Traveling with a Lens in a suitcase??

Pelican 1514 case. My gear wont go checked on. It goes with me!

I just went on a trip. Everything in carryon except the 85 1.8. The cheapest of what I took. Wrapped in new underwear and socks and then in a lens pouch. I've also put it in a small crumpler (4 mil home?) then in the checked bag on previous trips. I use that bag for short walks at destination. Also for minimizing weight and bulk in my camera bag (lowepro sling 300), put in my tripod (disassembled), QR plates, hoods, collar ring for the 70-200 2.8 and spare batteries each in a zip lock bag or inserted into charger, then in ziplock bag (new rules). Locked the bag with one of those new locks which security can open and there's an indicator showing if it was unlocked. Also can use zipties. At least you will know if it was searched. My wife carries the laptop.

On the way back, surrounded everything with used underwear. Came in 2 pounds under the limit.

As for being tumbled about.. that will happen even if you order a new one. Just wrap it well. The lens has no issues since the trip.

My stuff is also insured.

^ That's what I use also, zip ties. They can easily snip it open, not ruin a lock on you (despite how cheap those little things are) and you can see if it was searched. Those "new locks" sound interesting, I'll have to keep an eye out for those.

I have no choice but to check some of my camera gear on 6KG is all I can take on the the plane, I can just get my Peli 1600 in to a case so a few bits will go in there with my laptop and it will have 2 Peli TSA locks on and a TSA strap round the suitcase, thats all I can do opther than that I will let the insurance worry about it.

Just came back from my trip.
Ended up with all the lenses, etc. (see gear list below) in my camera bag and the flash, table top tripod, flash bracket, etc. in the suitcase.
Ended up only using onlyone lens after all that....typical!! (17-35mm)

I'd pack my nifty50 but otherwise all my lenses stay as close to my person as reasonably possible.

When I travel I don't make a big deal out of my camera so as to not hint to it's worth, however even at metal detectors I make sure I pass through at the same time as my bag is being scanned. Take care is all.

That said, on my trip to Italy I had a $400 carbon fiber tripod in my luggage. It was thrown in a duffel bag with a bunch of clothes in typical student fashion with a small lock on the zipper. It arrive safely, even after being checked in overnight. I believe I was more lucky than smart in this instance however.

I worked at EWR for 3 years repairing the scanners and my advice is to make anything that you really need, carry on. Luggage gets missrouted or even can miss the flight. I have seen more than one bag (luggage) get thrown over 15 feet to the conveyor belt. They also get quite a sudden stop when they're spit out of the scanners too. ED glass elements in a lens WILL "get painted" by the scanners and if the inspector is curious enough, they will open up the bag and take a peek.

And yes, my avitar is my 20D and 17-85 I scanned with a CTX in false color.

It doesn't help when articles on CNN Travel such as the "Flying tips for cranky passengers" say things like:

"If you don't check them, they can't mishandle them," Mann said. "As a former employee, I would never [check bags] unless I absolutely positively had to."

Snyder agrees. "If you can fit everything into a carry-on, absolutely do that."

Don't pack valuables in your bag if you do need to check it. Airlines have limits and exclusions on what is awarded to the passenger if the bag is mishandled or lost.

At least in the case of that last statement, that's why you should insure your gear - to make sure that you get full value for it in case it's lost or damaged vs. the airline's paltry handout.

LuxuryGlass wrote in post #5261507
ILocked the bag with one of those new locks which security can open and there's an indicator showing if it was unlocked. Also can use zipties. At least you will know if it was searched. My wife carries the laptop.

I recall reading last year (I think on POTN) the suggestion to pack a starter pistol in your case. The idea was that it gets classified as a handgun, you check the case through special handling and it gets searched in front of you, and you are allowed to (actually have to) lock it with a lock that TSA can't open.

Now, I have no idea if this actually works, and if it would work anywhere other than the US, but if I was worried about having to ship a bunch of gear checked-in, I'd check it out. (No, on second thought, I'd probably courier it -- far less trouble -- but at least an interesting idea to check out.)

E.

I don't think I'd try packing a starter pistol in this day and age...

DDWD10 wrote in post #5247724
Unless you have a ton of equipment, carry your stuff with you whenever possible.

Even then, ...

I think the OPs question is more "Traveling with lens in checked baggage"?

I travel with all my gear ( a ton of it ) in my Carry on, which happens to be.. A suitcase!

I used a rolling travel suitcase, soft sided, Made by "SwissAlps" (Fake Wenger) and costing only $60-70.00 @ Walmart to carry all my gear to Africa.

I would'nt pack any lens into a suit case to go into the cargo hold of an aircraft,
you only have to be unlucky once either due to rough handling or theft.

Agree 100%..
In fact TSA recommends you NOT check this sort of item....

There are times you must check your gear. Flying with a lighting kit? It must be checked. Flying with two long lenses,400f2.8/600f4 (I have many times) it must be checked. There are ways to better protect your gear than others. A thief will go for a body or small lens, they tend to shy away from "long glass" because they have no where to fence it.

The starter pistol trick has been around for sometime. It i does not really cause a problem. You MUST declare this weapon at the time you check the bag. The ticket counter will call the TSA, they will come and do a one-on-one inspection for your bag alone. The TSA will advise you to lock your case with a non-TSA "Sentry" lock and advise you to keep the key. Your bag will be marked as inspected and not opened in transit.

Do I suggest this? Not really. Does it work? Yes.

For more info, check out www.flyingwithfish.com

Happy Flying