flying with big camera bags

[jeanie]

just wondering if you're away for holidays and have decided to pack your gears into one big camera bag like the phototrekker, for eg, do you check in your bags as fragile or bring them on board?
what about those with 600mm lenses?
do you bring them on board and leave them in the overhead cabin space?

 

[night86mare]

i always, always bring my camera gear with me.

tripod not so bad, can throw into luggage and make sure it is padded, or surrounded with other things.

if you know how some airport staff throw your luggage around - not really their fault because it is the most efficient way to move a thing.. even if fragile, if they never see.. while nothing may happen, i won't want to take the risk.

i am not sure if your phototrekker meets hand luggage requirements though. but most airlines allow anything so long as you don't look like you're going to brain someone accidentally with your bag because you cannot handle it. but sometimes they also enforce the rules, and the rules are there, so best to check, if you're bent on hand carrying the camera gear.

alternatively, you can get pelican cases. :devil:

 

[jeanie]

i always, always bring my camera gear with me.

tripod not so bad, can throw into luggage and make sure it is padded, or surrounded with other things.

if you know how some airport staff throw your luggage around - not really their fault because it is the most efficient way to move a thing.. even if fragile, if they never see.. while nothing may happen, i won't want to take the risk.

i am not sure if your phototrekker meets hand luggage requirements though. but most airlines allow anything so long as you don't look like you're going to brain someone accidentally with your bag because you cannot handle it. but sometimes they also enforce the rules, and the rules are there, so best to check, if you're bent on hand carrying the camera gear.

alternatively, you can get pelican cases. :devil:

phototrekker for sure wont be able to clear cabin requirements.
my gitzo even if you ask me to junk into check in I also heart pain.
and my gitzo will not fit into my luggage which i intend to bring unless i bring my super big samsonite series.

i have pelican cases as well but they are so friggin big, (and heavy) there's no way i can go travelling(shooting) with it.

gears+pelican case=insane weight.even if labelled as fragile, i doubt those handlers will handle with care.


anyone?

 

[jeanie]

for big tele lens, best to get pelican hardcase or similar type, for me only flash/ lighting equipment, remote trigger, stand and accessories will go to check in, camera, lens and laptop ill hand carry.

make sure you bring spare small bag to carry ur equipment later, else you have to bring your big bag to looking around which is not comfortable.

oh Ssssss-------------------sugar...

i forgot i still need to bring my MBP.
sigh...that leaves me with even more gears to lug.:angry:

 

[night86mare]

oh Ssssss-------------------sugar...

i forgot i still need to bring my MBP.
sigh...that leaves me with even more gears to lug.:angry:

buy extra seat, then hire a camel to carry your gear + cases :bsmilie:

 

[freshfire]

i always put my gitzo and wimberley head into my hard case luggage with a layer of bubble bag, in between some layers of clothings and check them in, so far so good

As for bag, i squeeze a 600mm lens, a body, flash, bino, tc and sometimes a macbook into my compu trekker plus. yes i know its very heavy, but when you walk thru the custom just pretend that is light and they wont weigh your bag. and it fit right in the over head cabin...

 

[shahrulesa]

I carried a think tank streetwalker harddrive onto the plane with me. The only thing is for international flights you don't have any more space for a spare clothes and some toiletries in the bag. (having a spare cloth in your carry on is a good practice sinceairline can loose or delay your bags)

 

[zekai]

5 years of flying with gears.

cameras, lenses, digital back, laptop are always with me. Never checked in.
check in lights in pelican, luggage with plenty of padding, light stands and tripod.
Mark fragile but still had cases where the lights were damaged. What to do.

be careful when flying back from australia or some an*l airport in europe, they police the weight of the carry in very strictly.
especially Perth. I hate them.

I use a tenba which has a compartment for the 15" mbp. the rest of the camera fit in nicely...
its hard to get it under 10KG but if you are flying out of perth... be careful.

 

[JacePhoto]

5 years of flying with gears.

cameras, lenses, digital back, laptop are always with me. Never checked in.
check in lights in pelican, luggage with plenty of padding, light stands and tripod.
Mark fragile but still had cases where the lights were damaged. What to do.

be careful when flying back from australia or some an*l airport in europe, they police the weight of the carry in very strictly.
especially Perth. I hate them.

I use a tenba which has a compartment for the 15" mbp. the rest of the camera fit in nicely...
its hard to get it under 10KG but if you are flying out of perth... be careful.

Thanks for sharing... :thumbsup:

 

[jeanie]

buy extra seat, then hire a camel to carry your gear + cases :bsmilie:

i not going egypt u know?:bsmilie:

 

[jeanie]

5 years of flying with gears.

cameras, lenses, digital back, laptop are always with me. Never checked in.
check in lights in pelican, luggage with plenty of padding, light stands and tripod.
Mark fragile but still had cases where the lights were damaged. What to do.

be careful when flying back from australia or some an*l airport in europe, they police the weight of the carry in very strictly.
especially Perth. I hate them.

I use a tenba which has a compartment for the 15" mbp. the rest of the camera fit in nicely...
its hard to get it under 10KG but if you are flying out of perth... be careful.

thanks for the insight.
yes...i dislike those weight restriction airlines.
but for a petite gal like me with a phototrekker or a pelican, how to run?:cry:

maybe i'll just list down my stuffs and you see if it's ok?
i got a feeling it wont even fit into my phototrekker

d3+3 batts
charger
sb900
24-70
14-24
70-200
45 TS
gitzo with RRS head
300 2.8
1.7tc
mbp
mouse
charger
1 ext hdd
1 cf card holder
cleaning kit

the above + some nitty gritty girl stuffs.
i wont even bring my makeup box.

 

[jeanie]

btw, if they stop you how?
they will ask u to check in under fragile item?:dunno::cry:

 

[Astin]

For small/mid range lens and camera it is possible to hand carry, but I doubt the airline will let u hand carry the 600mm lens. Obviously the 600mm cannot be put under the seat, it "may" fit into the overhead compartment but for small plane it is unlikely. So maybe hand over to the inflight stewadess to store in their kitchen or the small cabin that they hang the coats? :dunno:

 

[jeanie]

For small/mid range lens and camera it is possible to hand carry, but I doubt the airline will let u hand carry the 600mm lens. Obviously the 600mm cannot be put under the seat, it "may" fit into the overhead compartment but for small plane it is unlikely. So maybe hand over to the inflight stewadess to store in their kitchen or the small cabin that they hang the coats? :dunno:

but freshfire mention he brought the 600mm

 

[freshfire]

some of the nature photographers here carry more gear than me on board

The airlines i fly are mainly budget air and so far no problem.

 

[Astin]

some of the nature photographers here carry more gear than me on board

The airlines i fly are mainly budget air and so far no problem.

Wow, u manage to pass through all the check-in counter, immigration, x-ray, airline boarding staff, security, inflight stewardess. :bigeyes: I guess u must be a big size guy to make the compu-trekker look small and light relatively. I am 1.7m and the mini-trekker already look very bulky when I carry it.

 

[robotech]

thanks for the insight.
yes...i dislike those weight restriction airlines.
but for a petite gal like me with a phototrekker or a pelican, how to run?:cry:

maybe i'll just list down my stuffs and you see if it's ok?
i got a feeling it wont even fit into my phototrekker

d3+3 batts
charger
sb900
24-70
14-24
70-200
45 TS
gitzo with RRS head
300 2.8
1.7tc
mbp
mouse
charger
1 ext hdd
1 cf card holder
cleaning kit

the above + some nitty gritty girl stuffs.
i wont even bring my makeup box.

Carry your D3 + 24-70 or 70-200 on your hand. The rest of the lenses in the bag. They dun weigh the camera on your hand. I think the tripod, spare batts, mose, charger, cf card and Sb900 can dump into the check in luggage. Like that maybe your carry on would be around 8-9kg. Watch it if it's SQ. I think they are only 7kg.

 

[ortega]

you can always bring me along

 

[kongping]

5 years of flying with gears.

cameras, lenses, digital back, laptop are always with me. Never checked in.
check in lights in pelican, luggage with plenty of padding, light stands and tripod.
Mark fragile but still had cases where the lights were damaged. What to do.

be careful when flying back from australia or some an*l airport in europe, they police the weight of the carry in very strictly.
especially Perth. I hate them.

I use a tenba which has a compartment for the 15" mbp. the rest of the camera fit in nicely...
its hard to get it under 10KG but if you are flying out of perth... be careful.

I second Perth. The weight restrictions there are a real bitch.

 

[jeanie]

Carry your D3 + 24-70 or 70-200 on your hand. The rest of the lenses in the bag. They dun weigh the camera on your hand. I think the tripod, spare batts, mose, charger, cf card and Sb900 can dump into the check in luggage. Like that maybe your carry on would be around 8-9kg. Watch it if it's SQ. I think they are only 7kg.

HOW on earth do i carry the d3+24-70 and 70-200 on board?i can sling the d3 on my neck(albeit very uncomfy for flights) but where am i going to put the 70-200?!?!?it's not small/light either.

yes, most prob sq.