Traveling with camera gear

[Diver Lori]

I know, I know.....a Pelican is the best way to protect, but it screams "I'm Valuable, STEAL ME!!"

I'm flying into the Cancun airport next month. Going through immigration can be extremely time consuming and while you are waiting in line, your gear is playing "sitting duck" on a carousel far, far away.

I'm thinking of wrapping my camera, lenses and flash in bubble wrap and placing them in my carryon bag along with the book, walkman, etc. I've got a nice big LLBean backpack that is within carryon dimensions.

I'm open to ideas.......

 

[ronrosa]

You can put some equipment in your carry-on and/or put your pelican case inside a regular suitcase.

 

[Dee]

Diver Lori once bubbled...
I know, I know.....a Pelican is the best way to protect, but it screams "I'm Valuable, STEAL ME!!"

I'm flying into the Cancun airport next month. Going through immigration can be extremely time consuming and while you are waiting in line, your gear is playing "sitting duck" on a carousel far, far away.

I'm thinking of wrapping my camera, lenses and flash in bubble wrap and placing them in my carryon bag along with the book, walkman, etc. I've got a nice big LLBean backpack that is within carryon dimensions.

I'm open to ideas.......

That's one of the reasons I quit using a Pelican case. The other is they are so heavy and cumbersome. I put the necessary photo gear in my backpack. I'll pack the strobe and tray in checked baggage if I have to but I can take good pictures without them if they go astray or get damaged. I keep the camera, housing, a charger and batteries and cleaning stuff with me.

Be careful about filling up a big backpack. It may fit the dimensions but they might nail you on the weight of it. Mine gets weighted at least once on every trip.

 

[CuriousMe]

Dee once bubbled...


That's one of the reasons I quit using a Pelican case. The other is they are so heavy and cumbersome. I put the necessary photo gear in my backpack. I'll pack the strobe and tray in checked baggage if I have to but I can take good pictures without them if they go astray or get damaged. I keep the camera, housing, a charger and batteries and cleaning stuff with me.

Be careful about filling up a big backpack. It may fit the dimensions but they might nail you on the weight of it. Mine gets weighted at least once on every trip.

Since generally when I pack, I'm packing for 8 months at a time...I'm constantly fighting the weight restrictions from the airlines. One thing that I've found works for me is to take every heavy thing (books, toiletries, etc) and put them in my carry on suitcase (standard carry on suitcase with the pull up handle) and put all my fragile stuff in my personal bag (which is generally a backpack).

I do this specifically because my carry on bags are the only bags that they never weigh. Trust me, I'd be sunk if they ever weighed that carry on suitcase. I do feel bad though, because inevitably, some kind man on the plane will try to help me pick it up and put it over head....If I can't put my hand on it quick enough to discourage them....the look on their face as they try to pick it up is amusing.

Dee, do you fly one airline more than others? Or do you find that most airlines weigh your carry-on's?

Peace,
Cathie

 

[MantaRey]

well pelican cases are industry standard for carrying any kind of equipment. they are a bit heavy, but still much lighter than the aluminum cases.

one note: make sure there is an opening in the housing for the flight. most housings will have a screw that you remove to compensate for the pressure change in the cargo hold.

if you have photo equipment, typically smaller, I'd try to take it carryon even if you have to hold it in your lap the whole time.

 

[shep]

Lowepro makes a bag called the DryZone. It's a carry-on sized "soft" backpack that has padded, fully-adjustable compartments. It's big enough to carry my camera, strobes, lenses, tray's, and a lot of misc.

The really feature of this backpack is that it is also a dry bag. I've taken it on a variety of watercraft, thru rainforests, and the beach and it keep everything out- including sand.

It is pricey, but if you're protecting expensive camera gear it may be worth it. I find it much easier to carry my camera gear on boats and on the trail, etc. than with a Pelican case.

I've got and use 8 or 10 Pelican cases in many different sizes, but for my camera and gear, I really like the Lowepro.




shep

 

[Dee]

Cathie, I forget about your cruisin'! I generally fly on either Continental, Air Mexicana or TACA with an occasional Funjet charter thrown in. They have all weighed my backpack at one time or another. However I must admit they've never asked to weight it when I was wearing it, I just thought about that.

Maybe the secret is to keep it on!

 

[cdiver2]

my camera stuff Nickonos v, 3 lens's, 3 macro sets, 2 strobes, arms etc, cleaning kit with spare parts batteries chargers (2) and power converters and Nikon N80 with 28-300 lens go in a Pelican case checked, thats why I have Insurance.

I would rather have stuff in my carry on that I do need in flight and at the other end. If a conecting flight is missed, canceled or checked bags lost at least I have my wash/shave stuff with a change of clothes, very important especially on a long haul trip.

My last trip, Tampa - Dallas - LA - NZ- Brisbane - Cairns - Port Moresby - New Britain. Every thing arrived OK.
Return trip, New Britain - Port Moresby - Cairns - Sydney - LA ( missed conections two of them ) - Dallas - Tampa, The only time my bags were opend was by TSA in LA on the way back, two of them, the Pelican and one other they never made it to Tampa, it took 2 and a 1/2 days to get them back.

 

[DesertEagle]

When I used a Nikonos it went in my gadget bag as a carry-on. Now I use a housed SLR. The camera, lenses and one strobe go in my carry on. The housing, arms, ports and the other strobe go into my Pelican 1520 case. That case goes into a duffel bag, along with a few odds and ends. No problems so far.

One of the more interesting suggestions I have heard is to purchase a coleman ice cooler. It's bulky but holds a lot of equipment and can be used as a rinse tank.

 

[mjnansen]

I work for an airline and used to work in baggage. When we fly with our camera (we have a sea & sea mx-10 kit with the yellow case) My husband takes it as his "personal item" (you are now allowed 1 carry on and one personal item- i.e. purse, briefcase, diaperbag or camera case) We have never had a problem- however the case always gets opened because it does not x-ray well. As a former baggage employee I do not recommend camera equiptment in checked luggage. Check with the airline you are flying, but unless you purchase insurance for it most airlines will not cover electronics including cameras, and most scuba camera set ups have a higher replacement value than allowed anyway. Now if you do check in your equiptment and it gets delayed ask the baggage agent about the airline covering rentals. Airlines do not usually offer this upfront, but we will usually cover the cost of rental sporting equiptment if bags are delayed- all you have to do is ask! Good luck!
-Jacque