Air Travel with multiple formats

[roteague]

I pack my cameras, lens, netbook, in one of those National Geographic backpacks. It's quite heavy but I act like it's light weight (apart from the sweat beading down my forehead). I use a folding luggage carrier (just wheels and a frame) to haul it around. I take it off, fold up the wheels, and put the backpack on when boarding the plane. I measured it loaded and it's 38" stuffed (l+w+h).

I carry the 4x5, 35mm body (Nikon F6) and 35mm lenses in my backpack, along with film. On some trips, I'll carry a Nikon D200 as well, but I think I'm going to start leaving it at home (I'll stick with 35mm for small camera pictures). Right now, I use an old Swiss Army backpack, but I think I'm going to order one of the Rick Steve's backpacks for my next trip. I carry the 4x5 lenses in a fanny pack around my waist.

I'm always looking for ways to lessen the weight and distribute my gear while traveling. I would prefer a rolling pack as well; at 54 it isn't easy carrying all the gear on my back, but since Hawaiian Airlines weighs carry-on luggage I don't have much choice. Hawaiian's limit is 25 lbs. Qantas only allows 15 lbs (even less on their domestic flights).

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Since you are going one way, prepare to be explosive-sniffed. It ALWAYS happens when I fly one-way and request hand inspection. I'm with you though-- I try to check nothing that's mission critical enroute to a destination. Bulky LF tripods are probably the toughest.

Pack so that your carry-on is all easy to pull apart and get through and repack without camera and lens breakage. Recommend sealed film boxes or else take Quickloads with all your film sheaths out of the box in ziplocks. Get to TSA line way ahead of time or expect to have everyone behind you grousing about the 15 minute delay you just caused.

[Hollis]

Just an update but I have been in Alaska about 2 weeks now and have just come back to Anchorage from the Zoo/Circus/insanity that is Bristol Bay (Ill save that story for another day) and have been shooting my 4x5 like mad. In fact, I am kind of bummed that I didn't just take it and not my digital as well. Hell, I'm even thinking of selling the digital and buying the cheaper younger brother of the MK3, the 5D mk2 and using the difference to buy more quickloads.

Now, for the drive to Nashville via Homer, Via Vanvcouver, Via Portland etc. etc. etc.

[sanju121]

A point to note if you’re checking in luggage is that many of the travel accessories that are sold as luggage security items (locks, cable ties, security seals, etc) do not actually work to protect your luggage. You’d think for the money spent on these things it would take time to break into a bag, but it’s as simple as several seconds with a paperclip or even a pen. And people wonder why there is a problem with luggage theft. This site shows how the criminals do it: http://www.securoseal.com/main.php?id=318. The same site has also got news stories from around the world on airport and luggage related crime here: http://www.securoseal.com/main.php?id=325 – so it's worth a read if you’re planning on taking a trip soon.

[csant]

Something that I got from a musician colleague - I have never had the need to use it myself, but have been told that it works:

A start pistol needs to be checked in as a weapon on flights, but requires no additional license to be carried around. So they put such a pistol into the music instrument's box, and check the thing in as a weapon. You'll never get 100% guarantee, but generally speaking weapons are treated very carefully when transported on airplanes - they are very unlikely to just disappear.

[QT Luong]

Just came back from a transcontinental flight. I packed the digi system + 3 film boxes into a Think Tank airport accelerator carry-on, and the LF system (holders unloaded) into the Lowepro super trekker, checked. One of the levers on the Canham got broken (that's the first time this happens in many air trips), but the camera was still usable.