Hello everyone,
Just wondering whether anyone has any advice for travelling overseas with a camera? I also have an Instax polaroid camera that i would like to take with me.
What you mean by overseas may help. From where to where?
I have traveled with my dslr without any problem. I carry it and accessories in a back pack as carry on luggage. The only difficulty I ever experienced was in leaving Pakistan, where the battery was an issue. I never did find out why.
There has been some discussion about carrying aboard a plane from some destinations into the US, being a problem. From some Arabic countries the body needed to be packed in checked luggage.
I ALWAYS have my DSLR and all lenses in my hand luggage (and always stick to the correct size case). Remember girlies can usually carry hand luggage and a hand bag, so, providing it isn't bigger than the airlines size, that is another option.
Also learnt that if you take out all the interior padding of a bespoke camera bag and pad your kit out with clothes instead. You can even by a very lightweight case and do the same. A friend always has a dslr and a short lens round her neck to help with weight allowances when they are limited!
Depends on your airline too. Check with them what your luggage allowance is. Some are more strict than others. I use my second bag allowance for my camera bag. I've seen staff make people pack their handbags into their carry on luggage, so I make sure I know what's allowed, as I wouldn't want to have to try to pack a camera at the airport.
Travelling with a DSLR is usually fine as they're pretty standard "normal" items. At the airport they usually want to scan the battery charger and sometimes battery (for some reason, this happened at London, but not in Germany) but there's never been a real issue!
Make sure you bring backups of the usual things. Extra SD cards (especially if you have nowhere to offload pictures), an extra battery, an extra USB cable. Things that mean it's less likely the camera will be out of action due to some tiny thing being lost or breaking. Make sure you bring a plug adapter (or two) suitable to wherever you're going to. Usually stuff works on whatever voltage and frequency, but sometimes I've had batteries seem to take forever to charge. Of course most the big brands are available worldwide and it's easy to pick up compatible spares in most places.
For film cameras people do say to store film in your main luggage as the Xray power used on main luggage is usually less than hand luggage.
@sasslater I don't know if the rools are still the same, but as a transit passenger in London I (and everyone else) always had the have just ONE carry-on item, not even a little additional purse. I've seen a lot of people trying to fit one piece of carry-on into another - very frustrating. Might not be the rule anymore, or not for arrivals (only transfers), but I've had to go through it at least three times.
I wrote this one two years ago. When I traveled, my backpack was my carryon, and I used the pockets to get in my travel docs, wallet, etc too. You can always pack a smaller gear holder in your main bag. I also was able to use a sling purse on my body to hold things without a problem, but I made sure the things in them (creature comforts) could go in my pack. The pack I used is no longer made; however, you can find them on ebay cheap or you can use one that you already have. https://365project.org/discuss/tips-n-tricks/26168/traveling-hope-this-helps
1 All Lion Batteries must now be carried in hand luggage. This is relatively new and seems to be consistently enforced. Some airlines are now restricting the number of spare batteries that can be carried.
2 If you are carrying a large amound of cameral equipment, closely packed together in hand luggage it just shows as a 'blob'. If equipment is spaced out within carry on luggage that is better. An alternative is carry all camera equipment in a gaget bag and be prepared to let the staff check it at security.
@wag864 Ok will have to look at that! Now i am second guessing taking my camera bag! Might be easier to put it in my handbag! @miseria Thankyou :) @vera365 Wow! I am not transitting in London, i am staying there..Maybe i will have to leave some room in my carry on just in case this happens! @darylo Thanks! :D @lumpiniman Thanksyou! I only have 1 battery so i should be ok with that and i am only taking my camera, charger and 1 lens. @moonmtn That's what i am thinking of doing now!
Good advise received. Haven't had any problems in the airports you are going through.
Check the airlines you are flying and determine the most restrictive carryon allowance. A backpack or small roller bag is the best option. Try to think one item only. Then nest into the one item. If a roller bag, a personal item can be packed inside the roller bag. I hear Lufthansa can be difficult with carryon.
I also get tripped up by weight. Most airlines are not too fussy, but I have had to repack in the airport to get carryon beneath weight allowance. I got tripped up by a computer and paper documents that I had to carry.
Computers are more of a pain than cameras.
Suggestion for you is a small roll on that contains personal items (toothbrush, change of clothes,etc.) that you can slide a small personal bag into with your documents, and the camera in a protective case. A sling bag packed in checked bag will work when not flying.
One thing to make sure is that your camera has enough charge to turn on. Some airlines will require it at security, some won't. I fly internationally often with mine in a camera backpack. I have had to do the check it in the Arab countries which was a fairly painless process. I use my backpack as my handbag/personal item and put my travel documents and personal items in it. That lets me have my carry-on bag for clothing and toiletries.
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I have traveled with my dslr without any problem. I carry it and accessories in a back pack as carry on luggage. The only difficulty I ever experienced was in leaving Pakistan, where the battery was an issue. I never did find out why.
There has been some discussion about carrying aboard a plane from some destinations into the US, being a problem. From some Arabic countries the body needed to be packed in checked luggage.
Also learnt that if you take out all the interior padding of a bespoke camera bag and pad your kit out with clothes instead. You can even by a very lightweight case and do the same. A friend always has a dslr and a short lens round her neck to help with weight allowances when they are limited!
The airports that we will be in are:
Sydney
Hong Kong
Frankfurt
London
Zurich
Miami
Kingston, Jamaica
San Francisco
@pixiemac Thanks! I was wondering whether i could get away with having carry on luggage, a personal item (handbag) AND my camera case?
Make sure you bring backups of the usual things. Extra SD cards (especially if you have nowhere to offload pictures), an extra battery, an extra USB cable. Things that mean it's less likely the camera will be out of action due to some tiny thing being lost or breaking. Make sure you bring a plug adapter (or two) suitable to wherever you're going to. Usually stuff works on whatever voltage and frequency, but sometimes I've had batteries seem to take forever to charge. Of course most the big brands are available worldwide and it's easy to pick up compatible spares in most places.
For film cameras people do say to store film in your main luggage as the Xray power used on main luggage is usually less than hand luggage.
1 All Lion Batteries must now be carried in hand luggage. This is relatively new and seems to be consistently enforced. Some airlines are now restricting the number of spare batteries that can be carried.
2 If you are carrying a large amound of cameral equipment, closely packed together in hand luggage it just shows as a 'blob'. If equipment is spaced out within carry on luggage that is better. An alternative is carry all camera equipment in a gaget bag and be prepared to let the staff check it at security.
I hope this assists.
@miseria Thankyou :)
@vera365 Wow! I am not transitting in London, i am staying there..Maybe i will have to leave some room in my carry on just in case this happens!
@darylo Thanks! :D
@lumpiniman Thanksyou! I only have 1 battery so i should be ok with that and i am only taking my camera, charger and 1 lens.
@moonmtn That's what i am thinking of doing now!
Check the airlines you are flying and determine the most restrictive carryon allowance. A backpack or small roller bag is the best option. Try to think one item only. Then nest into the one item. If a roller bag, a personal item can be packed inside the roller bag. I hear Lufthansa can be difficult with carryon.
I also get tripped up by weight. Most airlines are not too fussy, but I have had to repack in the airport to get carryon beneath weight allowance. I got tripped up by a computer and paper documents that I had to carry.
Computers are more of a pain than cameras.
Suggestion for you is a small roll on that contains personal items (toothbrush, change of clothes,etc.) that you can slide a small personal bag into with your documents, and the camera in a protective case. A sling bag packed in checked bag will work when not flying.