I would like peoples thoughts on packing.

Do people take their full camera systems as hand luggage?

Does anyone put their systems in hold luggage?

If you put it in hold luggage what protection do you apply.

I ask the question due to my camera system growing and it beginning to weigh more than the hand luggage limit, I dont really want to have to pay any extra if I can get away with it, just wanting to find out what others do.

If I see good ideas I may even change the camera I upgrade to next

We just moved country and I practically carried all my camera equipment as carry on, the only stuff that went in the hold were batteries, chargers, strobe arm parts and extension rings, things that wont break. Everything in the hold was extra and I would have been able to take photos if my checked luggage got lost. All the carry on gear including a ThinkTank Airport bag weighed 13kgs plus a
backpack with lenses, my limit was 8, so before checked in I removed the housing and some other bits to reduce the weight to 8kg's in case they weighed it (they did not) and put them in backpack that my girlfriend took through. After passport control I put everything back in the main bag and was not bothered.

I think the key is to look as if you are not overloaded...a couple smaller bags look better than a big fat bag, I must say the ThinkTank is heavy at 5 kg's but it looks compact and protects gear well.

I would not put anything fragile in the hold as those bags get chucked around regardless of Fragile stickers...

I carry mine on in a Porter hard case and it doubles as a fantastic cart to put other luggage on and wheel through the airport. I really like it, plus if it's packed well you can fit other stuff into it as well, shirts, shorts, etc... for added bonus. Plus in the event you have to gate check it it's in a hard case and less likely to get damaged.

Steve

There is a bunch more information on traveling with your gear on this thread.

Cheers,
Steve

My wife and I both take our camera/video stuff in a ThinkTank bag. We both take enough stuff to be able to take photos/videos when we land. For me this means housing, body, lens, ports and a single strobe with arms and batteries. For her it is video camera, batteries and housing. In a big Storm case in the hold go the other stuff like more batteries, battery chargers etc., a bunch of video lighting and battery chargers for that, extra strobes, arms, lens ports, gears etc.

We have been very lucky in that the big box has almost always showed up the same time we did, occasionally it shows up a day later.

Bill

Cheers for all the replies. I have in the past loaded up all my pockets on my combats with things like strobes, arms, lense etc, but as I expand I don't think this is feasible, sooner or later I am going to get caught.

With most of my trips to the red sea, and them being really strict on baggage allowance I obviously want to make sure I am prepared before I invest in my new rig. I have trouble with all my compact camera gear so I don't know how all you slr users get by.

I suppose if you can't get all your gear in hand luggage you run the risk of your hold bag not arriving when you arrive

Just read through it all Steve, many thanks for this

I carry all may photography gear with me.
I use two bags:

1.- The Lowepro Flipside 300, here I put my Nikon D7000 plus 3 lenses (Nikon 35mm 1.8G, Tokina 10-17, Nikon 60mm), I still have space left, I think I will be able to put inside the Nikon 70-200 VRII ones I get one. This bag goes behind the sit on the airplane without problems.
2.- NorthFace Duffel bag size small, here I put all my current underwater equipment, Aquatica housing, 2xz240, arms with stix floats, mini dome, Sola 600, chargers and batteries. I still have space left for a macro port and a medium size dome like a 6" dome.

If I need more space I can always put my camera inside the housing, as long as the gear is with me and has some protection I don't see a problem.

i usually carry 20-25kg as hand luggage. a big amphibico housing, wide angle lens, a set of lights and my video camera (usually inside the housing). All i do is get my friend to hold my carry on while i check in and then when he checks in i hold his. Oh yeah, i also carry my 17" laptop as well. its a bit of a chore lugging all of this around a airport but much better than handing it over to the airport staff

never had a issue. my biggest worry is when i put it in the overhead compartment and people start re-arranging baggage.. really annoys me, just leave my stuff alone.

I have thought about this, not a bad idea, just can't travel alone!



Sounds to me that your hand luggage rules are very different to mine, we only get 5kg usually

Hand luggage in the U.S. on US carriers is not weighed. It is rarely checked for size. If it fits in the overhead, there is usually no issue.
So I can carry an entire D90 setup - Nexus housing, camera in the housing, 5 lenses, strobes, dome, ports in a Lowepro AW200. Chargers, arms, clamps, batteries, clothes go in a carry on size roller.
They let me carry it all on. Total wt is close to 31 kg. No charge, no hassles.
Dive gear goes in checked luggage.
When I travel to Asia on Asian carriers, I check the roller and put enough in pockets to pass the weight test, then put them back in the backpack.

Here is about 8kg, but the Lowepro Flipside 300 doesn't count because goes under the seat, my duffel bag weighs around 10kg, but so far hasn't been weighed.
I always pretend that it is light as a feather.

I take it all with me and have got it down to 5.5 kg in my carry on luggage and 6.5kg in my jacket, due to the number of pockets added by both the manufacturer and myself



I always carry a great big smile and am ubber polite with the staff and so far, touch wood...............

Any chance of a photo of this jacket please

I haven't got a photo but it it just a simple canvas jacket I got from TKMAXX. I chose one with lots of pockets already in it, then stitched a large canvas pocket on the rear. This pocket can hold my netbook, macro port, and 2 INON strobes. It is closed with 2 long velcro strips. The strobe arms are placed down the sleeves to which I have also added velcro to keep them closed at the end.................... Obviously I never put the jacket on .

Funny that, I was in tkmaxx today looking for a jacket.
So basically you take a jacket, carry it under arm with all your bits in it. Do you get funny looks in countries where it is really hot;-)

I am a great fan of carrying all my crucial camera and housing parts on as a carry on.

In my experience, backpack type bags seem to attract less attention at check in than wheeled bags. Whether this is a reaction the the idea that "if it needs wheels it must be heavy", or some kind of official policy I don't know, but practical experience may suggest the latter.

Of course my shoulder muscles suffer for this:)

Adam

I agree with you Adam, only problem with that is the last 2 times I have left marsa alam, they want to weigh all your luggage together, and there was no leeway in being over your limit! Luckily I had a few bits in my pockets.

Take as much as you can on carry-on.
On days of travel I wear a pair of cargo pants that can hold a ds-160 in each pocket. I also carry a photo vest that can hold sync cables, lenses etc.

In the end I can take a lot of weight off and put it on my "person". This gets around the staff asking to weigh your carry-on.

Also perception is huge. The Think Tank shape shifter and International combo work well.

Jose

I have done something similar using a fisherman vest, when we travel with our technical equipment I put the 6 first stages in my pockets, the same can be done for the lenses and strobes.

Of all the people that fill their pockets/take a jacket etc, who has ever been checked or asked to empty them?

Some times, after pass the jacket through the scanner, I've been asked about those metal little things I'm carrying (the first stages), after a brief explanation I can move on.

Many people use these vest with 24 pockets: http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Travel_Vest.shtml

Cheers for the link, they look very interesting

The e-vests are great for 'hiding' that you're carrying things while roaming around casually...for that reason I think a more traditional photographer's/fisherman's vest with very obvious pockets is best for the actual travel day. Don't want/need to appear to be 'hiding' things as you're not trying to sneak them past security (you will take off vest and run it thru scanner), nor do you want to give the impression you're trying to do any such thing. You just don't want them in the weighed luggage.

I tend to agree with those who say carry on anything you can, simply because of the threat of checked luggage not arriving or being rifled thru when out of your view. But in practice I find I end up with larger items checked regardless. e.g. Housing, camera body, lenses, strobes, various batteris and chargers can all carry on, but handle/tray base, large domes go with dive gear in checked bag. So if I were to lose my checked bag, I'd be nonfunctional underwater anyway.

Not sure there's a way around this. Some might argue that no one is going to steal only 'half' a housing, or a dome port alone, etc, which is the logic I kind of gain comfort from when checking. So its really just the airline misrouting baggage issue that's the primary concern.

On my last trip to Dominica I had a small 'reporter style' waist bag for a camera and a couple lenses that got packed into larger rolling scuba bag, with the domes and a few other heavy items inside it for protection in transit. I was a tad worried it might look too obviously like a camera bag and be a temptation, even though that's not what was in it, but there was no problem after all. Plus once I arrived, that became my above-water camera/lens bag for hikes, so it served double duty that way.

Even with a rather obvious fishing/photo vest with pockets bulging all over (I don't go overboard, but have had a macro lens, passport, sunglasses case, huge pocketful of change, snacks, baseball cap wadded up, various lens cleaning wipes, spare neck strap, AA battery charger, cell phone and Kindle all in pockets) I've never been asked to have the vest weighed. They have weighed my just-at-the-US-carryon limit LowePro Vertex 300AW backpack. Fully packed with as much as I can cram in it it's 33-35 lbs. Dominica carry-on weight limit was 40.

Not sure about this. I use my Lowepro street and field vest which is black onto which I hook the black lens cases etc. Obvious or not, a bulging black vest with black tubular attachments, is a mite too close to what I imagine suicide bombers would wear. This is definately not a good look and something I am keen to get away from


On a serious note, does anyone know how much you can cram into one of the Scottevests?

Erol

Hi Erol,
Very much more than it is comfortable to carry. I've gone through the airport screen with a YS-250 pro in each side pocket and almost all my clothes for a week in the huge back pocket. Not recommended but it can be done. Normally I use it for carrying my passport, ebook, CF card holder, one of my backup hard drives, Iphone, headphones for the plane, misc. stuff like that.

I have to disagree with my friend from Texas. I'd much rather go through any large airport like LAX with a Scottevest than looking like an obvoius target for theft with a photo jacket on. In my experience the screeners don't percieve it as trying to hide anything, they've seen hundreds of the vests and are used to them coming through. the last time through LAX the screener even commented
"Nice vest"

If your interested they are having their annual sale starting tomorrow through the 24th, 40% off, a nice deal on a normally $100 USD vest. You can check out this page to plan your attack, but be warned that the code (11SALE40) won't work until 5AM MT on February 22, 2012.


Cheers,
Steve

Thanks for the Info Steve and I hope you are doing well!

The link you provided sent me to COX Web/e-mail, but I assume we can buy directly from Scottvest....I'll be getting one!

I have the Thinktank Airport International V2.0 and I think you do to....I was thinking about replacing my Lowepro small backpack with the biggest TT backpack/bag that would still be considered a "personal item" and of course will fit under the seat.
What do recommend? Maybe something that rides on top the TT Airport International?

Thanks Amigo!

Some great info here, I was thinking about using a vest and once past checkin I put as much stuff back in my bag, not sure what vest to go for at the moment, gonna try and get around and have a look at some different types, still gonna wear a pair of combats and fill those pockets as well

Yeah, the theft-target visibility is a concern, but frankly if 100's of E-vests go thru, then any enlightened crook will know what they look like, too.

But I do get your point, maybe I'm being too worried about looking like I'm trying to hide. Erol's equivalent point about a black vest with black hangers does sound kind of 'tactical' looking.

It's funny, I used to scoff at obvious "tourists" with cameras on neck straps. Now that's the least geeky I ever look. The most geeky is either khaki photo vest with bulging pockets, reporter bag slung off my butt, and a camera in my hand, or replace the reporter bag with the Cotton Carrier ('urban camera assault chest launcher') and hang the camera lens down off my front. Ah, good times.

And I wonder why the wife always keeps her distance now... afraid of geek cooties by association I guess.

That sounds pretty promising. Whilst I do like the Lowepro S&F series tactical vest, it is just a little too, well...tactical. Something a little more subtle might be in order.

The Scottevest stuff look pretty good, I am rubbing my hands at what extra I ll be able to carry

And as for comfort. Well that was scarificed a long time ago, when they started getting picky about luggage allowances.

Thanks for the heads up Mike. I fixed the link. It should have been here; http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/New_Travel_Vest.shtml

I've been using the Thinktank Urban Disguise 60 carry bag to get my bodies and lenses to the boat. It's made to ride on top of the International as you suggest and big enough for a 17" laptop. You can check it out here

The thing holds an amazing amount of stuff. It's become by go to camera bag on the rare occasion I shoot above water.

Cheers partner!
Steve

Hey Richard, just explain to your wife how being geeky is cool.

Cheers,
Steve

Agree that goes a long way when dealing with the staff. Have a look at http://www.scottevest.com/ I use their Tropical jacket vest and it has a lot of pockets which work well for the old "stuff it in you jacket trick". Their items are well made and work wonders on the Cary on issues.

I try and bring everything that is essential and pack all that is not. So all my extra parts go in the check in and I try and pack at least a few pairs of underwear for my carry on in case they lose my bag.
It happened in Fiji for couple of days I was diving in skivvies

I use a ThinkTank Shape Shifter/Airport International combo.
As I mentioned before I bring large cargo pants and a photo vest. I only use these when I need it, more on that later.

I have had experience with the Streetwalker Harddrive which is great however I find that its limitation is that it "looks" like a photo bag. The shapeshifter is a soft sided backpack and gives the appearance of a standard laptop bag.
http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/wp-conten...ifter_field.jpg
The airport international is a fantastic bag. Earlier I mentioned perception; I and a friend were in Cairo for a few days and had to take a domestic flight to Hurghada, to get on a liveaboard. He had an airport international, I had an identically sized bag but it was two different colors. They looked at both of ours and said mine was too big/too heavy.
So far I have been succesful with saying my backpack is "just my laptop bag".

While checking in I have all my papers ready and try and strike up conversation, ask them what is the best food, how do they like it here as opposed to there etc. Always smiling and excited to travel.
When asked about my luggage I say that my backpack is my laptop and my carry on is some clothes and a camera. Also if you are in a foreign country know some words, its goes a long way.

Nine times out of ten this works, however when being polite, asking them to insure it all, hiding your baggage between your legs while checking in or you notice they are weighing every bag; I use my photovest and cargos.
I know it sounds ridiculous but it has worked. I walk to the side and try and fit as much as possible...usually all that is left is my dome and housing in the carry on. This usually brings the weight down to the 15lbs for carryon.
Wear the camera with the biggest lens, then stuff sync cords, cables, arms, joints, and lenses in pockets with strobes going in the cargos.
I get the stink eye and it looks ridiculous, but I just say that my equipment is on my person and thats how I plan to fly.

Yes I know....I'm "that" guy

Jose

Beware, I recently flew with Thai air from Heathrow, they were actually pulling people within 20 metres of the plane door weighing and searching their luggage!!!!!!! so be very careful if you re-jig your stuff once you get airside, some people had to dump stuff or check it into the hold. Ryanair do the same............. But that is likely to come as no surprise to those in the UK

I bought the Streetwalker HD (before I read your post Drako) as my "personal item" bag to use in combo with the International. I read in the reviews that it was small enough to fit under the plane seat, but it almost looks as big the TT International.

Now I'm thinking I should send it back and get either the Shapeshifter or the Urban Disguise 60 (as Steve recommended). But to me the SS does not look like I can adjust the dividers to fit my essentials (Camera Housing, camera body, 10-17, mini dome, etc.)
What do you put in your SS Drako?

AND the Urban Disguise 60 looks a little too small and I really like backpacks....decisions, decisions....????

Thanks!

Another vote for ScottEVest. I've been using one for a couple of years and it's been very durable. You can get a huge amount of gear into one and I have never been asked one question about the contents at security.

When I flew to Galapagos, in my vest I had:
- Dell netbook
- passport
- tickets
- headphones
- smartphone
- watch
- two lenses
- sunglasses
- memory cards

And it didnt seem overpacked at all. It probably weighed 10 lbs.

John

Good to know that you got 2 lenses in there, was it still not obvious you had them?

Steve,

Thanks for the heads up. Spent some money

I was carrying my 10-17mm FE and 60mm macro -- I don't think it was obvious I had lenses in my pockets. I did a shoot at the Western Stock Show a few weeks ago and I was carrying the 70-200mm VR in my pocket. That one was a bit more obvious

JP

Cheers John

Looks like I may have to get myself one of these vest then

In order to snug up the Ultra Light balls to my Nauticam Housing I need a 12mm wrench. In keeping with the spirit of packing light I found this and got one off eBay for about $15. 1.6oz (30 grams for you metric folks) and just plain cool
http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/partno/08-0463/

I use a simple fishing vest with about 5kg of lenses and 1st stages in for checkin in case of carryon weighing after that it goes in carry on bag. A simple and useful addition to protect lenses are those 3mm neoprene drinks can cool jackets, since the vest pockets have no padding this is a concern.
Tim Digger