Rolling Bag/Case

[camlew2]

Hi All,
Looking at buying a rolling camera bag (Pretty large in size). Personally I dont really want to be paying $400 AUS (About 380 USD) for a bag. I was talking to my friends about it and I come up with the idea of buying like a travel case and fitting that out inside etc and they laughed and said it was a rather stupid idea. They both look the same from the outside except for a "Lowepro" or brand badge but do they do the job the same?

Any help would be great :)

[SuzyView]

If you are traveling by plane, any luggage too large for carry-on is not recommended. Gear gets stolen or damaged in checked in luggage all the time. I have the very nice Pelican 1510, which is not big, but fits the dimensions for carry-on and it's around $160. If you want something very nice, yes, you have to pay for the Lowepro or the Airport bags. I have the Airport International bag and it's $359 US and it's very nice. I fly several times a year and it's well worth it.

[jhom]

I second the Think Tank rollers. Yep, they are expensive but the features and quality can not be beat.

[fishfoto]

While I love my Pelican 1514 and my Think Tank Airport Addicted has flown more than 300,000 miles (or around there), depending on your needs I just started using the Mountainsmith Correspondent bag. In to months I tool this bag around the world and schlepped it to assignments on three continents and found out I loved it!

The Mountainsmith Correspondent, unlike the Think Tank rollers, has an internal slot of a laptop (up to 17"), a large front pocket you can use for clothes if you choose not to use it for papers, laptop,magazine, etc, and a unique interior you can set up for gear, or 1/2 gear & 1/2 clothes for quick trips, etc.

I detailed the Correspondent, with text and photos, on my site for flying photogs, Flying With Fish (http://www.flyingwithfish.com). You can read the entry at:
http://flyingwithfish.blogspot.com/2008/06/mountainsmith-correspondent-versatile.html

......at 200,000+ miles flown per year shooting photo assignments and projects (and around 1,000,000 miles since 2005 , when I started paying attention to my miles) the Correspondent is the most versatile roller I have used. It's not for photogs who use big glass (I have a separate case for my 400f2.8 ), but for general use it is fantastic!







ETA: You can pack a 300f2.8 if you do it properly & 300f4 / 400f5.6 lenses are no problem for those who worry about slower long glass.

[Rockies Photo]

The Airport International is an awesome/ versatile roller bag. I am not sure if Think Tank is available in Australia though. The Pelican 1500 series cases are another excellent option though. For the gear you have listed though, my recommendation of the International, may be too big for you.

[fishfoto]

The Airport International is a scaled down version of the Airport Security.

What makes the Airport International interesting is that while the Airport Security technically meets all carry on guidelines,the Airport International meets some of the more 'obscure' airline carry on guidelines. Also the smaller bag can still be heavily packed to the gills for nearly any pros or amateur needs.......while still looking small enough to evade the dreaded 'at-the-gate-weighing' which some airlines are starting to do on a more frequent basis.

The closest Think Tank dealer to Oz is Lacklands (www.lacklands.co.nz) in Auckland, NZ

Mountainsmith does not currently have a dealer I can find in Oz either, however like Think Tank, they have dealers that ship worldwide such as Adorama and B&H.

[SuzyView]

The fact that the airlines are limiting carry-on weight doesn't bother me a bit. I would easily pay $25 to have my camera gear with me instead of with the checked luggage. I have flown on small planes where my Airport International ended up in the stow away area under, but I don't mind that as I watch it go on and watch it come off.

[engsetr1]

I bought a small piece of rolling luggage and my camera backpack fits in it perfectly and that is what I am planning on using on my next trip. I would want my backpack with me when I get to my location anyway, so I think it will work out perfect! The dimensions on the bag seem to comply with what the airlines say you can bring on, it will be my only item carrying on since everything will fit in it.

[SuzyView]

That's funny because I bought a Samsonite rolling bag from WalMart for around $40 and it fits my Domke and Velocity bags if I don't want to carry them through the airport. Also can fit my laptop in that bag. Now that I have so many real camera rollers, I don't do that anymore, but if I had 3 people traveling with me, I'd probably do it again.

[fishfoto]

The fact that the airlines are limiting carry-on weight doesn't bother me a bit. I would easily pay $25 to have my camera gear with me instead of with the checked luggage.


The problem is you CANNOT pay any fee to bring excess weight on board as carry on. Excess weight fees ONLY apply to checked baggage.

[SuzyView]

That is correct, so the lighter the carry-on, fit as much as possible into it, leaving all clothes etc. in the checked luggage is the way. I have never been asked to weigh my carry on because the Think Tank is smaller than most large carry ons. It is heavy, so I ask someone to help me get it into the overhead.

[SuzyView]

And I separate the cords, and other accessories into the luggage, leaving only the essentials in the carry ons. I usually travel with my sons so I have plenty of options.