Taking a Poll.. How many of you Check your Rig vs. Carry On?

I always try to carry my camera gear with me into the cabin. Usually with a backpack and largish waist bag (Think Tank). This worked fine with a Sony RX100 in a Nauticam and dual strobes. But it no longer fit when I went to a DSLR rig. (Nikon D810 and Nauticam housing, with 105vr macro port and 16-35 dome port). The problem is the dome port, which is 230mm. It's just HUGE in terms of packing. (Not light to carry either). I can get all the rig except the port into my carryon, but the port has to go into my wife's carryon, or checked luggage. As my next dive trip will be me alone, I'm going to have to put the dome into a checked suitcase, and I'm looking for some sort of protective hard shell to hold it inside the suitcase.

I can't stress enough how large that dome port is. It's made me wonder if I should have gone DX instead of FX underwater, just to have a smaller dome port. I literally cannot fit both the housing and dome port in the same carryon, even with no other gear.

How about this little lot, take it all everywhere I go!

Carry on - 4 sets of regs, sidemount for 4 tanks. Plus computer and laptop

Check in 1 - pelican SLR, housing, ports, dome, strobes, arms, body, lens, accessories etc

Check in 2 - sidemount BCD, back mount wing and backplate, fins, undergarment, 2 drysuits, wet suit, canister torch, 2 back up torches, sidemount rigging kits, boots, plus much more dive kit!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If I'm flying domestically in Australia and no connections, I may check the camera in a big pelicase. The problem is the pelicase weighs 7kgs on its own which cuts into the baggage allowance a bit.

Most of the time I just fold the arms and the strobes over the top of my dSLR 5DII housing with the 8" port on it. Put the whole lot in a backpack with the camera in the housing and my macro lens in the front pocket and a jumper under the base. Then a 15" laptop, ipad, dive computer, passport, etc in my "purse". The two pieces combined weigh 15-20kg so not getting it weighed is important and why I don't use a roller bag. I prefer transferring through airports that have those little hand luggage trolleys...

On the way home sometimes I check the strobes because if they don't turn up for a week it wouldn't be the end of the world. On the way there I like to have everything I need for photos in the bag and ready to go. You can always hire dive gear.

On the way over to destination I take pretty much all the AV stuff in Handluggage. AX-100 Housing, lights, arms, clamps, camera / backup-camera, flip-adapter, macro lenses, optical masks... As we are two travellers and my wive is not taking foto or video equipment with her, we are still well within the total 16kg allowance.

On the way back, Im more relaxed and put arms, lights, clamps, masks, flip-adapter in checkin. If the suitcase arrives delayed its no big deal on the way back - but it can have a huge impact if you go on a boat and your luggage is not there. I can do with just a few t-shirts and 2 swim-trunks on the boat for 10 days if needed but not without my AV equipment :-)

How about this little lot, take it all everywhere I go!

 

Carry on - 4 sets of regs, sidemount for 4 tanks. Plus computer and laptop

 

Check in 1 - pelican SLR, housing, ports, dome, strobes, arms, body, lens, accessories etc

 

Check in 2 - sidemount BCD, back mount wing and backplate, fins, undergarment, 2 drysuits, wet suit, canister torch, 2 back up torches, sidemount rigging kits, boots, plus much more dive kit!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What Pelican Case are you using to Check the SLR housings etc? Model Number?

What Pelican Case are you using to Check the SLR housings etc? Model Number?

I think you can find all the current Pelicans here, and at a decent price.

The 1510 is (I believe) the largest wheeled case they make that can be carried on standard aircraft, and the 1620 is the largest wheeled one you can check without an oversize charge. The 1510 weighs 14 lbs, the 1620 weighs 26 lbs, more than half your weight limit!

I use a 1620 and it's the perfect weight with every item of camera equipment i use in it. Both macro and WA set up in it. It may be little heavy but it pays to protect the equipment well

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Flying to Palau in one days time, then to New Zealand directly after, will be traveling on six different airlines, and this is how I've set it all up: housing, 2 wide angle lenses, extra harddrive, batteries, dive computer, two strobes, dive computer, and viewfinder are in the backpack, (I bought a lowepro roller for this trip...)

I have a small camera bag I've put my camera body in as well as my flash unit which will then go in a tote bag with my laptop.

Checked bag I have an 8 inch dome port in this cupcake container, which I've wrapped in bubble wrap and it fits like a GLOVE. http://www.amazon.com/Bellaware-Portable-Carrier-Movable-Dessert/dp/B01AACDQ62?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00

All accessories, etc. going in checked bag. I will let you know how it all turned out when I get back!

-KTDG

When I went to Indonesia recently I took a think tank commuter bag which swallowed my full micro 4/3 rig (EM-10) plus twin strobes. I had the camera and lenses in a small separate bag as allowed. Sailed through customs as all points, no issues apart from losing my Allen keys to security in Kuala Lumpur!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UPDATE: So basically, I got reeeeeal lucky a bunch of times trying to tote my carry-on through six airlines and two countries. China Airlines was definitely the most difficult to sneak around, they have a 7kg (15 pd) weight limit, (which I was over by 15 pounds....), and the kiosks for ticketing were not working, so they forced you to talk to an agent with a handy dandy carry-on scale at arms reach, and signs everywhere notifying you of the carry-on limit, AND these little yellow tags they would place on your bag, approving the weight. LUCKILY we got a guy who looked like he'd been there for awhile, and while he definitely saw my camera bag which I was trying to deftly hide, he let us pass through. I found a yellow tag on the ground and swiped it for my own. They also had agents walking through the massive line of people boarding with scales, checking anyone with large bags, (which I got through unnoticed by wearing my bag as a backpack, all-the-while looking extra innocent and non-nonchalant...IF ONLY THEY KNEW THE TRUTH). Also, I slid by Air New Zealand, (unfortunately my husband did not....), by dropping the line 'I have over $10,000 worth of equipment here, please have mercy on me, etc.'. Even though 007 style tactics were required here, I would still definitely recommend taking the risk and carrying your bag on. I think most of the ticketing agents have an understanding of how expensive your equipment is, and are willing to work with you as long as you're not acting like a jerk-bag. Also, random side note, out of Air Tahiti, Air New Zealand, Korean Air, and China Airlines, China Airlines surprisingly had the best food. Korean airlines has the whole 'angelic stewardess' thing going for them, but the food was 'meh'. JUST my humble opinion. Also also, Palau was BADASS. Will post separately on that.

I broke down and bought the Think Tank 2.0 International Carry On Bag. Although I think its crazy overpriced, it is nicely constructed.

I was able to fit my Nauticam housing, Mini Dome Port, Macro Port (60mm), DSLR Nikon D7200 with the fish eye lens attached, my fixed 60mm lens, both Inon Strobes, 2 iTorch Video lights, 2 6 inch flex arms for the video lights, 1 change of batteries, Double AA, Torch and Camera battery chargers. Also, extra o rings, fiber optic cables and SD Cards etc along with my Go Pro and fiber optic flash trigger.

The way I've packed it, allows me to at least Shoot Video in the event that my gear bag (Checked) doesn't make it. I have everything in my carry on needed to shoot Video or ambient light photos. I will have to put my large Dome Port, Strobe Arms and Floats and extra batteries in my checked luggage.

I am still amazed that nobody makes a light weight hard case. The Pelicans are way to heavy to be a practical solution to carry on travel....

Let's get WET!

I use a combo of 3 different (ancient) lowepro soft packs.

The smallest can best be called a HUGE fanny pack. It is about 30 years old, It is about 6in x 14in x 9in and has a shoulder strap and also converts to a waist pack. I often use it as my "personal" carry on item. Last weekend it held 2 P&S cameras, an ipad, a VERY large paperback, my bose headphones in their case, a handful of chargers and spare batteries and a t shirt with a bit of room to spare. I like this because it easily fits under the seat in front of me without taking up valuable foot space.

My other 2 bags are best described as backpacks. best match on the current lowepro website is the pro runner line. The smaller pack is about 20 years old and does not have a slot for a laptop. the newest (largest) pack has a slot to hold my laptop in addition to the camera hold area. This bigger pack is my normal carry on as with the laptop removed, it will fit into the smallest overheads (9 inch thickness) that I encounter in regional jets. Last dive trip it held my computer, 4 strobes, my canon G16 P&S camera in housing, 2 subsea macro lens, 3 dive lights, my backup canon elph camera and housing, AA charger, 2 different cannon chargers, 3 dive computers, 3 wired sync cords, a TTL converter housing, a hat, a swim suit. It was very heavy. About 30 lbs.

I always carry mine on!

Pelican 510 with Aquatica housing, D7000 body inside it; 10-17, 105, 160, 2 x Ike 161s, flat port, extension ring, one battery charger, one strobe charger, 2 Aquatica arms, 45° viewfinder, +5 diopter... All in and way over weight for carry-on, but never challenged.

I check another strobe charger and battery charger as well as 8" acrylic dome and the diopter mount.

I am still amazed that nobody makes a light weight hard case. The Pelicans are way to heavy to be a practical solution to carry on travel....

The new Pelican Air cases are a lot lighter, but the reality is, no matter what you use, it's going to be overweight for carry-on. My logic is that if I am forced to check my bag, at least it will survive...

My Subal ND800 housing and ports, and 2 Sea&Sea strobes are packed inside my wet suit and bulky clothes; they travel in my 2 checked suitcases.

The viewfinder, camera and lenses I hand carry in a padded shoulder bag. My 2 or 3 trips per year are from the US to Asia, and I have had no problems of any kind.

Are you going to tabulate the replies and let us know? Good luck.

I carry my housing, accessories and camera on board. I took the attached shots while at the Big Island this spring. I used the 1DX camera to take these pix so is not visible inside the housing. I used this f.64 brand bag. It is several years old, has been on several trips and thus shows some wear. The stuff you see on the floor in the open bag shot went into nooks and crannies. No space was wasted - the 100mm macro lens in a soft bag fit inside the stacked port extension tubes. A very short flat port is on the housing. The cover has pockets for small accessories, batteries, and spare O-rings. The external strap with fastex buckle is to make sure it does not blow up. I wore the watch ;->