Name: WDO Photography
Price range: $$$

The best travel camera case

The Pelican Air is the best travel camera case ever made. Nothing come close to beating it. Traveling with photography gear is difficult. So if you care about your gear protect it.

The Pelican Air is big enough for several cameras and lenses. Plus it's small enough to use as your carry on. In fact it's sized exactly for this. Therefore all the cases I've compared it to are roughly the same size.

Why You Need A Travel Camera Case

You need a travel camera case. Why? Because you never want to check your cameras. Additionally your lenses should never be checked. That said, you may have no choice if you're taking a monster telephoto lens. Of course, if you can, leave it at home and rent.

What if you can't rent and must check your big lens? Make sure to pack it well. Plus be sure to use a locking hard shell suitcase. I suggest packing it in an easy to inspect foam-filled box. Then pack more padding around the box. It won't help if your suitcase is lost or stolen. However that's what insurance is for. You do have insurance right?

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Travel Camera Case Comparison

Compared to other travel camera cases, the Pelican Air, is the best. In every category but cost Pelican beats the competition. Pelican's cases are stronger. They're more resistant to wear and impact. Plus they're made for photographers. Other travel camera cases don't compare

Pelican's Competition

Few manufacturer come close in quality. Nanuk's 935 is the closest. In fact in some areas they nearly match or exceed Pelican. However, their overall build quality doesn't beat Pelican.

If I were going to buy any travel camera case other than a Pelican Air I would buy the Nanuk.

Ranking The Best Travel Camera Cases

When it comes to ranking the best travel camera cases there are a few criteria I looked at. First, durability and longevity. Next, protection and security, and finally cost and value.

Travel Camera Case Durability

You're investing in a travel camera case. Therefore you want something durable which will last you. Your case needs to keep your camera safe while you're traveling. Presumably you're not buying such a camera case for one trip either. As a result you want a case which stays durable for a long period of time.

Pelican Air

The Pelican Air is made of a flexible polymer plastic that bends rather than cracking.
Pelican Air cases are repeatedly drop tested 6ft.
It has passed rigorous NATO standard military tests for durability.

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Nanuk 935

The latches on the Nanuk actually perform better than the Pelican.
Unlike the other travel cases here the handle on the Nanuk is well made.
While they don't advertise military specs these are well respected by a lot of traveling videographers which says a lot.

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Elyar 22"

The shell is thicker however it may be prone to cracking.
That added thickness comes at a cost of 5lbs of weight.
Elyar claims their case meets the same IIP67 airtight standards as Pelican.

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MEIJIA All Weather

This case weighs a pound more than the Elyar camera case.
Though all of these have pluckable foam, Meijia's seems to be poorly made.
The connection points also seem incredibly weak.
Customer viewers note a lot of problems with a lack of durability.

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Protection & Security

The best travel camera case has to keep your gear safe. As photographers we need to protect our tools. Therefore you want to make sure any travel camera case you buy won't let you down when it counts.

Pelican Air

The Pelican Air has two reinforced stainless steel lock hasps.
All Pelican cases are IP67 dust and water proof.
Unlike the other cases the Pelican Air is lightweight enough to float in water.
The Pelican Air features a tamper proof-business card holder to identify you as the owner.
Double-throw latches secure your cameras and equipment.

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Nanuk 935

The latches like I already mentioned, are more likely to keep the case closed.
While the latches are great, the lock reinforcement is lacking.
Like the others the Nanuk travel camera case is IP67 sealed.

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Elyar 22"

Offers the same IP67 seal. However they lack double latches making it more prone to opening accidentally.
Features similar lock hasps as Pelican Air. However I can't find anything about the metal they're made with.
You can order a custom logo but they don't offer any card slot, which is more eligant, less expensive, and less time consuming.

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MEIJIA All Weather

Similar to the Elyar the lack of double latches makes me worry about the case accidentally opening. Even if the case has padlocks, the latches control the weather seal.
There is little to no information about the security features of this travel case. That tells me the manufacturer doesn't want to talk about them.
Given the flimsy latches, hinges, and handles, I don't expect this travel case to be secure.

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Cost and Value

The Pelican Air travel camera is twice the cost of some competitors. However, comparing the lifespans the value is unmatched. That said the Nanuk is also highly rated. I've heard from videographers and musicians who've beat them up. They're also a little less expensive.

Ultimately, you should buy the case you want. After all, if money is an issue I understand not paying twice as much. That said, if you want a travel camera case that will stand up to abuse the Pelican Air is the obvious choice.

In addition to lasting longer, the Pelican Air is less likely to fail. When it's ready to retire you'll know. However, the same cannot be said for the cheaper travel camera cases. Some photographers have reported catastrophic failure after one trip. As a result I can't recommend buying anything but the Pelican Air. It really is the best travel camera case available.

I'm full time professional event and portrait photographer Don Orkoskey. Since 2007 I've owned WDO Photography. Additionally, I teach photography in partnership with a number of amazing organizations in and around Pittsburgh as well as offering my own group photography classes and individual photography lessons. I teach classes for both adults and children and lead free nature photography meetups each month. I also write a monthly newsletter full of great information and maintain a list of free photography resources to help you learn photography.