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Migs

Migs

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Miguel
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Hi there,
Does anyone know if the airliners let you travel with photographic backpacks
without problems? I am off to Brasil next Monday and decided to take my equipment with me...... but I have a Tamrac Expedition 7 and I don't know if it is too big or not.......:shrug:
If you travel a lot, let me know... Please:thumbs:
 
It would depend on the carrier. As long as its not to big you should be O.K. You certainly can't be expected to be made to have your camera and lenses put in the hold where they can grow legs and wander off.
 
Check the website of the airline, then compare with the dimensions and weight (if applicable) of the bag you have. The best and worst allowances differ considerably.
 
I don't think they care if it's a photographic backpack. All they'll care about is the dimentions and weight.

As has been said, check your carrier for their allowances, stay within them and take it as hand luggage.

PS. I always put my carry on under the seat in front since I saw some idiot forcing his oversized bag into the overhead and squashing mine into a corner.
 
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since I saw some idiot forcing his oversized bag into the overhead and squashing mine into a corner.
Click to expand...

Not as bad as some guy forcing his oversized arse into the seat next to you and squashing you into a corner!
 
jamesoliverstone said:
I travel with my Tamrac Expedition 8X in the cabin with me and have never had any issues (and that bag is bursting with gear!).
Click to expand...
This is not sound advice. The dimensions of the Tamrac Expedition 8X exceed the EU limits for carry-on bags (56 x 45 x 25cm).

As others have said, check with your airline. There is a good photographer-friendly guide to different airlines' allowances here.
 
I'll be taking a Tamrac Expedition 5X to S.America in a couple of weeks. I could really do with a bigger pack as I'm having to substitute a 5DII with an LX5 if I'm going to fit in a pair of binos.
I'll manage to fit in a 7D and 3 lenses + other bits but the big test will be on internal flights.
Tame Airlines in Ecuador have a 7 Kilo carry-on weight limit so the lighter weight of the smaller bag will become an asset.

Edit: As an afterthought looking at that link,, some airlines give an all over dimension as the limit others couple this with LDW measurements while others only give LDW. The 20cm depth figure they give virtually rules out taking any reasonably sized back pack with gear in it, even if the overall dimensions are within limits.

I'm getting pretty worried about this as I'm certainly not going to allow my precious gear to go in the hold.
 
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footman said:
I'll be taking a Tamrac Expedition 5X to S.America in a couple of weeks. I could really do with a bigger pack as I'm having to substitute a 5DII with an LX5 if I'm going to fit in a pair of binos.
I'll manage to fit in a 7D and 3 lenses + other bits but the big test will be on internal flights.
Tame Airlines in Ecuador have a 7 Kilo carry-on weight limit so the lighter weight of the smaller bag will become an asset.

Edit: As an afterthought looking at that link,, some airlines give an all over dimension as the limit others couple this with LDW measurements while others only give LDW. The 20cm depth figure they give virtually rules out taking any reasonably sized back pack with gear in it, even if the overall dimensions are within limits.

I'm getting pretty worried about this as I'm certainly not going to allow my precious gear to go in the hold.
Click to expand...

I took over 15kg with me to Thailand and it was never weighed, if you can carry the bag with ease and it doesn't look huge you should be okay
 
I use a Tamrac Evolution 8 for carry on.

I think the secret is to make it appear as light as possible in your handling of it. If your main luggage is overweight they may insist on weighing your hand luggage.
I usually put my tripod, panohead and flash gun in my main luggage.

It has been suggested here that you turn up in a 'poachers' coat and if your hand luggage is too heavy you just transfer to the coat pockets, then transfer back after check in.
 
Never had any problem on scheduled flights so long as you stay within any dimensions specified and more rarely any weights specified, but you would need to check main flights and internal. Typically hand luggage hasn't been weighed. You also need to check if airports themselves have any maximum dimensions which may not be the same as the carriers. I've also been on flights with no underseat luggage allowed, only overhead locker, and indeed some where it wouldn't be possible to stow underseat due to foot bars and lifejackets.

Charter flights are the worst, the holiday carriers Thomson etc, weigh everything so they can squeeze an extra buck if you go over any.
 
I've finally settled on buying a new bag, I could foresee problems with the Tamrac 5X on the small Tame Airlines plane.
I've settled on a ThinkTank Antidote
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/airport-antidote-backpack.aspx

Packed it up this morning and I've managed to get in:

7D body
5D2 body
300 F4L IS
70-200 F4L IS
24-105
50 1.4
Kenko 1.4x TC, Panny LX5, BlackRapid double strap, a pair of 8x56 binos and a kindle.
It satisfies the size requirements of the flights to Madrid and Quito and with using a cheapo Regatta photographers vest it's light enough to pass the paltry 7Kg limits of Tame Airlines to the islands.

The last thing I wanted was to be forced to check in any photo gear to the mercy of baggage handling.
 
footman said:
I've finally settled on buying a new bag, I could foresee problems with the Tamrac 5X on the small Tame Airlines plane.
I've settled on a ThinkTank Antidote
http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/airport-antidote-backpack.aspx

Packed it up this morning and I've managed to get in:

7D body
5D2 body
300 F4L IS
70-200 F4L IS
24-105
50 1.4
Kenko 1.4x TC, Panny LX5, BlackRapid double strap, a pair of 8x56 binos and a kindle.
It satisfies the size requirements of the flights to Madrid and Quito and with using a cheapo Regatta photographers vest it's light enough to pass the paltry 7Kg limits of Tame Airlines to the islands.

The last thing I wanted was to be forced to check in any photo gear to the mercy of baggage handling.
Click to expand...


Sensible approach Laurence :thumbs:
 
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