Cinema Camera Case: Packing an FX3, FX6, Komodo or BMPCC
How to measure a cinema rig for a hard case, which case suits a stripped or rigged setup, and what else belongs in the case on set and in the air.
25 September 2026
Share
Size a cinema camera case for the camera as it actually travels: stripped to the body with the rig packed around it, or built with cage, handle and monitor ready to shoot. Stripped, a Sony FX3 or Blackmagic Pocket 6K fits a medium case like the Vantage 290D with room for lenses; fully rigged, it often needs a large wheeled case like the Vantage 460L-TR. Below: how to measure a rig, confirmed body sizes, and what else to pack.
Stripped or rigged: decide first
Every cinema camera case decision starts with one question. Do you break the camera down after each job, or keep it built?
- Stripped. Body, lenses, cage, top handle, monitor, batteries and media each get their own pocket. The case is smaller and lighter, but you spend time rebuilding on set.
- Rigged. The camera travels in a single pocket with cage, handle and often a monitor attached, ready to shoot the moment the lid opens. Faster on set, but the pocket is irregular and the case is larger.
There is a middle ground: cage and handle stay on, monitor and lens come off. Whatever you choose, measure the camera in exactly that configuration.
How to measure a cinema rig
- Build it the way it will travel. Cage, handle, side grip, top plate, whatever stays on. Remove the lens unless it travels mounted.
- Measure the three extremes with a steel rule: widest point to widest point, front to back including any rear battery plate, and base to the top of the handle.
- Note what sticks out. Rosettes, cheese plate screws, NATO rails, cable clamps and monitor arms. These are the corners that hit foam first.
- Add 40 mm to each dimension. That gives 20 mm of foam on every side. Compare with the case's inner size.
- Check the split. Cases open into a deep base and a shallower lid. The camera sits in the base, so its height must fit the base depth plus a little lid foam on top.
The Hard Case Size Finder takes these measurements and checks them against every size. A rigged camera has an awkward outline that is hard to cut by hand, so ShutterBuzz also makes custom laser-cut premium foam inserts on request; send your rig measurements through the same page, which has WhatsApp and email contact.
Body sizes from the makers
We only print dimensions we could confirm on the manufacturer's own pages:
- Sony FX3: approximately 129.7 x 77.8 x 84.5 mm (width x height x depth) and approximately 715 g including battery and SD card, from Sony's help guide.
- Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro: Blackmagic's specification drawing shows 7.08 x 4.84 x 4.41 inches, which is about 180 x 123 x 112 mm, and 2.73 lb, about 1.24 kg.
- RED Komodo 6K: RED's operation guide lists 2.10 lb without body cap and CFast card. We could not confirm body dimensions on RED's own pages, so measure yours.
- Sony FX6: we could not confirm the dimensions on a Sony page at the time of writing. Measure the body, including the handle and any top plate you keep attached.
These are bare body figures. Once a cage, handle and monitor are on, the rig can be much larger than the body, which is why measuring your own setup matters more than any published number.
Which case for which setup
| Setup | What to check | Case | Inner size (mm) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FX3 body stripped, 2 to 3 lenses, batteries, media | Body 129.7 x 77.8 x 84.5 mm, needs about 170 x 118 x 125 mm with foam | Vantage 290D | 520 x 290 x 200 | Leaves most of the 520 mm length for lenses and accessories |
| Pocket 6K Pro body stripped, lenses, batteries | Body about 180 x 123 x 112 mm, needs about 220 x 163 x 152 mm with foam | Vantage 290D | 520 x 290 x 200 | 152 mm fits inside the 200 mm depth with room over the top |
| Komodo or FX6, stripped | Measure body with handle or top plate | Vantage 290D if it fits in 160 mm of height with foam | 520 x 290 x 200 | If taller than 160 mm, go up a size |
| Any rig built with cage, handle, monitor | Measure the built rig | Vantage 460L-TR | 620 x 460 x 340 | Takes a rig up to about 580 x 420 x 300 mm with 20 mm of foam around it. Wheels and pull handle. |
| Rig plus lenses in one case, not on wheels | Measure the built rig | Vantage 405L | 538 x 405 x 245 | Rig up to about 498 x 365 x 205 mm with foam |
The "with foam" figures add 20 mm on every side. For the 290D, the 200 mm inner depth minus 40 mm of foam leaves 160 mm for the tallest item lying in the case.
What else belongs in a cinema camera case
Plan pockets for everything you would hate to be missing on set:
- Media and a reader. Cards or SSDs in a hard card wallet, in a pocket you can reach without unpacking the camera.
- Batteries. Camera batteries and, if you use them, V-mount or gold mount packs. Give each its own slot, terminals facing the same way.
- Monitor and cables. A monitor pocket with the screen facing down onto foam, and short cables coiled in a separate slot.
- Lens caps, body cap, cleaning kit. Small, easy to lose, and always needed.
- Tools. The hex keys that fit your cage and plates.
If all of that pushes the case past what one person can lift comfortably, split the kit: camera and lenses in one case, power and monitoring in another. The trolley hard case guide explains when wheels start to earn their weight.
Flying with a cinema kit
Batteries decide more of a cinema flight than the camera does. Under IATA's passenger guidance:
- Up to 100 Wh: spare lithium ion batteries travel in carry-on only, up to 20 spares per person, terminals protected from short circuit.
- Over 100 Wh up to 160 Wh: carry-on only, a maximum of two spares, and the airline must approve them.
- Over 160 Wh: not allowed in passenger baggage. These must be shipped as cargo under dangerous goods rules.
Check the Wh rating printed on each battery before you pack, and check your airline's own rules, which can be stricter. If the camera case goes in the hold, take every battery out and switch any device left inside fully off. Our guide to flying with camera gear in India covers cabin versus hold in more detail.
After a flight or a drive up to a hill location, a fully sealed case can hold a vacuum and resist opening. Vantage cases have an automatic pressure equalisation valve that balances the pressure so the lid opens normally, while the case stays sealed against water and dust.
Heat, dust and humidity on location
Cinema kits in India face a desert shoot in Rajasthan one month and a monsoon wedding in Kerala the next. Vantage cases are IP67 rated, dust-tight and protected against immersion to 1 metre for 30 minutes, and rated for minus 30 to 90 °C. Two habits go with that:
- Keep the case closed on dusty sets and wipe the gasket before you close it. Grit on the seal can stop it closing tight.
- Dry before you seal. A camera packed damp into a sealed case stays damp. Air it out, add silica gel, and use a dry cabinet between jobs in the monsoon.
Certifications beyond IP67 vary model by model. The 290D, for example, lists ATA 300, STANAG 4280, DEF-STAN 81-41 and MIL-STD-810H, while the 460L-TR lists STANAG 4280, DEF-STAN 81-41 and MIL-STD-810G. Check each product page for its exact ratings.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pack my cinema camera with the lens mounted?
For a short, light lens, if the pocket supports both body and lens, yes. For a heavy cine zoom, remove it so the mount is not carrying the lens weight through every bump.
Does the Sony FX3 fit a Vantage 290D?
The bare body does, easily. Sony lists it at about 129.7 x 77.8 x 84.5 mm, and with 20 mm of foam around it that is well inside the 290D's 520 x 290 x 200 mm. A caged FX3 with top handle needs measuring.
Should I use one big case or two smaller ones?
Two medium cases are easier to lift, fit in more car boots, and let you keep camera and lenses separate from power and monitoring. One large wheeled case suits a single operator who rolls the whole kit to set.
What is the warranty on Vantage cases?
Five years.
For the complete checklist, read the hard case for camera buying guide, or see every size in our waterproof hard cases collection.
