Camera kit & travel

mikeanywhere

I am hoping to be heading to the Big Apple before the end of the year and would love to take my camera gear with me. However, being a newbie to photography I only have a ruckstyle/backpack camera bag.

Originally I was going to take it as hand luggage but with all the crap going on with airlines etc I doubt I would be allowed.

SO my question (eventually) is, what do other poeple normally do when travelling by air??

davmigil

I guess one of those aluminium cases where you cut out foam inside to the shape of you camera equipment must be an option.

If you care to trust your equipment to Maplin's stuff, they have this sort of thing sometimes for sale cheap. I am sure there are better brands available

rymus

that'd be a pelican case. What some are doing is using a pelican case and putting that inside a normal kitbag/rucksack. A pelican case alone screams "steal me, expensive stuff inside"

heffsarmy

Put you camera backpack in your suitcase and carry you camera and lens on board in a small bag(BAA carry on luggae size 45cm x 35cm x 16cm)....thats what I'll be doing when headin to Cuba. You could also buy a hard samsonite case and put your camera backpack inside wrapped in some towels, this is alot of hassle as I would advise you have everything insured, incase it went missing.

rymus

and indeed... get everything insured anyway, no matter how you choose to pack the camera.

440Hz

rymus wrote:

and indeed... get everything insured anyway, no matter how you choose to pack the camera.

Agreed. Household insurance is great, when you are at home

/note to self... think about insurance

rabbitinlights

Im going away travelling for ~2 years, (5 months in SE Asia, 1 year in aussie and 6 months in S. America,) Im really struggling to find an insurer that will cover my E1500 camera stuff and a E1000 laptop, Every company ive contacted all say I have to wait till I get home to claim, which is pointless as Ill need the camera again while im away, they also say I would need to be home before 12 months to make the claim. anyone have any ideas?

S.

mikeanywhere

Thanks for the info so far. However, even though most carriers do have an allowance it seems that it must only be for very specific items so not sure whether shoving a camera in would work or not.

mikeanywhere

rabbitinlights wrote:

Im going away travelling for ~2 years, (5 months in SE Asia, 1 year in aussie and 6 months in S. America,)

Oh man, I envy you doing that - everyones ultimate dream!!

Good luck with the insurance quote hunting.....

heffsarmy

mikeanywhere, the BAA have laid down specific guidlines on what you cannot carry on board, so I see no problem in carrying camera gear on board unless they have specified you can't. Here's the link below.

http://www.baa.com/portal/controller/dispatcher.jsp?CiID=566cefdec403d010VgnVCM10000036821c0a____&CtID=a22889d8759a0010VgnVCM200000357e120a____&Ct=B2C_CT_PRESS_RELEASE&ChPath=Corporate^Media Centre^News Releases^Results

rabbitinlights

mikeanywhere wrote:

Oh man, I envy you doing that - everyones ultimate dream!!

Good luck with the insurance quote hunting.....

Its been a long time coming, been saving for over 3 years, and im leaving in October, It actually looks like ill be travelling with the camera + laptop uninsured as none of them will cover me in the way I need. Its pretty daunting but im just gonna have to suck it up and be super careful. In the more dangerous areas ill be leaving the laptop+SLR in Safe storage and just using my point and shot sony. Im sure ill be annoying people on here with the photos while im away!

S.

JMcL

rymus wrote:

that'd be a pelican case. What some are doing is using a pelican case and putting that inside a normal kitbag/rucksack. A pelican case alone screams "steal me, expensive stuff inside"

I was reading a thread about this on a forum a few days ago, and a surprising number of pelican cases had just "popped open" in transit, even where they were locked with US security approved locks, and in one case locked and swathed in duck tape.

Most original solution to having to check stuff was one guy who made a point of putting a starter pistol in his checked in luggage, ensuring that it had to be specially checked in as containing firearms. This apparently allows the baggage to be checked by security in your presence, and you can lock it with any lock that you like. Plus the bag gets treated specially as they really don't want a bag containing firearms to go missing.

Only a solution for internal US flights though I guess, as turning up in quite a few other airports worldwide with a starter pistol in your luggage would cause more problems than it'd solve! Most of the rest of the posters appeared to be putting the case into cheap looking duffel bags as you suggest

mervifwdc

I was in London on the Thursday that the tried to blow up the planes. I had some gear with me in a minitrekker which I did'nt fancy checking in. I bought a peli 1510. Boy is it sweet! You can use it as a seat, rest a camera on it for low shots. I plan to buy a duffel bag that's a little larger, wrap it in a towel or summat, and check it in. If they are allowing hand baggage on, I'll carry it on.

I plan to put extra locks inside the bag and a note to re-lock it if they cut the locks off.

The second option is to feddex the peli to my hotel. Skip the whole airline thing.

Merv.

rymus

that is a fairly cool looking case alright. Only $160 too! thats for nothing! Add a couple indestructable locks and then all you'd have to worry about is some bozo losing your case

mervifwdc

my "Thursday" model cost 199 STERLING! Scary what you'll buy if your stuck!

Merv.

rymus

rather spend £199 than lose £1000's worth of camera gear

mikeanywhere

mervifwdc wrote:

I bought a peli 1510. Boy is it sweet! You can use it as a seat, rest a camera on it for low shots

Merv - out of interest, where did you buy it from. Would the airport security make you take the camera out like you do with laptops for seperate scanning/x-ray??

rymus wrote:

rather spend £199 than lose £1000's worth of camera gear

Couldnt agree more!!

Morlar

mikeanywhere wrote:

I am hoping to be heading to the Big Apple before the end of the year and would love to take my camera gear with me.

Originally I was going to take it as hand luggage but with all the crap going on with airlines etc I doubt I would be allowed.

I am in the exact same situation - thinking of heading there before christmas but dont want to check camera gear into check-in luggage. I would not be as interested in going without the camera gear so I think I will wait till they lift the restrictions on hand baggage. I really dont want it to either get damaged or maybe even go walkies. I just worked out that to replace all that crap new is shockingly expensive (camera, bag, batt grip, speedlite, lenses, cards, etc etc).

mikeanywhere

Morlar wrote:

I would not be as interested in going without the camera gear so I think I will wait till they lift the restrictions on hand baggage

Might do the same.

digitalage

My friend just came back from NY and he carried his camera in small bag without any problem. Just bring your essentials. I don't think these restrictions on handluggage will lifted anytime soon, looks like the future for air travel.

DotOrg

my other half flew to the US yesterday with a dSLR, two pro lenses and a flashgun, all fitted into a small camera bag and all carried on as hand luggage and that was flying through heathrow

joe_elway

I heard some airlines were strictly enforcing bag size restrictions for carry-ons after the scare. If you do have a large bag then I'd consider the pelican case. Make sure any lock you get is TSA approved otherwise US security will cut your lock off leaving your gear susceptible to the tarmac theives.

As for laptops, I read some airline was forcing passengers to remove their batteries if they owned a Dell due to the exploding battery scare.

mikeanywhere

DotOrg wrote:

my other half flew to the US yesterday with a dSLR, two pro lenses and a flashgun, all fitted into a small camera bag and all carried on as hand luggage and that was flying through heathrow

There's hope then!!! Thanks for letting us know

eas

anyone know what if there are any issues bringing gear as carry on for european destinations out of Dublin? Have a wedding in Italy in 3 weeks.....a bit worried.

thanks

joe_elway

According to Michael I'Leary (Ryanair) and Sky News, the restrictions are only on flights from the UK.

killbillvol2

Came through Heathrow last Wednesday. Had a camera, 2 lenses, mobile phone and Pocket PC in hand luggage. I didn't even have to take them out of the bag at screening (and I told them what I was carrying).
You should be fine carrying your camera. Just don't try carrying shampoo or shower gel!

Morlar

killbillvol2 wrote:

Came through Heathrow last Wednesday. Had a camera, 2 lenses, mobile phone and Pocket PC in hand luggage. I didn't even have to take them out of the bag at screening (and I told them what I was carrying).
You should be fine carrying your camera. Just don't try carrying shampoo or shower gel!

Was that from the US ? They have different rules for inbound and outbound flights (acc sky news), also I think its mostly flights to the u.s with the restrictions.

mikeanywhere

Morlar wrote:

also I think its mostly flights to the u.s with the restrictions.

Seems that way.

killbillvol2

Morlar wrote:

Was that from the US ? They have different rules for inbound and outbound flights (acc sky news), also I think its mostly flights to the u.s with the restrictions.

The only restrictions in place now are on the size of hand luggage (smaller than the old allowance), a limit to 1 item of hand luggage and a ban on the following items in hand luggage:

No liquids
No cosmetics
No toiletries
No gels or pastes
No sharp items
No lighters.

Laptops, cameras etc. are allowed once your luggage doesn't exceed the size restriction (45cm x 35cm x 16cm)

The only extra restriction in place for flights to the US is that you may not bring liquids purchased in the airport departure area onto the plane.

digitalage

Not sure how may times people will have to keep repeating themselves about BAA restritions on this thread but I'm sure it will eventually sink in.

mikeanywhere

True but it is evident that the rules are enforced very differently by everyone or maybe its just what peoples perception of it is.

311

I booked a flight during the week and received an email notification soley for restrictions on baggage from Ryanair.
I'm sure a quick call to the airport and the airline would set anyones mind at rest. No point in risking your equipment .

killbillvol2

digitalage wrote:

Not sure how may times people will have to keep repeating themselves about BAA restritions on this thread but I'm sure it will eventually sink in.

I couldn't agree more! I give up.