To Ship or Not to Ship Tripods

[jackies]

What I do is check the tripod and carry the head in my carry on bag. TSA usually checks the luggage and never have I had it ripped off. In fact, now I put the tripod where it is easily seen so they don't go rummaging through all my stuff. . .

Jackie

[Mike Lewis]

Rich-

I travel frequently within the U.S.; last year I had fifteen rental cars, a personal best. Most of the time I take my LF gear with me. I put my Gitzo carbon-fiber tripod in checked luggage. I wrap it in a garbage bag, put this in a backpack with other LF stuff such as film holders, a lens case (lenses themselves are carry-on), darkcloth, etc.; then put that into a hard-side Samsonite case with other stuff. TSA opens my luggage all the time. I still have my tripod. I admit that upon arrival I check for the tripod before leaving the airport, but so far I've had no problem.

BTW- I saw your landscapes at a craft show in Maryland a few months ago. They were very nice.

[Henry Ambrose]

What I do is check a big rolling trunk with my photo gear and pay the oversize fee. Five "barely good enough" light stands, two or three monolights, three fresnel lights, tripod, powercords, umbrellas, softbox, reflectors, speedrings, spring clips, tape, 8x8' 1/4 stop silk panel, white panel, black panel. Somehow it all makes it just under the weight/size limit. Limits vary. Some allow up to 100 pounds with extra charge. Usually 80 inches (length+girth) is the upper size allowed.

Here's the roller case -- http://www.stormcase.com/StormCaseSizes/StormiM2975.htm

Some airlines have "media rates" which let you check big media things cheaper. (cameras, tripods, sound gear, etc.) You have to ask for this and tell them you are working. It would help to be telling the truth. Check your carrier for details.

All my gear is covered by my business policy. I do carry on a big camera bag with the minimum camera gear to get the job done. I ship the film Fedex next day to the location or to the Fedex office at the destination airport.

Check with your insurance agent about coverage. It might be that a small amount of money will add some of your gear to your homeowners policy. If you have business/commercial insurance you could add coverage there if you don't already have it. Tell your agent exactly what you are doing and ask them to quote coverage for the risk you describe. That'll be a lot easier than trying to squeeze a claim out of a carrier who's lost or broken your stuff. That can take months. And with your own insurance you'll have coverage for the term of your policy, not just this one trip.

You might also consider taking less stuff. Less to carry and less to lose or break. My one big rolling box is my limit. If I can't make it happen from that box, I can't make it happen or I would rent at the location.

If you ship film be sure to put stickers on the box to keep it away from radioactive materials and to not xray. The carrier will have these. I'd Fedex overnight this box.

But in your case, I'd think real hard about buying film in Portland. Its a big city and I bet you can pre-order whatever you'd want to use and have it there waiting for you.

As for your other gear, Fedex has offices at most airports and you can ship to the office where you fly in and pick it up in person. That saves a trip to some other spot to pick up your stuff. A big box shipped three day economy is not too expensive.

[Alan Davenport]

I wouldn't worry so much about the baggage handlers stealing them, as I would worry about losing a day or more of shooting while you wait for the tripods to catch up to you after the airline sends them to the wrong city. (The last couple of times any members of my family flew, it's been a given that the luggage goes elsewhere. )

[David A. Goldfarb]

I wouldn't worry so much about the baggage handlers stealing them, as I would worry about losing a day or more of shooting while you wait for the tripods to catch up to you after the airline sends them to the wrong city. (The last couple of times any members of my family flew, it's been a given that the luggage goes elsewhere. )

Once we went to Maui and my tripod case got stuck in Newark. Fortunately I had my Technika with me, so I could shoot Weegee-style with the rangefinder for the first day or so.

[Brian K]

Nature photo, that's a lot of tripods. You're packing very heavy it seems, more than one camera system? If you're going to pack heavy, and go away for 3 weeks you might want to consider driving from PA to OR. The drive would be 4 days each way, but you also have the opportunity to stop and shoot things along the way, as well as scout other places you may want to come back to. You'll save on the plane fare and the car rental in OR, but get hit with gas costs. Just a thought.

If you're intent on flying I'd pare it down to one camera system and one tripod. I would pack the tripod in a larger clothing suitcase that also holds your clothes. I do this often and never have had a problem.

[naturephoto1]

Nature photo, that's a lot of tripods. You're packing very heavy it seems, more than one camera system? If you're going to pack heavy, and go away for 3 weeks you might want to consider driving from PA to OR. The drive would be 4 days each way, but you also have the opportunity to stop and shoot things along the way, as well as scout other places you may want to come back to. You'll save on the plane fare and the car rental in OR, but get hit with gas costs. Just a thought.

If you're intent on flying I'd pare it down to one camera system and one tripod. I would pack the tripod in a larger clothing suitcase that also holds your clothes. I do this often and never have had a problem.

Hi Brian,

Thanks very much for the recommendations. I am sandwiching the trip between two Art shows and I was able to get a rather remarkable Delta airfare round trip from Allentown, PA to Portland, OR for about $260 including all taxes, etc. My unlimited mileage midsized Alamo Rental including all taxes is about $439. I am traveling with 3 systems (really only 2+). I will be carrying my Toho Shimo FC-45X and as many as 8 lenses (Rodenstock f5.6 75mm Grandagon N MC, Congo f6.3 90mm WA MC, Schneider f5.6 120mm Apo Symmar L, Schneider f 5.6 120mm Makro Symmar, Rodenstock f5.6 150mm Sironar S, Rodenstock f9 240mm Apo Ronar MC, Rodenstock f9 300mm MC, Ebony Top Hat and Fuji f12.5 450mm C MC) along with my Mamiya 7II and 3 lenses (Mamiya 7 f4.5 43mm lens and finder, Mamiya 7 f4 65mm lens, Mamiya 7 f4.5 150mm lens) and my Rollei 35S with the f4 40mm Zeiss Sonnar lens.

With the exception of the tripods, Rollei 35S, Kodak Readyload Holder, Horseman 6 X 12 Back, some filters, film, all of my photo equipment fits into a rather compact Think Tank Airport Acceleration Backpack (18.5" X 13" X 7", http://www.thinktankphoto.com/ttp_pr...ArprtAccel.php).

I am carrying the Gitzo Carbon Fiber 13XX series Tripod with the Gitzo Gitzo 1321 Leveling Base, and the Gitzo Carbon Fiber 1257LVL Tripod along with the Markins M20 and Q3 Emille Heads for switching off parts/heads for longer walks and short backpacking while in Oregon. Additionally, this gives me the opportunity if near the vehicle to use both the Toho and the Mamiya 7II at the same time. The Toho and the Mamiya have Arca Type QR plates/L brackets. The point of the Leitz table top is more for the Leitz large ball head alone for the purpose of tripod mounting the Rollei 35S which has no QR. The Leitz tipod base could certainly be left behind.

Part of the reason for the Toho and the Mamiya systems are for backup and also, from what I have been informed, the winds along the Oregon Coast may turn my little Toho into a Box Kite and I would need the Mamiya to take many of these images.

Rich

[Dave Parker]

Rich,

I have shot many, many times along the OR and WA coast, and yes the winds can be terrible, but with due diligence you should have very little trouble shooting the Toho, the only time I have had any difficulty was when I was shooting and 8x10 at Canon Beach, OR trying to get some images of starfish and other creatures in a tide pool using an extreme amount of extension, fortunately I was low to the ground and close to the camera to catch it, I have never had any difficulty working with my 4x5's blowing away, one thing I do when shooting on the beach, I pick up a small bag that I can put a few pounds of sand in and hang from the tripod to help with stability...


Dave

[eric black]

remove the ball head and carry it onto the plane- I do this at least 3-4 times a year with no objections from anybody provided the ball head which makes it look a bit more lethal is removed (I carry it on as well- packed in my carryon- I just slide the tripod to the rear of the overhead compartment and use my carryon to wedge it into place. If Im not feeling like carrying alot around the airport, I check a large pelican case (1650 I think) with the tripod inside packed in clothes. My equipment is all insured though so Im not quite so worried about losses due to baggage personnel. Also, I dont think you will be able to lock the case anyways as TSA doesnt allow that anymore due to 911 stuff.

[roteague]

Also, I dont think you will be able to lock the case anyways as TSA doesnt allow that anymore due to 911 stuff.

You can lock your bags. However, you need to buy the special TSA approved locks (they have a second key slot that only the TSA is supposed to have keys for). You can buy them practically anywhere.