How should I carry my camera?

[pezgrande]

So I am about to go on a big trip to Indonesia, and wanted some input on how you pack your bags. I am taking along my SLR, Housing, two strobes and all the other supporting stuff. Fortunately scuba gear is not an issue as I'll be using the boat's gear. So my question how should I carry my camera setup?

My thoughts are...
My pelican 1510 hard case. Offers great durable protection and in theory carry on size. But with this hard case draw unnecessary attention. I fear that the airlines in seeing the case might question it and ask to gate check it and then who knows!

Or option #2 my Akona roller bag. It looks more like a regular roller bag, and again theoretically carry on size. But definitely not as sturdy as the hard case.

I have certainly traveled before with the camera usually checking it in a larger case. But now my gear is smaller (smaller strobes, smaller dome port, etc.) and I think I will be more comfortable having it with me in my control. Especially since it is a long trip with three different layovers and two different airlines.

I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences. Thanks .

-Michael

 

[t-mac]

I always carry mine on. Between the one bag and personal item, I have room for my rig and my reg, plus a few other things that might be too tempting. It's not like you would be able to walk into the local camera store and replace it. Have a great trip!

 

[DandyDon]

I always carry my camera in my personal bag (back pack) that never leaves my sight. Roll-on bags can often be gate checked by airlines, then handled like regular luggage, breaking things. You pelican case should suffice tho.

 

[Scuba_Noob]

I used carry-on for my Pelican case. Security asked me to open it once. No big deal. It was with me the whole time.

 

[Doc]

Why would you use a bomb-proof case for carry-on?

Pelican cases are beautifully over-designed to protect delicate gear through the worst conditions. Cabin Class is no picnic, but do you think your cameras could survive without going First Class?

A softsided case has always worked for me, and we travel to SCUBA dive on trips that usually amount to several plane changes. People's opinions on this will change when they start traveling beyond fairly local areas. Lighter is better.

Look at the better grades of backpacks, you can pad your gear wrapped in t-shirts. Why carry around foam rubber that will just absorb moisture and salt from the air? This is rarely thought about, but that foam inside your Pelican should be thoroughly cleaned and dried out between trips... not just clamped shut to keep absorbing moisture and salt.

Some people decide to use the Pelican for what it was designed- to check it through. Smart travelers will place them inside military aircrew or some other softsided bag as camouflage. Contrary to urban myth, standard SCUBA gear is not a high value target for thieves. However, Anything in a Pelican case however does create a target.

Here's what you don't want to do:

The Pelican case is a "hermetically sealed" device. Like it or not, this is a major red flag for TSA. If you must use a hard sided box for your cabin baggage, look at any of the lighter weight examples such as Contico or Plano. Even these will likely survive any ride in the overhead compartment.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Here's the main concern traveling to Indonesia (and Fiji as well as other countries in Asia-Pacific) where you may have a small plane transfer at some point in your travels. Many of these airlines have very restrictive carry-on bag allowances weight-wise. When you travel with a Pelican or StormCase hard-side case, a good portion of your weight allowance is in the case before you even pack your camera. I have downsized my camera to a Nikon P7100 just because of the weight restrictions. I now carry a soft-side bag I have partitioned off with foam for my camera, housing, strobe, dive computers, photo computer (netbook), iPad, and other items. I never have a problem with this bag in the overhead compartment. As RoatanMan suggested, lighter is better.

 

[DSR-3]

I use a Tamrac Aero 85, and really like it. My rig (E-PL1, 2 strobes, Big (blue) focus light, etc.) is smaller than a DSLR, but in that model (not the biggest) I can fit everything incl. batteries, chargers, etc. AND a big laptop. Pretty heavy though...
Tamrac - How to Choose a Photo Backpack

Another solution that looked nice is the Thinktank products. Camera Bags, Camera Cases, Digital Camera Bags - Think Tank Photo