Too much to carry on airplane??

In my first post, I did not mean to not carry what you need, just to be reasonable like the last several posters have been. I have made several flights with my Pelican 1550 with my camera gear in the overhead and a laptop shoulder bag with the lappy, power brick, headphones and ZVM:60 under the seat. But you see way to many people that want to bring 2 huge bags each, bags that they could barely get into the template. And then they get P'd that they can't find room to stuff 4 or 5 huge bags together. And remember too, that soft bags DO get squashed in those overheads. Someone is always gonna try to get one more bag in there. Unless they are using a bulldozer, they won't hurt my Pelican and my laptop bag stays in my lap until everyone gets seated.

Oh, and yes, that Pelican is heavy. Over 25 lbs. But short of gunfire, my camera gear is safe.

YMMV.

i think sometimes it depends on if your carry-on "looks" heavy,
they usually dont check the weight limit of your carry-on unless they think its way over the 7kg, but i think thats usually more likely to happen when you carry on a big item, bags like camera bag usually is okay with them.

None of the airlines I've flown on have given me any beef about my photography gear. I usually carry it on my shoulder bag (my Naneau Pro) - my 5D, 40D, 85mm 1.8, 100mm 2.8, 70-200F4 and my Quantum Flash, along with my light meter and few other minor accessories.

Once in a while I'll get the comment, "Wow, all that camera stuff in ONE bag?" Sometimes I'd wish they'd keep their mouths shut, because that's like advertisement for potential thieves at the airports saying "hey look, keep an eye on this guy, he has some expensive camera stuff!" I never leave my camera bag alone, but still, it makes me uneasy when they announce it like that.

Anything else I need on location, like lights or maybe an extra lens, I usually rent.

At least for domestic travel in the USA, the TSA regulations state that you're allowed one bag and one personal carry-on AND a bag containing camera equipment. I have a printout of this from the TSA's site that a bag containing camera equipment cannot be considered one of those two bags.

http://www.tsa.gov …stant/editorial​_1248.shtm

Another thing that I just noticed on their site while looking for the link, is that you can no longer travel with "loose" lithium batteries. Am I to assume that if the batteries are loaded in the camera or in the grip that they're not considered "loose"?

I would get the LowePro FastPack350...

Holds your laptop and all computer gear plus 4 lenses and the professional body. Then you just need 1 other bag

Then pack a Slingshot 200 in your carry on for those walk around shoots

Oh and if I remember correctly you cannot carry on your rechargable batteries that are loose. They have to be IN your camera or in checked luggage... Apparently they can get hot and explode or burn or something... Sucks because I have 4 or 5 Canon Batteries and 2 in my grip...

That is interesting to see that you can carry on 3 bags, 1 camera bag, 1 personal (purse) and 1 carry on.

I just recently flew from Upstate NY to Denver, with my camera bag (XTi, Kit lens and 70-200F4L) and going out i was not bothered. On the way back I did get searched and the bag was opened and searched in FRONT of me. I also had 2 batterys with me, and neither in the camera? I guess that they missed something!

Also something to think about is that US airways group will be charging for a 2nd checked bag starting 5/5/08. Southwest allready does something similar with there 3rd Checked bag. Article here. http://online.wsj.com …25701.html?mod=​yahoo_buzz

At this rate will be be cheaper soon to drive, even with the fuel prices!

I'm going to Mexico on the 12th, i hope that goes well as i plan on taking the camera bag, as carry on and a computer bag... But the wife is going with me.... So this should work!

TaDa wrote in post #5251479
At least for domestic travel in the USA, the TSA regulations state that you're allowed one bag and one personal carry-on AND a bag containing camera equipment. I have a printout of this from the TSA's site that a bag containing camera equipment cannot be considered one of those two bags.

http://www.tsa.gov …stant/editorial​_1248.shtm

Another thing that I just noticed on their site while looking for the link, is that you can no longer travel with "loose" lithium batteries. Am I to assume that if the batteries are loaded in the camera or in the grip that they're not considered "loose"?

TSA allows you to take 3 bags through security; it's up to the airline what you can bring on board the plane.

Apparently they aren't enforcing the Li battery restrictions. You're right - batteries installed in the device aren't "loose". Loose batteries were deemed OK if they're stored individually and separately, so the contacts couldn't short out.

dinanm3atl wrote in post #5251669
I would get the LowePro FastPack350...

Holds your laptop and all computer gear plus 4 lenses and the professional body. Then you just need 1 other bag

Then pack a Slingshot 200 in your carry on for those walk around shoots

Oh and if I remember correctly you cannot carry on your rechargable batteries that are loose. They have to be IN your camera or in checked luggage... Apparently they can get hot and explode or burn or something... Sucks because I have 4 or 5 Canon Batteries and 2 in my grip...

The regs are that Li batteries of any kind can only go in your checked luggage if they're installed in the device (camera, computer, flash, presumably charger). "Loose" batteries have to go in carry-on (properly packaged so they can't short out). Those regs are Department of Transportation's, not TSA's; I hear TSA isn't enforcing them; certainly when I went to Costa Rica in January I had no problems carrying several spares; they didn't even look at them.

I asked a similar question and read a lot before I went to Scotland last year. What I ended up doing was taking all my most important camera gear in my Canon backpack on the plane (and of course my iPod ) My wife brought her carry on for other necessities on the plane. The rest went in my suitcase (50mm f/1.4, Tamron 28-300 etc - lenses that if lost wouldn't KILL me but would be a big annoyance).

When I travel for work I have a backpack that takes a laptop and has a reasonable amount of space in the front, plus it rolls. I pack my Canon backpack in my suitcase and carefully pack my camera and my 24-70 and 70-200 in my laptop backpack. It's a matter of "what can't I live without?" and that goes on the plane in ONE bag. They can't refuse one reasonable sized bag.

Another option I've seen used is shipping your gear Fedex/UPS to your hotel. It's insured that way, but the only time I'd do this is if I needed more gear than I could carry.

Well I guess my extra batteries will be fine then. Glad that is not a problem. They are all covered with their little items so they can't short out.

Under current carry-on provisions, you can really take quite a bit of gear in a single "under-seat" camera bag. My Domke F-1X will fit (just) under most Economy seats, and I can stow 2 bodies, 2-3 flashes, and several large zooms, along with spare batteries, cards, and the like. If space is at a premium, filters and other relatively "hardy" stuff can go in the suitcase. I have an ultra-mobile PC for travel (Toshiba Libretto or Asus Eee); it either goes in the end of the F-1 or in a side pocket of the F-802 or F-7 if I'm carrying one bag; the F-3x is a small bag that won't cause any "Personal Item" issues; it takes either of those as well.

I have flown from Detroit to Shanghai and from Shanghai to Singapore and return carrying the Lowepro Computrekker Plus AW with no issues. I've also carried it from Detroit to Houston with no issues.

I don't check ANYTHING of value. Period.

I've only gotten grief once, and that was about ten years ago when I threw my stuff into a rather large "looking" backpack. They tried to tell me I couldn't take it - I told them in no uncertain terms that it carried photo gear and that I would NOT be checking it. They let me carry it onboard...

But normally I do carry two bags; one photo, one for whatever. Haven't had any issues in a long time (see above). As long as the stuff doesn't look too large/heavy they won't even notice.

bball4will wrote in post #5251174
i think sometimes it depends on if your carry-on "looks" heavy,
they usually dont check the weight limit of your carry-on unless they think its way over the 7kg, but i think thats usually more likely to happen when you carry on a big item, bags like camera bag usually is okay with them.

its all about who happens to be standing behind the counter/podium/xray machine!! get the right person and you could bring your St. Bernard and a studio setup... get the wrong person and they will want to check YOU! Always act like you 40lb carry-on is light as a feather too, just to play it cool

my wife and i live in Ukraine and travel back and forth to the States... she goes through security with like 3 bags big enough to be your large carry-on every time... only one time did anyone question her and she used the line about having one bag of perishables for inflight snack! it was true to a degree...

anyway from my experiences I agree with the quote above that you just need to play it cool and not draw attention to how much carry-on luggage you have with you, or say you are just holding your wifes/girlfriend/busin​ess partners bag for them to be a gentleman... somehting of that nature

also try a Thinktank backpack - they look super slim but can hold your camera gear and laptop no problem, i got one before my last trip, checked my empty walk-around bag with non-essential accessories in my suitcase - the lightest load i have carried in a long time! but then i had "room" to take a rolling carry-on as well, so actually upped my load but got to bring more "goodies" back from the States - so that was nice

Comparatively, what I am carrying is quite a lot less / lighter than what has been mentioned so far.

Thanks for the input guys.

Never had a whole lotta respect for the folks that seem to want to carry everything they can get away with onto the plane. Usually I wind up with my one half-loaded backpack searching up and down the aisle for an overhead with a small bit of space (or helping someone else do the same). In a similar vein, folks I work with brag how they never check luggage when they travel yet somehow seem oblivious to how their self-centered view impacts others around them.

Personally I hope the airlines start strictly enforcing the rules. Wouldn't bother me at all to see all these folks wheeling mounds of carry-ons get turned back at the airplane door!

Remember, I'm not talking about 'reasonable' but rather folks who know they're bringing "everything they can get away with". You know who you are...