Travel bag for SLR + housing

[Sphyrna Lewini]

Hello all

I've recently purchased a new SLR and housing. My question regards how people transport their cameras on aircraft, especially in light of a) charter airlines 5Kg weight limit and b) new 'anti-terror' measures limiting size of hand luggage.

I've looked at the various cases on Camerasunderwater.com but am concerned about getting my camera onto planes as the cases are quite heavy and bulky (even before the camera). Am I resigned to checking in my camera?

Do any experienced travelling phographers have any suggestions and/or advice about how they travel with their gear?

Many thanks in advance

Claire

[triplefin]

When I go away its usually for a considerable time and I am travelling around so have a pelican case for my stuff. These are pretty indestructable and I pack the peli case itself in the centre of whatever large case I am taking. However I usually take out the camera itself and strobe head and carry those in my hand luggage. Mainly because they are so expensive to replace should they get nicked! The housing stays in the peli case as its so bulky and I also carry my regs in my hand luggage. However if/when I upgrade I'll have to think again.
Everybody has there own different ways depending on the amount and type of kit they have and how/where they are travelling. I think it tends to be something that evolves and changes

[David A]

Hi Claire,

5kg? Is that right on charter flights? Dear god. I don't think I could do that.

Most of my trips are long haul, and I use a Lowepro Computrekker Plus AW, which satisfies the schedule limits of 56x45x25cm (no weight limit). I can get all my cameras, lenses and laptop in this, along with tickets, passport, a book, and a pair of shades.
If you aren't carrying a computer, the smaller Lowepro bags will possibly creep in under the weight limit, if you aren't carrying any big glass for topside shots.
My housing, strobes and accessories are currently in a peli case (weighing in at 18kg), and then I have another bag for my dive gear, clothes etc. Not a problem for transatlantic, but it does mean excess baggage for most other trips.

Incidentally, I'm looking at alternatives to the peli. It's almost indestructable, but it is heavy, and it has a definite "steal me" appearance.

In truth, a difficult one.

[Neil M]

Originally Posted by David A

Hi Claire,

5kg? Is that right on charter flights? Dear god. I don't think I could do that.

Most of my trips are long haul, and I use a Lowepro Computrekker Plus AW, which satisfies the schedule limits of 56x45x25cm (no weight limit). I can get all my cameras, lenses and laptop in this, along with tickets, passport, a book, and a pair of shades.
If you aren't carrying a computer, the smaller Lowepro bags will possibly creep in under the weight limit, if you aren't carrying any big glass for topside shots.
My housing, strobes and accessories are currently in a peli case (weighing in at 18kg), and then I have another bag for my dive gear, clothes etc. Not a problem for transatlantic, but it does mean excess baggage for most other trips.

Incidentally, I'm looking at alternatives to the peli. It's almost indestructable, but it is heavy, and it has a definite "steal me" appearance.

In truth, a difficult one.

I use an Underwater Kinetics case for my housings etc, looks less like an expensive box than a peli. that and I do not have an stickers on it at all...

[Mike Ward]

Hi Claire,

I have a bright green packing crate for the housing body, ports and strobe heads, plus battery chargers and miscellaneous bits and pieces that'll fit, it runs to 15kg packed, and I pad my gear with whatever clothing I'm taking and check it in the hold. I worry most about th estrobes getting thrown around but so far been fine.

I've thought about Peli, etc, but the large Peli case I have is 7kg empty and my crate is 2kg empty...

Camera body and lenses and my dive computer go in my pockets and the laptop in a bag that just comes in at 5kg.

I travel out and back tot he Red Sea a lot, and this is the best solution I've found so far...

[John N]

Carry-on for me.

Lowepro make a 'Dryzone' backpack that floats when full - possibly useful for rib trips with gear.

There's a sale on Tamrac bags at warehouseexpress.com at the moment as well.

Something that hold my camera gear, possibly a laptop and a bit more space for bits & pieces and day boat stuff is what I'm after.

If it's a bit heavy and they complain about it, camera round the neck, lenses in pockets. For a while anyway.

EDIT:
For the housing, I normally sling it in with my dive gear in the middle of my BCD, suit, fins etc. No problems so far.

[John Gulliver]

I'm not a digital photographer but I do take quite a bit of (analog) photographic equipment on diving trips. Beaver make a very nice soft, padded camera bag. According to the jungle telegraph, one of the directors had an old Nikon bag which he thought was good and sent it to China and asked them to make a copy. Mine takes two Nikonos V cameras and almost all my lenses and viewfinders. My strobe heads (4!), a couple of big lenses and viewfinders and all my films go in my soft "wheely" cabin case, which I have padded with foam, and all my strobe arms and trays in my dive-gear bag, together with my kit. The airlines' lists of things you can take on board always include a camera or camera bag and I've never had any problems getting my fairly large Beaver bag accepted under this category. My "wheely" complies with the new EU rules on dimensions for carry-on bags. It is often a couple of kilos too heavy when packed (depending on the airline's rules) but the check-in staff only seem to worry about the dimensions and have never weighed it.

[uwila]

I recently bought one of these
Jessops.com - Lowepro Compurover AW (Black) - Jessops.com
and took it on my recent trip to the Red Sea. I managed to get 2 strobes, a dome port, straight port, port extension, 3 lenses, Cannon camera, laptop, various small chargers, ipod, book and a small pillow into it! Bubble wrap came in handy for protecting the glass bits. It weighed in at around 15Kg, but I was able to put some of the lenses and batteries in my pockets and my coat to reduce the weight during check-in if it was weighed. It wasn't so I got away with it! The housing was in my wife's hand luggage. It also came in very useful as my day bag when going out on the boats.

They're a bit expensive, but so far it looks like it is really worth it.

Cheers, Chris

[David P]

Not underwater gear (that had to go in the hold!) but I've a similar Lowe rucsac bag thing that's carried SLR, lenses, compact camera, chunky camcorder plus 2 laptops (yes, mine and work) and power supplies - total around 16kg - and yeah, I panic at the thought of being weighed. There's only so much you can squeeze in pockets. Good luggage, versatile.

[Neil M]

I'm seriously considering one of the photo jackets for checkin then take it off laters!!