moving camera gear overseas: airfreight vs ocean cargo
Does anyone have experience moving camera gear overseas? I don't have that much pro gear, but I want to take care of what I do have, and I have quite a collection of legacy Canon FD and Olympus OM lenses.
I am trying to make a list of pros and cons for air freight versus bundling them with household items in ocean going cargo.
Concerns I can think of:
Air cargo
-expensive
Ocean cargo
-shipper must pack for full insurance, will they know what they are doing? (edit, first shipper will let me pack, as long as I leave each box open for their packers to inspect and sign off on).
-humidity and darkness for 3 weeks plus may be terrible for 'antique' lenses, can I get the right amount of dessicant in each box?
What else don't I know that I need to know?
(too much to carry in cabin on a flight, and I'll also be 'shipping' 2 cats, so can't add that much extra baggage on the flight with me, will be too busy with the cats to take care of excess baggage).
I am trying to make a list of pros and cons for air freight versus bundling them with household items in ocean going cargo.
Concerns I can think of:
Air cargo
-expensive
Ocean cargo
-shipper must pack for full insurance, will they know what they are doing? (edit, first shipper will let me pack, as long as I leave each box open for their packers to inspect and sign off on).
-humidity and darkness for 3 weeks plus may be terrible for 'antique' lenses, can I get the right amount of dessicant in each box?
What else don't I know that I need to know?
(too much to carry in cabin on a flight, and I'll also be 'shipping' 2 cats, so can't add that much extra baggage on the flight with me, will be too busy with the cats to take care of excess baggage).
Yeah, if you recognize the avatar, new user name.
0
Comments
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
Link to my Smugmug site
From people doing 'less than a container load' with shared cargo loads, or people who have a whole container to themselves which never gets unpacked until it gets to the destination?
It does make sense that if you had your own container that it might fare better.
Link to my Smugmug site
Link to my Smugmug site
I've heard horror stories about palletized cargo, I also have friends who've had success.
I don't think that's a common occurance, and that's what insurance is for, right?
Either way, my stuff has got to go, either in a container ship with everything else, or paying enough to buy a super new lens by air freight.
I also have a load of FD gear ... but I doubt I'd bother lugging it halfway round the world or whatever, since I can't see myself using it again?
Btw, something that's used to reduce weight (and thus cost) of quality flight cases is astroboard, rather than traditional ply.
pp
Flickr
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky
I will clear out some camer . Gear but I need to figure out how to ship the rest.
Take photos of all the gear, make a list of serial numbers, and buy a stated value insurance policy for the shipment. Stated value might be pricey, but it will be better than arguing why your Canon 70-200 2.8L IS MkII is worth soo much more than a 70-20 04.0L. and that lenses don't depreciate like cars.
I would go without spare clothes and underwear if I could pack one more thing in the carry on. :-)
I wouldn't buy the insurance from the shipping co.
As a side thought..............how much will the shipping cost versus buying your gear a seat?
Sam
I don't see how I can bring much gear with me on the plane, definitely not my 5D and full frame L lenses. I'll probably be able to fit one m43 kit with me. The rest is going to have to be shipped, I just need to decide between paying extra for air freight, versus shipping my camera gear suitably insured in ocean going cargo with our household items.
In the mid 80's we would clear shipments for some major rock bands and they always shipped airfreight. Some even double cased some of their equipment, putting some equipment in fitted air cases then putting them inside a larger and stronger case with casters.
I realize the cost is extremely high but weigh the cost vs your equipment, only you can make that decision.
Good luck in your move,
Joe
Thanks for the insider advice. I'm still trying to get all the quotes we need, our reimbursable relocation budget ended up being less that i thought it was going to be, so have to be judicious with our planning.
Stan