Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Pro Business Discussion => Topic started by: julienlanoo on June 11, 2011, 04:18:30 am
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Hi,
I was wondering how others solve this problem...
I am now traveling a lot for clients, and so i have to take the aircraft a lot...
But every time again i am struggeling with weight ristrictions...
As i only do architecture, i travel now with my phase one and 5 lenses... Alos a computer a tripot and a backup camera ( Canon 1dsmk3) + 1lens
Now, How i travel within europ is that i for example pack my Phase One and 3 lenses in m carry on luggage. A normal cary on luggage bag, ( Carlton ), i fixed padding inside, to store my gear, and also every component ( lenses + Back + cam) are packet in small Lowe Pro containers...
This makes 7.8 kg ( just inside the 8kg weight limits, and i can not buy extra KG for hand luggage)... The rest of my equipment goes into my normal luggage along with my cloths and travel gear. All the equipment is packed realy thight into a Domke bag... I try to stay within limits of w8, but that doesn't always work out of course...
Now i wonder how other people do this... Cause i don't want to send my Phase One with my normal baggage...
Also i see lots of people 'apperently' packing carry on Peli's Full of equipment, I wonder, and i am quite shure those people do not travel a lot via Air ? ... Cause the Peli on its own weighs like 4 kg... so you can't stack it full ... ?
Any tips guys ? ...
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Airlines rarely weigh carry-ons unless they're too big or look like they're bursting through their seams. In addition to a carry-on, you can carry a "personal item," ie. camera bag, shoulder bag or manpur... satchel :P So pack your camera and anything else that fits in the shoulder bag. I generally put all the expensive, hard-to-find locally and heavy gear in carry-on. This is of course not limited to photo gear.
If you have short-haul flights (for example within central Europe), you might be required to check in your carry-on bag at the gate if it wouldn't fit in the overhead compartment. That's the reason why you should always be prepared with a camera bag, and couple of sturdy plastic or canvas bags. Checked bags will get thrown around, and even if you check it in at the gate you might need to collect it at the belt at destination; more throwing around.
Some use vests, which are definitely great for stuffing some heavy gear into bags. Checking a second bag is generally not very expensive so that's another option - or fly business.
I looked at Pelican and similar cases, but decided against them due to the same reason as you: they weigh too much. I recently bought this (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/586936-REG/Porta_Brace_TLQ_46_TLQ_46_Quick_Tripod_Light_Case.html)for light stands etc and it's very light and sturdy.
Finally, buy a reliable luggage scale that you can fit in a bag.
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I have to fly a lot with gear and it's a real pain. Some airlines and airports are worse and often weigh carry ons. Virgin, in my experience, are almost anal about weighing, whichever country they fly from, and quite ruthless about having you put stuff into suitcases or "just leave it, Sir, it's up to you." The Sir was sarcastic. Some of the US airlines are getting stricter too. UK airports are getting worse, ie weighing more, IME. Not too bad in mainland Europe, not too bad in Asia.
My routine now is to assume I'm going to be weighed and stuff as much into my pockets as possible. I have a jacket that swallows big lenses, etc, without looking too obvious. It gets pretty hot waiting at check in but at least the sweat is from physical discomfort rather than anxiety. And as soon as my (by now almost empty) carry on has gone through, back in it all goes.
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The only airline I've had problems with is Air Transat - they are simply brutal when it comes to weighing carry-on. Their excuse, the old favourite...health and safety. Never used to be an issue, but I guess it's a way to make money: limit the carry on to 5kg and you're forced to stuff the extra in your check-in...which then weighs too much and you get charged excess.
Of course, once you've checked-in and gone through security, there's nothing to stop you buying 20kg of duty-free and carrying it on to the plane...so much for health and safety then.
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…Of course, once you've checked-in and gone through security, there's nothing to stop you buying 20kg of duty-free and carrying it on to the plane...so much for health and safety then.
In Gatewick, I've had my carry-on weighted just meters from the aircraft's door. I was within the weight limit but many passengers had problems with the duty-free stuff they just bought...
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Airlines seem to be getting increasingly restrictive about luggage, in particular carry ons. I used to have no trouble taking my camera bag and tripod as carry on but now it's more miss than hit.
One option is to courier (e.g., FedEx) your gear to your destination. Hotels will sign and accept deliveries for guests they know are checking in. That way you travel lighter and your gear is waiting for you when you arrive. I'd suggest there's less chance of a package being lost by FedEx than airlines. I'd also suggest that FedEx will treat your fragile package much better than airlines (don't ask me how I know this ::) ).
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I wear a photographer vest and cram it full of gear. Never had a problem doing this - I'm based in the UK and fly the cheapo Ryanair who are generally ruthless when it comes to baggage but no problems with what I'm wearing. Easyjet has no weight limit on carry-on bags although you have to be able to lift it above your head.
Cheers, Brian
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Aha, so it's the point is keep on trying..;
Thanks for your replies guys...
I just orderd a new carbon tripot with Magnesium head, saves me a bit of w8, and i'll be trying to get hands on a photographers vest... That seems tobe a nice idea...
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I also found that loads of photobag brands, don't think, once the airport safe bag is finished, it has to be filled with equipment and fly...
Most of them way in ( even the canvas once) at 4kg aprox... there 's almost no room left for equipment... :p
I find my self packing my phase one wrapped in a cut open foam and gaffa :p in a lightweight carlton carry on , to get there :p
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As I have moved into still and motion the gear load has gone beyond what I could just do with a heavy carry on and the rest placed in with my clothes
Does anyone know how, lets say the BBC or CNN do it ?
I just want to phone up and say I have four pelis, they weigh XX kilos - how much will it cost?
What if you were travelling with lighting etc
On bigger productions do people maybe Fedx/DHL the kit and then just fly with their actual personal items,??
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I will be posting more about this soon, as i am still in search of a good solution for this,
Cause this is rediculous, i was walking aroudn as a Michelin Man yesterday in the airport... just to save my equipment...
SO i've asked info to specialists in this, so that would become soon
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One option is to courier (e.g., FedEx) your gear to your destination.
Sounds ok within a large country like the US, but try doing that internationally, and you will have 2 customs departments to deal with, eager to charge you duty and taxes. Not fun.
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I currently do about 40 international work-related flights a year, carrying a Phase One and Alpa System.
Firstly, I have become VERY fussy about what I take. I have 16 medium format lenses in my kit, so things can get pretty heavy quickly. I am brutal about what I take. If I don't NEED it, I don't take it. Obviously, buy light gear to start with - carbon fibre tripod and magnesium head being a good start. Weight was a major consideration in replacing the Horseman SW-DII with the Alpa STC for example.
I get my handluggage weighed about 25% of the time. There seems to be no pattern.
I've taken to taking a trolley case, almost empty, and stuffing my lenses in a jacket or vest which I wear. No airline has restrictions on the weight of the clothes on your body (yet!). I repack the trolley case as soon as I board. I do get strange looks from the guys who x-ray my jacket, but no dramas yet.
My heaviest camera, 645DF with IQ180 and lens and sometimes the V-grip air, hangs on my shoulder like every other tourist. I haven't been pinged for this yet.
Doing this I can usually get about 30KG of gear aboard as carry-on.
It's a pain, but worth doing. The few times I've been forced to check my luggage in, the excess baggage fees have substantially exceeded the cost of my airfare.
Sending gear ahead by courier is not an option internationally. The delays with customs make it impossible.
Hope this helps.
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I recently took everything as hand luggage. (Intercontinental flights) No one even dared. I packed the Peli 1510, which has a maximum size acceptable by the airlines. Stuffed, 2x h3DII, 3 lenses, 2 chargers, 4 batteries, 10 cards, cleaning accessories, macbook pro 17, 2x HDD. Everything else I gave ordinary luggage. Of course, every time I spoke with the lords of the security. (Peli finally awakens interest). But after knowing your destination quickly goes smoothly and seamlessly. I always prefer to have the most important equipment with me.
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I recently took everything as hand luggage. (Intercontinental flights) No one even dared. I packed the Peli 1510, which has a maximum size acceptable by the airlines. Stuffed, 2x h3DII, 3 lenses, 2 chargers, 4 batteries, 10 cards, cleaning accessories, macbook pro 17, 2x HDD. Everything else I gave ordinary luggage. Of course, every time I spoke with the lords of the security. (Peli finally awakens interest). But after knowing your destination quickly goes smoothly and seamlessly. I always prefer to have the most important equipment with me.
Security is not concerned about the size or weight of your carry-on, the airline is (at check-in and the gate). You can haul your cargo luggage through security if need be - yes, I've done that.
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I recently took everything as hand luggage. (Intercontinental flights) No one even dared. I packed the Peli 1510, which has a maximum size acceptable by the airlines. Stuffed, 2x h3DII, 3 lenses, 2 chargers, 4 batteries, 10 cards, cleaning accessories, macbook pro 17, 2x HDD. Everything else I gave ordinary luggage. Of course, every time I spoke with the lords of the security. (Peli finally awakens interest). But after knowing your destination quickly goes smoothly and seamlessly. I always prefer to have the most important equipment with me.
This is exactly what I USED to do. It's all well and good until you meet the airline autocrat/pedant who tells you in no uncertain terms that your bag is massively over the cabin baggage allowance and you WILL put in in the hold or leave it behind. Then he will cheerily burn a hole in your credit card for the excess baggage charges! In fairness, you do occasionally meet airline staff who are sympathetic and flex the rules. Just don't rely on it.
I find the risk of theft and damage from baggage handlers, especially in airports as notorious for this as Mumbai and Kuala Lumpur to name a few, completely unacceptable. The replacement cost of my trolley bags contents is well over USD100k. That's not a claim form I ever want to submit. As such, I now use the procedure I described earlier.
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no one has a definite solution, Als asked around to specialists and so,
Some check it in the luggage compartment, some don't,
Some times your hand luggage is w8 in , sometimes it isn't,
What i come by allot is that it's not w8 in the Leaving flight, but they check the w8 getting back! ( "criminals")
I don't mind paying extra, but it would be for handluggage, .. :):p
I think i'll keep on trying, it's good we're compairing notes, and keep on doing it...
A trick is also click out all the batteries, but i now have an older type MAC PB, where it's easy, the new ones, are not that simpel i think..
greets
ju
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what Vest would you sujest ? ..
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Hi,
I use a Domke Photo Togs. Mostly I carry my MacBook 13" in one of the inner pockets. The bag I use is Gura Gear Kiboko, it even fits Canadair regional jet overhead bins, with some care.
Other things:
- Try to choose a carrier with generous allowance
- Try to keep equipment down
- Tripod and other stuff goes into checked luggage
Best regards
Erik
what Vest would you sujest ? ..
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It would be funny, some members could suddenly meet up in an airport :) :p ::p, at the security desk the costums wouldn't know what happens :p:p,
I mostely get realy interested looks from the security guy when he sees the Phase One getting thourgh the machine :) :p
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It would be funny, some members could suddenly meet up in an airport :) :p ::p, at the security desk the costums wouldn't know what happens :p:p,
I mostely get realy interested looks from the security guy when he sees the Phase One getting thourgh the machine :) :p
You should see their reaction to my Gowlandflex...
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I travel a fair bit with a MF system (2 camera bodies and 5 or 6 lenses) and IMO the simples solution is to book Business Class with an airline that allows two carry on bags. I put the legs of my tripod and all other non-essential gear in my checked baggage and all the cameras in my two carry-on bags. In addition I quite often put lenses or other items in my coat pocket. Never had a problem doing this on many long-haul (New Zealand, Australia, LA) or on short-hall within Europe (Iceland, France, Italy etc.)
The only problem I ever had with security was when I packed some small CO2 containers for my air cleaner in my checked baggage and was asked to go back through security to identify the items which the removed and confiscated as being "dangerous"
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Hi,
I use a Domke Photo Togs. Mostly I carry my MacBook 13" in one of the inner pockets. The bag I use is Gura Gear Kiboko, it even fits Canadair regional jet overhead bins, with some care.
Other things:
- Try to choose a carrier with generous allowance
- Try to keep equipment down
- Tripod and other stuff goes into checked luggage
Best regards
Erik
I agree. Sometimes I have my largest camera and largest lenson my neck on a strap to keep carry on weight low... :)
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Disclosure: not a pro photographer. Pro business traveler and terrible photographer.
As a counter point, I have been tagged more frequently on-continent than off-continent in the EU for weight related issues. Orly is probably the worst offender; I once was lectured about my 17kg bag (I was in business class to boot, ORY-BCN) and the risks I was exposing my fellow passengers to. I have had few problems in the US, but I carry frequent flier status, which may help. I have a mixed bag of results in Asia; most of my flying there is in business class or better, which helps. But some places (Kuala Lumpur, for example) will want to inspect every little thing that even remotely looks like it could be overfilled.
Transiting T5 once (24 hours after they opened in 2008, which has something to do with it), I had a security attendant pull out every piece of glass I had in my bag, pull off the lens caps, and swab down the insides (due to the optically "perfect" plastic explosive I was clearly carrying.) They let me through, but my blood pressure was at the exploding point. Ever since then, they have left me and my photographic equipment alone.
I have noticed that my typical carry-on "briefcase", a Timbuk2 Classic Messenger XL, has yet to be touched, even in the EU, even though it is usually filled with a laptop, iPad, cameras, lenses, a change of clothes, and a few other things. It isn't an obvious bag, even though it is quite large (two 30 can cases of beer large), my "gentleman of luxurious proportions" frame covers it up quite well.
One item to note is to pay attention to the equipment assigned to your route of travel. Many regional jets and turboprops will be unfriendly to overhead storage of any real assortment of equipment, and may require a gate-check. On some equipment (ATR-72, Dash-8, and Saab 340 spring to mind), good luck getting anything beyond a purse on board.
Cheers.
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Following is what I have used as expat living different countries and frequent traveler across primarily Asia and Europe but at times also worldwide. Always in black camera bags since black is discrete. I have had up to five camera systems as carry on. I never check in my gear.
1. Tenba PBP, Photo backpack (near 10 years old) – Fits plenty, low weight, durable and comfortable. It has weighed up around 18kg on international flights, including always large pro carbon Gitzo on side. It is rare for the pack to be weighed or even questioned at check in.
2. Tenba Large Messanger bag - Carries my 4x5 Shen-Hao and 17" MacBook Pro... it kind of slips along to enable carry more than in my PBP, sitting in small compartment on luggage car during check in... thus rarely gets noticed…
3. Stand straight in line and when arrive to counter, appear relaxed in spite of that weight on back... = avoid show weight :)
4. Appearance of routine traveler, well prepared with passport, tickets, friendly... making job simple and quick for staff...
5. Only one small and within limit checked luggage, sort of to compensate and make simple. :)
6. If need carry more, e.g. books (heavy) or other gear, simply in the smallest looking plastic shopping bag they fit. Such bags tend to not be considered by staff… and could even be from transit shopping somewhere…
7. Film – Uhhhg… this has caused worst argue over the years... it is simply difficult nowadays, and with lack of respect at x-ray especially in Scandinavia (Sweden, Finland), while in Asia hand inspection is not much issue.
8. Polite persistence and ask for supervisor and police if necessary. My gear is simply my private property which I am not willing to risk at security checks. However very happy to cooperate and show them all during a hand inspection after the x-ray per myself taking out item by item for their view.
9. If being questioned I explain that I travel frequent and have carried ALL my gear on ALL flights. The international practice is by all airlines for camera and laptop to be exempt from carry on restrictions. Not sure what is referred by “camera” in that context…. Besides, once they have begun issue your boarding pass, they are in practice obliged to let you board…
10. I do not fly KLM.
It feels good! I have now sold off gear to reduce, since I am tired of carrying and having much gear. It feels it has been in way of my photography, less and simple makes photography more a joy and more a focus on the image! However, with above list I qualify as perhaps among ones who have carried most as carry on. ;D
Regards
Anders