Check or Carry-on?

This might have been mentioned elsewhere... Who checks their camera housings when flying? Who carries them onboard? And for those that check their housing (I wouldn't dream of checking my camera or lenses!) have you ever had any problems?

The reason I ask is I have just bought a new housing for my Canon 10d (previously used Jonah). Of course with all the different lenses I use- I have 3 ports plus the large dome and all the focus gears for each lens and strobes- basically alot of stuff to haul around. There is absolutely no way that I can pack the housing, ports, gears, strobes, camera, lenses and batteries plus my laptop and carry all of that onbard unless the stewardess is BLIND! I know that I can carry my camera, lenses, batteries and laptop on board. I feel kinda panicky when I think that I will have to check the housing.

Anyone have any advice on what I could do? Or maybe some reassurance that the housing will be ok checked? How does everyone else pack their housings an camera?

I carry on my camera and lens, but everything else gets checked.....I wrap my housing with a wetsuit for extra protection

Karl

I always bring all camera equipment, including housing, ports and lenses and Apple G4 as carry on.. Tamrac makes some pretty nice camera/computer backpacks that will hold all your equipment. To be specific this is what I always take and what you can pack:

D70 with Ike housing

2 ports (Fisheye and 18-70)

2 ds125 strobes

3 lenses (10.5, 12-24, 18-70)

chargers and all accessory cables (extra synch cords, etc)

Apple 17 inch G4..

This combo will fit in all overhead compartments (maybe not puddle jumpers)..

My rationale is that I will most likely be able to replace scuba gear for a liveaboard more quickly than replacing my photo gear. If the camera stuff does not show up the trip is over.

Along with the above backpack on wheels I take a smaller backpack that fits under the seat. I have flown this way many times with no problems other than TSA issues. They dont like wrenches, even allen wrecnches. I was told I could "take apart the airplane"...

Check B H photo for all the backpack combos...

M.

I feel safer carrying on my housing, but carry on space is limited by my other cameras and lenses. So my fix? Get a good sized camera jacket (vest) and load it with your lenses and cameras. I then use a small roller and load that with my housing and strobes, sync cords, chargers, batteries and one port. I then carry a sizeable backpack that holds my other ports and misc items. Thus I really have three carry ons while meeting the 2 piece limit. And I get peace of mind knowing it is under my control.

Just my tactics.

Joe

Starbuck, I never really considered packing the housing et all in a backpack/softcase. Would it be possible for you to post a photo of how it all packs into your Tamrac?

Cheers, Sieg

Hi;

I pack everything in my pelican case (well padded) and ensure I have the case locked so it will not open if dropped. I have fragile stamped all over it - not that it will help as we all know airline porters cannot read!

I carrry my actual camera with me always on the plane.

The housing (Subal) goes in my pelican case WITHOUT the o-ring so it will not be jammed shut by the lower presures when flying. Iain

Starbuck,

Which model Tamrac bag are you using?

Anthony

Add me to the "Check everything" list. The only items I carry on are the camera and lenses, computer, land strobe, accesories, and batteries. These fill up a Tamrac Cyber 8 backpack.

Everything else goes in a Pelican 1650 or the big dive bag.

Batteries have been an issue, as some countries want them in checked luggage, and some want them in carry-on. This seems to be the only issue in my setup.

I always carry cameras and lenses, and if I can get away with it, the housing and dome port too.

I have a Lowepro Phototrekker "Classic" backpack that takes all bodies and lenses (including the 85-400 VR), land strobe, filters and diopters, plus four of the heavy Ikelite SS200 batteries, to reduce weight in checked luggage. My laptop goes in the outside pocket, along with film for my "other" camera body.

Subal housing and the big domeport is carried in a Pelican 1550, plus a few other items. The Pelican can be checked if necessary, but often I've been able to fly with both the backpack and Pelican as carry-on.

Strobes, synch cords, macro port, arm sections, tray and clamps go in the checked bag with dive gear, tool kit, clothes and other personal items.

If I'm reasonably confident that I'll be able to carry on both cases, Ithen redistribute a bit - carrying the Subal strobe arm sections on the bottom of the Pelican case under the dome port to remove a bit more weight from checked bags.

Frogfish

Just got back from two trips using the Lowepro CompuTrekker for the following:

20D, (2) DS-125 strobes with arms, Ike Housing & one port, 3 lens', chargers, my 15" PowerBook, and a ton of cables...I was very happy to have all my vital underwater gear on my back. The only thing I checked on with my scuba gear was the handle. I'm submitting a picture in hopes it helps someone else. I spent a lot of time on Wetpixel listening to what others used and then got the CompuTrekker. This rig was super comfortable to carry. I was never asked about weight when checking my gear through TSA and it had a nice rain cover for those spontaneous tropical rains! I got the backpack that fits the 17" computer and was super happy with the padding for my laptop.

If you want a picture of the setup in my carry on bag, and this didn't post correctly, let me know.

Marc

Canon D20, Ike Housing, (2) DS-125, 60mm Macro, 10-22mm

I carry on my camera, lenses, and SB-800 flash.

I check my housing, port, strobes etc. in a locked pelican.

Most of the time when i check the pelican they tell me that they need to check it to make sure I dont plan to blow up the plane.

I am under the impression that I have the right to be there when they do it, but often they bake me stand behind a big rope and they are far away. It scares the crap out of me because there is kind of an order to what comes out first, second etc. and sometimes they try to jsut ppull the housing out from the bottom before taking the arms out which are above it and all the foam pads lift up... then they try to cram it all back in there.

I also have to fight to stand next to them and be like.. okay you can take this out blah blah and tell them how to re-pack it.

How do you deal with this?

Also, I plan to be adding a macro port sometime in the near future. It won't fit in my pelican, and so I need to figure out how to bring it. I have an old, smaller pelican that is too big for just a port. How would you reccomend bringing just a macro port. Just wrap it up nicely and put in in the middle of my dive bag?

I've only had the opportunity to watch TSA go through my stuff once. That's why I carry everything on now and keep it with me. In fact, I got back from Hawaii and TSA didn't put my surfboard on the plane and I ended up with someone elses shoes in my bag? huh?

Anyway...back to your question. For a macro port? I'd pack it in your dive bag only if you had like an extra regulator bag that you could use bubble wrap around within that reg bag that went withon your dive bag. Or I'd get a bigger camera bag as your carryon and keep it with you camera as a carryon. The other thing to remember is that you get one carryon AND a personal item like a laptop or something and there may be a way to keep the macro port in your laptop bag/personal item carryon.

Another perhaps more creative option might be to go to somekind of tupperware kitchen storage place and find a container that the port would fit in after being wrapped in a towel or something so that you could pack it in your dive gear and not worry about it being banged around.

Have fun.

... Who checks their camera housings when flying? Who carries them onboard?  . . .

The reason I ask is I have just bought a new housing for my Canon 10d (previously used Jonah).  . . There is absolutely no way that I can pack the housing, ports, gears, strobes, camera, lenses and batteries plus my laptop and carry all of that onbard ...

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I have a big camera (Canon 1Ds MkII) and housing (Seacam). My approach to packing carry-on vs. checked bags is simple: carry enough in my carry-ons that I would at least be able to take photos the whole trip EVEN if both my checked bags never arrive. That precludes carrying on my big wide angle port, so it means I only pack the housing (with camera inside) and macro port, with two lenses: a long macro lens (either 100mm or 150mm) and the 50mm, which is tiny and can be used for fish etc., and at least one strobe (with corresponding cords, chargers, etc.). I pack everything else (wide angle lense, port, etc.) in my checked bags. I call this my "save a photo vacation" plan. I may not be able to shoot all kinds of photos, but I'll still be able to take pictures...

As for what I use for my carry-on bags, I take two. The first is the soft-sided cooler sold by UW Photo Tech (see http://www.uwphoto.com/shop/customer/produ...4&cat=18&page=1 ), in which I can get almost all of the aforementioned gear. I've tried lots of other alternatives, including Pelicans and other hard-side cases. The soft-side UWPT case holds more, and "molds" to the shape of your gear better, yet still goes in standard overhead bins. For my other case (and to hold my reg's and laptop), I use a Porter Case (see http://www.portercase.com/positive_image.htm ), which doubles as a great hand truck for pulling around ALL of my gear, including the checked bags.

A small but important thing I also pack in one of the carry-ons is a small nylon "pack" (the type that folds into its own pocket so it's only the size of a fist), so that IF the people at the gate say either case is too big, I can take everything out and put it in that nylon bag. In that case (it's happened a couple of times), I stop, empty everything of value from the case and put it in the nylon bag to carry on, and gate check the nearly-empty case they say is too big. (I never let my laptop out of my posession...)

I just came back from a month in Micronesia, travelling to Yap, Palau and Chuuk. I had one dive bag on rollers, one suitcase (I took WAY too many clothes) and a Pelican case with my Rebel XT housing and strobes for checked baggage. Yes, that adds up to 3 and I did have to pay extra for the third bag and extra weight because the weight limit is 50lbs. per bag, down from 70lbs. (No more exception for dive gear on Continental) My camera and lenses were carried on in a Lowepro backpack and computers in another bag for carry ons.

When we left Palau for the trip through Guam to Chuuk, I was told the was an embargo on and I could only have 2 checked bags. The agent handed me back my $50 for the extra bag and said to carry it on. So I ended up with 3 carry-ons and the Pelican case and the backpack easily fit in the overhead bins, the computer bag under the seat. No questions, no problems. I don't know what the airline in the US would say about 3 carry-ons though.

When I travel with the Pelican case I use zip ties instead of locks since my friends at TSA twice forgot to put TSA approved locks back on. I leave extras inside and they use them every time.