Air travel with a lot of equipment

[cmo]

Sometimes I need more than my M6 and the 2/35 lens... I have to travel with a lot of equipment tomorrow, too much to carry it as cabin luggage.

What is your strategy to avoid damage?

 

[PhotoJim]

Pack it well, inside of clothes e.g. and well buried inside your checked bags.

I have a backpack that fits my F5, 17-35/2.8, 80-200/2.8, 16/2.8 fisheye, 50/1.4, 85/1.8 and a flash plus filters and spare batteries. I throw a second body in my checked suitcase and my film is in my carry-on personal item bag.

If you need a tripod, you can get padded tripod bags that you can check.

 

[Fotoguy20d]

I won't check anything of value (when I went to NM last year, I put my Bogen 3021/3047 tripod into my checked bag, but, I wouldn't check a camera body or lens). I use a Tamrac Expedition 7 backpack - maximum size which can be carried on (but could be a problem in smaller planes) - holds 2 35mm SLR bodies, 70-200 lens, 3-4 additional lenses and a flash.

 

[Thomas Wilson]

Never stow anything "Pawnable" in checked baggage.

http://consumerist.com/2010/03/united-lost-my-900-camera-says-policy-absolves-them.html

 

[PhotoJim]

That's why my checked camera is a Nikon F70. I doubt I could get more than $30 for it but it's a good shooter.

 

[Sim2]

There may be a loophole with equipment on planes......

The carry-on bag may be restricted by size/weight but they allow an unweighed camera on the shoulder and they don't weigh things in your coat pocket. It can be suprising how much weight/volume can be taken by two cameras/lenses slung on a shoulder and a few lenses in the pockets of a rather voluminous overcoat!

 

[Ian Grant]

My cameras always travel in my large pockets , and when necessary one around my neck, the LF equipment goes in the hold baggage. The most valuable items in my carry on bag.

Ian

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I don't like checking cameras or lenses, but if I had to, I'd probably use a Pelican case.

I do check my tripod regularly, usually with the head on but the handles loose (unless it's my Arca-Swiss B2, which I carry on in my camera bag), in a Tenba TTP34 case, which I recommend highly. I've checked it many times, and I've watched from the gate as that bag has gone flying off the top of a baggage truck making a sharp turn up to the baggage loading ramp, and everything's always come through without damage, and it is a fairly lightweight case, so it's easy to transport through the airport. It's big enough for a medium sized tripod like a Gitzo 3 and a couple of light stands, but if I just have a tripod, I often put clothing or other things in there.

 

[fotch]

Sounds like you would be better off shipping it than flying with it, if you can.

 

[clayne]

Consider taking less equipment? I know. It's "hard." But in all honesty do you really need more than 2 bodies and, at max, 3 lenses total?

 

[monodave]

Have a look at the Peli 1541 wheelie case. Most times you can carry on as hand luggage but if it has to go in the hold your gear will be safe from knocks.

 

[2F/2F]

Sometimes I need more than my M6 and the 2/35 lens... I have to travel with a lot of equipment tomorrow, too much to carry it as cabin luggage.

What is your strategy to avoid damage?

Carry what I can on board. Check the rest in a high-quality road case. Carry 100% of my film on board, and pass it through the carry on x-ray machines repeatedly without a second thought.

Any time you can, keep your camera equipment and film from being handled by others. Carrying it on is the surest way to do this.