Camera gear in luggage?

[leicanewbie]

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I would recommend looking into a Hartmann bag.

 

I travel on business and the difficulty has been finding a compact way to carry laptop, power cords, documents, and a spare suit ( in case my checked luggage is delayed ).

 

I purchased a leather Hartmann laptop bag, which has 3 compartments. the outside compartments comfortably fit laptop and cords, plus books/magazines, and the inside compartment can fit a folded up jacket, slacks and shirt. Believe me I've looked long

and hard for something like this and most laptop bags don't cut it.

 

The fact that there's the middle compartment means that instead of the jacket/slacks/shirt it should comfortably fit an R8 and probably 2 - 3 lenses. But you would have to come up with a little bit of a foam padding just to keep things organized and in place.

 

I hope to do this myself and once I have it figured out, I'll post a photo.

 

Note the bag wasn't cheap -- 600 USD retail. But I guess that pales in comparison to

the thousands spent on Leica bodies and lenses

[AlanG]

 

Porter Case -

 

Seems like a good and safe case but at 5kgs it's way too heavy. I think the most major companies make their luggage in China or some cheap Asian countries, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're available in Hong Kong.

I experienced that with lots of other items.

 

Well I looked at the Tamrac rolling cases and they were 12-17 lbs. The Think Tank one is 4-5kgs depending on dividers. So consider that the Porter case has a hard shell, secure locking and can be used as a hand cart, plus it may have more room inside becasue the hardcase design may not need as much padding. Maybe it's worth an additional pound or two. Also, the illustration doesn't show this but there is a removable sheet of dense foam that goes between the top compartment and the lower one to pad the gear in the bottom.

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[topoxforddoc]

Marc,

 

There used to be a 13lb weight limit on BA cabin luggage. Things are a lot tougher travelling out of the UK than inbound. Before you buy your bag, I would email BA in the UK and ask. At least if you have a paper trail, you can talk sensbly to the people at check-in if they decide to weigh your carry-on. That's why I've gone for a lighter rucksack like the computrekker. I can usually get a change of clothes in as well as basic wash items in it as well as my camera gear. The compurover has a smaller camera compartment, but more space for your gear. I'm just wary of taking heavy carry-ons onto UK outbound flights. Just occasionally you'll get caught short - then what do you do?

 

Charlie

[dkCambridgeshire]

The case that really works for me is the Porter Case.

 

Computer & Camera Cases - Porter Case Divider Foam Padded Camera Computer Case - Wheeled Luggage Travel Carryon Case

 

This models lists at $335 but is available for $241 here:

Porter Case Deluxe Divider PCII PHPL Case

 

I don't know if they are available overseas, but they are now constructed in China so maybe they are in Hong Kong.

 

The Porter cases are unique in that they convert into a handcart. (The Porter soft rolling bags do not convert to handcarts.) This has been very useful to me as my other cases are large and heavy and can be stacked on top and moved easily througn the airport or anywhere else. It works like regular wheeled luggage if you don't set the handle in the handcart position.

 

This model is the maximum size allowed for overhead airlines. They make a smaller series called "Elite" models. It has a top compatment for my laptop and the bottom has movable dividers. Besides using it when I travel, it is my standard equipment case for day to day jobs. I've used it for almost 4 years now and it has really held up - it's still like new. I highly recomend it. There is a smaller version too.

 

I have 2 Porter Cases ... one of them fell apart at the lid seam ... I had to use epoxy resin to reattach the lid to the metal band that fits around the lid edge ... although I use them for storage, because of the fault I was not impressed with the build quality and would not use them again for transit purposes. Bought mine as "used" but actually NOS from a well known UK camera dealer ... the lid came apart after 2 months storage/transit of my Hasselblad outfit which is fairly heavy .. but would have expected better strength and 'burst' resistance.

 

Dunk

[jaapv]

I'm sure Fedex or UPS will be happy to ship excess stuff to your destination overnight. If necessary you can collect it at their local office.

[Leicamateur]

I'm sure Fedex or UPS will be happy to ship excess stuff to your destination overnight. If necessary you can collect it at their local office.

 

I'm definitely sure they would be happy. I'd be happy too for the kind of money they charge

[zapp]

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World wide I think.

 

What it amounts to is you can lock your checked bags BUT the locks MAY be broken to gain access for security checks. The last 3 trips I made from the UK to the US I discovered a card in the bottom of my case saying it had been opened. The people who did it were good, I wouldn't have known except for the cards.

 

For the US you can get TSA approved locks which they can open with a key. However the fact they can be opened with TSA key would make me cautious about how much extra security they offer.

 

Bob.

 

I love the story behind this. In theory we have spend billions on airport security, but at the same time people can take things of your luggage or add things to it, isn't it a wonderful world?

[jrc]

I love the story behind this. In theory we have spend billions on airport security, but at the same time people can take things of your luggage or add things to it, isn't it a wonderful world?

 

Yeah, it makes my heart sing.

 

My daughter recently had a fairly expensive (~$600) P&S stolen from her checked luggage in the US; she had to put it in her checked luggage because she was carrying a baby and baby supplies, which took up all of her allotted carry-on space. She believes the camera was stolen by the security guys, or somebody who spotted it with X-Rays, because she'd tucked it away well inside the bag, wrapped in clothes. When she found it was missing, she asked us all the obvious question -- who would take the time to open a bag and go through bunch of clothes, steal a camera, then close the bag and ship it on, all without knowing in advance that there was something small and portable and easily salable inside? I actually think you have a better chance of getting big expensive equipment like major lenses through in checked baggage, than you do stuff like P&S cameras. With the expensive stuff, people on e-bay are going to want to know serial numbers, etc., while with a P&S, they're pretty safe to sell anywhere. Here in the US, people routinely send very expensive rifles as checked luggage, and they do't go missing.

 

I think because of the unusual restrictions in the UK, when I go to London I'll probably only go in-bound, and then fly out of the continent; spend a couple of days in Paris or Amsterdam instead of spending the whole trip in London. I mostly travel recreationally now, and the idea of winding up the trip in Paris (taking the chunnel train) is no big penalty...

 

There are lots of bags that will take a computer, the necessary plug-ins, plus a Leica and four lenses; I have two of them myself. The other possibility is to pack a day bag in your checked luggage, then take the biggest allowable piece of soft luggage stuffed with a jacket and slacks as padding, with the laptop and camera gear inside. You can get a lot of stuff in a smallish bag if there's not a lot of space wasted on padding and dividers.

 

The thing you have to be careful about in the states, and in some flights between eastern European cities, are those very small planes (like 32 seaters) where they actually have to balance the weight. Sometimes, they make you check everything. The good part is that they often do it right at planeside, so there are limited opportunities for theft...

 

JC

[jaapv]

I'm definitely sure they would be happy. I'd be happy too for the kind of money they charge

 

Yes-sure, but compared to stolen camera gear....

[Leicamateur]

Well, I'm back from my trip and guess what. I didn't bother to buy new luggage.

I replaced my damaged combination lock with a simple small locker, there are so many dedicated trolleys etc. for photo gear out there and many of them cost quite a lot so I couldn't decide to buy any.

 

When it was time to leave London and continue my trip my nightmare came true.

Those security guys wouldn't let me go through with my camera around my neck (Digilux 3). Btw I also had a small plastic bag with some cookies and an apple, they wouldn't let me take that either!

 

I went on disputing with them and BA staff repeatedly times but with no success. My carry-on luggage full already and no way to put my camera in by checked luggage.

Only chance was to take out chargers and some cable stuff from my carry-on, check it with the big luggage in a small carton, packed in a bag which was provided by BA and hoping they wouldn't lose it.

So my camera fit in my carry-on and after some convincing I could get the BA staff to dump my cookies coz you won't find a single trashcan on the entire airport.

 

And suddenly all was good (for them) and I could go through security.

Just to find myself on the other side, able to buy stuff in dozens of shops and at the end anyone can still bring more than 1 carry-on luggage and stuff on the plane.

 

WTF? Anyway, guess this was my last BA trip as they cancelled my flight back without any good reason, official reason was cancelled coz bad weather, just funny that other airlines just landed fine. Well... enough said.

 

Next time there will be 1 camera and maximum 2 lenses and never again stopover in London if I don't have to.

[topoxforddoc]

Marc,

 

Sorry to hear about your woes. There are few trash cans as terrorists drop bombs into them! As one of the countries high up on the terrorist hit-list (along with the USA), then to be honest one just has to put up with it. It was even worse a couple of years ago - no carry-ons at all. I carried my R9/DMR in my hand and stuffed my lenses in my coat pockets!

 

Charlie

[jimcollum]

i worked for a computer company who had supplied the hardware/software for the baggage display signs at Honolulu Airport. They had to escort me thru the baggage handling area a few times a day to get in and out of the server room. After that job, I'd never put anything in my luggage that was important. There is very little care taken with bags going on and off of the plane. i watched as handlers loaded bags onto the trams, swinging them overhand and slamming them down onto the surface. This wasn't just one upset baggage handler... there were a number doing it, and laughing at the same time. i watched this repeatedly over the week that i was there. This, in addition to all the preveious posts, have been reason enough to limit my checked baggage contents to unbreakables

[jacksparrow]

Taking a plane has become a huge pain in the ass: take off your shoes, your belt, watch, wallet...no liquids allowed, if your jeans have a couple of milligarms of metal, then hands up and prepare for a full body search... soon they'll look inside the mouth and who knows what's next!

The worst thing to me is that I can't stop thinking this is just a huge staged play to make people to feel secure, but does not actually have much impact in our security.

Anyway, glad you could stuff your camera gear with you.

[Xavier Ray]

No way I would put cameras in my checked luggage. Whether locked or not i've had locked cases popped open and the lock destroyed. This was before the rule about leaving cases unlocked. One halliburton was sprung open with a screw driver and the lock broken. To the surprise of the thieves there was nothing but power cables inside. I had one checked halliburton dropped out of the back of the plane onto the concrete. This was thirty years ago before the madness of the airlines. The case contained 3 M bodies and 7 Leica lenses and a visoflex and bellows. The cameras weren't hurt but it too a year to get the claim settled on the case damage. It was never resolved to my satisfaction, thanks Delta. On a recent trip to Califormnia I watched the Delta agent throw my luggage onto the belt.

[kodaktrix]

I can confirm what Marc described. We came back from Heathrow two weeks ago. BA said that only one piece of hand luggage would be allowed. We had to put the small handbag of my wife into her rucksack, which was stressed to the limit then. I had bought a couple of books, as I thought that anything one buys in the airport does not count as additional hand luggage, but it is staff you buy bejond the security check, not before. As the BA guy who had stopped me was distracted with other persons, I fumbled about my rucksack, which also was stuffed to the neck, and hid the bag with the books under my Barbour jacket I had hung over my arm. We went past the guy, to the security, who were not BA personal and did not care about the additional bag.

 

What we learned from that was that BA realy does not allow any second piece of handluggage, may it be as small and lightweight as possible, and even if the total weight of the handluggage is far below the seven kilogramms there is no exception.

 

Regards

 

Oliver

[topoxforddoc]

Oliver

 

It is not BA (British Airways) but the BAA (British Airport Authority) who make the 1 hand luggage rule. This was introduced by the Governement after the terror attacks and implemented by the airports.

 

Charlie

[jaapv]

The answer is of course a photovest. That will take up to 20 kg's of photogear and there is nothing they can say....

[Leicamateur]

I

 

What we learned from that was that BA realy does not allow any second piece of handluggage, may it be as small and lightweight as possible, and even if the total weight of the handluggage is far below the seven kilogramms there is no exception.

 

Regards

 

Oliver

 

Well, actually in my case the nice enough lady from BA couldn't care less if I took 1 or 5 carry on luggages with me. Just the security guys made big trouble.

The BA lady said it were ok, I told the security guy. He still wouldn't let me through and said like "ok, you let her come and tell me"... then I actually grabbed the BA lady, took her to the security guy and she told him it was ok on BAs side, but this guy just said I still couldn't get through and he suddenly wouldn't confirm the story from before that I'd come through if BA oks it.

Well, I was really pissed off... so we (BA lady and me) went back to the BA counter, figuring out that the only way was to put charger and cable stuff with checked luggage (separate in a carton box) and therefore put my camera in carry on luggage.

 

And as I nicely asked the BA lady to please get rid of my cookies which I weren't allowed to carry on she looked at them as it were a bomb.. REALLY!

 

These were so nice cookies... ya'll from London should know them... the chocolate ones with chocolate chunks and some big oat cookies from Marks and Spencer.

 

I thought about eating them but I just had 3 pieces and an apple, I just couldn't get myself to swallow more 7 cookies

 

If I had more time I'd travel by sea.

[wattsy]

I don't disagree that travelling by air is an unpleasant experience nowadays and that the rules seem arbitrary and often without logic. However, the rules are pretty clearly spelled out at the airport and are not especially difficult to understand. It therefore always amazes me that so many individuals always expect exceptions to be made for them. It's just not worth the headache of getting into an argument with the security staff and trying to circumvent the rules by wearing stuff, etc. is just asking for hassle.

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Hallo,

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[jaapv]

I don't disagree that travelling by air is an unpleasant experience nowadays and that the rules seem arbitrary and often without logic. However, the rules are pretty clearly spelled out at the airport and are not especially difficult to understand. It therefore always amazes me that so many individuals always expect exceptions to be made for them. It's just not worth the headache of getting into an argument with the security staff and trying to circumvent the rules by wearing stuff, etc. is just asking for hassle.

 

The problem is just that they are spelled out clearly. Any international terrorist worth his salt will operate within the rules, and the innocent feel they get hassled. An insoluble dilemma, I fear.