Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: Letcher on June 17, 2006, 09:45:37 am

Title: travel with telephoto lenses
Post by: Letcher on June 17, 2006, 09:45:37 am

I just received the Canon 400mm f/2.8 L lens, all ten pounds of it. I really didn't appreciate its size before I ordered it. It comes with its own hard lens case which looks like a small carry-on bag. I need hints about how one travels with such a lens. For example:
1. Does one just check this lens case along with your other bags?
2. Does one need a fold-up carrier with wheels to carry this lens along with a camera bag containing a 1Ds Mark2, a 24-70mm lens, and a 70-200mm lens?
3. Does one hire an assistant to carry this gear or can it be done solo?
4. In short, did I make a big mistake? Photography is my hobby, not my livelyhood. How do you professionals do it?  

Letcher
Tulsa

Title: travel with telephoto lenses
Post by: Tim Gray on June 17, 2006, 01:34:05 pm

The problem I've most often run into is the weight of the carry on and the 1 personal item - in Canada limited to 10 kg each.  I'd check out the large lens cases at Kinesis - www.kgear.com.  I just ordered the L311 for use with a 300 2.8, and Canon 1d2, that's under the weight, then in a knapsack, a 16-35, 24-70, 70-200 plus hyperdrive.  I don't travel with a laptop.  If you start to use a wheeled carry on you end up chewing through a significant amount of weight just in the empty luggage.

I sure wouldn't check my gear.

Michael has recently posted some other tips (eg wear a photo vest and transfer lenses to the pockets while you check in then back into the carry on).

Title: travel with telephoto lenses
Post by: tived on June 18, 2006, 10:59:08 am

Hi

I use a hardcover suitcase, which I have padded. I works well. at least a lot better then when I had to dismantle my camera bag and fill it all in three large plastic bags as carry-on.

I also use this kind of bag, because it doesn't look like a camera bag!!!

good luck

Henrik

Title: travel with telephoto lenses
Post by: Hank on June 18, 2006, 11:06:05 am

I can only speak for US travel with long lenses.  

I long ago ditched the hard cases for trips, relying on a camera pack instead.  The cases are simply too heavy and bulky, plus they are inconvenient to carrry on hikes through terminals.  My pack is a Tamrac 787, but there are lots of other worthy ones.  I rearrange/remove the internal dividers to suit my needs trip by trip.  Worst case, I carry both my 500 f/4 and 300 f/2.8 at the same time, along with a body and smaller lenses in the 787.  Additional gear and my laptop goes into a Tamrac Photo Messenger bag.  

I've never had beef from any US airline about the load, but I'm careful about overall dimensions.  I have no doubt that they wouldn't like the weight, but I'm also careful not to act like it's heavy so that no one is inspired to look closer.

Title: travel with telephoto lenses
Post by: Fred Ragland on June 19, 2006, 11:44:08 am

"I use a hardcover suitcase, which I have padded. I works well. at least a lot better then when I had to dismantle my camera bag and fill it all in three large plastic bags as carry-on."


Misshandling and loss of luggage, either temporary or permanent, is a hazard of airtravel.  Additionally, baggage scanning and baggage-opening for inspection (with the risks of misshandling) often happen out of view of the traveler.  I'm waiting now for word on a baggage trace for luggage lost on an international flight two weeks ago.

With the exception of tripods, my camera gear goes on-board with me.  If I can't figure out how to do that, I rent equipment at the other end or ship fedex/UPS to the destination.  Tripods have been stowed in my luggage - but only after I've decided I can accept the possible loss.