carry on bag

[Jack_5762]

I am and have been searching for the perfect bag for an 8x10 rig. My requirements are; It must be carry on size, it must hold a Zone 6 ultra lightweigt 8x10 and carbon fiber tripod, 3-6 holders

meter and boxes of film. Some clothes and a bag of trail mix would be nice although I can carry these in my man purse. I prefer a backpack without wheels. Is it an f64? An alice surplus? Or perhaps some wonder bag unknown to me. Help me out here folks I'm travelling the world with this rig and the blad stays home. Jack

[Eric Leppanen]

My Tenba P265 backpack ostensibly conforms to carry-on requirements (I've used to get it on-board without problem in the U.S., although I haven't flown for the past year). However, it seems awfully small for an 8x10 kit, and I'm sure the shoulder harness/belt would not be comfortable carrying so much weight. I use it only to carry my 4x5 kit. The largest carry-on Lowerpro backpack is the Photo Trekker AW II, although here again it seems awfully small for 8x10.

My suggestion would be to investigate using a carry-on case (Lightware 2012 or similar) to carry camera, lenses and film on-board; and check-in a "real" 8x10 backpack (along with tripod and your other baggage). I prefer the Lowepro Super Trekker AW II to the f64 BPX for carrying 8x10 (more comfortable, better padding), but others prefer traditional top-loading backpacks (better suspension systems, lighter weight).

[David A. Goldfarb]

Depends on your 8x10" rig. I keep my Gowland 8x10" PocketView in a knapsack made for laptop computers from EMS (they change the styles every year, so the model number isn't useful), along with up to 5 holders, darkcloth, meter, 6 lenses, filters, and the usual odds and ends. The tripod goes in a Tenba TTP case that I check when I fly, but I carry it on a strap over my shoulder on the trail.

[windpointphoto]

"man purse"?

[Steven Barall]

Don't you mean his spare "bro" ?

[Brian Ellis]

I think the F64 8x10 backpack that I use would meet your requirements except I'm not sure what you mean when you say it "must hold . . . a carbon fiber tripod. " Also not sure about the boxes of film. With the F64 pack I've carried a Deardorff 8x10, three holders (I put spare empties in a hard suitcase), three lenses (one large triple convertible and two small), plus light meter, BTZS dark cloth, Lee filters, spanner wrench, and loupe. You might or might not be able to carry snacks depending on how many lenses you carry and how big they are. When I fly with the F64 pack I put my Gitzo 1325 carbon fiber tripod in a hard suitcase and check it along with the spare holders. I put the F64 pack in the overhead bin. It fits the overhead bin of every full size commercial airplane on which I've flown, it has been too big for the tiny bins on a couple commuter airlines but those things were so small I don't think any decent size pack would fit in them.

[Caroline Matthews]

I lifted this from TSA's website:

Transporting Film and Photographic Equipment

Photographic Equipment

You may carry one (1) bag of photographic equipment in addition to one (1) carry-on and one (1) personal item through the screening checkpoint. The additional bag must conform to your air carrier's carry-on restrictions for size and weight. Please confirm your air carrier's restrictions prior to arriving at the airport.

Air carriers may or may not allow the additional carry-on item on their aircraft. Please check with your air carrier prior to arriving at the airport.

It seems you might be able to carry on a couple of bags, and spread your equipment around. I don't think I've ever carried a tripod onto an airplane, but have always checked it separately (for the big Ries), or secured it in a duffle bag for smaller models. I dont' think the TSA would let you carry one on these days: they'd fear the tripod could be a weapon or contain one. I'd go with the suggestion to check it and the big backpack, and carry the fragile and valuable stuff on in a smaller bag.

Good luck.

[Frank Petronio]

Considering the possibility that you may be forced to comply with the 44 inch baggage template, especially on a foreign airline or a commuter plane, you have two practical choices:

1. Pack a moderate carry-on with your boxes of film, books, toiletries, laptop, and a digital camera. Bring an exposed sheet of film to demonstrate to the security offficials what sheet film actually is. Then pack your view camera in a high quality Lightware view camera case and check it through. Get a travel insurance rider for your camera gear. You'll be able to bring everything you need instead of worrying about all this stuff in the cabin, or worse, in the airport waiting areas.

Make sure your airline flights have time between connections to transfer your baggage. And then relax.

2. FedEx the said Lightware case on ahead to your destination.

Or... impractically speaking... I guess you could try to squeeze it all into a maximum legal carry-on. Patagonia makes a soft luggage piece that is exactly that (the MLC) or thinktankphoto.com makes a really nice maximum legal backpack that could be configured for a big load. You might also consider getting a radically small 8x10, like a Gowland with tiny lenses.

[Richard Ide]

I guess a half size 8 x 10 isn't the same at all.

[Neal Shields]

Size is easy, it is the weight that always gives me problems. Some of the international cariers can be very legalistic about carry on weight.

Last I looked Qantas had a max weight of 15#

They will jerk it away from you and check it for a matter of ounces.

For me that creates the challenge of trying to keep the case as light as possiable while still retaining enough protection in case it is taken away from you.

Even when you are in total compliance both by weight and size I have had commuter feaders insist on checking it anyway.

One of the worst 30 minutes of my life was when several thousand dollars of camera gear in an unlocked bag with inadiquate padding didn't make the plane I was on and came on the next one.

As the entire purpose of the vacation was underwater photography, and we were in a 3 world country where even a good point and shoot would have been hard to buy, having insurance that would replace the cameras several weeks later, didn't provide much comfort.