Russian Dolls

on November 10, 2018

We’ve all seen the Russian Matryoshka doll - those cute little wooden toys that nest one hollow girl inside another in an ever-smaller succession. Some take it as a metaphor for life, or society, or whatever - I just think it is a great idea for camera equipment.

We are always looking for the perfect photographic equipment cases and the makers are always presenting us with new designs. Some of them are brilliant and some of them are dim...but few combine all we need in one product. Yet they might be able to do this if we decide what we need first.

a. Tiny little case for tiny little gear. The sort of thing that can be pocketed without distress. For cards and batteries.

b. Small case for lenses, flashes, or cables.

c. Medium case for lenses, camera, or zooms.

d. Large case for strobes, tripods, stands.

e. Extra large case...to take all the rest.

Imagine these made without the complex pockets, padding, straps, zips and other design features that the companies try to compete with - just plain slip cases. Like soft versions of the legendary Benser case. Heck, make 'em in identifiable colours.

If you see these designs as matryoshkas you eventually get a multilayered concept that the photographer can stuff or discard at their discretion. And with a bit of planning, you can leave them nested in one body until you need to deploy them.

Da, you know it makes sense.

BACK TO TOP
x