[Saaby]

Hey all,

Quick Background on me:
I am an Engineering student, but I have an artistic side too. I have worked previously in film & video.

Ok...I am an Engineering Student and have been working with a team who is going next week to be part of a competition. They were supposed to have a professional (I guess I'm professional too, but I mean somebody who does this full time) videographer go with them, but at the last second he was too expensive or something.

I got a phone call from the team captain inviting me to come with them, all expenses paid, if I'd be the documentarian.

Needless to say I'm having a good week

Here's what I'm wondering about...

I'll be flying across the country. I need to take my friend K100D with me. If it was just that it would be no problem, I'd throw it in my carry-on and be done. The problem is I will be taking a Panasonic HVX-200 as well.

Any travel tips?

I'm guessing the safest thing to do is to forgoe taking any personal items in my carry-on and reserve the space for my MacBook Pro, K100D, and the HVX. Do you think my lenses would be safe in my check-on luggage though? I would keep the kit lens on the camera and in the carry-on would be OLD, manual focus Pentax 50mm lens and a Sears 80-200. I'm not super worried about those lenses...both of them together cost me less than the Kit lens, but I am worried that somebody would think they looked interesting and keep them for themself.


Suggestions?

It's Wednesday afternoon...I'll likely be flying out some time Friday.

[cardinal43]

Don't know if this information will help you but, in March 09, I flew r/t from VA to CA. I checked my suitcase, but I had 2 carryon bags: my company laptop in it's case and my K100D + 4 lens (18-55 kit, Tamron 70-300, Super Tak 55mm, and Super Tak 28mm), plus extra batteries and charger, in a LowePro 200 slingshot camera bag. I personally would never put any of my photographic equipment in my checked baggage. I had no trouble with the LowePro, but that computer bag was a royal pain in the ass. Unfortunately, I had to have it for work. It would have been nice to have both bags combined, and if the laptop actually belonged to me, that is what I would do.

[skydragoness]

I took my camera bag and a shoulder/messenger-style bag on the plane to the Dominican Rep. this past March. You should have no issues at all, esp. when I saw what other people were lugging onto the plane. You should be able to put the bigger bag (i'm guessing the video stuff will be big) in the overhead compartment and the camera bag can tuck under your seat.

[VaSA]

This winter I was going to Europe and i had two K200D cameras with me. I just put them in my carry-on, and that was that. I figured at the control they might ask why I have two cameras and I would just tell them that I have an extremely important photoshoot and need a backup camera, they never asked though.

Or are you asking if you can put a Pentax and a Panasonic in the same bag without them getting into a fight?

[skydragoness]

Or are you asking if you can put a Pentax and a Panasonic in the same bag without them getting into a fight?

That's more of a security issue I'd say...

[nah]

Based on TSA rules, you are allowed 1 bag for photogear. So essentially you're allowed 3 bags, 1 personal, 1 carry on, and 1 for photography equipment. Here's the link: TSA: Photographic Equipment & Film

That said, some airlines have their own rules regarding how much you can bring on a flight. I've never had a problem before, but I've read some people have. If they do ask, just ask if they follow TSA guidelines, if they do they let them know about the photogear rule. I'd print out that link and fight them with it.

[Saaby]

Oh hey -- in my slightly frenzied state (More background: I just moved home for the summer last week. "My Life" -- or in other words -- almost everything I own, is still spread across the floor of my room, haven't had time to unpack. I didn't have a final departure time until 5 this afternoon and I still don't know my entire travel itinerary.) I totally forgot that I can take 1 larger and 1 smaller bag on board.

I'll probably try to pack as light as I can. I'll have to see what kind of Bag the Panasonic comes in, but I'll probably just carry it on, plus a backpack. Either my giant JanSport bag with my laptop and K100D in it, or my LowePro SlingShot.

Even if I could technically have 3 carry-on bags, that's just a hassle.

If I don't take the LowePro on board, I'll probably pack socks in it and stuff it in a suitcase...when I'm not flying, it's much nicer to carry my Camera in, than my giant JanSport Bag (Which stores my laptop+necessities nicely)

Thanks for the info.

[RioRico]

The last time we flew, we had a couple advanced PNS cams and gear (and laptop) in our carryons, along with spare underwear etc. All our other clothes and stuff were in checked bags. We boarded in Sacramento (California), disembarked in Fairbanks (Alaska), while our checked bags went to Fargo (North Dakota). In November. Luckily we got to a Fred Meyer superstore and bought replacement arctic gear before we froze. Our bags arrived from Fargo a couple days later, torn apart, with some contents missing.

I would NEVER NEVER NEVER put anything valuable or irreplacable in checked baggage. NEVER NEVER NEVER. Common battery chargers, cheap tripod, tool kit, maybe. But nothing that can't be quickly replaced at WalMart or BestBuy etc. A non-trivial percentage of checked bags go missing, ending up in an auction warehouse in Mississippi. You do NOT want your gear to join them.

[THAN THE SWORD]

Once, and only once, I tried to lighten my carry on and transferred a Minolta flash to my checked bag.

It was the last time I ever saw it. It was on a flight from DC to Houston.

TSA, or whoever, did leave one of those notices that my bag had been inspected though.

So I agree, never ever check anything valuable or irreplaceable.

(I never knew about the TSA rule on photography gear, I have already printed it out for my next trip.)