The Poor Man’s Halliburton Case
I’ve never been satisfied with a single camera case for all the formats I use on camera outings. There’s just not a one-size-fits-all solution for me. For some years now, I’ve taken to customizing cases to accommodate a particular camera kit. As a result, I have multiple cameras cases Tailor made for what I’m carrying on any given outing.
Years ago, when film would survive air travel, I had the idea of customizing carry-on bags tough enough to be thrown around without damaging the equipment inside. Scottsboro, Alabama has an unclaimed baggage store where I paid less than $10 for each of the three carry-on bags that I use as camera cases and all were in excellent condition.


The padding is foam rubber and terrycloth supported by double thick corrugated cardboard and then covered in fabric. The gray fabric was a faux suede that was perfect: very soft and tough, but no lint. To keep it simple, I glued the fabric rather than sewing it. They’ve held up well for 15 years, now.



But, carry-on cases are not what anyone wants to be dragging along behind them on a walking tour that involves stairs or bumpy terrain. I have, however used the 4×5 case for walk around shooting because setting up field camera is a bit more stationary than handheld work.
Customization of Shoulder Bags: Case #1 Rolleiflex Hy6
So, as someone who has spent much time doing online shopping and forum research looking for the perfect shoulder bag solution, I was never quite satisfied. For 35mm, I have been using an Ape ACPRO1200 bag with the included partitions for years. It fits either my Nikon F100 or F6 with a 24-120mm Zoom attached and three or four additional lenses, plus filters, adapter rings, remote release, film, batteries, etc.

Once I got the Rolleiflex Hy6, I became more motivated to do local walking expeditions with medium format equipment. The camera is light and compact aside from the handle which is not removable, making it an awkward fit for a shoulder bag. After a few measurements, I calculated that I could fit it into an Ape ACPRO1400, which is slightly bigger than the 1200 model. The challenge is keeping the individual items from banging into each other inside the case and the partitions that come with Ape cases seem to be targeting the digital SLR market, not the medium format with large protruding handle market.
I turned to the same solution I used with the carry-on bags: custom foam inserts designed specially for the shape of the Hy6. Another issue that factored into the design was the fact that the Hy6 handle can be rotated which offered some adaptability to a camera case compartment. But, given the lack of success I’ve experienced in trying to get the Hy6 reliably serviced, I avoid rotating the handle position just to minimize wear and tear on the electrical connections between the handle’s electronics and the camera body. My goal was to design the partition to accommodate the camera body with the handle prepositioned for use with the 45 degree prism and the 80mm or 40mm lens attached. It also had to have compartments for the large 50mm AF lens and which ever lens (40 or 80) was not attached to the camera.






The fabric used in this Hy6 case was a synthetic pressed “weave”. The huge fabric store near me is gone and the remaining fabric stores in town cater to the quilt market. Synthetic fabric is plastic and thin. It’s not scratchy and it prevents foam particles from leaking into the case, but it melts if you try to glue it with hot glue and it sometimes stains all the way through when when you use fabric glue. I still need to cover the small square that separates the 50mm lens from the lens below.
Customization of Shoulder Bags: Case #2 Hasselblad 501CM
The Hasselblad has no handle, so the case is simpler. I divided another Ape ACPRO1400 case into three compartments. The body with A12 film back and 45 degree meter prism in the center, my 100mm lens on one side and my 40mmlens on the other.

Beyond that, I merely added some shapes to take up the extra space to keep the components from shifting around. The smaller 1200 model case may have been large enough for the Hassy kit.


I have used both the Hy6 and Hassy cases on photo walking tours and they work well. One small problem with the Ape 1400 cases is that the part of the case that acts as a hinge for the lid will kink when it’s opened or closed. It likes being open or closed, not in between. It’s kind of annoying when you want reach in and pull something out without raising the lid a full 90+ degrees. And they are like that right out of the box, so it isn’t due to the customizations. The 1200 case does not have that issue. On the other hand, I knew of that problem before I ordered the second case and decided to use it again anyway.
Final Thoughts and Links to Photo Sets
As you might have guessed, I don’t have much variation in what I carry on a medium format photo outing. I don’t use and don’t have any long lenses, so a normal and one or two wides will always be my loadout. For 35mm, I still shoot wide or “normal” focal lengths almost exclusively, but I do carry a 70-300mm for rare occasions.
I should also note that the 35mm case which I’ve been using with my F100 and now with my F6, will also accommodate my D850 with the 24-120mm zoom attached. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but I don’t take the camera body in and out of the case very often because it’s around my neck (well, in my hands). I have yet to take the D850 out on a walk-around outing. I’m a film shooter and there’s apparently no cure for that.
Below are links to my other site, Cityshadow.org, with additional pictures: