small hard protective case for camera

July 8, 2019 11:20 AM

I just bought a new camera, and I'd like to carry it while riding a bike. I need a hard case to protect it in case of spills, but I'd like that case to be small enough to fit inside a backpack or courier bag. The camera is a mirrorless Canon EOS M5. Any suggestions?

I found a hard shell case for a different model camera on the Canon web site. I also found this one for DSLR cameras, but I'm not sure it will fit, and I'm wondering if there are better (smaller) options.

posted by amtho to Grab Bag (6 answers total)

This dry box is a little bigger than your camera (at least according to the dimensions I googled), but you can fill that space in with foam.
posted by box at 12:11 PM on July 8, 2019

I see Amazon carries a variety of cases for that camera. I do not know about the physical size you need.
posted by JayRwv at 12:13 PM on July 8, 2019

Response by poster: JayRwv - searching Amazon for "eos m5 hard case" brought up a (soft) neoprene case, a leather case, and a bunch of random/larger stuff that's not specifically for the camera -- how are you finding your list?
posted by amtho at 12:19 PM on July 8, 2019

Response by poster: I was imagining a case that exactly fit the camera or was camera shaped, but maybe that's not an option.

Measuring the camera with lens attached, I think I need internal dimensions of at least:
5" x 4-3/16" x 3-9/16"

Padding (or space for that) would be great, but if there's no padding, I can pad the exterior or put it inside something soft. This is mainly to prevent crushing.


==> metric version:
inside at least: 12.7 x 9.1 x 10.6 cm

I need at least one external dimension to be less than 4"
posted by amtho at 12:32 PM on July 8, 2019

You won't find a hard case thats exactly camera shaped but an otter box is probably the best for what you describe. They have a lot of options so check for the best fit.

I have go admit that when biking with my camera I just put it in a backpack wrapped in a coat and have never had an issue. I bought the Canon carepak though, which covers a lot of accidental damage scenarios.
posted by fshgrl at 2:22 PM on July 8, 2019

I've got a tiny Pelican case that I though think that could squeeze into. They have a variety of sizes available, though it looks like you're too large for anything that meets the 4" requirement.

If you don't need something that robust or waterproof, look for pistol cases. They're also available in a range of sizes and can be quite a bit cheaper.
posted by Candleman at 3:32 PM on July 8, 2019