[dirwood]

I'm searching for a nice case for my kp 150-450 setup for canoeing or kayaking. I am looking for something watertight and bright so that if anything happens, it'll be secure. Any thing anyone already uses that they love and things to steer clear of?

[jgnfld]

Don't know about "best". Do know that the store here in Newfoundland which caters to the specialty and pro outdoor/adventure crowd markets pretty much 100% Pelican cases. Since this is a tough environment even in the city outdoors for much of the year, he must have good results from them and most come in several colors.

[JensE]

I'm using a type 2000 B&W Outdoor Case in yellow on our kayak trips, which holds KP + DA18-135mm, DA55-300mm, DA15, macro achromat and spare batteries - just. I can open/close it with one hand, everything sits dry in it on top of the kayak in rain and waves, in the evening I'm sitting on it at camp. I'm in fact just back from Sweden after a two-week kayak vacation with plenty of wind and thus a lot of waves on the greater lakes.


So at least the compact one is working well for me and our friends joke about the yellow 'Radiation Protection Kit' box. So far, I've never lost it, but it for sure would be easy to spot.

You would need a type 3000, which would be a bit too bulky for our two-seater folding kayak (loaded), but should work well in a canoe.

[UncleVanya]

SKB and Pelican are my choices for this type of case.

[ramseybuckeye]

A couple years ago I bought a Pelican iM2200 Storm Case™-With Foam to use for boat trips, and hopefully kayaking. I have since got a kayak and take this with me every time I take the kayak out, since I did get the kayak for photography. I trust the case and although I have never had it in the water, it has been splashed and hosed off when I get home. The foam is dense, and actually gives the equipment a lot of protection, way more than any bag could, since the gear fits tightly. The photo shows my KP, DA TC, and DA*300 with the hood reversed. The foam is what they call pluck and pull, and I carefully pulled out the foam rectangles until it fit. When you close the lid there is compression so there is very little movement of the gear itself, so it could withstand some pretty good force.

Obviously, I am not using the DA150-450, but you can get an idea of how the Pelican Case works. The length of my gear is exactly 11 inches, I have two layers of foam beneath the camera, which seems sufficient. I'm not sure of the length of your kit, but I could have put a little longer into my case. You can do the math. They make these cases in several sizes and colors, I chose the yellow to stand out in case it ever goes overboard. It's a very well built case and I really trust it.

[UncleVanya]

Search some of Normhead’s posts he has several smaller kits using pelican cases and he has a strong background in kayaking and back country exploration with camera gear.

[dirwood]

Yeah, I like that pelican case in yellow. I will have to measure my set up but it looks like it would fit just fine. What's are your kayak set ups for going out for the ones that do? Tripod, no tripod?

[JensE]

What's are your kayak set ups for going out for the ones that do? Tripod, no tripod?

Usually no tripod, as space is scarce. If anything, I bring my xiah little elephant2 with short carbon legs - but then I'm not a serious bird/wildlife photographer and we're fitting camping gear, food etc. for a few days for two into our rather compact Nortik Argo 2.

[zapp]

Have a look at Koenig Photobags. It’s a bag, but waterproof and well suited for outdoor photography.

[ramseybuckeye]

Yeah, I like that pelican case in yellow. I will have to measure my set up but it looks like it would fit just fine. What's are your kayak set ups for going out for the ones that do? Tripod, no tripod?

I agree with Jens, no tripod, it would get in the way. I’m generally shooting in salt marsh, if I wanted to haul a tripod and dismount onto an island to use it I could stow it on the back or front. I’m sure some type of tripod or other support could be rigged up, but it would be cumbersome.

I’m usually going out in the salt marsh for just a few hours so I just take a few basics. I have a dry bag to carry a phone, my car keys, any food, and etc. I wear or take a life jacket and keep the emergency beacon(required) in that, the Intracoastal Waterway runs thought the salt marsh and I may need to cross it several times and there can be a lot of boat traffic, though I tend to go out when that traffic is low.

[AfterPentax Mark II]

I'm searching for a nice case for my kp 150-450 setup for canoeing or kayaking. I am looking for something watertight and bright so that if anything happens, it'll be secure. Any thing anyone already uses that they love and things to steer clear of?

Are you sure to go on an outing and take your valuable camera and lens with you in a kayak or canoe? Read this horrible history: K-3 III water damage - PentaxForums.com
Why don't you take a camera that is designed to do this kind of thing or buy a waterproof jacket for the gear? What goes for a K-3 Mark III also goes for your KP. With the K-3 Mark III you can always buy a new one, but you will not be able to buy a new KP these days. KP and 150-450 are Weather Resistant and are by no means waterproof, so a little bit of humidity won't hurt them but a big splash of water does.
I do not want to encourage you, but I would think twice....

[dirwood]

Are you sure to go on an outing and take your valuable camera and lens with you in a kayak or canoe? Read this: K-3 III water damage - PentaxForums.com
Why don't you take a camera that is designed to this kind of thing or buy a waterproof jacket for the gear? What goes for a K-3 Mark III also goes for your KP. With the K-3 Mark III you can always buy a new one, but you will not be able to buy a new KP these days. KP and 150-450 are Weather Resistant and are by no means waterproof, so a little bit of humidity won't hurt them but a big splash of water does.
I do not want to encourage you, but I would think twice....

Yes, I realize what can happen but I won't be in rough waters by any means. A few of the wildlife management areas around here have slow moving creeks going through them that are ideal for kayaks and canoes. My only concern is having the gear inside the waterproof case as the extra safety measure for getting in and out of the vessel as there are beaver dams to portage around in some spots. If I'm taking photos then I'll be drifting and not rowing.

I asked about the tripod cause when I googled info, some people looked like they had them mounted to the front of their kayaks or they had the tripod with 2 legs extended out over the sides on the front of the kayak with one leg slightly extended inside the cockpit. I don't plan on doing that. I plan to do everything handheld but if there was an attachment option for some stability that mounted to the kayak, I would be interested in checking it out.

[UncleVanya]

This isn’t specific to dslr use but it gives some ideas about mounting options. Many other similar sites - most focus on action cameras like GoPro. But I think you might be able to look at these and maybe some car mounts to get an idea of what could work.

[dirwood]

A couple years ago I bought a Pelican iM2200 Storm Case™-With Foam to use for boat trips, and hopefully kayaking. I have since got a kayak and take this with me every time I take the kayak out, since I did get the kayak for photography. I trust the case and although I have never had it in the water, it has been splashed and hosed off when I get home. The foam is dense, and actually gives the equipment a lot of protection, way more than any bag could, since the gear fits tightly. The photo shows my KP, DA TC, and DA*300 with the hood reversed. The foam is what they call pluck and pull, and I carefully pulled out the foam rectangles until it fit. When you close the lid there is compression so there is very little movement of the gear itself, so it could withstand some pretty good force.

Obviously, I am not using the DA150-450, but you can get an idea of how the Pelican Case works. The length of my gear is exactly 11 inches, I have two layers of foam beneath the camera, which seems sufficient. I'm not sure of the length of your kit, but I could have put a little longer into my case. You can do the math. They make these cases in several sizes and colors, I chose the yellow to stand out in case it ever goes overboard. It's a very well built case and I really trust it.

Attachment 580806

Attachment 580807

The Kp with the 150-450 attached looks to be about 12.5inches total in length. It seems like the size case you have would work and its exactly what I am picturing. When I get home, I will be taking a tape measure to my set up just to double check before ordering anything.

[ramseybuckeye]

Are you sure to go on an outing and take your valuable camera and lens with you in a kayak or canoe? Read this horrible history: K-3 III water damage - PentaxForums.com
Why don't you take a camera that is designed to do this kind of thing or buy a waterproof jacket for the gear? What goes for a K-3 Mark III also goes for your KP. With the K-3 Mark III you can always buy a new one, but you will not be able to buy a new KP these days. KP and 150-450 are Weather Resistant and are by no means waterproof, so a little bit of humidity won't hurt them but a big splash of water does.
I do not want to encourage you, but would be wary in a canoe Al I would think twice....

I went out and bought what they call a fishing kayak for photography, they are a sit on top kayak and very stable. I also got some experience in it before taking the gear out. It’s actually a lot easier to get your gear wet in a motorboat. I would certainly not use it in a sit in kayak, I would be wary of a canoe too, but if Dirwood knows the situation I’m sure he is ok,