Hello!

Didn't know where to post this. I hope this is the correct section.

In 10 days or so I am going on a trip (me and my sound guy) for a documentary shoot and we'll be travelling with an air plane.

How do you normally travel. I've never travelled with my equipment before and am a bit worried. I'll go as light as possible: my trusty HPX171, on camera light and sticks. My sound guy will have some equipment to.

What do you normally do? Should I get a strong aluminium case and stuff it with hard foam or do I keep my camera with me on the plane and stuff it in the luggage compartment above my head? What about the tripod?

thanks!

If it were me (and it has been over the years) KEEP the camera with you or there could be a chance you won't have it later or at least in 1 piece.
I would wrap the legs in buble wrap and then get a hardshell case such as a travel case for golf clubs if you have access to rent one. I used those and even once wrapped the legs in bubble wrap and had to use a square cardboard box that I bought at a shipping company. It was big enough to allow the tripod to fit very nicely, stuffed some additional packing peanuts in the spaces sealed it up and checked it as excess baggage. Worked out fine. Mostly though in the last 10 years if I am traveling to a single location I ship my gear to the hotel I am staying at and let them know to expect it. I've shipped FedEx and UPS and haven't had any problems with the stuff being there when I get there.
It doesn't seem like you have that option so keep it small, compact, light and most of all never check your camera in.
Have fun

What do you mean by not in 1 piece!?:) My biggest worry is that the camera would maybe travel to a wrong location... And why shouldn't I check in the camera?

Thanks!

I always hand-carry the camera.

Things get stolen from luggage. Luggage gets dropped. TSA agents will go through your bags and not put them back the way you packed them, and the result is damaged gear.

Imagine arriving at your destination and your camera is dead on arrival. Then what?

I put my shoulder mount in the suitcase. I hand carry the camera and a Pelican case. The tripod goes into it's padded nylon case, then into a golf case along with some other stuff that will fit. Sometimes clothes or a pair of boots.

Just to add to what Dean said, some years ago a friend of mine went to do a shoot out of town. He checked his camera, a very expensive Beta with batterys etc in his Pelican case. Pretty good sized case. When he arrived his case came out OPEN AND, (wait for it) the camera was G O N E! Batterys were there (go figure) but the camera wasn't. This BTW was PRE 9/11 so this is something that has been going on for quite a while. I won't go into the details of what he did, what the airline did and how the story ended but after that he along with many others started handcarrying their cameras OR shipping gear to the destination.
Cameras get stolen, damaged, played with...why take a chance. BTW, the airlines will not pay to replace the gear. At least not that I've ever heard of.

Take a look in this forum:

Home, Away From Home Forum at DVinfo.net (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/home-away-home/)

I recently traveled with a ThinkTank Streetwalker Pro backpack for the camera (EX1r) and accessories. It's small enough to qualify as a personal item and leave you a "Carry-On for more stuff. Sachtler FSB-4 went into an SKB 36" Rail case that had 3/4" high density foam glued with contact cement onto the insides at strategic places. That case is wheeled and has straps inside that hold things tightly to the case. YMMV

Didn't know where to post this. Thread moved to Home, Away From Home -- Studio Space (Home) and Traveling Tips (Away From Home).

I spent nearly 4 decades working in the aviation business, and although my gear is always packed in Pelicans or Nanuck hard cases, I always carry my camera on, for the reasons listed above. It would shock you to see the statistics of luggage content theft at any international airport in a year....in some cases many millions of dollars in claims, and the insurers believe that only about 60 or 70% of the thefts even result in a claim; often a traveller may make several stops, or fly through multiple airports before noticing something is missing. At that point, they often don't file a claim with the carrier or airport simply because they don't know where the theft occurred; they put it through their own insurance, which is not tracked.

Having watched many hours of surveillance footage shot in baggage halls, some of those thieves are amazing. They can ID a likely candidate for going to work on ( high priced bags aren't always the target BTW...they seem to have a sixth sense about which bag contains the good stuff), pick, pry or cheat the lock, rifle the bag and boost what they find in seconds, and move on.

We had a group a few years ago that preyed on soft side, zipper bags. It took us a while to figure out how they were getting into them; no cuts, zipper locks intact and not comprimised or picked, etc.
Surveillance footage showed their tool of choice was a Bic pen. They'd press the pen barrel against the zipper teeth midway down the bag. the teeth would separate, they'd rifle the bag, then reseal it by runing the still locked zipper tabs back down over the separated zipper. It resealed perfectly...no sign the bag had been tampered with. The carriers insurers routinely denied the claims since there was no visible tampering, yet the thefts had occurred.

There are also a number of companies selling a set of lock picks online called "bogata rakes" Most are made of titanium, so they go through the security screening without a problem, and they're very compact. With them, almost any padlock will surrender in a matter of seconds. We ( the Airport Authority) ordered a couple of sets to see how easy they were to get, and use. I have never picked a lock in my life, and was able to open a higher end Masterlock padlock in under 30 seconds, the first try. They have sold thousands of them, and a baggage handler with a criminal bent will as often as not be caught with a set in their pockets.

I know that if I'm carrying my camera, no one is going to be looking into the case without me knowing it.

@Chris: thanks for moving the thread to the correct forum. Sorry for missing it in the first place!

Okey - definitely going to keep my camera and P2 cards with me. You guys gave me quite a scare especially you Wayne:) What kind of bag for my HPX171 (size, dimensions) should I get for airplane travel? I've been looking at Kata CC-193. That should fit in the compartment?

I've also heard that there may be some complications with camera batteries?

Li-On batterys could be a problem if not packed correctly. Keep them in your camera bag and don't let the contacts touch one another. If they get too hot and conditions are just right they can catch on fire or even explode but honestly I've never had a problem whether the small size batterys for small form factor cameras or Anton Bauer Dionic90s for a full size cam. The thing that is against the rules is a battery that is larger than, and I might be wrong on this size, 140W. The AB Dionic 160s are not allowed IIRC but anything smaller should be fine.

to add to what Don said about lithium batteries, it's important to check the flag country of each carrier you travel with for specific regulations. Even though you may be travelling within Europe, if you fly on an American carrier while travelling, they are obligated to apply US law in regard to dangerous goods, NOT the law of the country their operating in.
Most European nations have a more "realistic" stance regarding lithium battery carriage; US ( and subsequently Canadian regulations) are extremely harsh in comparision, but must be satisfied.

Okey will check for specific rules and regulations. I'm flying from Slovenia to Estonija btw... Thanks for all the advices - priceless:)

All sorts of good advice in this thread, let me add one more tip -- keep a duplicate of all the material you shoot and carry it separately. I typically travel as a pair -- me and a cameraman. These days, we shoot to memory cards, and at the end of the day transfer to a laptop. Then we back up the laptop to a portable drive. He carries the laptop, I carry the portable drive (in our carry-on).

I can live without a change of underwear, but a week on the road where we lost an interview, or the camera didn't arrive in time for a shoot, would make for a very poor outcome. Carry on the camera and anything else that is essential -- it is surprizing how much gear you can live without -- make safeties of everything you shoot.

Cheers,
GB

I've got to put in my vote for keeping your camera with you always. I figure one more voice will add to the ovewhelming consensus. There are just too many things that can go wrong by checking the equipment that you MUST have. The one thing you don't want is to get off the plane and find your camera missing or damaged. You can always buy clothes or shoes or toiletries, but will you be able to easily replace a camera or a microphone or even batteries?

Also, make sure the the size of your bag meets carry-on requirements. I always have a fear of an ignorant gate attendant mis-enforcing some arbitrary rule that they really don't understand.

It happened to me once on an American airlines flight to Lima, Peru. An attendant at the plane's door forced me to check a bag that I had carried on litterally hundreds of times on AA planes of all sizes. (It was a BIG plane with lots of storage and my bag was well within the requirements for carryons.) Rather than make a big fuss, I eventually complied after moving all of my valuable gear into a smaller bag that I was fortunately carrying.

Needless to say, I was angry and expressed my displeasure when I returned to the U.S. I probably could have taken my argument to a supervisor -- especially since I watched others carrying multiple larger bags than mine -- but decided it waasn't worth it. If I'd only had one bag, I would have certainly done so rather than have my camera equipment placed in the luggage hold for an international flight.

Generally, though, I've found airlines to be understanding about expensive equipment and can often find a place to store your stuff even if the overhead compartments are full. It's a good idea to politely inquire at the gate when you check in if you think there might be a problem.

Phil
----------------------
Travel Video & Photography (http://www.travelvideophoto.blogspot.com)

So what if you have a ENG camera like the Panasonic 370 or the JVC 700? those dont fit in anything that you can carry on I think.....or if someone knows let me know. I have checked my JVC700 in a pelican about 5 times now and after reading this I am probably going to sleep with it between my wife and I tonight ! LOL. But seriously I feel lucky.

Mw

Most of our larger air terminals now have a service where you can securely wrap stuff you want to check in, you go thru customs and security first.

Baggage Wrapping: Brilliant or Stupid? | Upgrade: Travel Better (http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/06/12/baggage-wrapping-brilliant-or-stupid/)

Just noticed that link is 2yrs old, maybe it's now all over the place.

In Guatemala City once I saw security guards armed to the teeth on the ramp frisking all the handlers right after they loaded the plane. Brand spanking new Airbus 319, the freaked out pilot couldn't wait to get outa there, we climbed out almost vertically.

All parking attendants carry pump shotguns and we couldn't go on the street after sundown. Nice place tho.

Cheers.

Some airlines have baggage policies which allow professional video gear to avoid the overweight fee.

Has anyone posted a list of those airlines and the polcies?

Sorry, old thread I know, but the Petrol Bags make a carry on that takes the JVC HM700 and also ticks the boxes for the airlines.

I've travelled around long haul a fair bit (off to Nicaragua in a couple of weeks too) and always take enough kit to be able to do the job at hand in this bag, including one battery and charger, mics and radio mics, a couple of filters, a NEXTO DI storage box and lots of lens cloths!

Legs generally go in the hold in a well padded Kata bag along with a stills kit in a well locked pelicase.

Just chiming in here as well... since this is becoming more and more relevant to me.

You can pack a JVC HM700 into a pelican 1510 and carry it on no problem. You need to be creative with it a bit, but my friend who owns one has lens, body, mic, viewfinder, v-mount adapter, and a battery all in one Pelican 1510 for carry on purposes and it is padded enough that I would be comfortable with it.

I bought Pelican 1510s for airline carry on then discovered they're mostly not.

Empty weight is 13.6 lbs (6.17kg) so when you load them up, (one of mine is 20.9lbs - 9.5kg) they're over most airlines carry on weight.
Check with your carrier first, otherwise on a bad hair day the check in gals might 'chuck it' in the hold. List the loaded weight on the side of each case,
so you can check their scales too.

Carry On Bags Size Weight Limit - Airlines Carry On Luggage Allowance (http://honeymoons.about.com/od/airlinessites/qt/carry-on-bag-size-limit.htm)

Great cases tho, coloured cases attract unwanted attention, even the black ones do.
Last year we spotted 2 guys circling our black Pelicans at our airshow .. never lose sight of them outdoors.

Pelican 1510 Carry On Case with Foam Set (Black) 1510-000-110


Cheers.

Isn't the point about Pelican cases that via their robustness and hence weight, they are intended as check in luggage? I've just got one of these :Veloce V Backpack Black - Stile | Manfrotto (http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/veloce-v-backpack-black)

Not particularly robust but only 1.4Kg, and an exact fit for minimum carry on bag dimensions. Can fit my Canon XLH1 inside though normal use is for XH-G1s complete with monitor, 1.5x extender, nanoFlash and batteries/cables.


Ron

Hi Ron, that's true, but some Pelican cases including their model 1510, are advertised as airline carry on luggage.

Quote 'The (1510) case meets current FAA requirements for carry on luggage' Unquote.

Empty it does, but as I posted above, fully loaded it's overweight for 'carry on' .. with a lot of airlines.

Cheers.

Looking on the Petrol website, it seems they don't make the bag I have any more, only a slightly larger version which doesn't quite meet the size requirements (of BA in any case). Sorry about that all.

Just out of interest, do you have to break the camera up (take the lens and viewfinder off) to fit it in the Pelican 1510?

It needs to be 100% broken down. Its not like you can pull it out of the case and shoot. The HM700 is longer than the 1510 with lens mounted and its not possible to fit it in that way.

I have been able to travel domestically with my 1510 a few times now with no issues - when I was told that they might have to put my case in the cargo, I told them they would not be doing that. Haven't faced any resistance after I insisted.

I've taken the 1510 as carry on about 15 times and only one airline weighed it. Had to check it that time and the camera arrived fine. I remove the EVF and mic from the XL-H1A to fit it in the case. Weighs 24.5 Lbs as shown here with 2 batteries, charger and a few other lightweight items. I can fit a small laptop and lots of other items in the case if necessary.

Mark

My brother (tech guy) told me he was talking with a photographer who said he puts a starter pistol (no rounds/blanks of course) into the case with his camera gear.

Shows up at the airport, declares the starter pistol. TSA inspects and secures the case. Tapes it shut with their security tape and a starter pistol is legal to take to most countries.

Photographer said it was the best and cheapest flight/equipment insurance he ever bought since a starter pistol can be had for $80 USD.


Again, I haven't done this, but I thought it was an interesting concept.


Obviously, as stated by others, it's best if you can keep the gear with you. But if you're stuck checking your equipment, it might be worth looking into.

Has anybody tried something similar?

I've taken the 1510 as carry on about 15 times and only one airline weighed it. Had to check it that time and the camera arrived fine. I remove the EVF and mic from the XL-H1A to fit it in the case. Weighs 24.5 Lbs as shown here with 2 batteries, charger and a few other lightweight items. I can fit a small laptop and lots of other items in the case if necessary.

Mark

Mark, great job fitting your items in the 1510, the heavy weight is closest to the case hinges, so when the case is standing up,
the weight is at the bottom. I've seen the opposite where the 1510 can easily fall over.

How did you cut your pick 'n pluck foam?

If anyone is planning to carry-on a fully loaded 1510, as avgas prices are rising all the time, some carry-on weight limits are coming down,
check its weight with your airline first.

Cheers.

I wonder if a layer of dirty underwear would work, too?

My brother (tech guy) told me he was talking with a photographer who said he puts a starter pistol (no rounds/blanks of course) into the case with his camera gear.

Shows up at the airport, declares the starter pistol. TSA inspects and secures the case. Tapes it shut with their security tape and a starter pistol is legal to take to most countries.

Photographer said it was the best and cheapest flight/equipment insurance he ever bought since a starter pistol can be had for $80 USD.


Again, I haven't done this, but I thought it was an interesting concept.


Obviously, as stated by others, it's best if you can keep the gear with you. But if you're stuck checking your equipment, it might be worth looking into.

Has anybody tried something similar?

So far this year I've taken about 40 flights with kit and flown over 100,000 miles. I use a standard hard shell wheeled carry-on case for my camera. I carefully selected the case to get one that is at the maximum size permitted for international carry-on. I have a number of different foam inserts that I use depending on the cameras I'm taking. It's lighter than a Pelicase, but strong enough to go in the hold if there is no other choice. It is discreet, so doesn't attract attention, it has wheels which is a godsend at some airports and it wasn't expensive.

If I get stopped due to the weight of the bag, then I politely explain that due to airline regulations I have to carry my Li-ion batteries in my carry on and that's the bulk of the weight. This normally works for me. Just be polite, show them what's in the bag. Some of the budget airlines can get stroppy, but that's normally resolved by paying them for the excess weight. If I'm carrying kit I either try to stick with the larger scheduled airlines or simply face up to the fact that I may have to pay for the excess.

Some of the most common starter pistols are illegal in the UK, anyone found in possession of one faces a mandatory 5 year jail term, so I wouldn't recommend trying to bring one here!

I think the only trip that a starter pistol will get you is a trip to jail. To the best of my knowledge NO pistols of anykind are allowed thru TSA with the exception of law enforcement and then only if they are traveling on the job and then it is my understanding that it must be unloaded and in a locked gun case in the bag. That is unless you are a federal air marshal of course.

I think the only trip that a starter pistol will get you is a trip to jail. To the best of my knowledge NO pistols of anykind are allowed thru TSA with the exception of law enforcement and then only if they are traveling on the job and then it is my understanding that it must be unloaded and in a locked gun case in the bag. That is unless you are a federal air marshal of course.

It's for _checked_ luggage, not carry on. Hunters fly with their guns all the time.

Yep, you are correct! Checked bags only and then you need to declare it. Also ammo must be packed seperately at least according to a couple of guys I know that take their guns when they fly.

I think the only trip that a starter pistol will get you is a trip to jail. To the best of my knowledge NO pistols of anykind are allowed thru TSA with the exception of law enforcement and then only if they are traveling on the job and then it is my understanding that it must be unloaded and in a locked gun case in the bag. That is unless you are a federal air marshal of course.

Something I actually do know on a topic....

As this pertains to law enforcement officers it is partially correct. If you qualify, e.g. must carry armed at all times. FBI, HSI (Homeland Security Investigations for simplicity), DEA, ATF FAMS (Federal Air Marshals) etc... You carry a loaded firearm on your person. In fact the policy states that it will not be in a bag or container it must be on the agent/officer. Some officers not considered on duty (Border Patrol/Customs and Border Protection Officers/local police officers) are not supposed to carry on the plane. In any event, the captain of the airplane can deny any LEO from carrying armed.

An unloaded firearm would defeat the purpose of carrying the firearm on the plane in the first place. The reason LEO's carry on the plane is to prevent passengers from taking control of the plane.

MY EXPERIENCE FROM LAST WEEK BELOW:

That being said i just completed a job in Florida. I wanted to carry the cam on the plane. Bought a Pelican 1510 only to find that it was entirely too small for my Panny AC130. I wasn't throwing the cam in an unpadded bag. So I ended up buying a larger Pelican case.. It's called a shipping crate. I actually bought the storm version which is water resistant. It's the size of a large checked bag. I purchased TSA approved locks for the container packed the 130, GH2's, COMER 1800, Rode, extra lens, recorder, 10 extra batteries, SD Cards, cables and everything into the case. I had them mark the container as fragile.. it took about 10 yards of tape.

While I only flew from TX to Florida I changed planes twice. Not a single problem going or coming back. I will say this to the naysayers on checking the camera(s) in.... They tell you up front that they will not pay for damaged items. If it is lost they will replace but if it is damaged you are on your own. My .02 if you do check the gear make certain you buy a large enough case and pack it correctly. Take all of the attachements off the camera and pack them individually. I am anal about everything so everything had its place. I put my SD cards in ziploc bags. Tools in a seperate place. If you don't allow for enough cusion that's when you get into trouble. I had no problem.

Then again I defer to the folks who have been doing this for a living. I have been doing it a year. Sooooo again just my .02

Mark, great job fitting your items in the 1510, the heavy weight is closest to the case hinges, so when the case is standing up,
the weight is at the bottom. I've seen the opposite where the 1510 can easily fall over.

How did you cut your pick 'n pluck foam?

Allan,
Sorry for the late reply. I used Craftsman Foam Drawer Organizers, Model #65417. Easy to layout a design and cut. You then peel off the adhesive paper and build up layers of foam. This type hasn't disintegrated and made a problem getting into my equipment.

Craftsman Foam Drawer Organizers - Tools - Tool Storage - Tools Storage Accessories (http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00965417000P?vName=Tools&cName=ToolStorage&sName=Tools%20Storage%20Accessoriesmv=rr)

The kit comes with two sheets of paper-adhesive backed foam (1/2" thick I think) and a special knife.


Mark

Thanks Mark, great job.

Informative first post Darryl. The Pelican 1510 is an interesting case, no pun.

It's listed as carry-on, but if you load one up, it's well over the carryon weight of many airlines.
And as av gas prices go up, limits are coming down.

Before anyone buys a 1510, check everything .. loaded weight, your carriers limits etc.

Cheers.

That's why I put a couple TSA locks in the case. If the airline weighs it, it will go as checked baggage and I throw the locks on. It's gone checked 3 times now, but only once because they weighed it, the other two times it was (gulp) voluntary.

I have flown Thai airways, Delta, United, JAL without having it weighed. Philippine Airlines weighed it and I had to pay extra and send it through checked.

Mark