Traveling with your camera

[adversus]

I haven't flown with my DSLR before, but I'm taking a cross country trip soon and wanted to bring it with me.

I'm bringing a laptop backpack with my laptop and other essentials, but it's not really designed for a camera. I was thinking of several options:

1. Get a camera bag that can also hold my laptop
2. Get small body/lens specific containers that can fit in my existing backpack
3. Get a hardcase and send it through checked baggage

What do you folks use for traveling? I'd be bringing body and 2-3 lenses + accessories (no tripod).

 

[reznap]

I wouldn't put it in checked baggage. I'd say #2 budget-wise. Hell.. wrap it in newspaper or leftover bubble wrap. You're gonna have it in carry on so you'll be able to keep it from getting slammed around.

 

[pharmakon]

Cross Country as in staying in the US? I was asking a very similar question about a month ago. Check with the airline's policy. I flew Southwest from FL to Colorado, they let me bring my Lowepro fastpack as my carry on bag, and they treat a reasonably sized laptop case as a "personal item". I brought both on without any problems.

Edit: I don't remember exactly the size for "Reasonable" but I have a 15" laptop

Edit again: After looking at your OP again I don't think a laptop backpack would count as a personal item. I think just a briefcase style laptop case.

 

[adversus]

Staying in the US, yes.

Flying from Portland to Denver (probably on United) then a regional from Denver to Des Moines.

I might look at one of the Lowepro bags, I'm having a checked bag for clothes etc so it's just my day stuff I need to bring on the carry on with the camera.

 

[ghpham]

A back pack should be no problem. As long as you can fit it in the overhead bin, you will be fine. Most carriers allow 2 carry on, so that might be the other option...a small bag for your camera, and a laptop case.

 

[Felix 222]

if you want your camera back, bring it on carry-on

 

[FemFugler]

lol Sort of off topic, but a friend of mine went to Germany on a student exchange and there was a girl there who brought a(as my friend described) a 'huge camera' which i am guessing was a dslr on carry on..... anyway they basically thought it was a bomb or something and had the security people escort her into a private room and stuff..... she said it was funny ..... sort of. Sorry for the random story but just saying.... you *may* have that happen to you.... but i'm pretty sure it was just German customs so probably not.

To comment on the subject,

I know they make cases which hold both a laptop AND a camera/dslr. I've seen them in backpack styles or messenger bag/brief case style. I would just put the camera in a backpack with the laptop and take extra care with it. If you have a small case for your dslr you could put the camer and in there and then in the backpack and then maybe wrap the lens in a towel or something..... even shirt or hoodie might work....

 

[Misfitlimp]

My tamrac bag holds a 17 inch macbook my two bodies with grips a 70-200 and 3 other lenses plus 2 580ex and all the cables, chargers and what not that would accompany them.

 

[Prometheus]

I have a sling-style bag that holds a body, two lenses, and miscellaneous objects like a USB cable and a lens cloth. I've carried that along with a messenger-style laptop bag on several domestic flights without any problem. As in carry-on, not checked baggage. Most (or at least Delta & Airtran) allow one carry on bag and one bag that would be covered under purse/man-purse. Like a sling-style camera bag.

 

[BekahAura]

I remember the airline rules being that I could have two carry ons and supposedly a purse counted as one. Well I carried my huge purse, camera bag, and laptop in a separate bag. Then I got a laptop backback so I could bring overnight clothes (I was changing flights in Atlanta and was worried) I also brought my purse and camerabag without any issues. Of course when going through security I may have slowed the line a little bit.

I've traveled to Florida from New York and back on 6 flights this way and no one ever questioned my 3 bags. I think you should get a camera bag, they are handy to have. I'm thinking of upgrading to a backpack camera bag, as I acquire more equipment.

 

[cnutco]

I am going to China in April and I have thought about the same thing. I will probably just take a point and shot instead. I do not want to take any risks...

If I were to fly in the US I would just carry on.

 

[PJL]

I traveled internationally with my SLR and P&S in my carry-on, along with a dozen batteries, several rolls of film, my 28-105mm lens, a small table-top tripod, and other accessories with no problems. I carried it protected in a regular backpack, in amongst a day's worth of clothes, some reading material, and my PSP.

 

[Rosshole]

I have a Kata 466 that holds a laptop/camera/flash/and three lenses, and has some daypack storage also!

That is my carry on!

 

[swoop_ds]

I agree about just brining a backpack. Stop by the airport and see what size of bag you can crame through the carry-on opening to tell how big of a bag you can bring. I have a really large backpack that I put a ton of stuff in (see PJL's post to get an idea) and have never had problems. I like keeping expensive stuff in my carry-on so that the airport baggage monkeys don't break it.
-Dave

 

[Shane Anderson]

I travelled into the US last week from Canada and took a few internal flights (all on Delta). I had a laptop backpack that was pretty heavily packed with work gear plus a LowePro shoulder bag for the camera. This all meets the current baggage restrictions.