Apparently, I took too much equipment on the plane

Last week, we took a plane from Cincinnati to San Francisco. Being a photo nut, I took some of my favorite lenses (10-22mm, 24-70L, 70-200 4L, and 100-400L) and my 7D in a Tenba sling bag. As I was going through the TSA check point, the guy manning the X-Ray machine looked at my bag and said, "Who do you shoot for?"

I used all of those lenses and don't regret lugging them around the whole city! My Tenba Messenger bag made it easy for me to take those lenses into the city and do lens changes on the fly. I just thought it was humorous that the TSA guy thought I worked for someone as a photographer.

genzbenz wrote in post #10820220
"Who do you shoot for?"

"TSA management and quality control. Smile for the camera".

hehe, well it is alot of lenses. I thought they were going to charge you extra for a carryon. That seems to be the going trend.

I travel a couple of times a month for work and the Cleveland TSA folk never question a camera body and a couple of lenses in my bag as it goes through xray. You must take better stuff than me! LOL.

dave

I had one guy last summer, that kept wanting to know how much all my gear was worth. I just kept saying enough, but he kept asking. His supervisor had to walk over and say something to him, before he stopped it. Some of them are definately odd. Also had one that opened my Bigma and stuck her finger inside the camera end of the lens and leave a big smudge. Took forever to clean it off. I complained to her supervisor. But that was like talking to the wall.

--Evan

neeko wrote in post #10821907
hehe, well it is alot of lenses. I thought they were going to charge you extra for a carryon. That seems to be the going trend.

I just read in an Outdoor Photographer (a few months old) that the TSA has a rule about photography. You're allowed one bag of photographic equipment in addition to your carry-on allotment. I guess it's like a woman's purse. It doesn't count as a carry-on!

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

Nobody said a thing about having an extra bag at either end.

That's TSA for the screening. The airlines don't have to let you take it on the plane.

genzbenz wrote in post #10826725
I just read in an Outdoor Photographer (a few months old) that the TSA has a rule about photography. You're allowed one bag of photographic equipment in addition to your carry-on allotment. I guess it's like a woman's purse. It doesn't count as a carry-on!

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

Nobody said a thing about having an extra bag at either end.

It's entirely up to the airline and is not the TSA's call...

US Domestic travel is generally one bag plus a personal item (Purse, Briefcase or Laptop)

I've never been stopped or questioned by American Airlines, Southwest or United for carrying on a third bag of camera gear.

You all need to be quiet about taking extra bags on with camera gear. Keep it under the radar or we will loose this!
Yes, I've done it too, and even had stewards put my bag in the first class closet when there was not enough overhead space. I've done the cary on, camera bag and computer.
TSA and security in Canada are good to camera equipment usually. I've had to open the bags for them often. When they request a search I tell them what is in the bag and offer to open it for them, which they usually allow. They are quite good when you are friendly and open with them. Answered more than a few questions about photography (never $).

I just moved and had to bring all my camera gear on the plane with me since I refused to have it thrown around underneath. I had my Burton Zoom 30L bag filled to the max with my bodies/lens and then in a separate case I had my vagabond and alien bees/softboxes/stands and whatnot...

They ran my bags 3 times!!! Then a visual inspection of my strobes and camera bodies. It was kinda funny yet frustrating but I guess they are doing there jobs right??