Flying with my Cameras and Gear?

<p>Hi.</p>

<p>I'm doing an out of state wedding in several weeks and am trying to figure out how to bring all my gear. I want to carry my camera bag (with laptop) on the plane. Will they let me? How do I check my gear through security? I thought I read once that images can get erased form the CF cards when going through the x-ray? Are there any other damage risks to my lenses or camera?</p>

<p>How do you travel and check your gear?<br>

Thanks for the help.</p>

<p>Check with the airlines online. Basically, you want to get a carry-on sized camera bag to store your computer and camera gear. X-rays will not harm CF cards.<br>

When travelling with camera gear, just like clothing, you want to pack light. You may want to leave the heavy, fast glass at home and get by with less stellar gear.<br>

I just shot a wedding last weekend out of town. I shoot Nikon, and brought a 24-120 3.5-5.6, a 70-210 F4, a 50mm 1.4, two bodies, two flashes and spare batteries. That's all I needed, and it fit in a small bag (Think Tank disguise something) including my laptop. <br>

I used that bag as my "personal" bag (needs to fit under the seat), and then had my carry-on sized suitcase for clothing. Put chargers in your clothing bag to save weight and space.<br>

Don't over do it.</p>

<p>I have flown a decent amount with my gear. I use a pelican case (I can't recall the model number) but it is the one "guaranteed" to fit in the overhead bin. That being said, if you're riding a small connecting commuter, like an Embraer or the smaller Canadair RJs, then it doesn't really fit. I leave it by the stairs and they put it in the belly. The case holds 2 bodies, 2 lenses and a flash. I carry on my shoulder bag which has the CF cards, batteries and charger. Xray doesn't do anything to CFs.<br>

Be aware if you're leaving a case at the door of a jetway. Those guys have no problem chucking anything 15 feet to the concrete waiting for someone else to pick it up and then put it in the belly. I caught one guy grabbing my case ready to do it. Basically, if you're getting on the plane with a jetramp, then take it inside the plane. If its a commuter which you're walking on the ramp and up the stairs into the plane, I leave it on the ground by the stairs for the belly.</p>

<p>Pelican cases are excellent. Super tough and customizable. You can get an idea of pricing here. This is where I got mine. just put Pelican case in the search box.</p>

<p>http://www.berger-bros.com</p>

<p>you can get a Pelican case and check your gear, but what happens if it gets lost? always make sure that you have at least the bare minimum that you can carry on with you... two bodies, two or three lenses, flashes, batteries, cards. the last thing you'd want to happen is to show up in another state without enough gear to do the job properly.</p>

<p>I just did this 2 months ago. I had my equipment in a large Domke bag that squeezed under the seat. I've never had airport xray trouble with my memory cards, but I never take any chances either. I burn all images to DVD prior to the return flight just in case.</p>

<p>I'm not checking my gear or would ever do that - if it goes in the belly , I"m dropping it off at the stairs when boarding - it is brought back to the stairs when you land..</p>

<p>To be honest, any time I travel with my gear, I don't let it out of my site. I pack my camera equipment (two bodies, two flashes, batteries, lenses, etc.) in a Lowpro backpack. I then put my computer (17" - so not small) in an Incase sleeve, which I put in a reusable canvas bag and carry with me. You're always allowed a carry on and a personal item (backpack and canvas bag). I throw things like my wallet, keys, maybe a small make-up bag, book and a sweater in the canvas bag with the laptop.</p>

<p>This way, I have two personal carry on items and no gear is getting checked. Never had an issue with memory cards through Xray. They will probably swab your camera gear because of batteries (at least they usually do for me!). I store it all under the seat in front of me - even on a small domestic flight it has fit pretty well. Once I had to put the backpack in the overhead during take off/landing.</p>

<p>

<p>If I'm bringing them with, I check things like tripod/lightstands (all lightweight/compact ones that can be tucked into my suitcase with clothes!). </p>

</p>

<p>Have a great trip!</p>

<p>You never want to check gear. Not only do you risk the gear getting lost, but there is theft. You want to get one piece of luggage that will hold all your photo gear plus the laptop. Then, treat your shoulder bag as your personal carryon. Clothes and a small tripod can be checked in a larger suitcase.</p>

<p>So the piece of luggage to hold all your gear has to be carefully chosen. If you keep it small, you will not have the problem of it not fitting into smaller planes' storage lockers. So select each piece of gear carefully, with redundancy in mind--you still need backup. I would use a hard case like the new Storm case I bought, but many people like the Think Tank Airport Security, which also has a cable lock. You do have to think about keeping your gear secure in hotels, etc.</p>

Ship your camera gear via UPS and insure the snot out of it.

<p>if you ask me pelicans are overkill for a carryon.<br /> they add uncessary weight and wastes space that i could be putting gear in for protection that i dont think you need for a carryon ( i assume you are careful ).<br>

i simply use a rollover bag from tamrac to carry my 3 bodies+lenses as a carry on and never had a problem.<br>

i would never check in my equipment..</p>

<p>I use a think tank airport addiction (no wheels) and it has a part for my 17" MBP, which I carry separately.</p>

<p>I took a small stand on the side for setting up an off cam light; 3 bodies; 5 lenses; 3 flashes; lots of batteries and cards etc. The thing weighed about 30LBS, but went through security fine and no erasure of CF cards. I did half the edit on the plane back home too.</p>

<p>I would not let my gear for a wedding out of my sight when doing destination stuff (which I don't often do anyhow). Imagine getting there for the wedding and UPS doesn't show up, not that they lost your gear, just got there a day late! Yikes.</p>

<p>Have fun.</p>

 

<p>If you are willing to spring for a new bag, the Think Tank Airport Airstream roller is the way to go IMO. It'll go in any airline storage area. A roller is a God sent on travel assignments ... and you can put another bag on it while rolling along.</p>

<p>I've traveled extensively with this bag and the Airport International V2.0.</p>

<p>Tip: if you have airline points acumulated, use them to upgrade your seat assignment (like to a exit row) ... better seats board the plane first so you won't be faced with no room for your bag in the overhead compartment ... and be forced to put it under the seat.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Re Carry on Camera Gear something you should check:<br>

I am not sure what your airline companies' protocol is with carry on - but as well as a size limit which I can easily manage - we here have a <strong><em>weight limit </em></strong><strong>- which is not so easy to manage - some Flights / Airlines it is set at 8Kg and I have had that limit enforced. </strong><strong ></strong><br>

WW</p>

<p > </p>

 

<p>last month i flew with Cathay Pacific from Brisbane to hong kong with leptop - canon 40d - lens 24-105, 50 f 1.4, flash - batteries total 10 kgs -with a small bag - as personal lugage and they charge for every kg extra - 3 kg - 126 australian dollars overweight. there was no way to tell them that I'm a photographer.</p>

<p>I have the largest LowePro roller, with a STARTER PISTOL inside. Why a pistol? If you arrive with it unloaded in a locked box, declare it to TSA, the airline will be forced to track your luggage because there is a firearm inside. It doesn't matter that a starter pistol only fires blanks. Buy one for $25 dollars, small lock box for a weapon at Dick's Sporting Goods, and place this in the LowePro with all your important but not necessarily crucial items- for me strobes. Then carry on what you truly must have, i.e. camera and lenses. Incidentally the largest LowePro is overhead bin friendly, which is why I originally purchased it, but my gear has outgrown it so now it is a component in the system.</p>

<p>-Laura Stone<br>

Artstar Photography</p>

<p>not sure if this has been noted or not... YOU CAN NOT CHECK CAMERA BATTERIES!! they will go through your lugguge and take them all out... they must go on with you... this is from personal experience and I looked it up on the rules and sure enough - they can explode and cause fire so they cannot be checked. I take everything on...just got back from a two week commercial shoot in Washington DC and it wasn't a big deal to carry everything on...</p>

<p>I carry-on all my fragile darlings like bodies and lenses and laptop and batteries in the lightest bag possible because weight has become even more of an issue than size in many cases, and you don't need a bulletproof case when the gear never leaves your side. I like to fly Southwest because they're cheap to begin with then allow 2 checked bags without a baggage fee, it adds up to a lot of money still in my pocket, they're also very relaxed about what you try to carry-on. I use a large messenger bag for laptop and lenses, and a spacious day pack for bodies and more lenses and some clothes. I stiffen the sides and bottom of the messenger bag with cardboard pieces so that it sets upright.<br>

THEN comes the checked luggage. I bought a big 36" Eagle Creek duffle and stuffed a cardboard sonotube used for pouring concrete into it (I did not first use it for concrete). I packed 3 light stands, a tripod, 2 lights, accessories, and the power box with my clothing for the week into the tube, it held up excellently though they managed to tear a hole in the duffle by dragging it behind something. It sometimes was sorted into the oversized luggage area, sometimes not. Physics-wise, the tube gives a lot of protection because it's very difficult to squash, especially with the added support of all the debris I filled it with, and there was no way the tripods or stands could be damaged in that. I left the bulbs in the lights with caps on, though I don't recommend it, and miraculously everything survived in perfect condition except the duffle bag. Sonotubes are available at places where they sell concrete, construction, and home hardware goods. I wanted PVC but nobody had it in that size, and it probably would have been prohibitively heavy anyway. I also packed a rolling backpack with spare bulbs and clothing for 2 more weeks, but mostly so that I would have the wheels to set that 36" duffle on. It was a real trick to get those and 2 carryons down a couple blocks and onto 3 busses and 2 planes, I'd recommend a cab.</p>