The EX-3 "Which Bag?" dilemma may be answered...
 

Here's a unique camera bag from petrol specifically aimed at pesky shaped cameras like the Ex-3.... an inflatable camera bag for airline travel.
inflatable camera bag!!

This could be the answer for myself and many others, where the Ex-3 has to go in the overhead bins of passenger planes. My Kata 197 is a very tight squeeze. It appears this inflatable bag is meant to be carried alongside your existing bag and used just for this problem. I have'nt seen any pricing yet. This inflatable could also hold accessories once you land and start shooting. The Ex-3 could then be carried in a smaller bag or backpack.

Thought this one would have worked for you, Jon, but the reviewer says his ex3 "gets smooshed" a little in it.
CineBags | CB-25 Revolution Backpack | CB-25 | B&H Photo Video

This bag looks very interesting because the external measurements are under 45 inches. That is great for travel almost anywhere. Can anyone reply to how well the EX 3 fits inside this bag and also how much the bag weighs empty. I have to fly overseas in a month and am looking to come in under 17.5 lbs and 45 inches carrying on an EX3.
Thanks,

Ray Ellis
Director
Raleigh, NC

Hope it has some sort of pressure relief valve so that the 8000 foot cabin altitude doesn't burst it or squeeze the contents more than was expected!

Mine fits PERFECTLY in this Porta Brace Quickdraw bag... and it has a protector for the viewfinder. 0625091054a on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Pressure in the passenger area should be fairly constant and around 1 atm (ground level) so I don´t expect problems in that respect.

Nope. Pressurising to sea level is unnecessary and would require a much stronger pressure vessel (=fuselage), adding manufacturing cost and weight (which adds fuel cost). Cycling to a bigger pressure differential would also shorten the fuselage life. Cabin altitude is typically 8000 feet, which is why your ears still pop in a pressurised aircraft.

Hi Mike,

I like the look of the Cinebags CB-25. Thanks for the link. You mentioned a review that says the EX3 "gets smooshed", but I didn't see a review on the B&H website. Do you remember where you read that? If I can get some verification that the EX3 fits in the CB-25 (besides from the manufacturer), I think I'll purchase it. It meets all carry-on size regulations.

Thanks!

Ray Ellis
Director
Raleigh, NC

Camera Daddy
 

Looks like some of you folks have experience with Cinebags. Has anybody checked out the new Camera Daddy they're making? Looks like it could be a good carry on sized bag for the EX3 with mattebox and extras. Would love to hear somebody's experience of it.

The cinebags CB-01 works really well for the EX3 and carry-on - it's within limits if you don't use the end (sewn on) pouches. I bought one the other day and love it - very stylish :) Only down side is it isn't exactly inconspicuous which could be a problem if in a high risk crime area!

The new camera daddy is definately within carry-on sizes but wasn't quite available when I had to buy the other week.

Paul.

Here it is, Ray; about 6 reviews down on the B&H site:

Good product for the money
By Cool Hand NickVerified Buyer from Rome -Italy on 4/27/2009
Pros:
Adjustable Harness, Comfortable, Easily Accessible Equipment, Roomy
Best Uses:
Protecting Gear, Transporting Gear
Describe Yourself:
Pro Photographer
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Comments about CineBags CB-25 Revolution Backpack (Black and Gray with Lime Green Webbing):

I wanted something to carry my Sony ex3 and my macbook 17' and something that can be embarked with me on national and international flights.
The product can fit the EX3 with lenshood attached but with difficulty... a few inches more( especially in height) would have helped my camera being more comfortable and avoid the viewfinder getting smooshed.
The bag has a lot of compartments very usefull and you can really put a lot of things in it, HardDisk, batteries, charger, radio mics ecc and it is far less bulky than other similar backpacks!!
The overall quality of the backpack seems good but I havent tested it long
enough to say more.
I would have given 5 stars if it had a little more room for my ex3...!
for smaller cameras it is a perfect backpack according to my standards!!

my first post here :) hiyas
 

Hi Mike.

You've probably already seen this on B&H.

sony lc-ex3th transit case pmw-ex3 | B&H Photo Video

ok it's not a bag but a transit case and I've just finished packing my Ex3 into it :)

It's fits beautifully with the Century-precision .75x lense mounted, along with all the accessories, Battery, PU60 HDD unit, cables ect...

I know this is not what you're looking for, but it might be a useful to others reading this thread.

Looks good, Chris, but I'm petrified of sending the camera along with checked baggage.

Petrol PDRB-4
 

I went through all the EX3 bag posts on this forum and spent way too much time at a gear shop testing KATA and Petrol bags (porta-brace is too expensive over here in Australia, and CineBags were out of stock, but also I've heard of durability problems).

I settled on the Petrol PDRB-4. The camera fits great, the viewfinder and camera as a whole feel very well protected. There is enough room to fit a small pelican case with my wireless mics in front of the camera, and the cheekpad and large Sony battery at the back. There are enough compartments and pockets to fit everything else that I need.

I recently took the bag on a "dry" run on a return flight interstate in Australia. Our baggage restrictions are pretty tight, with this particular airline supposedly not allowing carry-on larger than 56cmx36cmx23cm. The petrol bag is a bit longer and taller than this, but unlike other bags I looked at, can be squished a bit. I think it does look pretty big though. Strangely enough, on both flights I did not get pulled up, whilst my partner, who was rolling a bag that just fit the allowable sizes was not allowed to carry it on.

The petrol bag just fits into the overhead compartment with a bit of squishing.

One other thing, I bought a kata trolley and with some slight mods, it fits the petrol bag and will be handy on long hauls.

Cheers,

Tyler

I have the Petrol PDRB-3. It's around 3 inches shorter in length than the PDRB-4, yet still seems huge to me; but I can put a lot of stuff in it so it works out fine. I bought it from B&H as a combo with the rain cover. At the time the combo was around $170 from B&H, but still a very good buy at $200 since the rain cover is around $100 all by itself.

Petrol | PDRB-3 Dr. Petrol Bag Kit 1 | B&H Photo Video

John

Hey Chris, what are the outside dimensions of the Sony case? I can't seem to find the dimensions anywhere online.

Does it have the "(steal me I'm a) SONY" label on the outside?

I have the Kata CC-197 which is big, but I'm still partial to hard cases...

I just returned from a shoot in the Dominican Republic - managed to fly direct from Orlando which is always nice. Like Jon, I have the CC-197 and I couldn't have been happier with it. I use the insertrolley wheels with it and none of the staff/crew even gave it a second glance as I rolled it on. Once at my seat, I stepped on the base and slid the bag off the insertrolley and imagine my surprise when it was easily engulfed by the overhead! I had three inches of height and three or four inches of depth and many inches of length to spare! Now, this was, admittedly, JetBlue - the carrier with the most room for your carry-on. Nevertheless, I felt I could have fit the mid-sized ones just as well.

Sure, it isn't a hard case, but having a little "squish room" can come in handy. And Never did I feel that there was stress on the camera or viewfinder (removed the eyepiece for packing with all the other gear).

Oh, and in my bag, I had the following with quite a bit of room left over (more what have been nicer as things shifted a bit).

EX3
DM Accessories hinged shoulder mount
Anton-Bauer Dionic 90 batteries (2) and charger w/ cord
Shure ENG500 wireless system
Shure SM-58 mic
Sony MDR-7506 studio headphones
SmallHD monitor plus mount and power supply
WarmCards
Dozens of Talent Releases
Dozens of Business Cards
Dell XPS notebook and power supply
Mouse
Sony VCT-U14 Tripod Plate (no room in the tripod bag)
Libec zoom controller (no room in the tripod bag)
MANY cables - compoenent, power, audio, etc.
Case of memory cards
External 500GB Hard drive
Sunglasses case

I could also have quite easily gone with the BP-502, but I prefer this case. BTW, if anyone is shopping for the BP-502, feel free to PM me.

I was able to pull the notebook out for security in under 5 seconds, and put it back in just over 5 seconds afterwards. Also, while unpacking the trunk at home, an ostentation of peacocks (probably 12) were strutting by my driveway. I had the camera out and running (sans eyepiece) in under 15 seconds.

Great bag. Great camera. Great trip.

Hi kevin.

No, thankfully it doesn't have a SONY label.

Width 55cm X Height 30cm x Length 40cm !

There's one label on it reading 'DELICATE UNIT HANDLE WITH CARE'

Here's a couple of pictures for you.

www.visualintent.tv/demos/transit.jpg

www.visualintent.tv/demos/label.jpg



I'm very happy with this case. Everything fits so well and is very secure. So secure in fact, that i'm comfortable trawling it around on its wheels using the fully extended handle. (which you'd expect for a transit case :p)

If you look at my picture you'll see the cuts.

The EX3 has a Sony ECM680S Mic fitted along with a wireless Mic receiver. (made possible by replacing the cameras original mount with the The J-Rod EX Twin Mount) just in case anyone's interested.

I've fitted all my accessories into it. Two century lenses, charger, batteries, cables, memory cards, hand-held microphone ect..

I especially like the PU60 HDD holder. it obvious they made that cutting especially for it, although you can fit anything there really.
The cameras viewfinder obscures it from view in my pic though, so you can't see that particular cut.

:)

Hi Paul,

Are you packing your EX3 in this bag with a shoulder mount? I'm using the ST-7.

Joe

That's really good to know, Ted. Ever since my lens came off mid-shoot I've been looking for an alternative to the cc195; just a little too tight for comfort, even after reconfiguring the inserts. I flew with it on Continental and there was just enuf overhead room--same height as the 197--which probably means the 197 is safe for anything but the puddle jumpers. I've been thinking it's just too big, but may have to reconsider.

ex3 case
 

I have the Porta Brace CTC-1. I had talked to sales people from PortaBrace by e-mail before I bought it. They assured me it would fit the EX3 "perfectly." It appears they may be right. A side panel can be opened to allow the viewfinder to have all the room it needs. I knew the EX3 would take a special case to protect the viewfinder and it does. I'm very careful, so I open the side panel all the way up even unzipping the panel. Each person has their own comfort level. At the PortaBrace website you can see pictures of the side panel closed for other models and opened for the EX3. I happened to get it on sale at Amazon for $217 and free shipping. I'm not sure I would say "perfect" but it does the job for me.

Has anyone used the Portabrace CTC-1 as a airline carry-on?

Thanks Mike for the info on the CB-25. I did order one and you have to pull out the insert to fit the EX3 inside it and even then, the top of the viewfinder can be felt bulging out a bit. It is a big bag length wise, but I'd say not a good fit for the EX3. I believe I will return it.

John,
You wrote that you have the Petrol PRDB-3 and that you can fit a lot of stuff in it. Do you put misc production gear around the EX3 in the bag or do you configure it a different way? The interior dimensions look to be just large enough for an EX3, but I can't see getting much else in there. Thanks!

Ray Ellis
Director
Raleigh NC

What I'll do is put my EX1 in the bag and take a photo of it and post it here. Then you can see how much space is left around it. I'll also tell you how much space is left above the camera as well as you may not be able to tell that from a photo.

EDIT: Here is the photo with only the EX1 in the Petrol PRDB-3. There are 4 inches left above the bag (10cm or so). Of course some of it is lost when the bag is zipped because of the sides are drawn in somewhat, but not that much is lost. I put batteries, mikes, etc around it no problem, but I don't know how much stuff you have.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40...h/Img_0367.jpg

The velcro sections are moveable and quite strong.
Sorry about the shoes in the photo.

John

Thanks John! Your info was helpful. My problem is that I'm planning on taking an EX3 to Namibia later this month and I'm having trouble finding a case that will comfortably fit that camera while not exceeding the international carry-on size of 45 total inches. I'm flying South African airways to get there and then very small aircraft between locations while in Namibia and have been told repeatedly not to exceed that size. The only case that seems to work might be the Porta-Brace DVO-2RQS-M2.

PortaBrace - Product Detail:DVO-2RQS-M2.

The search continues.

Thanks,

Ray Ellis
Director
Raleigh, NC

Kata 197
 

I recently spent 10 weeks shooting in India, Tibet and China and a few in between. I took the Kata 197 with me to hold the Ex-3 and a full load of accessories - 3 mics, 4 batteries, mattebox, 2 lavs, etc.
Chicago to Delhi was first class cabin so the 197 was not an issue! But from Miami to Chicago I had to go with AA-Eagle and the bag did not fit the overhead (tiny plane with single seats). There is space behind the very last seat which is fixed and the 197 just squeezed behind. To help I had to remove the laptop.
I flew 12 domestic Indian flights and 8 inside China and even though a few were small planes, the airline crew were not very strict and I was allowed to put the 197 on an empty seat next to me. I would say the 197 could fit the overheads of 9 out of 10 flights in my 10 week trip. It's only the height of the bag getting through the overhead doors - the length is not a problem. Certainly on the International flights the bag went into the overheads easier than I imagined. But the airlines are becoming much more strict about carry-ons so it is a concern. Generally when you show them you have a camera they are sympathetic - in India they were always helpful.
My problem is not the overhead bin, but the bag is very tough to carry when fully loaded. I shoot in mountains and remote areas and the 197 started to reshape my spine and shoulder! The Porta Brace would be the same - shoulder carry bags cannot be heavy or fully loaded. So I am still looking for a backpack. Until then I always get the local help to carry the photo equipment.

Ray, I am not sure which airline you are using, but some allow a little more than 45 total inches.

Here is a chart:

lnternational Airline Carry-on Luggage Allowance Policies and Guidelines

Also I believe they calculate it by adding the three dimemsions together. If you check the Petrol page:
http://www.petrolbags.com/ and look up the PDRB-3 it says the external dimensions are 20.9" x 11.2" x 10" which would equal a combined total of 42.1". If you add the dimensions of the Portabrace bag (20" x 11" x 11") they add up to 42" as well. The Petrol bag is a lot cheaper and very well made. For $200 you could get the bag and a well made $100 rain cover.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...etrol_Bag.html

It was out of stock when I ordered it too, but they shipped me the bag first and then sent the rain cover when it came in for the same price (actually $40 less when I bought it).

John

Ray, the case John's recommending is for his ex1, not ex3; different kettle of fish with the 3's viewfinder.

You might want to look at the Kata 195; it's a tight fit with all my accessories, but may be worth it depending on your kit. It's the same height as the 197, but 3.5 inches shorter and 1 narrower. That Petrol PDRB4 also looks interesting; it's basically the same dimensions as the Kata195, but without the little lip on top, it might just be different enuf to accommodate everything.

CTC-1 Airline Carry On
 

Just for further reference, I successfully used the Portabrace CTC-1 as a carry-on for two US domestic flights (737-800 aircraft). I can't guarantee it will work for everyone's flight (I know shorter-distance flights have smaller overhead bins). It was a tight squeeze, but it worked.

I had packed only a stock EX-3, it's charger, BP-U30 and BP-U60 batteries, and an attached ECM-673 shotgun. (Actually, I had a small Sony Cybershot still camera in there too)

It fits best with the top of the bag facing outward (more room for the viewfinder towards the front of the bin).

But on a separate trip the flight attendant repositioned it to make more room in the bin for other passengers (top of bag facing right side).

One suggestion would be not to zip up the contents all the way to allow *some* air to escape and compress the bag a bit (but not too much).

Cinebags
 

I do love Cinebags.. Have three and they are rock solid!

However I have not had any experience with the camera side of them

Jay

The Lowepro Vertex 200 will take the EX3 and a Nikon 200-400...no problem. All you need to do is remove the lenshade and put on a lens cap to shorten the length a bit.

Lowepro Vertex 200

There is some space around the camera for a couple of batteries and the lenshade.