Hard Case Sizes Explained: How to Measure Before You Buy

Hard case sizes are listed two ways: inner dimensions, the usable space inside, and outer dimensions, the size of the shell itself. To choose a size, measure your gear, add at least 20 mm of foam on every side, and compare that with the inner dimensions only. Litres and labels like small, medium and large are a rough guide, but shape matters more than volume. This guide shows how to measure, how to read a size chart, and every Vantage size in one table.

Inner vs outer: the number that matters

The walls and lid of a hard case take up room. Across the fifteen Vantage sizes, the outer shell is between 5 mm and 87 mm bigger than the inner space, depending on the model and the axis. Two examples from the range:

• Vantage 225: 300 x 225 x 132 mm inside, 336 x 300 x 148 mm outside.
• Vantage 335D-TR: 465 x 335 x 220 mm inside, 502 x 422 x 267 mm outside.

Use the inner size to decide whether your gear fits. Use the outer size for everything else: airline cabin limits, car boots, shelves and cupboards.

How to read a hard case size

A size like 380 x 270 x 115 mm reads width x length x depth. The first two numbers are the floor of the case, longest side first. The third is the depth, from the floor of the base to the inside of the lid.

On Vantage cases, the model number is the middle inner dimension. The Vantage 270S is 270 mm on that axis, the Vantage 350 is 350 mm, and so on. TR at the end marks a telescopic pull handle. The 270S and 270D share the same 380 x 270 mm floor; the D is the deeper of the pair.

The depth is also split between base and lid. The Vantage 270S has 79 mm in the base and 36 mm in the lid; the Vantage 270D has the same footprint with 124 mm in the base. Your tallest item sits in the base, so check the base depth as well as the total.

How to measure your gear, step by step

1. Pack each item the way it travels. Lens caps on, drone folded, gimbal folded and locked, camera with or without its lens, whichever you will actually do.
2. Use the maker's specification page first for published sizes, then check with a steel rule. Caps, cages, hoods and handles add size that a spec sheet may not include.
3. Measure the extremes on all three axes: widest point, longest point, tallest point.
4. Lay out the items on paper or a table in the arrangement you want, with a gap between each.
5. Add the foam. 20 mm between the outside items and each wall, 20 mm between neighbouring items, and 20 mm under and over the tallest item.
6. Compare with the inner width, length and depth. All three must fit. If one is close, go up a size.

The Hard Case Size Finder does steps 4 to 6 for you once you enter your items.

A worked example

A DJI Mini 4 Pro, folded, is 148 x 94 x 64 mm according to DJI. The DJI RC 2 controller is 168.4 x 132.5 mm, and 62.7 mm tall with the sticks fitted.

• Width: 20 + 148 + 20 + 168.4 + 20 = 376.4 mm
• Length: 20 + 132.5 + 20 = 172.5 mm (the controller is the wider of the two)
• Depth: 64 + 20 + 20 = 104 mm

The Vantage 270S is 380 x 270 x 115 mm inside. All three numbers fit, with nearly 100 mm of spare length for a row of batteries. The drone case sizing guide works through the Air and Mavic series the same way.

Small, medium and large: what the bands mean

We group Vantage cases by internal volume: small under 15 litres, medium from 15 to 50 litres, and large over 50 litres. The bands help you shortlist, but volume alone can mislead.

Take the Vantage 290S and the Vantage 230. The 290S holds 19.6 litres and the 230 holds 22 litres, so they look similar on paper. But the 290S is 426 x 290 x 159 mm, wide and shallow, built for a gimbal lying flat. The 230 is 400 x 230 x 260 mm, narrow and deep, built for lenses standing upright. The same gear would fit one and not the other.

So use litres to narrow the list, then check all three inner dimensions.

Every Vantage size in one table

Four sizes roll on wheels: the 335D-TR, 405-TR, 460L-TR and 600. Every size is in our waterproof hard cases collection with current stock.

Outer size, airlines and the car boot

If you plan to carry a case into an aircraft cabin, compare your airline's current cabin limit with the case's outer dimensions, and ask whether handles and wheels count. Rules differ between airlines and change over time, so check before each trip rather than relying on memory. When a case is close to a limit, measure it yourself with a tape, handle included.

The same thinking applies on the ground. Measure the car boot you actually use, the overhead rack on the train you take, and the shelf where the case will live between shoots. A case that fits your gear perfectly but not your car is the wrong size. For more on air travel, see flying with camera gear in India.

Common sizing mistakes

1. Using outer dimensions. The outside can be several centimetres bigger. Always compare inner.
2. Forgetting foam. Gear that measures exactly the inner size has no protection. Allow 20 mm on every side.
3. Ignoring base depth. A case can be deep in total but shallow in the base. The tallest item needs to sit in the base.
4. Buying by litres. Two cases with the same volume can hold very different gear.
5. No room to grow. If you plan to add a lens or a second body within a year, size for that kit now.

Frequently asked questions

Are hard case dimensions inside or outside?
Both are usually listed. Inner dimensions tell you what fits. Outer dimensions tell you where the case fits.

How much space should I leave around my gear?
At least 20 mm of foam on every side, including between items and under the tallest one.

What size hard case do I need for one camera and two lenses?
Measure the body with a lens attached and the spare lenses with caps on, then add the foam. A small case such as the Vantage 225, at 300 x 225 x 132 mm inside, is where our size table starts for one mirrorless body and two small lenses, but your measurements decide.

What does the number in a Vantage model name mean?
It is the middle inner dimension in millimetres. The Vantage 290S is 290 mm on that axis.

For the full buying checklist, read the hard case for camera buying guide.