Performance
Both bags are made of a combination of military-grade ballistic nylon and temperature-insulating Nycore, that has been specially heat-formed into a ribbed construction to provide structural support. The best way to understand the concept behind this would be to think of an egg. The strength found in an arched surface is surprising, which is why you can’t crush an egg by squeezing both of its ends toward it’s center. (If you squeeze at the center, it will shatter because the arc here is much more extreme and doesn’t provide the gradual support provide when you put pressure on both ends.) This ribbed construction is what gives these cases their semi-rigid protection. Despite these physics facts, I would have liked to have seen some form of rigid internal skeleton, made of something like hardened carbon or graphite, to provide additional support, especially for constant pressure and crushing situations. (For those times when the passenger behind you puts his heavy briefcase on top of your camera case in the stowaway bin or those times when someone stacks your lighting kit on your camera bag.)
The outer material of both cases has been treated with a fluoro-carbon based water repellant finish that really does a very good job of keeping your camera dry from those rain showers you may need to lug it through. (I’m not sure I would submerge it in a lake, however.) The internal padding is a bit on the thin side for my taste, but it does seem to a do a good job of protecting the cameras we used in our tests. Finally, the inside of each bag is covered with Kata’s patented Yelloop material, that serves both as a receptor surface to stick velcro and as an anti-scratch/anti-static material to keep your camera safe from scratches and static charges.
The performance of the Shell-03 was especially good for it’s size and, despite looking fragile on the outside, really seemed to hold up quite well. The bigger CC-93 also held up well, but wasn’t much more sturdy than the Shell case, which kind of surprised me due to the fact that the CC-93 looks a lot more solid than the Shell. The small size of the Shell-03 made it easy to work with (and, for filmmakers who need to fly to different areas with their cameras, much easier to stow in an overhead bin), while the awkwardness that I mentioned in the Ease of Use area impeded the performance of the CC-93 somewhat. (Additionally, although the CC-93 is larger than the Shell, it is not long enough to accept cameras with a 35mm attachment, like the Redrock Micro, attached. Considering the pain of tearing that down and putting it back together, it would be nice if Kata released an extra long case that would allow you to package a digital camera with a 35mm adapter securely with its rods and follow focus attached.)
Value
Both are quite reasonably priced and should be selected between based on your specific needs. Considering the lower price of the Shell and the overall impressiveness of its testing, I would consider it to be a better value for users who don’t need to have a matte box attached.
Final Comments
While I would like to see them roll out a line with a more rigid internal skeleton for additional protection from crushing weights, the amount of protection offered from both the Shell-03 and the CC-193 is quite impressive, especially considering how light they both are. With their light, yet durable materials, a five year warranty, and extremely reasonable pricing, you would be well-advised to look into the cases Kata provides for your next shoot.
