Traveling with camera gear

[thibert]

Its getting harder to travel with camera gear do any of you put housings strobes in checked baggage in a pelican case?
If not what is your suggestions

 

[Hintermann]

I have been travelling with camera gear for years. Most of it - camera with housing, lens etc I carried in hand luggage but my Ikelite AF35 strobes were too bulky for that and I have always packed them with checked baggage, I use Honl photo wraps to protect the strobe heads and pack them carefully between layers of clothing. At the check-in, I get the staff to put a 'fragile' sticker on the bag. It has worked without a glitch for almost 20 trips.

 

[ColoDale]

All camera gear is carry on in a pelican case. It is becomming a beast but everyting is protected. I have not had airline or security/customs problems except one Dallas Customs guy who asked if I had receipts so afterward I went to a regional ariport that had US customs with the proper forms and S/N's and registered them. I carry those in the case.

 

[John A Lewis]

At a dive show in Houston a few years ago, I met with the editors/photographers of one of the dive publications. We got to talking about the hot topic at that time: TSA and their manhandling of dive and photo equipment due to lack of clear guidelines and even failure to follow those in effect.

The answer they had found was to ship the gear ahead directly to themselves or a trusted person, bypassing TSA and similar such organizations.

"My stuff always arrives now" one said, "I think because of being secured and insured by the shipping firm in transit. TSA and the airlines don't do anything like that."

Oddly, TSA had secured booth space at the same show, and was scheduled to answer questions from attendees about bringing dive equipment through security.

They never showed up during the two days of the show. The booth stood empty. No explanation was ever given.

 

[muzikbiz22]

All camera gear is carry on in a pelican case. It is becomming a beast but everyting is protected. I have not had airline or security/customs problems except one Dallas Customs guy who asked if I had receipts so afterward I went to a regional ariport that had US customs with the proper forms and S/N's and registered them. I carry those in the case.

Never been asked for receipts, serial numbers, etc., by Customs, TSA, etc. What forms ?? Can you elaborate ? To answer the OP's questions, all stuff, (camera, lenses, housing, strobes) goes in normal (travelpro or Briggs/Reilly) carry on, along with shirts and undies as packing. Hardware, arms, clamps, etc., goes "checked".

 

[rakay]

I carry on my camera, housing, batteries and charger, memory cards, lens.
I pack the rest in checked luggage with bubble wrap and clothing. Some I put into sturdy plastic food containers with a latch type lid.
Make sure you buy insurance for just in case.
I have never had a problem with any of it packed. As for Dallas Customs Guy.....what is that all about??
I never heard of such a thing. If it's TSA...it figures...but if it was customs and border...that is strange.
We travel world wide and never heard of that happening.

We only got harassed in Jamaica about our scuba gear and camera equipment upon entering Jamica. I don't think that lady knew what she was doing.
We had to get into a different line and went straight through without anyone checking any bags anyway.

 

[tursiops]

As for Dallas Customs Guy.....what is that all about??
I never heard of such a thing. If it's TSA...it figures...but if it was customs and border...that is strange.
We travel world wide and never heard of that happening.

If you don't want to pay an import duty on your photo equipment when you return to the US, then you should register your equipment to prove that you have taken it out of the country and are just bringing it back. Here is the info:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...ter,-camera,-laptops,-etc.-prior-to-traveling
You are welcome to skip this, of course, but then if you do get dinged, don't come on here asking for sympathy!

A friend on a recent trip to Cabo St Lucas had to pay an import duty into Mexico because he had more than three cameras. They didn't count the camera in his phone, so at least he didn't get hit with the full duty!

 

[Doc]

Its getting harder to travel with camera gear do any of you put housings strobes in checked baggage in a pelican case?
If not what is your suggestions

Pelicans that are checked baggage, and they all should be, should also be inserted inside duffel bags. Nothing says "steal here for maximum benefit" other than a Pelican.... well, maybe a Halliburton. (those are the silver ones that always have nuclear launch codes in them) I have actually sold components to Pelican, I have been around these cases since the 1970's. They are an emotional purchase and the majority of civilian (individual personal) purchases are a symptom of man's need to convey his feelings toward the prized object inside.

Absolute proof: Amazon.com: Invicta IG0098-RLC8S-Y 8 Slot Yellow Plastic Watch Box Case: Invicta: Watches

If you need a mathematical proof, examine the possible internal capacity in cubic inches (the actual capacity, what with all the foam that you first agonize over plucking), that internal capacity versus the exterior size (volume) of the outside of the case. For the capacity you get, it sure takes up a whole lot of room.

Pelicans (and similar) are designed to USGI Specifications. Uncle Green doesn't really care too much about shipping weight, volume, or even the cost of such a container. They employ people that handle cargo like semi-tame Gorillas, and they also tend to drop stuff a lot. Sometimes very quickly from great heights. If it's good enough for a GI to sleep on top of in Afghanistan, it's good enough for me to buy one at the local dive shop.

Pelicans are by design a hermetically sealed container. This is supposed to be a HUGE FLAG to airport security because of the obvious circumvention of "bomb sniffing" equipment. For the same reason, people that feel better by bringing Pony Bottles with them are supposed to leave the opening unsealed. Not taped. Not nothin'. This will really confuse TSA when Davey the Diver is heading for his big annual trip to Jamaica with his 6 cf pony, but I digress, but really not much.

By the book, such cases are to be un-sealed and pawed through with fastidious precision. Have what case that you will, but don't bitch when someone is doing a check that inherently makes some kind of sense, even for TSA.

Check the overhead bins carefully, stowed items may have shifted during the flight and may fall out and kill that dweeb in the middle seat who is still strapped-in and snoring during the getcherassoff the plane scramble. Kill him deader than Nixon, a falling Pelican will.

All camera gear is carry on in a pelican case. It is becomming a beast but everyting is protected.

A "beast" indeed, and protected... from what? A runaway drink cart? A clumsy Stewardii ?

Carry on in a Pelican. Why would you suffer the weight and minimal usable internal space to get a hernia dragging precious camera gear in a box that will survive a plane crash itself? Pelican cases are for checked baggage of for thinking that you're going to impress someone. Try a soft sided backpack with t-shirts for padding. Not sexy, but infinitely more efficient... until the plane crashes. Then your Pelican will stand as a testament of your "be prepared" attitude to your widow. That Pelican will survive and be sitting next to the BLACK BOX. (which everybody like to point out is actually orange) You, on the other hand, will not likely have the other hand, and will be a bit of pink smoosh on the otherwise lush island landscape.

At a dive show in Houston a few years ago, I met with the editors/photographers of one of the dive publications.

The answer they had found was to ship the gear ahead directly to themselves or a trusted person, bypassing TSA and similar such organizations.

The "editors/photographers of dive publications" go to exotic places to do stories on dive destinations that actually have UPS and FedEx. How cute. Any place that has UPS access ought to have enough stock photography and articles on TripAdvisor to plagiarize to write any advertorial. Of course, there wouldn't then be a tax deduction for traveling to write your "newsletter". FedEx your stuff to Cayman, especially since it's a tax deduction for your "publication". Real Clutch Cargo type of exploration there.

And, sorry, I didn't catch that- who am I shipping this in care of... who's going to sign for it and guard it pending my arrival? I can understand if it hits the Concierge Desk of the Hilton, it will be just fine. He will hold it for me until I arrive and change into my pith helmet for my "exploring the island".

I can assure you that the professionals handing out that advice never enjoyed the good old days of unlimited baggage when we stuffed our Nikonos cameras into Igloo 56qt coolers and duct taped the snot out of them. Times change, but that "ship-it-ahead" advice is largely unusable.

Oddly, TSA had secured booth space at the same show, and was scheduled to answer questions from attendees about bringing dive equipment through security.

They never showed up during the two days of the show. The booth stood empty. No explanation was ever given.

It was probably for the best. They're going to send two people chosen on their high level of expertise and on-the-line experience with TSA baggage checks, certainly, in-tune with gateway cities that handle large volumes of SCUBA Gear. They will be hand selected representatives for the US Government that have life experiences about dive related travel.

They will then stand in the booth (after taking turns wandering around the SCUBA show with blank stares on their way to the convention center snack bar to spend their per diem on $9 hamburgers and $3 Cokes) and listen to anxious SCUBA travelers ask questions and look for reassurances, neither of which are forthcoming.

If they had shown up, you have roughly the same benefit delivered if they had not shown up.

Standing at a booth does not an expert make. I stood in front of a DAN booth at the Houston show and listened to three of the staffers speak quite authoritatively about the charbroiled diver found in a tree at 11,500 ft above sea level.

Show or no show, I can assure you that the people staffing the TSA booth were paid for their time. Over time for weekends.

If you don't want to pay an import duty on your photo equipment when you return to the US, then you should register your equipment to prove that you have taken it out of the country and are just bringing it back.

I have not had airline or security/customs problems except one Dallas Customs guy who asked if I had receipts so afterward I went to a regional ariport that had US customs with the proper forms and S/N's and registered them. I carry those in the case.

NOT security. It used to be a Customs issue. This is a hold-over from the old days when you could actually buy cameras cheaper outside of the USA. Haven't heard this goofiness in 30+ years. If this improbable event occurs in the US, ask for a Supervisor.

A friend on a recent trip to Cabo St Lucas had to pay an import duty into Mexico because he had more than three cameras. They didn't count the camera in his phone, so at least he didn't get hit with the full duty!

This is not "import duty", this is a Mexican "authority" looking for a "tax payment". See it for what it is.

Its getting harder to travel with camera gear do any of you put housings strobes in checked baggage in a pelican case?
If not what is your suggestions

Get a used housed Canon G10 of of EBay, wrap it in your wetsuit and check it.... and shoot with the on-board strobe. If you're going to make your dive interesting by dragging around pounds of professional level gear, get a contract for National Geographic and use the extra luggage fee receipts as a business expense.

I hear they make housings for iPhones nowadays.

 

[tursiops]

In a bad mood, Doc?

 

[Doc]

In a bad mood, Doc?

Don't make me pull over and open that Halliburton.