packing a field camera in a check in suitcase? safe?

[erikbenj]

hey all

when i travel with my toyo field camera i usually carry it on the airplane with me in a backpack but i was considering packing it in my suitcase that i would check with all other baggage. i was wondering if anyone had any experience with this and if it was safe? my toyo has a metal body versus the plastic one. i feel that if padded well enough, it should be ok?

thanks for the suggestions
erik

[keith english]

At new years I had the unfortunate situation of having to fly home with my 4x5 Zone VI after having it driven to its location. Reluctantly i had to check it in only my Naneu Pro soft bag, along with lenses. I packed bubble wrap and the dark-hood around everything and hoped for the best. Luckily i was flying Midwest. The gear arrived in Atlanta (direct flight from Milwaukee) without a scratch. I wouldn't try this with Delta. Of course TSA appears to have fogged the film somewhat. I really think it depends on the carrier, how many handlers, etc. But wouldn't recommend it in most cases, and don't check your film. Carry-On screenings don't seem to fog the film.

[eddie]

sure. you can check it. i have checked all kinds of camera equipment over the years. i can my favorite ones with me but so far i have never had a problem with carrying them on or checking them in.

just a couple of months back i checked an 8x10 camera and a wet plate back on a flight to holland. no problem. before that i have two wood field cameras checked in on an international flight.

best wayto do it is find a nice box that fits your camera snuggly. add bubble wrap to the camera. then put it in the box. then another wrap of bubble wrap around the box and you are pretty set. put it in a bag. (i have used all sorts of bags as well. the giant "gym" bags with rollers swallow gear. hard suitcases present size and thickness issues. cause they are hard and do not "form" around the item)

eddie

[fuegocito]

I was wondering about the same, have they changed the carry baggage size/weight again allowance, does the same regulation the same for domestic and international flights????

Any one flew with LF gears since the latest episode in Detroit?

[Gem Singer]

Camera should be safe, well padded in your check-in baggage.

However, bags often get rough treatment from baggage handlers. They don't expect something as delicate as a camera to be inside of a bag when they throw it onto the luggage conveyor.

Nowadays all checked-in baggage is X-Rayed, When they see a large metallic object inside, you can bet that it will be closely inspected. The camera might be broken, or worse, stolen.

I would hand carry anything of value.

[jeroldharter]

I have checked my Pelican case full of precious gear many times. Make sure you have appropriate insurance. I have decided to ship most of my gear by UPS for my next trip - shipping to my first hotel and then dropping it off at the UPS store prior to going to the airport.

[tgtaylor]

I have always hand carried my camera, lens, and film aboard minimizing the chance for damage. Luggage gets lost and if it does it will take months to be reimbursed.

[rfesk]

I wrapped my Busch Pressman with the dark cloth and put it snugly in a small cardboard box. I marked the box boldly "4X5 camera." Figured if TSA opened my luggage it would help them to know what they were looking at. This box in turn was cushioned by other clothes surrounding it in the bag.

The lenses, I wrapped in foam in a smaller box and carried them in my carry-on bag.

[windpointphoto]

A few years ago, flying out of Milwaukee, my Wisner was damaged. The inspectors opened it without releasing the clips. They forced it open and tore the screws out of the wood. That being said, it's the only damage or theft I have ever had in all the years and miles of flying with camera equipment and firearms. The old adage of "if it's insured nothing will happen to it" is true I guess. Make everything easy to get to and to open.

[Frank Petronio]

Tenba and Liteware make large cases for monorail cameras (Sinars) and I've checked them through, they have 2" thick hard foam though. With their cases you can even ship LCD monitors, they probably provide the most protection.

But since the case weighs ~20 lbs be prepared for exceeding the 50lb limit.

[cjbroadbent]

Done EU to US often. I learned to pack lenses with shutter an diaphragm open so they x-ray see-through like a doughnut. Never had problems with Gandolfi. Always had problems with Technika.

[Brian Ellis]

Depends on the suitcase and the camera. I used to pack a Linhof Technika in a hard suitcase all the time because the camera was bullet-proof when folded and the suitcase was well-built and solid. But I wouldn't pack a wood camera in a soft suitcase.

[anchored]

a) Airlines in the US will NOT let you insure camera equipment (or electronics). You'll need to obtain insurance elsewhere.

b) Airlines will NOT let you lock your cases.

c) Airlines load planes as shown in the old luggage advertisements... ie: the one showing a group of gorillas throwing and beating it up.

Therefore, I ship anything I can't carry on in Pelikan cases via UPS or FedEx. They both let you lock your shipping cases AND allow one to insure the contents.

[Arne Croell]

Done EU to US often. I learned to pack lenses with shutter an diaphragm open so they x-ray see-through like a doughnut.
??? The main absorber for X-rays in the lens is the glass, especially the high index glasses, followed by the housing. The thin metal sheets of the shutter and aperture shoudn't add much to it. The images of my lenses I've peeked at on the airport control screens usually show a pretty opaque object where the lens is.

[cjbroadbent]

??? The main absorber for X-rays in the lens is the glass, especially the high index glasses, followed by the housing......
Thank for rectifying. I've been doing it wrong for a long time.

[Arne Croell]

Thank for rectifying. I've been doing it wrong for a long time.
Not really wrong-there is no harm in doing it! My experience is quite varied, sometimes they don't want to see anything, other times I had to open every lens bag and shutter, so they see its a lens. For the latter it would save time if the shutter is already open.
And I try to carry the camera and lenses in my carry-on, the lenses sometimes in my jacket pockets in Europe because of their restrictive carry-on weight rules (most US carriers: 18kg/40lbs; Lufthansa, SAS and others: 8kg/14-15lbs).

Arne

[Bosaiya]

I've heard tales of people putting their valuable gear in a day-glow Pelican case with designs spray-painted on in contrasting day-glow colors. They put an empty flare or starter pistol in with the gear and declare it as a weapon at the desk. The case will be locked by the TSA and handled with the utmost oversight. Between the weapons declaration and the blinding colors it's unlikely the case or contents will ever go missing.

[Peter Collins]

I just returned via Northworst Airlines from SFO to Detroit with my carry-on of large format equipment. It went into my Osprey Sojourner, a roller bag with a backpacking harness that stows out of the way.

In it were my Wisner Tech Field 4x5, a Fuji 90mm, a 150mm, a 210mm, about 14 holders, pentax digital spotmeter, loupe, Blackjacket, 4 filters, clipboard, yaddah-yaddah. (Tripod went into a checked bag.) The Sojourner has a Photobackpacker backerboard, and cases for camera and 3 lenses.

Going to SFO it went through the scanner without comment; returning, I had it singled out for hand inspection, and then through the scanner again.

That was about it. If the exposed film is fogged, I'll find out when I develop it, and post to this forum.

[77seriesiii]

Another airline traveler that packs toyo 4x5 field camera in luggage. I travel back and forth from Europe to the US quite a bit and have brought my 4x5 with me for the past 8 trips. Still nervous, but so far no problems. Film goes with me on the plane or I ship it.

Erick

[Acheron Photography]

I've just come back from a transatlantic trip and found it easier than I thought. The tripod, monorail itself, front and back standards, and double darks went into my suitcase, the latter two wrapped in clothes. The ground glasses and lenses went into my carry on, again wrapped in clothes. On the way out everything was hand inspected at Heathrow, but so was everything else on that particular flight. On the way back, there was nothing special.

I didn't take film, preferring to order that to be delivered to my US location and sending it for processing in the US before flying home. Carrying film through X-ray, especially in less developed countries (where they tend to turn the intensity of the machines up to compensate for the lack of a recent service) can be an issue.

My only real gripe was the film delivery: Badger Graphics promised me a three day delivery, and it ended up taking 6, losing me a couple of shooting days.

Good luck.

David.