Camcorder Reviews

I've been searching for a decent case for my Canon GL2, which is an unusual shape in 'consumer' or 'prosumer' digital miniDV camcorders. I tried bags from Lowe Pro and others, and they always seemed bulky and not quite right for the GL2.

The Kata bag was one I had my eye on, and when I finally was able to see one on a trip to Seattle, I knew it would be perfect for the GL2's long body and accessories.

And it nearly is. If the bag's inner compartment was about 1 inch longer, it would be completely perfect. Fortunately, this isn't much of a detriment - the soft shell of the bag and large amounts of padding can accomodate the long body and eyecup/viewer on the GL2 without much of a worry.

The bag looks extremely cool too - it doesn't look like your typical camera or camcorder bag. It's long, has a funky shape to it, and they have a unique "trap door" design to the bag that lets you put in a false bottom (velcro secured) platform to rest the camera on, and still stick accessories, spare film cassetes, etc below the camera - which you can then access via the secondary "trap door" enclosure on the back of the bag. Makes for very quick access to stuff.

The bag also includes two end pouches for storing cords, cables, tapes, batteries, chargers, etc, and they are held very securly with a three point connection - a plastic clip in the middle and two tight 'bungy cord' loops that attach to the bottom of the bag. Again, superb design shown here.

The carrying handle is nifty - you can adjust it's height, something I've not seen on another bag.

The shoulder strap is also top quality and stays secure thanks to the rubberized portion that rests on your shoulder.

You can also wear this with an optional belt attachment, and there's places to attach a tripod or monopod. All in all an excellent design, superb usability, and it looks way cool. If you own a GL2, this is the case for you.

If you're one of the lucky ones to have a Canon GL2 camera, you probably know that case options are few and far between for this 3CCD camera. I made "do" with a generic Lowe Pro camera bag for a few months, but based on a suggestion from a friend, I went for the Kata CCC-1111 model. It's not specifically listed as being compatible with the GL2, but it really should be.

The fit is tight in the main compartment if you have the extra large eye cup and the lens shield on the dvcam, but it still fits nicely. In fact, you have a few options as to the fit and layout of the bag - there's two dividers inside meant to accomodate smaller miniDV cams, but you can remove one, and leave the multi-level divider in place, and simply place the Canon GL2 on it's side in the top.

Fit and finish are superb. The trap door access on the back for the bottom of the case is a great idea. The two side pouches are removable, but hold secure while used. The straps are first rate, everything about this bag is almost perfect for the GL2. I have the bag loaded with shotgun mike, XLR adapter, two lapel mikes, spare batteries, charger, 10w light, and even have room for a Nikon CPX2500 digicam. Highly recommended.