Don't shoot me - thinking of buying Sigma glass

[DaveB]

Peter, I'm sure last time I was flying around Argentina my carry-on luggage was waaay over 10kg. I was using a roller bag which fits within all airlines' carry-on size limits. Not a "camera roller", just a no-name piece of luggage jam-packed with laptop, cameras, lenses, medicines, etc and a bit of bubble-wrap padding. It didn't look heavy, and no-one ever stopped me. I practised making it not look heavy as I lifted it up to the overhead compartments!
I was always trying to be early onto the plane so I could claim a compartment rather than having airline staff offer to find a spot for it: I didn't want them to try lifting it. But when I was boarding an Aerolineas flight in Trelew (and again a LAN flight in Punta Arenas) and saw the local travellers bringing on huge cases I didn't feel bad at all! Never actually saw someone bringing on livestock, but it almost felt that way at times.

I was wearing a vest I could move things to in order to pass weight inspection if necessary, but that's not comfortable to sit in when fully loaded. It's my safety valve for if I ever get challenged on the weight issue.

I used the same bag last year when travelling through Heathrow, Bergen, Copenhagen, and Melbourne, and transiting through Bangkok and Oslo airports. No problems. Mind you the security staff at some of those screening points had to run it through the X-ray more than once (lots of lenses, cameras, hard drives, etc) and I soon started prompting things by telling them what was in it before they started asking questions. But no problems.

As far as borrowing Wendell's lens goes, you'd presumably include it on your insurance for the trip so the risk to Wendell would be minimal (I guess it depends on whether any damage was insurance-claim-worthy). BTW I think there'll be at least one other 200-400mm/4 on the November voyage.


Wendell, I usually have at least 4 trays/items to be scanned:

1. laptop
2. jacket/vest and clear plastic bag with liquids
3. boots (depending on security requirements)
4. plus the bag.

I wouldn't want six: keeping track of 4 is hard enough at a busy screening station especially if I've been taken aside for wanding and the trays are piling up at the other end of the scanner! It does help to have a travelling partner go through ahead of the trays in order to keep an eye on everything and avoid the risk of someone making off with part of your gear. An advantage of the vest is you can put all your coins/keys/etc in its pockets and you won't forget to empty your pant/shirt pockets (this includes things like chewing gum with metallic wrappers). Avoiding getting wanded is always a good thing in terms of keeping the line moving. On a related note, when I fly I wear a belt with a plastic buckle...

[wendellt]

I wouldn't want six: keeping track of 4 is hard enough at a busy screening station especially if I've been taken aside for wanding and the trays are piling up at the other end of the scanner! It does help to have a travelling partner go through ahead of the trays in order to keep an eye on everything and avoid the risk of someone making off with part of your gear. An advantage of the vest is you can put all your coins/keys/etc in its pockets and you won't forget to empty your pant/shirt pockets (this includes things like chewing gum with metallic wrappers). Avoiding getting wanded is always a good thing in terms of keeping the line moving. On a related note, when I fly I wear a belt with a plastic buckle...

hi dave

i know how you feel
this is the ay i do it to make sure no one nicks my stuff
i put the two camera trays first
then laptop
then the backpack
then my jacket
then shoes last that way

i can go through the scanner first watch for the most valuable items first

[Murray Foote]

This is going to be a learning experience for me next March so this is very useful information to ponder.

I've just purchased a 300mm f2.8, figuring the VR is going to make a significant difference on a moving ship. I already have a TC14E; I expect to pick up a TC20E III as well. {{... ps after writing this but not yet posting, I found that the autofocus on the lens is no longer working, though it was last night. I've tried it on both bodies and tried both bodies with other lenses. When the landscape format dots align on the lens, the body isn't quite square, so maybe the mount on the lens isn't quite correctly aligned and that causes an electrical contact probem.}}

One thing I'm wondering about is whether there is a potential security issue with hotel rooms - whether there is a risk leaving camera equipment or a laptop there, even if the room is locked.

[wendellt]

i would never leave cameras in hotel rooms because even if they are locked cleaners have access and in poor countries a cleaner would rather steel a $7000 camera get fired if they ever got caught because thats more than what they make in a year

you can also lock things in the room safe

[surenj]

you can also lock things in the room safe

In the few places I have stayed in, these things have been way too small for locking away anything but minimal camera gear.

[wendellt]

you can also lock things in the room safe

In the few places I have stayed in, these things have been way too small for locking away anything but minimal camera gear.

i managed to get my 200-400 in with a d3 detached but you have to find the right angle

[Murray Foote]

Too small for a 17" laptop then?

[gstark]

i managed to get my 200-400 in with a d3 detached but you have to find the right angle

Dismantling the lens into several pieces, with the aid of a hammer, also helps.

[photomarcs]

i managed to get my 200-400 in with a d3 detached but you have to find the right angle

Dismantling the lens into several pieces, with the aid of a hammer, also helps.

Does this mean that he should bring a copy of "how to reconstruct a 200-400" manual? or should he shrink size and pdf it hahaha I'm sure the hammer will be handy in more ways than one.

[Murray Foote]

i managed to get my 200-400 in with a d3 detached but you have to find the right angle

In that case, a 300 2.8, being shorter, should fit in easily at sizes derived from the 200-400 of 336/224/224 (3/2/2 ratio) or 268/268/268 (2/2/2 ratio), leaving space for some other things but not the laptop.

[DaveB]

Too small for a 17" laptop then?

There is a bit of variation in safe sizes, but generally I have been able to put in a 15" laptop, a camera body and some lenses. But do keep in mind that these safes are not impregnable.

Previously my travel kit has involved carry-on luggage which can hold my cameras and laptop, with my camera backpack stored within my checked luggage, filled with things like tripod ballheads, battery chargers, etc. When I get to my destination I transfer the camera gear to the backpack. But that pack has had no capacity for carrying a laptop, so when on trips out from my hotel I've been forced to leave the laptop behind. In the safe, hidden on top of a wardrobe, etc. In some rooms I've left gear in the carry-on bag (a small roller) and pushed it under the bed. A PacSafe mesh can help with the security of this too. Leave some other stuff such as your checked bag in sight to reduce the temptation for staff to go looking...

I've never had a problem. But now I'm upgrading my backpack so I can take the laptop with me. Much better for my peace of mind.

Note that when you're on the expedition ship you won't have this problem. You're on a ship with a limited number of other people for several weeks, and I often leave my laptop set up (e.g. processing photos) and camera gear laid out on my bed for easy access.

[Murray Foote]

Hopefully not too many people in South America, especially cleaning staff, have seen that video about the safes.

I have a LowePro Vertex 200AW. I've just checked and I can fit in my 17" laptop, 300mm f2.8, two full frame bodies, four lenses (only one zoom) and two teleconverters with still a little more space left. That comes to just under 15kg.

The PacSafe mesh sounds like a great idea.

Does your tripod and monopod go in the carry-on bag? I presume if you put your pack in a bag you have more than one checked bag and rely on trollies to move them (?)

Also, does the March 2011 Forum only come into being in December after final payments?

[DaveB]

The PacSafe mesh sounds like a great idea.

As long as you have something solid to attach it to of course.

Does your tripod and monopod go in the carry-on bag? I presume if you put your pack in a bag you have more than one checked bag and rely on trollies to move them (?)

I have only one checked bag, which is a Tatonka Barrel Roller (essentially a duffle with built-in trolley). When travelling by plane the tripod legs go in the duffle along with the SlingShot backpack. The ballhead is taken off the legs and packed in there too (the legs only just fit with a bit of padding at each end). When I take a monopod it goes in there too. The SlingShot is jammed full of things like ballhead, chargers, etc, even toiletries and socks, so it doesn't really take up a lot of space, and in fact is providing useful padding and consolidation for those things (otherwise they can end up migrating around inside the duffle, and I don't want them at the edges where they might get damaged).

Last December flying back from Europe the baggage handlers somewhere along the line (probably Bangkok or Melbourne) managed to ding up the Roller, to the extent that the handle wouldn't come out (the shafts in the base of the bag were bent). But nothing inside was damaged, and Tatonka replaced the frame at no charge.

Also, does the March 2011 Forum only come into being in December after final payments?

The forum has been created, and you should be getting access to it in the coming week!

[Murray Foote]

OK, great. Thanks for all that.

[stubbsy]

Thanks for all your commentary and advice - hold your fire I've now made my decision and purchased a new lens for my Antarctic trip. See sample images and initial thoughts HERE.