-= Traveling with Photo Gear =-

After searching, it seems that the question is asked quite frequently in this area regarding traveling (inter)nationally with photo gear. I have located some information that I believe is very helpful.

Please click the following link and enter your name and email address - it's free and it will allow you to download two pdf files that will answer a lot of questions you may have concerning traveling with your expensive equipment.

http://www.thinktankph​oto.com/airport.aspx

If anyone else has other information you'd like to share, please do so. I'd like to create a thread dedicated to this sort of thing to try and minimize the repetitive threads asking what people should do. (And I am sorry if this is a duplicate of another thread )

This is a question that is asked many times and perhaps it is time that we had a sticky on it. However, we seem to be losing alot of page 1 to stickies. Maybe a sticky to take you to the stickies.

I worked in the airline industry for many years before leaving to shoot full time. I have posted many times on this subject and would be happy to do so again in a sticky.

I see so many photographers that take inordinate amounts of risk when travelling with their gear. There seems to be some that think because it is expensive equipment that the airlines are going to allow it into the cabin no matter what the size is. If I am going on a multi-week shoot I will normally have way too much gear that can be carried on. I have checked my gear and it has gone on dozens of trips as checked baggage. Never have I had a problem. Not one loss, not one bit of damage. It takes planning your flights carefully and packing your gear becomes paramount.

I'll wait and see where this thread goes.

Let's bring this out of the dark...

just for fun Ill tell you what happened to me the other day at the airport. I was traveling from St. Louis to Charlotte. I went through security, the lady at the screening machine looks at my bag, looks at me, looks back at the screen, looks at me and asks, "What is all of that?" I said "camera gear".

Well apparently one of the security personell wanted to " check the bag" but I later found out he was a fellow canon shooter.. lol. He said he had never seen so much gear packed in one bag lol.

Just a word to the wise, make sure you know the airline's policy on what they'll cover as far as theft goes. Not that you want your camera equipment checked with your other bags but airlines such as United DO NOT COVER your equipment if it's checked and then it ends up "disappearing" due to the baggage handlers having sticky fingers.

Mike30D wrote in post #9778880
Just a word to the wise, make sure you know the airline's policy on what they'll cover as far as theft goes. Not that you want your camera equipment checked with your other bags but airlines such as United DO NOT COVER your equipment if it's checked and then it ends up "disappearing" due to the baggage handlers having sticky fingers.

A good reason to have it insured either under contents or seperaterly.

Exactly - insurance is key.

I'm glad ya made it through security Dave

what i did when i came back to london from philippines is that i had two lowepro bags. one is a huge backpack that contained some of my lenses and my 15.6 laptop.

My other game was a small shoulder bag containing my camera and my 430ex flash.

Because i was traveling with someone else, i asked that person to tell them that is their hand carry.

It worked a treat and was able to carry all my stuff fine. Im worried about next time i go their because i will be buying a 70-200mm f2.8 along with a battery grip!

I never had problems getting on a plane. As long as your bags are within the required measurements, all should be fine.