Traveling with extra photography gear

[Tailgunner]

Anyone travel with more camera gear that can be carried on board?

I'm at the limit of my carry on gear, I've got a ThinkTank Airstream that is loaded down and carry my iPad and Macbook in a separate laptop carrying case. My tripod and misc other support gear is kept in my regular check in luggage bag. Now I'm adding a DJI Phantom 2 w/Gopro4 to my arsenal that I hope to travel with on my next trip but I just don't have room to carry it all. My gear is insured, so that isn't an issue. I'm just looking for advice on checking in extra gear.

Thanks

 

[Vtec44]

I have a Pelican 1510 which carries 2 cameras 7 - 10 lenses, extra batteries, flash triggers, compact flash cards, filters, bounce cards, reflects ETC. You're also allowed a laptop bag to put under the seat (double check with your airline). I put flashes, laptops, tablets, chargers, and other items there. My gear is also insured but eplacing them in a hurry on a paid shoot is not something I want to do, so I always carry on and rarely that I check them in... unless they're just simple light stands and tripods.

 

[Tailgunner]

I'm talking about the equivalent of:

2 Pelican 1510 cases
1 Laptop case

My current setup. I want to add the equivalent of a Pelican 1510 case to this:

 

[imagemaker46]

I travel with all my gear. I use a backpack. Inside I have 2 bodies, 300mm, 70-200mm, 17-40mm, 8 batteries and chargers, laptop, card readers and all the other bits and pieces I need, including spare phone and phone chargers. It weighs around 25-30 pounds, I've never had any problems taking it onboard, flying domestic or international. The only things in my checked luggage besides all the clothes and stuff, my fanny pack with a happy snap Canon t2i and more junk I may or may not need, and basic food for a few days.

 

[The_Traveler]

I travel with sony A7 and one lens (24-70)
Oly Omd 5 and 3 lenses (20 1.7, 12-35 2.8, 35-100 2.8)
All fits in messenger bag.

 

[KmH]

Like Scott I used a backpack w/laptop compartment (Case Logic), and a tripod packed in a checked bag.

 

[Tailgunner]

Like Scott I used a backpack w/laptop compartment (Case Logic), and a tripod packed in a checked bag.

I think people missed the part where I'm looking to include a model RC aircraft in my traveling setup. I'm talking about 3 carry on bags...two just barely enough to fit in the over head storage.

This is what I'm talking about on top of my regular gear featured in my photo.
DJI Phantom 2 Pre-Assembled Bundle with GoPro HERO4 Black B&H

I'm sure I'm missing something but here is a list of my gear.

Nikon D800
Nikon 28-70 2.8mm
Nikon 18-35mm
Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 VR II
Nikon battery charger
Nikon remote shutter button
Nikon Time-laspe remote
Polariser filter
ND Filter
Graduated Filter
Tripod (Manfoto Carbon globe trotter)
Flashlight
15" Macbook Pro
Ipad 2
Macbook charger
Ipad charger
cell phone charger
Memory cards (4 sets) and holder

DJI Phantom 2 w/Gimbal (model RC quadcopter)
DJI Phantom 2 charger
DJI Phantom TX Controller
Extra blades
Gopro 4
Extra Gopro battery
Gopro batter charger
Memory cards & holder

 

[Tailgunner]

Here is a photo of everything bagged up guys (the tripod and small backpack are stored in my main check in suitcase). This is a total of 4 individual bags that can't be condensed. So that means 2 bags will be checked in, one containing camera gear.

 

[KmH]

So that means 2 bags will be checked in, one containing camera gear.

Here's hoping you have good gear insurance.

 

[MSnowy]

I travel/carry-on with a pelican 1510 with 500mm f4, 70-200 vrii,14-24mm 2.8,chargers,extra batteries, filters and remotes goes in over-head compartment. D3s, D7100 and 24-70mm 2.8 in backpack with i-pad under seat in front of me. Tripod pack with clothes. I never let the cameras or lenses out of my sight. Insurance is great but ending up without gear when I get to where I'm going would suck. Plus have you ever watched out the window while they load the check luggage.

 

[Tailgunner]

I travel/carry-on with a pelican 1510 with 500mm f4, 70-200 vrii,14-24mm 2.8,chargers,extra batteries, filters and remotes goes in over-head compartment. D3s, D7100 and 24-70mm 2.8 in backpack with i-pad under seat in front of me. Tripod pack with clothes.

Ya, this is my usual way of traveling but I'm adding additional gear which exceeds the carry on limit. So i'm looking to see how people in my situation handles it.

So that means 2 bags will be checked in, one containing camera gear.

Here's hoping you have good gear insurance.

Yes, I have good insurance.

I'm sure I can't be the only photographer who's gear exceed carry on limits. Anyhow, I've got a non related business trip coming up in a few weeks and I think I'll take my full gear setup as a dry run to see what happens.

 

[Big Mike]

You can probably pay extra to exceed the usual carry-on limit.

I know that my typical carry-on camera bag well exceeds the weight limit for carry-on and is marginally over sized for some airlines. But I've thankfully never been challenged. What I do, to be prepared for that, is to wear a photo vest (actually a fishing vest) so that I can transfer several pieces of gear to my pockets if need be. Probably won't work in your case with all that stuff.

Some airlines will be more accommodating to people who have expensive & delicate gear. For example, I know some photographers who travel for destination weddings fairly often. They use Air Canada because they (do or did) have a policy that photographers can carry on their gear. Of course, their tickets are 20-30% more expensive across the board. But my friends figured that more expensive tickets would be cheaper than having to pay the 'overweight' fees, which were something like $20 per pound.

Another option might be to 'ship' your gear to your location and pick it up (or have it delivered). In theory, it's really not that much different than just checking your bags with the airline...but I think we all know that airlines don't treat 'luggage' with all that much respect and things often get broken or mysteriously go missing. While I don't like the idea of letting my expensive gear out of my sight, I'd trust it to FedEx or UPS sooner than an airline.

 

[Tailgunner]

I wonder if this will fit in one of those camera vest?

 

[Big Mike]

Put a strap on the bottom and wear it as a hat.

 

[runnah]

Anything that I am checking goes into a pelican case as those are incredibly tough. I would never ever check anything valuable that was in a soft bag.

I do also ship pelican cases and it is less expensive than checking them.