Camera Gear and Airline Travel

bhowdy · January 8, 2009

Okay Guys and Gals, I need a little help. We are taking a trip to Yellowstone this June and I am looking for advice on a carry-on airline case for my gear. I know I would "freak out" fif I checked anything.

My biggest problem is that I would like to take everything! Of course the biggest problem is the Canon 500mm lens.

I am considering the Pelican 1510 Rolling Case.
Gear list would possibly be -
2 - camera bodies
1 - 500 mm lens
1 - 17-40 wide angle zoom
1 - Canon 100-400 (maybe)
1 - Flash
Cards, batteries, misc stuff

Any help or opinions are appreciated

Note to our "Amiable Mod" : If this topic is in the wrong forum please move it to the appropriate place. I felt the large lens issue might make this forum more likely to receive experienced feedback.

jaminphoto · January 9, 2009

that shouldn't be too much of a problem with carry on size photo backpack.
I have Thinktank Airport Acceleration and can put Nikon D2x, Nikon D300, 70-200 f/2.8, 500 f/4, 12-24 f/4 and 18-200, TC 14E. And if I want to I can packed it really tight and also carry flash and compact camera.

--ricardo

ChatKat · January 9, 2009

jaminphoto wrote:

that shouldn't be too much of a problem with carry on size photo backpack.
I have Thinktank Airport Acceleration and can put Nikon D2x, Nikon D300, 70-200 f/2.8, 500 f/4, 12-24 f/4 and 18-200, TC 14E. And if I want to I can packed it really tight and also carry flash and compact camera.

--ricardo

I use a small rolling suitcase when I travel and use Lowepro indiviual cases inside of it with the lenses inside and the body is a small separate pouch. If I take a laptop, it's in my shoulderbag in a sleeve.

The flight attendants and gate agents aren't happy about too much weight and this way they can't see that what I have is heavy. If you have to break anything apart because you are on a commuter plane, you can take some of it in a soft canvas grocery type bag. It's very flexible. Oh - and I pack a case in my checked bag or use the canvas bag for a daypack.

ian408 · January 9, 2009

I dropped this over in Accessories. You'll get more eyes here

When I'm traveling by air, I want to keep my camera gear with me. So either a LowePro backpack or something I've been considering is the ThinkTank roller. The ThinkTank qualifies as carry-on on most aircraft which is a bonus and it carries a load of stuff.

Art Scott · January 9, 2009

I just love the looks I get from a flight attendant when I have to gate check my cam bag....a LowePro ProTrekker.....packed to the gills.......and always just ounces away from the limit......I have actually had to put it into cargo myself as the FA could not lift it high enuff.....I gotta get a smaller carry on now as the Pro Trekker is too big since the standards have changed in the last couple of years.
I am looking at the pelican cases myself, just in case I have to gate check again.

aktse · January 9, 2009

i used the think tank international roller on my last trip.

I now know why so many pros use their products -- they work and they work well.

If I"m carrying less gear, I use my crumpler backpack.

bhowdy · January 9, 2009

Thanks for the great replies! I can always count on the folks here at DGrin.

Scott_Quier · January 9, 2009

I have this 1510 with dividers (see attached photo). It's the largest Pelican that is still allowed as carryon. I have stuffed this with:

2 Canon 50D with battery grip
2 Canon 580EX flashes
EF 100mm f/2.8
EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS
EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS, with tripod ring
EF-S 10-22
EF 24-105 f/4L
Sekonic L-358
2 folding flash brackets
2 Canon Off Camera Shoe Cords
Portable HDD
Cable release
5 or 6 BP-511 batteries
3 sets of AA batteries
Other misc "stuff"

And, I've had a few looks from Flight Attendants - but none of them have actually lifted it to test it's weight.

You don't want to get the Pick 'N' Pluck foam inserts. Waste of time, money, and space and they don't last very long - DAMHIK

Will you be able to get your two long lenses and two camera bodies into the 1510? I wonder. It'll be very tight if you do manage it.

ziggy53 · January 9, 2009

jaminphoto wrote:

that shouldn't be too much of a problem with carry on size photo backpack.
I have Thinktank Airport Acceleration and can put Nikon D2x, Nikon D300, 70-200 f/2.8, 500 f/4, 12-24 f/4 and 18-200, TC 14E. And if I want to I can packed it really tight and also carry flash and compact camera.

--ricardo

Ricardo, welcome to the Digital Grin.

Thanks for the comments.

Moogle Pepper · January 9, 2009

How comfortable is that think tank acceleration?

Bhowdy, maybe a Kata series pack might help you? R-301 I think, would hold most of that gear.

jaminphoto · January 11, 2009

ziggy53 wrote:

Ricardo, welcome to the Digital Grin.

Thanks for the comments.

Thanks. Have been using smugmug for 8 months now, but never thought about the forum until I was searching for customization help a week ago.

--ricardo

jaminphoto · January 11, 2009

Moogle Pepper wrote:

How comfortable is that think tank acceleration?

Bhowdy, maybe a Kata series pack might help you? R-301 I think, would hold most of that gear.

The think tank airport accel is pretty comfortable, but keep in mind I mainly use it only for "storage". ie, when travelling it usually stays in the car and I carry the necessary gear in smaller bag.
Before I have the think tank I had a Lowepro Photo trekker. I prefer the think tank a lot more. it has less padding than the lowepro(but it still feel protective) and that means slightly smaller bag but actually bigger interior. and it feels lighter too.

--ricardo

Art Scott · January 11, 2009

Scott_Quier wrote:

I have this 1510 with dividers (see attached photo). It's the largest Pelican that is still allowed as carryon. I have stuffed this with:
2 Canon 50D with battery grip

2 Canon 580EX flashes

EF 100mm f/2.8

EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS

EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS, with tripod ring

EF-S 10-22

EF 24-105 f/4L

Sekonic L-358

2 folding flash brackets

2 Canon Off Camera Shoe Cords

Portable HDD

Cable release

5 or 6 BP-511 batteries

3 sets of AA batteries

Other misc "stuff"

And, I've had a few looks from Flight Attendants - but none of them have actually lifted it to test it's weight.

You don't want to get the Pick 'N' Pluck foam inserts. Waste of time, money, and space and they don't last very long - DAMHIK

Will you be able to get your two long lenses and two camera bodies into the 1510? I wonder. It'll be very tight if you do manage it.

Scott,
so you feel that the dividers give as good or better protection for the equiptment.

I am looking at pelicans and storm cases as carry ons and for wedding work also.

The only reason the FA's have every lifted my cam bag was because I had a commuter jet on one leg of my flight...so as I walked across the tarmac to the plane I had to sit it down and the FA added a tag that said GATE CHECKED.....then she came and asked me to accompany her to the storage compartment to put my bag in...it was too heavy for her.....she was tiny:D

Scott_Quier · January 11, 2009

Art Scott wrote:

Scott,
so you feel that the dividers give as good or better protection for the equiptment.

I am looking at pelicans and storm cases as carry ons and for wedding work also.

The only reason the FA's have every lifted my cam bag was because I had a commuter jet on one leg of my flight...so as I walked across the tarmac to the plane I had to sit it down and the FA added a tag that said GATE CHECKED.....then she came and asked me to accompany her to the storage compartment to put my bag in...it was too heavy for her.....she was tiny:D

The dividers are excellent. With all that gear in the case, things are snug - nicely so - so things don't have an opportunity to move. The padding is more than sufficient to keep things from banging on each other - no scratches, dings, etc. I've used this case for 4 or 5 air travel trips as carry on and have not yet had an issue. One of those trips was into Glacier MT and I had to do the Gate Check thing as well. Came through with not problems.

This is also the way I transport my gear to wedding/reception venues. It's worked well for almost 3 years now!

BradfordBenn · January 11, 2009

Ship?
Just thinking out loud and figured I would see if anyone else has ideas. I travel quite a bit for work with equipment that is expensive and fragile as well. Same problem with airlines and weights and what is allowed to be carried on... etc. So recently a few colleagues and I have begun shipping our equipment out and back. The main reason was the problem with fact that we can't lock the bags anymore, stuff was not always arriving, we had stuff that we could not bring on as carryon, and the other one the limitation of values that airlines place on luggage ([URL="ttp://faq.ua2go.com/al/12/1/article.aspx?aid=1162&searchstring=lost | luggage&n=1&tab=search&bt=4&r=0.938885927200317&s="]United's Link[/URL]); where as when shipping via FedEx/UPS...etc one can insure for more and lock the package

ziggy53 · January 11, 2009

BradfordBenn wrote:

Just thinking out loud and figured I would see if anyone else has ideas. I travel quite a bit for work with equipment that is expensive and fragile as well. Same problem with airlines and weights and what is allowed to be carried on... etc. So recently a few colleagues and I have begun shipping our equipment out and back. The main reason was the problem with fact that we can't lock the bags anymore, stuff was not always arriving, we had stuff that we could not bring on as carryon, and the other one the limitation of values that airlines place on luggage ([URL="ttp://faq.ua2go.com/al/12/1/article.aspx?aid=1162&searchstring=lost%20%7C%20luggage&n=1&tab=search&bt=4&r=0.938885927200317&s="]United's Link[/URL]); where as when shipping via FedEx/UPS...etc one can insure for more and lock the package

I've heard of professional photographers doing this for the same reasons as you describe. Additionally they claim that the equipment arrives more reliably on time and that the costs can be less than the airlines charge for excess baggage.

ian408 · January 12, 2009

ziggy53 wrote:

I've heard of professional photographers doing this for the same reasons as you describe. Additionally they claim that the equipment arrives more reliably on time and that the costs can be less than the airlines charge for excess baggage.

Back when I was traveling more for work, I did this. The benefit is two fold. Your stuff gets where it needs to be and you get through the airport with way less hassle.

With camera gear, I'd be less likely to put it in a carry on Pelican case. Why? Pelican cases say "expensive stuff inside". The ThinkTank gear looks like many other suitcases and draws less attention than the Pelican.

knapph · January 15, 2009

Travel Bag
I prefer the non-camera bag look when I am traveling. I use and have been happy with http://www.wrptradingpost.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=WTP&Product_Code=WRPMP3&Category_Code=PPacks. I have had no problems fitting into any airline overhead. I would not want to carry this pack for any distance but it is great for traveling in airplanes.

If I were getting another pack I would like to try this one: http://www.llvj.com/reviews/accessories/kiboko.shtml
http://www.guragear.com/

WingsOfLovePhoto · January 18, 2009

I have a big bad Lowepro http://products.lowepro.com/product/CompuTrekker-AW,1924,16.htm

I carry 2 nikon bodies a 70-200, 3 other len's and 2 sb800's and all the other accessories plus you can put in a laptop. It's pretty heavy, like 25 lbs and it was really heavy to carry around the airport for a long time but had no problem carrying it on. I did have a problem at security in Puerto Rico though. They opened the case then started taking off caps and stuff. I was freaking out! I keep touching the bag out of instinct to protect my babies and the guy kept saying Ma'am keep your hands off or I will have you removed! Just goes to show how protective we are to our equipment!

Andy · January 18, 2009

aktse wrote:

i used the think tank international roller on my last trip.

I now know why so many pros use their products -- they work and they work well.

If I"m carrying less gear, I use my crumpler backpack.

+1 on the Think Tank - it's awesome.

bhowdy · January 18, 2009

Many thanks everyone. I appreciate all the helpful comments and opinions. The Thinktank Roller is ordered.

nomar219 · January 18, 2009

Doesn't Lowepro make some bag that meets airline specifications?

Snowgirl · April 30, 2009

Think Tank rocks!

Andy wrote:

+1 on the Think Tank - it's awesome.

A couple of years ago my husband bought me the Tamron roller bag. It was ok, until the airline rules changed. Then I bought myself the ThinkTank airport Antidote - the smallest of the backpacks. I'm not a big person so it's what I can manage. When I get that puppy packed, it weighs a ton but I manage to look nonchalant lugging it on my back onto the plane. It will fit either in the overhead or under the seat on even the smallest commuter aircraft - and I carry a Canon 40D, a 70-200mm, a couple of other lenses, a 580EXII, a 15" laptop etc.

I kept the rolling bag to use locally but when I fly cross country I don't leave home without the Antidote.

Art Scott · April 30, 2009

nomar219 wrote:

Doesn't Lowepro make some bag that meets airline specifications?

Several actually...................

Scott_Quier · April 30, 2009

I use the Pelican Case 1510 with foam dividers. The outside dimensions (22" x 14" x 9") match exactly the limits imposed by most airlines. Because I sometimes have to travel on the smaller commuter planes when you have to gate check anything larger than small lady's purse, I chose the hard-sided pelican case. They can toss that around and not damage anything. And, the scars on the case attest to the fact that this has happened at least once.

dogwood · April 30, 2009

bhowdy wrote:

I know I would "freak out" if I checked anything.

You should freak out. Here's a story from Portland about two baggage handlers who stole hundreds of items from checked bags before being caught. And they were only caught because a supervisor ratted because she felt she wasn't getting her fair share of the stolen loot!

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/04/police_bag_pdx_airline_baggage.html

aktse · April 30, 2009

I own and love the think thank, but I recently learned this about the pelican case.

Shima · August 7, 2009

Scott_Quier wrote:

I have this 1510 with dividers (see attached photo). It's the largest Pelican that is still allowed as carryon. I have stuffed this with:
2 Canon 50D with battery grip

2 Canon 580EX flashes

EF 100mm f/2.8

EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS

EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS, with tripod ring

EF-S 10-22

EF 24-105 f/4L

Sekonic L-358

2 folding flash brackets

2 Canon Off Camera Shoe Cords

Portable HDD

Cable release

5 or 6 BP-511 batteries

3 sets of AA batteries

Other misc "stuff"

And, I've had a few looks from Flight Attendants - but none of them have actually lifted it to test it's weight.

You don't want to get the Pick 'N' Pluck foam inserts. Waste of time, money, and space and they don't last very long - DAMHIK

Will you be able to get your two long lenses and two camera bodies into the 1510? I wonder. It'll be very tight if you do manage it.

Scott (or anyone else with a 1510 series Pelican) do you have any photos the case stuffed with all your equipment? I'm highly contemplating getting the 1510 series, I've outgrown my current bag, but if possible would like my new one to still be within carry on regulations.

Scott_Quier · August 7, 2009

Shima wrote:

Scott (or anyone else with a 1510 series Pelican) do you have any photos the case stuffed with all your equipment? I'm highly contemplating getting the 1510 series, I've outgrown my current bag, but if possible would like my new one to still be within carry on regulations.

I'll have one posted here before COB 8 Aug - is that quick enough for you ????

Scott_Quier · August 8, 2009

Shima, as promised, here's my 1510 showing it partially packed and then fully loaded.

1. Partially packed to show how I have the 2 580EX flashes and the Sekonic arranged

2. This is with the lower left pocket filled. Coming up from the flashes is a couple of Better Bounce Cards (pulling double duty as both light modifiers and cushions), some corn starch (great for hiding smudges on the bride's gown), Advil (for the photographer, MOB, etc), some lens cleaner, a flashlight (torch for those in the UK

), a clean microfiber cloth, a couple of folding flash brackets, and a couple of off-camera flash cords. Along the right edge, you can see my WhiBal card from Raw Work Flow folks.

3. Here's the top lid - a great place to store larger flat items. This is a light-scoop (see link below). I've also used this location to hold a copy of wedding contracts when I'm out on a job. I've not needed it yet, buy you never know.

Shima · August 10, 2009

Thanks for posting the layout!

Camera Gear and Airline Travel

Comments