Photo equipment and planes

[mark_farrell]

I'm moving to Australia shortly. Obviously this involves a plane, and I would guess I'll be flying quite regularly thereafter. Just how big a bag can you get away with as carry-on?

I'm looking at the Lowepro Pro Trekkers, and although WarehouseExpress states they are fine as carry-on, looking at their dimensions, they seem somewhat larger than those set out at direct.gov.

Presumably this is a headache for many travelling togs, so how do you go about it?

 

[Freester]

Unfortunately most airlines vary.

The pro trekker is within most airlines limits. Check the individual airline website for size and weight limits of hand luggage.

Obviously leave the tripod / monopod in your check in baggage as well as any little tools that may be regarded as sharp.

 

[mark_farrell]

Thanks for your swift reply. Certainly the 300 seems close to the limit, but the 600 looks huge! What's the likelyhood of that being OK, or am I just best getting the smallest I can get away with? I don't (and never expect to) have a 600mm lens, but the extra space would be great for waterproofs / food whilst out hiking...

I'm basically after a bag that is airline friendly and has room for a laptop, but it will mostly be used in lieu of a normal rucksack whilst out hiking. The bags I've seen with a separate compartment for clothing / food don't hold enough camera gear...

 

[Byker28i]

I have the Lowepro AW Computrekker which exceeds the weight limit but size wise is fine. It fits nicely under the seat in front.

 

[mark_farrell]

I'd be looking at carrying:

Canon 5DII with 24-105L
Canon 70-200 f4 IS L
Canon 17-40 f4 L
Canon 180mm f3.5 macro
Canon 85mm f1.8
Canon 50mm f1.4
Sigma 20mm f1.8
Nissin flash
Possibly Canon EOS300 film body
Usual menagerie of filters, cards batteries etc
Netbook
Benbo Trekker Tripod

Food / drink, extra layer, first aid etc

Is this asking for the moon on a stick?

 

[MisterE]

Computrekker AW Plus, containing a 17in laptop, will fit within the standard baggage size frames [56cm x 45cm x 25cm 22ins x 18ins x 10ins] provided you don't pack it fatter than the dividers/sides and don't put anything in the front pockets.

 

[eggbanjo]

I went to India last year and took a
5d
G10
70-200L 2.8 is
17-40
100 macro
580ex
in a tamarac expedition 7 as hand luggage. Size was fine but it was borderline weight wise.

 

[Julie1979]

I use the lowepro fastpack 250. It's been fine for all airlines apart from a little Flybe plane although I managed to get it under my seat without crew noticing. You are best to check the dimensions on the airline website and also the weight limit too.

 

[Arkady]

For that lot I'd buy a Peli case, lock it with a huge padlock and check it as hold-luggage.
Maybe keep one camera body and a short zoom with you in case al-Qaeda storm the terminal...