Camera equipment in cargo hold of plane

[Big Mike]

I agree with 964, insurance is definitely worth the peace of mind. I would still put up a fight to keep my gear with me at all times...but if anything does get broken or stolen...I won't get stuck with the full replacement costs.

 

[Reverend]

two words for you, no matter what you decide - property insurance!!

 

[Oldfireguy]

My oldest daughter works for an airlines and is a baggage handler. I hear all the horror stories from dead animals to broken this and that. I myself would never put my camera equipment in checked baggage unless it was in a Pelican hardcase with a foam liner and insured.

We use Pelican cases at work for putting some pretty sensitive equipment in and they bounce around in fire engines all day long, seven days a week, 24 hours a day and they work fine. I have been very impressed with them. As far as baggage handlers, I'm not impressed with them at all.

Insurance and a good hard case.

 

[Fangman]

An interesting read as we are due to fly out to JFK in less than two weeks to read at my niece's wedding and be mainly responsible for all the non-pro wedding photos. I had intended to take my 350D plus lenses plus laptop and the usual gadgets, but now in a quandry. Have seriously thought about getting my upgrade to 30D on arrival to use as pound is good against dollar.
It is a bit special as I gave the brides mother away at her wedding so I want the equipment I am hapy with. The restrictions seem to change from airline to airline and from point of departure so we don't know what the rules are from day to day.

 

[Iron Flatline]

Fangman, getting a new camera in NY sounds like a good idea. Walk into B&H and see the mothership in its full glory.

 

[DepthAfield]

Walk into B&H and see the mothership in its full glory.

I’ve only seen photos of B&H, but it looks like it occupies an entire city block… Just how big is that place?

 

[darich]

I’ve only seen photos of B&H, but it looks like it occupies an entire city block… Just how big is that place?

it IS almost a full city block!!
it's huge...but be prepared to spend because they carry every gadget and camera you could ever want!!

 

[DeepSpring]

this is slightly off topic but what are the effects of x ray machines on undeveloped film?

 

[Reverend]

The airlines say that there are no effects on undeveloped film, as long as the film speed is under 800 ISO. I don't know if I'd trust that, though.

 

[LaFoto]

My sister's brought loads of film in her suitcases on many a travel and no harm was ever done to them by the x-rays.

 

[DepthAfield]

Single passes of <400 ISO film through airport scanning equipment will not likely cause any damage. Multiple exposures from that scanning equipment will indeed cause problems. I haven’t flown commercially since the latest TSA imposed idiocy, but I would avoid traveling with film if at all possible.