The Pelican Air 1525 Hard Case is our top choice. Its tough exterior and foam-padded interior keep your gear safe and secure. It’s big enough for your camera and accessories without being bulky. It’s the ideal choice when traveling with your camera. But check out the full list of camera hard cases for more options. [Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]
10 Best Camera Hard Cases
Traveling with your camera gear can be a nerve-racking experience. But having a quality camera hard case sets your mind at ease. You can travel with your camera equipment safely stowed away. And you’ll have no nasty surprises when you reach your destination. Here’s a quick overview of our best camera hard cases. We’ll take a closer look at each one in the section below. We show dimensions in length, width, and depth (D). Pelican is the leading brand for camera hard cases. And the Air 1525 hard case is their best all-around protective case. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and offers excellent protection for your photography gear. The exterior dimensions (L x W x D) are 21.96 x 13.97 x 7.49 inches (55.8 x 35.5 x 19 cm). And the interior dimensions are 20.5 x 11.31 x 6.75 inches (52 x 17.14 x 28.7 cm). It’s spacious enough for more than one camera and plenty of lenses and accessories. The option we’ve listed includes padded dividers. They hold your equipment in place and stop them from banging together. And the Velcro dividers are adjustable. So you can customize the interior space. The Air 1525 is 40% lighter than Pelican’s previous cases, but it can still take a beating. It’s completely crushproof and watertight. And the purge valve regulates the air pressure inside. You can’t go wrong with this Pelican case if you’re looking for something solid. The Air 1525 is the best model in their range. And it’s the best camera hard case out there! Camera cases don’t get much harder than the Vanguard Supreme 46F. It’s slightly heavy, but your camera equipment is safe and sound when packed into this hard case. The exterior dimensions (L x W x D) are 22.05 x 19.76 x 9.17 inches ( 56 x 50.2 x 23.3 cm). Interior dimensions are 18.9 x 14.6 x 7.9 inches (48 x 37 x 20 cm). It’s big enough for several cameras and a selection of camera accessories. The hard case comes with interior foam, which you can change. You create a foam pocket for each piece of equipment by cutting away the sections you don’t need. This system ensures each item has a snug fit and doesn’t move around. It’s ideal for air travel and adventure gear. The automatic pressure equalization valve makes sure no damage is done when the bag is on the plane. And it can take pretty much anything mother nature can throw at it. It’s waterproof down to 16.5 ft (5 m). And it can survive temperatures down to as low as -40 C. If you want a hard camera case with a foam interior, the Vanguard Supreme 46F won’t let you down. The Nanuk 935 is a hard case for photographers who need to travel. It’s spacious enough for all your essential camera kit. And you can travel without fear of damaging your equipment. The exterior dimensions (L x W x D) are 22.0 x 14.0 x D 9.0 inches (55.9 x 35.5 x 22.9 cm). And the interior measures 20.5 x 11.3 x 7.5 inches (52 x 28.7 x 19 cm). The case includes a padded divider insert. It keeps your camera and accessories neat and tightly packed. The lid interior also has foam padding for extra protection. Plus, the padded inserts are removable. So you can transport larger items that need protection. The Nanuk 935 has a two-stage retractable handle and wheels on one end for easy mobility. It makes traveling through airports and train stations hassle-free. And it’s fairly lightweight. It’s waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof. And the purge valve equalizes the pressure when you take the case as hold luggage. Safety isn’t a problem. You can padlock the case using the two built-in latches. The Nanuk 935 is a great all-around hard camera case. It’s durable and easy to transport. So it’s one of the best camera cases for traveling photographers. The Pelican 1560 roller case is another top camera case from Pelican. If you see the name pelican, you can be sure you have a case made for rough handling. It can hold a boatload of equipment. And it’s suitable for longer journeys. The exterior size (L x W x D) measures 22 x 17.4 x 10.9 inches (56 x 45.5 x 26.5 cm). The interior is 19.7 x 11 x 7.6 inches (50.5 x 38 x 22.7 cm). No matter what photography gear you need to pack, it’s big enough for a long trip. Protection is what this case is all about. It’s waterproof and crushproof, even meeting the standards for the US military. And the equalization valve stabilizes pressure inside the case and keeps water out. The Pelican 1560 has a firm foam interior. It’s called Pelican’s Pick ‘n’ Pluck foam. It lets you customize the interior to meet your needs. So you can create a perfectly-sized pocket for each camera, lens, and accessory. The wheels and extendable handle make travel comfortable and easy. It’s a reliable and robust hard camas case for a hard life on the road. It isn’t the cheapest option, but with Pelican, you always get your money’s worth. The SKB 3i-1309 is one of the smaller cases on this list. But SKB makes no compromises when it comes to the build quality. It’s a handheld hard case that offers fantastic protection for your photography gear. The interior (L x W x D) measures 13.7 x 9.2 x 7.5 inches (34.8 x 23.4 x 19.1 cm). This is enough to store a DSLR or mirrorless camera. You can also pack two extra lenses and other accessories. And you still won’t have a cramped case. When it comes to protection, the SKB 3i-1309 has military-grade toughness. The outer hardcase is extremely tough. The gasket seal makes it completely watertight. And the foam inserts and lid protector keeps your equipment safe. The SKB iSeries 3i-1309 is a brick. Small cases don’t get much tougher than this. It’s perfect for short trips and small enough to take as hand luggage if you need to fly. Considering how tough and reliable this camera case is, the price is very reasonable. The Manfrotto Reloader Tough L55 is made to make carrying a lot of gear easy. And, as you can tell from the name, it’s a hard case made to protect. It’s ideal for long photography trips and big productions. The interior is big enough for several cameras with plenty of accessories and extras. The measurements (L x W x D) are 22 x 14.8 x 8.9 inches (55 x 35 x 20 cm). The padded interior is included, and you can adjust the Velcro dividers to meet your needs. There’s no need to worry about the weight. Even when loaded with gear, you can easily travel using the wheels and extendable handle. It was made for life on the move, so the wheels are large and secure. And it is small enough for hand luggage. It isn’t the cheapest case on the list, but it is spacious and secure. Manfrotto is a reliable brand that produces excellent gear. And this camera case is up to the job of professional photography. The Vanguard Supreme 53D offers the same excellent level of safety and protection as the 46F. Vanguard doesn’t make bad hard camera cases. But the 53D is bigger and more spacious. The case’s dimensions (L x W x D) are 25 x 20 x 9.5 inches (63 x 52 x 24 cm). So you don’t have to decide which cameras to take or leave behind. There’s plenty of room for all. The padded interior section has enough pockets for all your gear and lenses. And the padded insert is removable, transforming it into a versatile hard case for travel. The durability isn’t in question. It’s waterproof and crushproof, and it can withstand 120 kg of external pressure. There’s added safety with the padlock receptacles and thick latches. As a larger camera case that offers excellent protection, the Supreme 53D is one of the best. The V200 (Vault) is another hard case from Pelican. It’s a handy little carry case with an ultra-durable design. It’s a convenient size for a camera and lens. And you can rest easy knowing your gear is safe and protected. This case can withstand long periods in tough conditions. The moisture and dust sealing keeps everything inside protected. It’s resistant to wet conditions. But that doesn’t mean it’ll protect your camera as you dash from one place to another in the rain. The external dimensions (L x W x D) are 15.4 x 13 x 6.1 inches (39 x 33 x 15.6 cm). That’s enough space for a full frame DSLR or mirrorless camera. And you can squeeze a few accessories in there. It’s a handy size and won’t take up much space when traveling. The Vault V200 comes with interior foam. You can cut the foam to fit your gear exactly. This ensures each piece of equipment has a snug compartment. Plus, they don’t move around in transit. Everything is held in place by the protective foam. The V200 has a heavy-duty handle. And the steel lock hasps keep the case tightly locked. You also have a pressure valve for air travel. It’s a small case but gives you ultimate protection. This Monoprice hard case is one of the best-value camera cases on the market. It has ample storage space and offers excellent protection for your camera gear. You can store several cameras with an interior (L x W x D) of 22 x 14 x 8 inches (55.7 x 35 x 20 cm). Plus, you can customize the interior foam. That way, your camera bodies can have perfectly measured sections. And when each piece of gear has a snug fit, there’s no need to worry about anything moving in transit. The Monoprice camera case gives protection at temperatures as low as -40 C. And it can survive underwater for over 30 minutes without risk of leakage. You have limited carrying options, as you only have the rubber handle. It’s comfortable enough. But it can weigh you down after a while. This is a hard camera case if your budget is a bit tight. It’s perhaps not as indestructible as some other hard cases. But it still offers excellent protection when you’re on the move. The MEIJA camera case gives you strength and durability in a small package. It’s a handheld camera case for photographers who like to travel light. The external dimensions (L x W x D) are 16 x 13 x 6.85 inches (40.6 x 33 x 17.4 cm). With camera bodies, you can only get one in there. But there is extra space for a lens or two. The MEIJA camera case has a solid construction. It can take a beating while the foam interior keeps your gear safe. It can withstand any weather, and it’s completely waterproof. You can customize the foam interior. Each piece of equipment has its own pocket for protection. And there’s also a pressure release valve. So you can use the case for air travel. It doesn’t give you the capacity of a larger case. But this MEIJA gives you a protective camera case that’s easy to carry. It’s not for big professional jobs. But it’s great for everyday use.
Conclusion
If you’re a professional photographer, keeping your gear safe must be a top priority. If your camera breaks on the way to a shoot, you will be pretty useless when you arrive. Your camera is your source of income. You need to keep it safe. That’s why even more photographers use hard camera cases to transport their equipment. They’re great for international work travel and perfect for everyday photo jobs too. The Pelican Air 1525 is our top camera hard case. It has the best build quality of any hard case. And the protective outer case and padded interior keep your gear safe and sound. Pelican makes cases you can trust. And it’s a convenient size for travel by car, train, or plane.
