Packing Camera for Trip

[nray]

Hi.

My first time traveling with my 4x5 field camera. I have read many of the past posts on packing film for travel....what about the camera? I have a metal case for it. If I put it in with the checked luggage the problems could be....theft, damage, security problem with the metal case??

What would you recommend? (I would prefer to just pack it with my luggage.)

Thanks.
Norm Ray

[Ash]

If you can pack hand luggage, pack it in there, in a rucksack or similar, padded. You can show it's not a bomb when asked, and it's always safely by your side.

[Neal Shields]

I assume you are flying.

Check the Airline's regulations on their web site. Both weight and size.

They can and will check it for being one inch or one pound over.

Keep in mind they don't want your business. They are way better off going bankrupt. Northwest estimates that they will make 1 billion dollars next year after comming out of bankruptcy. Would you care if you made customers happy?

I was just on a trip where I had to pack several thousand dollars worth of underwater cameras in paper thin carry on bags, with no padding, in order to stay under a 15 pound per bag limit. Some airlines have dropped it down to 8.

Of course you can always check them like a trip mate of mind did and during a 10 day vacation to take underwater photographs, he never did have his cameras catch up with him.

[Ben Hopson]

When flying with my 4X5 I have always had it in a backpack and used it as one of my carry on bags. I pack the tripod in a Lightware case and check it in. Never a problem to date except for a slight delay waiting for the tripod to make it's way to the baggage claim area. Just make sure that the carry on bag meets the size limitations of the airline if you are flying.

[Brian Ellis]

I put the camera in a hard-shell suitcase wrapped in clothing along with the tripod. I put film, holders, and fragile things such as lenses in my back pack and carry the pack on the plane.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I carry the camera, lenses, film, and usually a laptop on board. Empty filmholders go in checked luggage. I have a little case for things that seem to attract the X-ray inspectors' attention--cable releases, Linhof rangefinder cams, small tools, and such, and I check it. I let the bag go through the carryon X-ray with film, and have never had an X-ray fog (the fastest film I shoot is Tri-X), and usually don't get stopped for further inspection.

I check my tripod with the head attached and the handles loose or removed in a Tenba TTP34 case.

The cameras I usually travel with are the 8x10" Gowland Pocket View in a knapsack designed for laptop computers or the 4x5" Linhof Technika V in the large Crumpler Fux Deluxe bag.

[Louie Powell]

Camera, lenses, meter, and some holders go in a backpack that I schlep on the plane. Film, empty film boxes for the trip home, and some additional holders go into a second bag that also is carried on the plane. All go through the carryon inspection x-ray.

Tripod is either in a canvas tripod bag, or else wrapped in underwear and packed in a suitcase, and checked.

[nray]

I put the camera in a hard-shell suitcase wrapped in clothing along with the tripod.

I would like to check it too. But, I have a metal case for the camera. That, along with the tripod must look very suspicious. Will doing this cause them to want to open the suitcase when it is x-rayed? We usually lock and strap the suitcase shut when we travel, so I was wondering if this would cause a problem.

Thank you guys so much for your responses....I really appreciate it. I'm leaving in a few days.

[Louie Powell]

Are you thinking about checking the hard case with the camera? Keep in mind that the TSA has the right to open anything, and if the case is locked, that won't stop them.

The beauty of carrying it on the plane is that is remains in your possession for the entire trip except for the brief screening time - and you can keep an eye on it during that.

[eric black]

I check the camera and tripod in a pelican case with clothing as padding. I carry on the ground glass back (detached from the camera), lenses, loupe, light meter and film holder and film. I have at times carried on the tripod with the ball head detached to make it appear less weapon like.