I haven't purchased a camera bag to store the XL2 as of yet. Looking around the forums has given me a few ideas.

Just a question ... do most folks leave the lens on the camera between uses ... or is it best to detach it and store both seperately?

Thanks for opinions...

<<<-- ... or is it best to detach it and store both seperately? ... -->>>

I certainly detach the lens only when necessary for the very reason that every time the lens in taken away from the camera body, some dirt (like dust) may get to the CCD.

About the case or bag, if I've read the messages carefully enough, nobody has mentioned anything about getting a dedicated case made to the XL2.

I ordered my case from a local company making aluminium cases for special equipments. It's very light but valso ery sturdy. (It's much better than the wooden made Canon XL1 case covered with aluminium film.) Inside the case there is dedicated space for the Xl2 with the lens and standard mic, for the 3x lens, batteries, dual battery holder, EF-lens adapter, the standard charger, several cassettes, two tripod attach plates, and the necessary cables etc.

The case cost about 300$/euro (and this is a very expensive country to get anything hand made), and it has been several times in the cargo space of airplanes, as well as in a sleigh behind a snow mobile (meaning there a lot of snow in air) and given an excellent cover to the camera. If anybody is interested, I can send or post some photographs of the case.

I'd be very interested in some photos of the case for reference purposes.

Thank you

My company bought the the hardcase made by canon for ours... I think its called the hc3200. I do not detatch the lens. I am too paranoid about dust and there doesn't really seem to be any harm in leaving it on. In fact it looks as if Canon designed the hardcase for the lens to be left on the camera.

Hello Don,

Check out this thread I started a few days ago. You'll see my thoughts and some other good suggestions.

Also - my 2 cents: Leave that lens on anytime you're not changing lenses. Just too much risk.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?threadid=39585&referrerid=15185

-Vence Vida

If you are to ship your rig, take the lens off. Be sure that the lens and body are capped, obviously. How long do you plan on storing it?

If you are not going to be using it for a month or more, be sure to remove the internal and external batteries. That way, if they leak, or corrode, your beloved will not have to go to Canon.

Taking the lens off is not a big deal, just be vigilant for dust and shite and keep both ends of the lens and the body capped. If I am going around by foot, or car, I leave the rig built, or semi built and pull it out of my Porta Brace bag.

I use the Porta Brace HKP-3 and it's great. I just left a post on another, similar thread. My only complaint about the bag is that I wish that it was big enough to keep the mattebox on while in the bag.

Porta Brace
http://www.portabrace.com/index.html

Porta Brace in the UK

Pyser-SGI Limited
Fircroft Way
Edenbridge, Kent TN8 6HA

Phone: 440-173-2864111
Fax: 440-173-2865544
Email: sales@pyser-sgi.com

Oops! I though that you were in the UK. Sorry.

Go to the website and click on the link for dealers in ON. There's a bunch.

Cheers.

I posted photos of the Xl2 case I got made to last "heavy use". The photos can be viewed at

www.koillismaa.fi/~lkettune

Wow! Very impressive Lauri!

Yes, very impressive and sounds like it might actually be cheaper than a ready-made XL2 case! Does anyone know of a place in the US that makes custom cases like this?

-cw-