How do you pack DSLR and laptop for travel ?


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joeman

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Feb 10, 2007
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Hi,

I am interested to know how forum members pack their camera along their trips.

After all, we have different way of packing and I think it would be great to share so that I also want to learn from each others..

Laptop is a MUST to bring due to business, overseas study etc....I actually may be station away for a longer period overseas soon and wonder how I can pack all and check in as hand luggages....

These are what I intend to bring...

1. Laptop and accessories
2. DSLR camera
3. Standard zoom lens
4. Ttelephoto like 70-200mm
4. Fish eyes and wide angle
5. Small camera
6. Flash
7. Small Video cam and can act as webcam
8. Tripod.


What are your ways and bags to bring along...?

1. Backpack bags that can put laptop and cameras and tripod either hand carry or check in
2. Seperate bags for laptops, camera and tripod

Will you also check-in your tripod as I heard some people check in their tripod before and found that they will badly handled...
 

This is how I did when I travelled:

Put the camera and lense in the air tight plastic casing, cost about $8 from NTUC. Picture shown is my D80 and 18-200mm VR:
DSCF0048.jpg


Cover it as shown
DSCF0047.jpg


Put it in the laptop back as shown, it is able to house 1 notebook (mine is 12.1" IBM model) and 2 plastic box, the pink camera shown is my Sony W80 P&S camera, on top can still put the SB800.
DSCF0049.jpg


This is how the backpack looks like
DSCF0051.jpg
 

If you want to put all your staffs, you need a bigger size laptop bag, my suggestion:

1. first plastic box to contain the camera body, and wide angle lense.
2. Second plastic box to contain the 70-200mm plus flash
3. Third plastic box to contain the standard zoom, and video cam, hope it is samll one, should be able to put in one box.
4. You should be able to find place to squeeze in the P&S cam, plus spare batteries and chargers for Laptop and camera.

Hope this can help in your creativity in your packing, if money no problem, can consider the lowerpro notebook cum camera bag.
 

i too put my gears in a tupperware. it will be able to withstand someone/thing sitting/crushing on it. i also put a thin (3-5mm) foam inside. this will protect the non-stop shaking whenever u make a single step.
 

actually, u just need one bag and everything will fit inside. get the karachi outpost:

http://www.crumpler.com.sg/Cart/index.php?catId=22

there is a compartment for laptop and adaptor. easily fits 17" laptops.

the camera compartment can even fit a 400mm f2.8 lens, yes thats a mega huge fat and long lens. if even a 400mm f2.8 can fit inside, u can imagine how much space is left after u put ur 70-200 zoom there. Definitely more than adequate to put ur dslr, ur small cam and video cam etc.

only thing is tripod u need to check in, dun think can bring on board..
 

i tend to pack everything separately in their own cases/bags then fit all the cases/bags into a small luggage. easy to take out when going through the security check. for my video camera, i would pack it in its crumpler then put the crumpler in my luggage.

for tripod..
when i carry instruments i usually inform the counter checkin staff and so far, they'll tell me to place it in the cage with the baby strollers and stuff. maybe you can do the same for tripod?
 

This is creative...

If you want to put all your staffs, you need a bigger size laptop bag, my suggestion:

1. first plastic box to contain the camera body, and wide angle lense.
2. Second plastic box to contain the 70-200mm plus flash
3. Third plastic box to contain the standard zoom, and video cam, hope it is samll one, should be able to put in one box.
4. You should be able to find place to squeeze in the P&S cam, plus spare batteries and chargers for Laptop and camera.

Hope this can help in your creativity in your packing, if money no problem, can consider the lowerpro notebook cum camera bag.
 

Shares my thoughts...

I have a few different camera backpack and it is good to pack all the gear in but I realised that sometimes when I checked-in to a hotel, I can always leave my laptop behind and this bag become too big for me to bring around...

I am also wondering how those people who goes for photo trips and travel trips bring along their camera, laptops ?
 

but I realised that sometimes when I checked-in to a hotel, I can always leave my laptop behind and this bag become too big for me to bring around...


mmm.. wat do u mean? i dun understand... do u mean u always accidentally leave ur laptop behind in the hotel and got stolen?
 

It depends on a few things...
1. What other things do you need in your hand luggage? Are there a lot of other things?
2. What is the camera bag that you will be using?

The camera bag that I use will depend on the amount of gear that I bring along. Three scenarios,

Full gear and tripod will mean the compu-trekker.
Tripod head can go inside the camera bag in the hand carry (can be damaged if you check in without a hard case) but tripod will likely have to go into a check in (pack carefully if you are bringing a CF tripod in a soft bag).
- When there is minimum other belongings to bring on the hand luggage, it will be everything in the compu-trekker.
- When there is a lot of other important things to bring (for working trips) with me e.g. meeting documents, a change of clothes, etc. It will be compu-trekker for the camera and then another carry-on bag for the notebook and other stuff. This can help cheat the system ;p by sneaking up two pieces of carry-on. Airlines usually will not make a fuss if you have a bag full of camera and another bag with notebook and other personal belongings.

Medium load will be toploader AW with lens case to travel with a lighter gear (say 1 body with up to 3lens plus flash)
It will be camera gears inside the toploader and then a second bag for notebook and other stuff.

Travel light (body plus one lens) will be body and lens in a SlipLock pouch with lens and body separated. The pouch will then go into a bag with the notebook and other stuff.

If there is a very long trips (months), I bring the plastic box in the check-in bag so that I can use that as a dry box (with silica gel). It is quite effective.
 

Well, you can pack whatever way you like, just make sure your laptop is easily accessable, ie. you can take it out easily. Just went through security check at changi & Amsterdam's schiphol last week, both asked passengers to take out their laptops for security check seperately.
 

Well, you can pack whatever way you like, just make sure your laptop is easily accessable, ie. you can take it out easily. Just went through security check at changi & Amsterdam's schiphol last week, both asked passengers to take out their laptops for security check seperately.

wat do they check for the laptop security check? check the contents???
 

DSLR + lenses and small accessories in the camera bag (Nikon one), laptop in a laptop pouch that I hold in my hand. Holds one or two magazines too :)

Charges, mice, tripod, all go into my check in luggage.
 

wat do they check for the laptop security check? check the contents???

they will make you take the laptop out of the case and put it by itself on a separate tray. in singapore, they may even make you turn the lappy on. but they wont check the contents of your lappy lah..

cameras too, out of the bag into the tray. jackets, shoes etc as well.

when i was flying around i used at 6 trays.. 1 for shoes, 1 for lappy, 1 for lappy bag, 1 for camera, 1 for camera bag and 1 for jacket :bsmilie: :bsmilie: the security was... quite amused.. one guy carry so much
 

they will make you take the laptop out of the case and put it by itself on a separate tray. in singapore, they may even make you turn the lappy on. but they wont check the contents of your lappy lah..

cameras too, out of the bag into the tray. jackets, shoes etc as well.

when i was flying around i used at 6 trays.. 1 for shoes, 1 for lappy, 1 for lappy bag, 1 for camera, 1 for camera bag and 1 for jacket :bsmilie: :bsmilie: the security was... quite amused.. one guy carry so much

It was not so bad in my case. They only asked me to take out my laptop and put it in a tray. My cameras and other electronics stuff were fine, they didn't ask me to take them out. However, they did ask me to remove my jacket & belt.
 

mmm.. wat do u mean? i dun understand... do u mean u always accidentally leave ur laptop behind in the hotel and got stolen?


I mean normally I stay in a hotel for at least a week, I can leave the laptop either in the overseas office or in my hotel room...
 

I did the same what you did last week and kenna scolded by the security airliner that I am bringing 2 bags...I just ignore that security chap...



It depends on a few things...
1. What other things do you need in your hand luggage? Are there a lot of other things?
2. What is the camera bag that you will be using?

The camera bag that I use will depend on the amount of gear that I bring along. Three scenarios,

Full gear and tripod will mean the compu-trekker.
Tripod head can go inside the camera bag in the hand carry (can be damaged if you check in without a hard case) but tripod will likely have to go into a check in (pack carefully if you are bringing a CF tripod in a soft bag).
- When there is minimum other belongings to bring on the hand luggage, it will be everything in the compu-trekker.
- When there is a lot of other important things to bring (for working trips) with me e.g. meeting documents, a change of clothes, etc. It will be compu-trekker for the camera and then another carry-on bag for the notebook and other stuff. This can help cheat the system ;p by sneaking up two pieces of carry-on. Airlines usually will not make a fuss if you have a bag full of camera and another bag with notebook and other personal belongings.

Medium load will be toploader AW with lens case to travel with a lighter gear (say 1 body with up to 3lens plus flash)
It will be camera gears inside the toploader and then a second bag for notebook and other stuff.

Travel light (body plus one lens) will be body and lens in a SlipLock pouch with lens and body separated. The pouch will then go into a bag with the notebook and other stuff.

If there is a very long trips (months), I bring the plastic box in the check-in bag so that I can use that as a dry box (with silica gel). It is quite effective.
 

oh i have a question.

how do you all pack your wires and cables? any special pouch or carrier?
 

If you want to put all your staffs, you need a bigger size laptop bag, my suggestion:

1. first plastic box to contain the camera body, and wide angle lense.
2. Second plastic box to contain the 70-200mm plus flash
3. Third plastic box to contain the standard zoom, and video cam, hope it is samll one, should be able to put in one box.
4. You should be able to find place to squeeze in the P&S cam, plus spare batteries and chargers for Laptop and camera.

Hope this can help in your creativity in your packing, if money no problem, can consider the lowerpro notebook cum camera bag.

vali innovaties way think I will use ur method on my next travelling as seem vali troublesome to carry 1 backpack and 1 camera bag
but tripod still have to hand-carry right dun think my 35L backpack got space for that :think:
or do I need to BBB for another backpack?
thks
 

u can try Airport Antidote


1. Laptop and accessories IN
2. DSLR camera IN
3. Standard zoom lens IN
4. Ttelephoto like 70-200mm IN
4. Fish eyes and wide angle IN
5. Small camera IN
6. Flash IN
7. Small Video cam and can act as webcam IN
8. Tripod. erm..too big..try Bazooka
 

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