge Lowepro AW for my F5 system but it was too much to cart around for me.
The 1510 holds my Nikon D200 with MB200 Battery Pack, 3 lenses, SB800 Speedlight, ML3 Remote, Hoodman Loupe, Filters, Extra AAA Batteries, Camera Manuals and more. When I buy new equipment I order new foam. Before I cut the foam I make templates (I actually keep the old ones and just make ones for the new product) and lay them out before I cut. It's a great system.
Most importantly my gear has been protected under some pretty tough conditions. The Pelican has been carried on horse back, on my a.t.v., and on occasion it has ridden in the bed of my truck. My camera system has stayed secure and undamaged from my home area in the Arizona Sonoran Desert to trips that have included over 10,000 miles on the Alaskan Highway, Glacier Nat'l Park, and Yellowstone. It is water proof, dust proof, and bulldog proof.
This is the best case for the money that I have found. I would give it 10 stars if that rating was available.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Pelican 1510 Case with Foam for Camera (Desert Tan)
I purchased this to carry my hand tools when I go on the road for work. It rolls so I don't have to carry heavy tools through the airport and I locked it with TSA locks. I highly recommend this product.
