Case for 8x10 air travel recommendation

[Riccis]

Hello:

I will be traveling internationally for the next couple of months and will be bringing an 8x10 set along with me. Can you guys recommend me a good bag/case/roller for the gear below?

-Deardorff 8x10
-20 holders
-RIES tripod

Thanks!

[Scott Walker]

Hello:

I will be traveling internationally for the next couple of months and will be bringing an 8x10 set along with me. Can you guys recommend me a good bag/case/roller for the gear below?

-Deardorff 8x10
-20 holders
-RIES tripod

Thanks!

Sinar expert case

[Frank Petronio]

Haha the more moderate Sinar case is built like an Anvil case, fiberglassed wood with metal hardware. Just get an Anvil-style case without the Sinar-specific fittings.

Or a Pelican, Lightware, Tenba... probably an oversized attache case style, with the camera secured in a padded wrap and carefully chosen spot.

That many holders will make things very heavy and bulky and you have to look at your workflow - will you shoot out of the case when on location? How will you carry holders around at the shooting site? So either include a carry bag (the reusable cloth grocery bags are decent for $2) or buy a travel case that makes it easier to handle holders and lenses....

Also factor in the 50 lb limit before overage, plus all the nasty surcharges... It may be better to have two cases under 50 lbs for airline check-in.

The tripod? I like the Lightware "Cargo Cases" available in several lengths. Why ding the walls with a harder case?

[Riccis]

That many holders will make things very heavy and bulky and you have to look at your workflow - will you shoot out of the case when on location? How will you carry holders around at the shooting site? So either include a carry bag (the reusable cloth grocery bags are decent for $2) or buy a travel case that makes it easier to handle holders and lenses....

I will have a car once I get there and I am mainly interested on the safest way to carry or check in the camera. The Dorff fits in my roller case but I am worried that TSA will not allow me to bring the back into the cabin (as it is glass). I don't need that many holders and may consider to instead bring a couple and just load the film in the field. In this case, is one of those pup tents the best way to go?

Thanks!

[Frank Petronio]

Well not the Harrison Pup, it is much too small for 8x10. Even the Regular, which is recommended, is tight - the Jumbo is much more comfortable and you can easily load five holders at a time. But you could almost crawl inside ;-p

If I were in your shoes, my carry-on would include the smaller cameras, film boxes, 8x10 lenses, meter, etc.

I would get the largest Lightware attache-style case, I think it is 16x29x9 and wrap the Dorf in some padded cloth (dark cloth, multiple lenswraps, etc.) and reinforce the padding with a layer of bubble wrap and maybe a stiff board larger than the ground glass, all rubber banded and stuff into a sealed (water-tight) plastic bag. Then I would pack loose holders (in Ziploc type plastic bags) and other soft items, even clothes, around the camera.

Likewise I use the Lightware Cargo Case that best fits your Ries, using the extra space for clothing, the Harrison Jumbo Changing Tent, and other personal items.

You can get roller versions of these cases of course, but they can double the empty weights of the cases. The advantage of the simple, roller-less, Nylon and foam Lightware cases is that if you pack them properly, they are very good protection and they can come in under the 50 lb., avoiding the surcharges for heavier bags.

Definitely invest in a luggage scale!

Alternatively, you can use a heavier Pelican-style plastic case or the Plywood Anvil-type cases, but there is no way to not go over 50 lbs! While those cases can ultimately be more robust, carrying one around, into a hotel or on location, can be brutal and they often damage walls, finishes, etc.

[BradS]

I have a Pelican 1600. It houses the 8x10 and a 300mm lens. Frank's assessment of Pelican is pretty accurate - it is a heavy brute...but there is never any doubt about the safety of the contents.

[eddie]

too many holders for sure.

where are you going to/from? you could ship the holders in the mail. 3-4 8x10 holders fit nicely into a medium flat rate box. 10$ shipping. may save your baggage weight restrictions. remember every checked bag costs cash in the USA.

carry the camera on with you. find a small bag to put it in....even one of those fabric shopping bags will do.

the rest of the lenses i would individually pack inside a box with bubble wrap and then put the box inside of your checked luggage.

i have been flying all over the world with LF gear and have had zero issues.

because of the weight restriction pelican cases and the like are far far too heavy and unneeded.

[msk2193]

Get your equipment insured as itemied items on your homeowners, get the Pelican case and a TSA lock, check it in as regular baggage. I would take a light tent and fewer holders.
TSA does not regulate the size of the carry-on, but the airline might prevent you from boarding once at the gate and then you will not have anything secure enough for the bag to be thrown into the hold.
Depending on the length of your tripod, you should have no issues hand-carrying it into the cabin here in the USA and in Europe. Many Soouth American airports will consider it a lethal weapon and might have you get it wrapped before carrying it on.
B&H and others still sell lead-bags to put your film in to protect it from x-rays of unknown strength in other countries.

[tgtaylor]

Here's another idea that popped into my head just now: Consider renting an 8x10 camera at the destination. My Toyo 810G in its hard-case weighs in at 48 lbs but before I carried it overseas I'd check around for a local rental. Renting the camera locally would make life simpler and I would only need to bring the lens, film holders, tripod, and tripod dolly.

Thomas

[atlcruiser]

I am setting up the same basic kit. Photobackpacker has the padded case for the dorf. I found a Halliburton "pilots case" on e bay that will fit the dorff in the padded case, a few holders and a bunch of random junk then it locks. I will pad the inside of the case with foam. I like the halliburton as it is very lightweight so I cna check it as luggage. I have the pelican 1600s and they really are too heavy for air transport.

I had not thoguht of the lightwear cases for tripods....gonna get me one of those

david