Best Cases for LED Lights (& Other Camera Gear) | SKB + Impact

[@NewLayer]

Do you have a bunch of lights but no way to store them? What type of cases do you have? Do you think any of these are the perfect fit for your lighting kit?

[@cubul32]

I vote hardcase if money is available - even as a sacrifice. Was about to spend 200 something on a smaller hardcase for an UL150 (the one I told you I just bought - and was thinking it's insane I spend almost as much as on the light). But then I realized I can spend double and get a large case and keep other gear I have bundled in one spot (which would make transport faster and simpler, as well as organization on set). As for the price, the safety involved in handling the gear is well worth it and I come to realize I'm buying safety as a product - my reasoning: it's not just a case, but a case which could be thrown down the stairs, left in the rain, left in harsh weather in general, and the gear would survive (which is not always the case for the other); for 250 bucks more that gains a whole new perspective if you ask me.

[@NewLayer]

@@cubul32 Good insight. If you pack things properly in a case like this, you can literally (like you said) throw them off a balcony into a pool and everything inside will be totally fine. Especially if you're buying one of the larger cases, you could easily have $5,000+ worth of gear inside, so $400-500 for a case seems like a lot, but it's almost like buying additional insurance for your gear. Throw some locks on it and some AirTags and it's another easy way to keep track of it should it disappear as well.

[@brandondaniels9471]

Thanks! This video helped a lot. I used toothpicks to outline where to pull out foam. But in general, I pulled it out like a little kid, just like you did... instead of being super fancy 😄

[@NewLayer]

No problem! Toothpicks are a good idea to mark stuff out, haha.

[@TobyCostaRica]

6:44 This is a great way just to leave the lights stored in the studio on a wire shelf too. Great video! Thanks!

[@NewLayer]

Very true! Glad you liked the video :)

[@TobyCostaRica]

@@NewLayer Used your link, bought the SKB big boy. Thanks for the great video

[@NewLayer]

@@TobyCostaRica Thanks for the support! I hope you like it as much as I do.

[@TobyCostaRica]

7:53 Which light stands are those? As I get older, steel C stands are getting heavier....never liked the light duty aluminum ones.

[@NewLayer]

I have the Laofas HD light stands, which was much lighter than c-stands: geni.us/laofashdlightstand They are still quite large and air-cushioned, so can handle the majority of lights with easy.

[@A1Bokeh]

dude the amount of work in this video is so underrated! like most of your stuff man

[@NewLayer]

Thanks, I appreciate it :)

[@JamesDBuzzard]

The 4414 looks perfect for me! Picking it up this week!

[@NewLayer]

Nice! Thanks for the support, let me know how you like it when you get it 👍👍

[@AdamKuzniar]

Wow you're absolutely on fire with those recent LED lights videos. I absolutely love them, keep up the good work!

[@NewLayer]

Thanks a lot! There's a ton more in the queue. If you have a second, please vote on my KZbin community post for what video you want to see next :)

[@joenicklo]

Those SKB lid organizers are nice.

[@NewLayer]

True, although pretty much everything about them is nice, haha.

[@dexmcluskey4832]

Super useful. Which case would you recommend if you wanted to carry two COB lights (300d), two light stands and two 36cm round soft boxes?

[@NewLayer]

I like the biggest one because it fits the most/largest light stands, which will be your deciding factor. See how long your light stands are when folded up, and choose a case with an interior length that can hold them. These 2 are the most likely to work for you: SKB 3i-4414-10DT - geni.us/skb3i441410dt SKB 3i-4213-12DT - geni.us/skb3i421312dt

[@tubeman1983]

Been waiting for this video for a while. Great you put it out, thanks!

[@NewLayer]

I was procrastinating because I knew how much work test fitting everything would be. Hopefully the effort was worth it! :)

[@adamparliman488]

The video I have been waiting for! Thank you for such a thorough breakdown, this was really helpful!

[@NewLayer]

You're welcome, I'm glad it was useful :)

[@BradyBessette]

Do these work for iPhones too or are they too big for my pocket

[@NewLayer]

For the iPhone 12 you'll want the 2nd largest case, and for the Max you'll need 3 of the largest case, and you just split the phone into 3 parts. Super easy.

[@BradyBessette]

Super helpful, thanks! Got a new sub!

[@Richie5480]

I have one of those hard cases it holds 2 Godox BM lights plus charging cable and cords. And there’s a soft case that can come out, then I have 2 cases one of the best cases I’ve ever owned.

[@NewLayer]

I still have mine and love them! The fact that they are waterproof/sealed is so nice.

[@amplifydreality8869]

BIG Thanks for this video review. starting to build up my lighting kit and I'm out growing the duffle bags that I have been putting my lights and stands into lol.

[@NewLayer]

You're welcome! If you lived by me I'd sell you 1-2 for a killer price. I don't need all of them, but shipping on such huge items is insane haha.

[@amplifydreality8869]

@@NewLayer I picked up the Impact LKB-R2. It's a really nice bag. I was able to fit a Godox VL150, 2 Sokani X60's (1-5600K & 1 RGB - and they both fit in one slot lol), 2 Neewer 660 RGB Panels, 3 Neewer Light stands (7ft max height) an a Boom pole (I do production sound as well as lighting on shoots lol). The last the 4 main slots holds all the cords and power bricks. Really nice set up. Thanks again for the review!! Now I may have to think about ANOTHER bag for my reflectors, larger stands, and other modifiers lol

[@NewLayer]

@@amplifydreality8869 Nice! It's not necessarily a "lifetime" case like the more expensive options, but you should definitely get a lot of good use out of it. And that sounds like a ton of gear you can fit inside, so mission accomplished!

[@amplifydreality8869]

@@NewLayer Yeah I'll probably use it until literally the wheels fall off and then upgrade to a hard shell case lol.

[@Mike0193Azul]

Thanks so much for this video 💚 Having a hard time looking for large roller cases to dump my lights and stands (and hopefully slider) into. I carry nearly 90lbs of gear by myself so I'm trying to transition to rolling bags. That Skb 4414 seems like a great size for my needs. Just wish it wasn't so heavy. Currently contemplating over it and the ThinkTank production manager 50 v2. The Skb is slightly deeper and wider and just slight shorter. But I love all the extra pockets and sections to insert things into on the ThinkTank.

[@NewLayer]

It's pretty crazy how expensive nice cases get, but if you think of them like a 30 year investment, it makes more sense. If you ever need to sell them they hold their value very well if you can find a buyer too :)

[@chrissetter]

Great review, you have a new subscriber! I had the Impact roller case break after one shoot. One wheel broke and the handle ripped off. I had to replace the wheels with casters from home depot by adding plywood to the bottom and add a heavy duty cabinet handle to the top with plywood on the inside to screw into. I later saved up for the Thinktank Production case (almost got a SKB, but didn't fit c-stands) and it is probably my best investment into my photography business. I've taken it to 100+ shoots and it's still rocking! I will definitely keep an eye out for the SKB cases, especially since they're made with Thinktank.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! Good to hear your experience too. The SKB Cases are pretty much bullet proof, and there is a little risk going with the cheaper options. If you’re a working pro, I think it’s a no brainer. Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

[@Mike0193Azul]

The ThinkTank Production Case looks fantastic. Going to compare it to the skg and probably go with one of them

[@jetpackraptor]

Thank you for putting the time and effort into this video! This was very helpful, well done!

[@NewLayer]

You're welcome, I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for the comment :)

[@jasonwhetzelphotography]

Great video. I was kind of hoping you would have mentioned the fitment of C Stands for any of these cases.

[@NewLayer]

I personally don't have any c-stands with removable bases, so couldn't test that unfortunately. I have the Avengers, which are too big for any of these cases really. In the past, I found it much better to have a case dedicated to stands though since they can't be as efficiently packed because of their large/odd shape. Something like this (maybe not specifically this one but...) geni.us/impactlkbrcs

[@mugilvvikraman]

Can i able to fit 2 Amaran 100x lights and 3 light stands?

[@NewLayer]

The lights are no problem, the deciding factor would be the light stands. You would definitely want one of the 2 biggest cases, but if you double check the measurements and they match up for the length of your collapsed light stands, then you're good to go!

[@zobotrombie]

Hey J.T! Awesome video as usual. I’m a one man videographer and I’m trying to build an interview kit that can fit all my camera and lighting gear in 2 hardcases. This video certainly gives me the confidence that I can pull it off. Just wondering if you might ever do a best budget light stand for COB lights comparison video? I already have a c stand in my home studio but to lug that beast around doesn’t make sense to me.

[@NewLayer]

Thanks, glad you liked it! Unfortunately, the light stands I have and love seem to be discontinued: geni.us/laofashdlightstand So I currently don't have a good recommendation for those right now :'(

[@dhanchi]

the light stands you show in the bags - it looks like they are twist grip - what brand are those?

[@NewLayer]

They are these: geni.us/laofashdlightstand Sadly, no longer for sale, but there's really nothing special about them. They are simple, air-cushioned HD stands that were just short enough to fit in the biggest case(s).

[@Design475]

5:00 what light stands are you using that are 23"?

[@NewLayer]

They are just some cheap GVM stands that came with lights I got a while back. They are really only suitable for small (12" x 12" or less) panels, pocket lights, etc. Unfortunately I don't see that they sell them separately.

[@Design475]

@@NewLayer okay thanks!!

[@veliharri]

Hi! So softboxes dont fit in also? Would be nice to get those to the same case with rest of the lights also.

[@NewLayer]

I guess it just depends on what you have and how they break down. The Aputure light Dome SE comes totally apart, including the speed ring, so it folds up really flat. Other softboxes are permanently affixed to the speed ring, so don't fold down as flat. It's really hard to say, so you'd have to make a judgment call based on the listed measurements I think.

[@veliharri]

@@NewLayer Okay. I have godox vl150 and laofas softbox on it. I dont think that ring comes of it. Do you have anywhere link what stands you put in your bag or what smaller stand would you recommend? I think my c-stand is way too big for the bag. Thanks for the answer. Your channel is really helpful.

[@NewLayer]

@@veliharri These are the bigger stands I use. It's easy to fit 2 into the case that's long enough, 3 works, but takes some finagling :) geni.us/laofashdlightstand

[@cristianyalier3603]

Thank you for the video. It was so helpful. What brand are you’re 42 heavy duty light stands?

[@NewLayer]

Glad it helped! I have these from Laofas: geni.us/laofashdlightstand

[@therrera117]

will three ls300x lights fit in the SKB 3i-Series 4213-12 with stands and the control modules?

[@NewLayer]

I would say there's a 95% chance they would, but I can't say for certain. You'd have to pack one set into some kind of mock container and measure it to see. And you would be limited to 42" lightstands maximum (collapsed length).

[@just.do.something]

Any thoughts why the SKB 3i-4213-12DT, is that much more expensive over the SKB 3i-4414-10DT? Thanks

[@NewLayer]

Probably just because it's nearly 50% deeper, even if it's 1" shorter. Prices change a lot so I'm not aware of what they currently are, but there is much more overall volume in the 4213 than the 4414. Hope that helps :)

[@just.do.something]

@@NewLayer Hey thanks new Layer! Quick question, love ur key light. Is that a Godox with soft box?

[@NewLayer]

@@just.do.something In this video I'm not sure what I was using as a key light anymore. I had the Godox SL200W II for a while, now I use the Aputure 300x. In my office I have the Intellytech Litecloth LC-160 2.0. I did reviews on the Godox and Intellytech lights if you want to check those out: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6HXm3dvgrWZrJI kzbin.info/www/bejne/rXezm2BtatmVoc0 The Aputure 300x is pretty amazing, I haven't done a review on it yet, but I have used it in some other videos, like this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnOZoI13gNd-h5Y Hope that helps :)

[@MisaelRodriguez]

As always, great video! Thanks so much for the breakdown. Any specific reason why you chose SKB to do a detailed breakdown? I've been looking at Nanuk cases for a while and they seem to be a good value although I've never owned one myself.

[@joenicklo]

Nanuk cases are amazing. Love them.

[@MisaelRodriguez]

@@joenicklo Love you guys' videos too! Keep up the great work!

[@NewLayer]

Thanks! By the time I finished, I wasn't sure if anyone would be as interested in cases as much as I was. SKB, Nanuk, and Pelican all make similar cases for similar prices, so you really can't go wrong with any. I went with SKB because I've had a couple of their cases in the past and really liked them. They are also only a few hours from me, which just made everything easier, since as you can imagine, dealing with this many large cases can be very expensive and cumbersome, LOL.

[@MisaelRodriguez]

@@NewLayer I can watch case and gear organization videos all day...keep these videos coming!

[@MisaelRodriguez]

@@NewLayer My only feedback would be more b-roll of the actual configurations in the cases vs. listing them off. That'd be cool. BTW I bought that VL150 with your link and am loving it. Saving up for the 300 now.

[@PhotographybySatesh]

Thank you! Very helpful video!!

[@NewLayer]

Glad it was helpful!

[@_kcams]

Great video! Was looking for a case I could fit my Aputure 300d mark II’s in. I have 3 of them. Do you think it could work?

[@NewLayer]

You may want to do some measuring of your lights for final confirmation and comparison to the listed size of each case, but one of the bigger ones would work for sure!

[@_kcams]

New Layer yep! Gonna measure as soon as I get home. I was thinking it could work with the SKB 12DT

[@NewLayer]

@@_kcams Good luck! I'd greatly appreciate if you used my links when/if you pick one up. It really does help. Let me know how you like whatever you end up getting!

[@just.do.something]

Really great video!!! Thank you!!!

[@NewLayer]

Glad it helped!

[@invokevideo6449]

Any recommendations for 2 UL150s and 1 UL 60? I'm okay with a soft case. Ideally I would be able to include all the power supplies in the case too.

[@NewLayer]

I don’t have the UL60 so I’m not sure exactly how big it is, but any cases I mention fitting 3+ lights should fit that setup, including the power supplies etc. just fine.

[@cubul32]

Between SKB 4414-10 and 4213-12 - which one do you think it's a better value? I somewhat mentally lean towards 4213-12 because I can stack up more stands, but idk why my heart says 4414-10 because I'm gonna always bring with me a couple of c-stands and a D600 avenger boom arm anyway; and I think I like the smaller depth of the 4414-10 which would keep the lights more tight. The 12 inch aspect of the other one rather makes me paranoia; thinking the lights gonna jingle in there. Any advice?

[@NewLayer]

I would go for the biggest one out of those options. They are both pretty large, so I think having the extra capacity would be nice to have. I had the same worry you mention, but the padding is very good and tight internally, so things might move, but definitely not get damaged. You would just be leaning the case to roll or moving it a bit, rather than a lot of big movements, so really things won't move much even with room to spare inside.

[@cubul32]

@@NewLayer bh staff said that because 42 has 42.5 inch inside without padding that my impact stands might not fit. So I went with 44. Meh', experience. We'll see how it goes.

[@NewLayer]

@@cubul32 It can definitely be a bit of a puzzle since these are more generic and not purpose built. So sometimes it's good to get the case you love and find stands/accessories to fit.

[@cubul32]

​@@NewLayer I kinda made the right decision I think but BH's numbers are all wrong and mixed up. I have 43.5 by 13.5 by 8 inches inside with padding, they said it's without - via chat (multiple users confirmed).. I checked both 4414-10 and 4213-12 based on the skb website and the dimensions for the bare case are in the name (lol) ish 44.5x14.5x10 vs 42.375x13.5x12. The padding is 0.5 inch so at 41.375 my stands are too tall. I could only fit 2 of the 9.5 ft impact HD stands (I have a stands bag anyway). They each need 4" of height. If I take the 4213-12, I gain 2 inches height; but loose 1 inch on length and width. So then it becomes narrower, shorter but slightly taller. So not sure if it's worth it. What stands did you mange to fit into it? Like 3 of them. I really wanna know the models now. I imagine if I want to travel compact, that having 3 stands with me, along with 3 lights, would be really nice. So will think it over for a few days. Maybe I'll get the larger case and new stands who knows. These impact ones were just investments for starters anyway. Maybe 3 smaller c-stands with turtle based would be a good choice too.

[@NewLayer]

@@cubul32 I had 3 of these: geni.us/laofashdlightstand You can remove the heads/spigot adapter and really cram them in and they barely fit haha. Looks like they're currently unavailable though 😕

[@themichaelgraeme]

Christmas came early!!

[@NewLayer]

Every Christmas I ask for stuff that my family thinks is super boring, like tripods, cases, etc. My Secret Santa always hates it, LOL.

[@themichaelgraeme]

@@NewLayer A LIGHT stand!! Thank you so much!!! -ye sure... Least I could do.😒

[@NewLayer]

@@themichaelgraeme Hahaha, you've clearly been watching my home movies.

[@LuckXIII]

How about 3 vl300s lights plus stands?

[@NewLayer]

The VL300s are one the smaller side compared to the other 150-200 watt lights in the other series, so if 3 other 150-200 watt lights fit into any given case, the VL300s will too. The harder part are the light stands, so you'll want to double check on the length of a potential case to ensure the light stands will fit.

[@user-nu8bf3bf9m]

How do they go with 300d? I'd like to know your opinion about it if you have one!

[@NewLayer]

I don’t have a 300d on hand to measure right now and the online dimensions all include the yoke for some reason, but they are right around the same size as the 150 and 200 watt SL II and FV series Godox lights.

[@user-nu8bf3bf9m]

@@NewLayer thanks:)

[@NewLayer]

@@user-nu8bf3bf9m No problem, sorry I don’t have a more precise answer for you at the moment 😕

[@user-nu8bf3bf9m]

@@NewLayer it’s all good! I really appreciate your super informative channel! keep up the good work! :)

[@hoodaffairstv]

the cost isn't bad at all 👌🏾

[@NewLayer]

I'm glad you see the value! Some people understandably don't have the need for hard cases like this, but some people just see the price without considering the amount of time they'll last, and immediately peace-out, LOL.

[@birdsofray]

Gracias por el excelente video, JT! 💪

[@NewLayer]

De nada mi amigo!

[@birdsofray]

@@NewLayer You knew I had to throw some Spanish at ya at some point! 😂

[@NewLayer]

@@birdsofray As long as it doesn't go past year 3 high school Spanish, I'll be able to reply somewhat coherently!

[@gdrriley420]

I love my pelican cases. I've got 1 that is older than me.

[@NewLayer]

Nice! My dad handed down a couple cases to me as well :)

[@ADNZ5442]

Any of them get the Rotolight areos 2 in?

[@NewLayer]

Depends on what else you want to fit in them, but it's ~12", so all of the cases except the smallest one I link in the description would work, most of the time you'd have to lay it flat, but it may be able to sit vertically in the bigger ones. I don't currently have one to test for sure, sorry.

[@ADNZ5442]

@@NewLayer thank you, really appreciate it! I might go for the larger one.

[@PerciseWindom]

informative appreciate it.

[@NewLayer]

Happy to help!

[@sytesmedia504]

what about best cases for tube lights

[@NewLayer]

4' tube lights are tough because it's hard to find cases that long that make sense for other gear too. I would imagine SKB has cases with pick-apart foam that would work well. Other than that, 2' or smaller tube lights fit very well into many of the cases in this video. I also like that Nanlite Pavotube 15C 4-light kit because it comes with it's own case that makes taking all 4 with you really easy.

[@sytesmedia504]

@@NewLayer thnx you

[@helciopeynado1]

muito show.

[@NewLayer]

If Google translate is correct, then... thanks! :)