Traveling with DSLR

This will be my first trip with a DSLR. In the past its been a small P&S. I dont have a ton of equipment, just the camera with its regular lens and one longer lens. Do you all carry it in its case as one of your carry-on pieces or pack it into something and bring it on separately...Im more thinking about the plane. It will probably be around my neck when we board the ship!!

I never would pack my DSLR in my checked luggage.

I have a briefcase that I put my DSLR and additional lenses, iPad, laptop, etc. into that is my carry-on.

I have a camera backback that goes in my carry-on that holds my battery charger and extra lenses. I also have a holster type of bag that goes with me on shore.

I have a med size camera pack "lowepro 250" that holds my camera stuff plus any thing needed for the day. I.E ppwk , passports and meds.

I also second the holster bag for day trips. I have some of the black pouches they sale on board ship . Usually around $20 that can hold a small to med lense and a few extras. My camera is always on my Black rapid strap for hands free convenience.

Make sure you have enough memory cards and a spare battery. If you have a few cards, take a laptop to download them into. Running out of memory is not fun and running out of power for the camera is even less fun. I take a carry-on bag (Lowepro 120) suited to my camera, second lens in a pouch, spare batteries and the neck/shoulder strap (Blackrapid) has a pocket for spare memory cards with an anti-theift strap (Pac-Safe) that goes over neck and shoulder. There are folks out there that want to separate you from your goods all over the place.

I use a LowePro Vertex 300 for the camera/kit, laptop, e-reader, phone, associated tangle of power cords, a bit of clothing and other essentials. While off the ship unless the weather is supposed to be bad I just carry the camera via a Blackrapid Sport strap. If the weather could get nasty I carry a rain cover for the camera and lens. If it's already nasty... I don't know, perhaps rely on my cell phone camera:(

1)NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER put your DSLR in a checked bag. It always goes with you in a carry on.

2)If you are not bringing a laptop than extra memory cards are a must. (I always bring my laptop and only bring two cards total. They both stay in the camera until it is time for the nightly download).

3)If you have a modern/newer dslr I would not worry too much about and extra battery. My battery will give me over 750 shots on a single charge (it still had some juice left when i put it on charge). Just remember to bring your charger and charge it at night and you will be fine.

4) Did I mention to NEVER NERVER NEVER put your camera in checked baggage. ;)

I carry the cameras and lenses and usually my laptop or netbook in a larger LowePro FastPack 350 and pack a smaller sling bag (empty) in my luggage. For excursions, I pack the little bag with only what I feel I will need for the day.

If you have a DSLR and an extra lens, get yourself a small sling bag like the LowePro AW100 or 200. They are compact, easy to carry and easy to access without having to take them off. Either of those will fit under the seat on any plane.

Kata and tamrac also make some excellent small bags for daytime walkabout and travelling light.

Dave

Never put your camera on a table when you are at a show (never know when the ship will hit a wave)

Never put your camera on a table when you are at a show (never know when the ship will hit a wave)

While at sea, NEVER put your camera on any table.

When not in use, my cameras stay in the middle of the bed, in a corner of the couch, or in a camera bag on the floor.

My cameras survived 82 MPH side winds and 50-plus feet seas in a typhoon with such protection.

This will be my first trip with a DSLR. In the past its been a small P&S. I dont have a ton of equipment, just the camera with its regular lens and one longer lens. Do you all carry it in its case as one of your carry-on pieces or pack it into something and bring it on separately...Im more thinking about the plane. It will probably be around my neck when we board the ship!!

Since most airlines allow two carry-on bags, both a camera bag and a roll-on are my choices. As a new DSLR owner, choose a bag that will let you add another lens, batteries/chargers, cleaning kit, flash attachment. What space you don't use in the bag this trip can be used for some packaged snacks.

Pack any tablets, PCs, meds, and other important items in your roll-on (PC on top since you have to remove it from its case for TSA inspection). On the TSA note, don't pack any lens cleaning fluid in your carry-on bags. TSA will not like that and it will be confiscated.

Never let your camera be more than just a few feet from your seat in an overhead bin.

Since most cruise terminals are inside security areas, you might just keep your camera in its bag until you are aboard the ship. Taking pictures in the security area might be frowned upon by the security individuals.

Since most airlines allow two carry-on bags, both a camera bag and a roll-on are my choices. As a new DSLR owner, choose a bag that will let you add another lens, batteries/chargers, cleaning kit, flash attachment. What space you don't use in the bag this trip can be used for some packaged snacks.

 

Pack any tablets, PCs, meds, and other important items in your roll-on (PC on top since you have to remove it from its case for TSA inspection). On the TSA note, don't pack any lens cleaning fluid in your carry-on bags. TSA will not like that and it will be confiscated.

 

Never let your camera be more than just a few feet from your seat in an overhead bin.

 

Since most cruise terminals are inside security areas, you might just keep your camera in its bag until you are aboard the ship. Taking pictures in the security area might be frowned upon by the security individuals.

It is actually a carry on and one personal item. The personal item is supposed to fit under the seat in front of you. Sadly the airlines have been lax in enforcing this rule and you see the problems resulting from it. I always feel a little bad for those folks who board last and cant stow their small bag because the bins are full with oversize stuff. (And for the record i bought a carry on under the 22-14-9 limit.)

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So, TruckerDave, I guess you are saying NOT to put my camera in my checked bag??? Haha.

Thanks all for the replies. I dont intend to pack my camera in checked baggage anyway. I trust no one, really cant these days! When we went to Florida last spring, I didnt understand the carryon rules well enough as I hadnt flown in years and ended up checking our roll on that was in reality small enough to use as carryon. This time around I will know better. I like the idea of a camera bag and putting some extra stuff in it. Basically all I needed on the flight was my music and my book so that could easily go into a camera bag with my limited equipment.

ON the cruise itself I have my smaller P&S and a P&S style underwater camera for beach days. Id like to have the nicer camera but having anything valuable would just tie us down to have to protect it. I thought I would use my DSLR for onboard and on ports where we are touring.

Thanks again for everyones input. So nice to have a resource of experience to tap when you have a question!!

:D

If you look on the airlines website their baggage rules are layed out pretty well . (United and American anyway as those are the two I use). By the time i put camera gear, computer, kindle,noise canex headphones, powercords for all,toothbrsh and one extra set of cloths my bag is pretty much full. It is a small carry on but works for what i need it for.:cool:

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I haven't come upon a plane yet where I couldn't fit my Kata backpack loaded with 20+ lenses under the seat in front of me - I've never bothered with the overhead bins. Of course, we're talking jets, as opposed to some very small commuter type planes - but fortunately I haven't had to challenge those yet. I only bring my big Kata backpack as my sole carryon...it's got mostly camera gear, plus laptop, plus little things like spare eyeglasses and basic emergency needs that might come in handy if my luggage visits a different country than me. It's quite a big backpack, but the design is low and wide, sort of like a turtle shell, as opposed to those big rectangle-type backpacks, so despite the size, it has no problem sliding under seats on planes!

I've been using my Think Tank Airport Ultralight backpack as a carry-on. The drawback is losing footroom. I'll still use it during the vacation, but I just picked up a gently-used Pelican 1510 for my flights. The 1510's dimensions are the maximum allowable overhead size.

I'm considering attaching to my wrist with a pair of handcuffs. :D

I haven't come upon a plane yet where I couldn't fit my Kata backpack loaded with 20+ lenses under the seat in front of me - I've never bothered with the overhead bins. Of course, we're talking jets, as opposed to some very small commuter type planes - but fortunately I haven't had to challenge those yet. I only bring my big Kata backpack as my sole carryon...it's got mostly camera gear, plus laptop, plus little things like spare eyeglasses and basic emergency needs that might come in handy if my luggage visits a different country than me. It's quite a big backpack, but the design is low and wide, sort of like a turtle shell, as opposed to those big rectangle-type backpacks, so despite the size, it has no problem sliding under seats on planes!

You must have a lot of pancake lenses.....:)

Pancakes, not many - but a lot of small primes for my NEX system. But I also have 300mm F4, 10-24mm UWA, and 18-250mm for my DSLR, which take up a majority of the room! I've got lots of small lenses like 28mm F2.8, 40mm F1.8, 50mm F1.7, 35mm F1.4, 30mm F1.4, 18-55mm, 16mm pancake, etc. which I can stack 2-3 in a single lens slot in the backpack.

It is quite heavy with everything in it - about 30Lbs!

Pack your camera in hand luggage that can't be gate checked. Meds and paperwork also go in smaller hand luggage.

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There are some very nice small bags that will hold a DSLR and a couple of lenses.

One series I especially like is the Think Tank speed series, such as the Speed Demon (the smallest of the three). They are "convertable" bags which include both a shoulder strap and belt. The belt can stow in the bag so that the shoulder strap is only showing, or you can stow the shoulder strap and use just the belt like a fanny pack, or both together.

I have found that using the shoulder strap in conjunction with the belt makes the bag very comfortable to carry for extended periods of time.

Other manufacturers make similar bags; Kata for one also does; DL495, etc.

I suppose in a pinch, when boarding the plane, you could wear one of these bags with the bag part in front, and "claim" it is a belt.

(or perhaps tuck it under your shirt and act like you have a "beer belly")...

A good pair of loose-fitting cargo pants should be able to carry and DSLR body on one leg and a lens on the other leg. You might need some suspenders or a really tight belt to keep your pants up.

How much equipment can you carry in a photo vest that doesn't count as carry-on luggage?

I've never had a problem with 1-correct size roller, in a pinch will fit under seat. About 1/2 the times carry a 2nd backpack "lens taxi" that's meant to go under the seat. Once on a small commuter flight both had to go under the seats, the wife was a bit put off for a few minutes.:eek:.

Anyway with both bags I carry over 50lbs of gear.

If you carry any photo shoulder bag, they should fit under the seat on any plane.

framer

I'll be taking my gear in a Lowepro DSLR/Video AW 350. It's roomy enough that I can carry plenty in the upper storage, with my gear in the lower portion. Right now in it, I have my gripped 7D, 24-70 f2.8 II attached, 70-200 f2.8 IS II, 15-85 (Eventually to be replaced with a wide angle f2.8), 600EX-RT flash, TC-80N3 timer remote, 2 extra batteries, charger, filter wallet and memory cards. Strap my monopod to the side, put my netbook and iPad in the laptop storage and that should be all I'll need.

Lowepro computreker as carryon 1 ( 2 DSLR, 3 lenses, 1 laptop, and all accessories )

Second carry on is usually standard roller suitcase, between the two have managed to do carryone for even 2 week overseas cruises to landtours.

On small commuters the rollersuitcase is always release to the cargo hold at boarding but the lowepro fits nicely underneath seat, a must since on my last commuter there was no way it fitted in the overhead, nor would 10K+ of glass/bodies/computers be trusted to the baggage gorillas :D

There are some very nice small bags that will hold a DSLR and a couple of lenses.

 

One series I especially like is the Think Tank speed series, such as the Speed Demon (the smallest of the three). They are "convertable" bags which include both a shoulder strap and belt. The belt can stow in the bag so that the shoulder strap is only showing, or you can stow the shoulder strap and use just the belt like a fanny pack, or both together.

 

I have found that using the shoulder strap in conjunction with the belt makes the bag very comfortable to carry for extended periods of time.

 

Other manufacturers make similar bags; Kata for one also does; DL495, etc.

 

I suppose in a pinch, when boarding the plane, you could wear one of these bags with the bag part in front, and "claim" it is a belt.

 

(or perhaps tuck it under your shirt and act like you have a "beer belly")...

I have the ThinkTank Speed Freak! Mine will actually hold two dSLR cameras, one w/ 14-54 lens, and one w/ the 70-300 + teleconverter! I noticed the zippers are SO much easier to work than my other bags. For people w/ arthritis, it could make the difference. For airports, we're going to attach it to our Wheelie w/ a Bag Bungee.