Cameras and airline flights

[Michaelaw]

Never flown with the gear and it aint goin down below. For those who have taken flights my carry on bag is a lowpro smallish backpack containing a laptop, d800, 70-200 mm, 18-35mm, 28-300 mm, 85mm, p7100 point and shoot, Olympus indestructible point and shoot, 160gb ipod and headphones, rocket brush and lens cloth and one spare d800 battery. it weighs in at 21-22lbs. Chargers and tripod will go underneath in my suitcase. Anything wrong with the carry on from an airlines perspective? I'm kind of hoping some of you are seasoned flyers who can help spot the glitches if any in my plan. I don't fly much as I freaking hate it! All input helpful. cheers.

ETA...Air Canada Airbus something...BIG! Me no likey!!!!

[Iguanasan]

I'm far from an experienced traveller, however, I took my kit (pretty small) to Ottawa a couple of years ago. Three lenses, and a Rebel XSi in a Swiss Shoulder Sling bag. I took it as a carry on and didn't run into any problems, except for the fact that they put my lens cleaning fluid in a baggie. Unless you need all that gear you might consider only taking what you need.

[mbrager]

I have traveled many times with my camera gear. If I want to carry extra lenses, I have packed them in lens cases or wrapped them in bubble wrap in my suitcase. I also put my tripod in my suitcase. I always carry my camera, its lens and the 70-200 with me, but most of the others could go in your suitcase. Currently, I don't use a camera bag, but an ordinary backpack, and have my lenses in lens cases. Also the point and shoots can go below. The airlines have never bothered me with the weight of my carry on, but I have often run into trouble with overweight baggage, carrying too much. They made me move some things into my carry on. If I were you, I think I'd leave out either the 85 mm or one of the smaller zooms. Take the 70-200 for sure. Enjoy your trip. Looking forward to seeing your photos.

[Michaelaw]

Thanks guys. My thinking here is everything in the camera bag is for the entire three week trip and if it can all stay with me in the overhead compartment where I know it's safe and will be treated well (by me) then why put any of it downstairs. The carry on weight is what the airline stipulates and it's not going to aggravate me on the 4 hour trip plus I'm not doing any insurance. The 85 could stay home and probably should but there was a hole left in one corner of the bag and it fit almost by design. I'm torn because I'd like to take all my gear but I chose to take only an FX body and lenses that apply, if it weren't for the speed, I'd leave the 70-200 home also. I just can't fathom shooting Kensington Market without the 18-35

[jude01]

They will make you take out your lap top and put it in the bin to be scanned, the rest of your bag will be scanned as is. I just flew to Boston with all my gear in my camera backpack and it wasn't a problem. When I took the same bag to Mexico though, it was searched and drug tested 3 times before they let me back on the plane! I now make sure my big lens's are secured so they cant fall out if they open the bag.

[Runmonty]

Everyone seems to have covered it well, and you seem fine. On my last international flight the second x-ray machine going into the international lounge wasn't working so they did a manual check of my bag and tried to confiscate my telephoto lens. All was fine when I explained that it was a lens in its case and NOT a Thermos (vacuum flask).

[Marko]

I also carry a good medium-sized Lowepro Backpack and it gets really heavy. I've flown with it many times as carry on without any issue.

Tripod (medium sized), unfortunately I pack in my luggage which doesn't please me. But Twice I've tried to carry it on and have had (security) issues. Because of course my plan is to bash people one by one, batting practise style during the flight with the tripod head. Or perhaps the frill-less trip may drive another passenger to insanity whereby they may grab the tripod from the luggage compartment..... but don't get me started - lol.

[Barefoot]

I've FedX'ed tripod and other items that I couldn't get in carry on ahead of me to my motel on two different occasions. That was after my luggage, with tripod, went to locations unknown on a previous flight. Has worked out nicely for me, so far.