I never do this, but did once and guess what happened...

[valdas]

I normally take all my cameras with me in my carry on luggage when I travel, but on this occasion my backpack was already full (I had to accommodate quite many rolls of exposed film) so I decided to put a few cameras in my Hadley Pro and put that bag in my checked in luggage (I know - stupid, will never do this again :bang: ). When I landed in Helsinki I waited patiently for my luggage... It did not arrive... Guess what was inside? 1)Rolleiflex 3.5F, perfect condition (serviced with Maxwell screen). 2) Widelux F8 (hard to find cosmetic condition). 3) Elmarit-M 90mm late model (mint)... 4) Some other less valuable stuff... Well, filed the papers and waited anxiously. Fortunately in a few days when I called Finnair they said they found it in Norway. Today it is back to Finland and it should be delivered in the evening (and I hope I find all my cameras). Lesson learned and shared. Never ever...

 

[Richard G]

A Rolleiflex in checked luggage. I can't quite believe it.

 

[Pherdinand]

maybe you'll find some shots on a film in that 'flex, from Norway 😀

 

[newsgrunt]

A Rolleiflex in checked luggage. I can't quite believe it.

pretty much my thoughts. I'd never check my Leicas or Hasselblads. ymmv

 

[Hatchetman]

LOL. What did you have in the carry on? Cash?

 

[valdas]

LOL. What did you have in the carry on? Cash?

🙂 M6, Bessa R2A, Fuji Xe1, 3 leica + 1 CV lenses, maybe 20-25 rolls of film...

 

[MIkhail]

I have an unrelated question: how do you find time shooting pictures between all those cameras handling?

 

[Lauffray]

I normally take all my cameras with me in my carry on luggage when I travel, but on this occasion my backpack was already full (I had to accommodate quite many rolls of exposed film) so I decided to put a few cameras in my Hadley Pro and put that bag in my checked in luggage (I know - stupid, will never do this again :bang: ). When I landed in Helsinki I waited patiently for my luggage... It did not arrive... Guess what was inside? 1)Rolleiflex 3.5F, perfect condition (serviced with Maxwell screen). 2) Widelux F8 (hard to find cosmetic condition). 3) Elmarit-M 90mm late model (mint)... 4) Some other less valuable stuff... Well, filed the papers and waited anxiously. Fortunately in a few days when I called Finnair they said they found it in Norway. Today it is back to Finland and it should be delivered in the evening (and I hope I find all my cameras). Lesson learned and shared. Never ever...

I don't know what the purpose of your trip was, but I have no idea why anyone wants to travel with so much gear. Just, why ?

Last year I went on a long trip so I decided it was a good idea to take 2 M bodies, that still felt too much.

 

[zauhar]

What about pros with big boxes of gear? They have no choice but to check it in!

Glad your equipment was found, and don't beat yourself up over it. When traveling with a lot of stuff it is easy to get overwhelmed.

But I have to echo Mikhail - how the hell do you use all that?? ;-)

 

[valdas]

I have an unrelated question: how do you find time shooting pictures between all those cameras handling?

That is simple. I was on a week long holiday. One day I shoot one camera, another day - another. It depends on where I go and what I do. I did not carry all of them all the time.

 

[ferider]

I have lost luggage a handful of times. But it always showed up a day or two later at the hotel - typically it was routed to the wrong destination. I were you, it's more cumbersome to go shopping for underwear or wait for a baby stroller, rather than a camera to arrive.

I've checked in long tele lenses, a spare camera, etc. Keep film and what you need the first day in your carry on. Checked-in luggage is pretty safe wrt possible theft or mechanical damage, so I don't think what you did was wrong. After all, more likely then not, if we buy stuff from B+H, have it CLA'ed by Sherry, etc., it travels similarly.

I do wonder though what you do with 5 cameras when traveling for a week 🙂

Roland.

 

[brbo]

I don't know what the purpose of your trip was, but I have no idea why anyone wants to travel with so much gear. Just, why ?

Last year I went on a long trip so I decided it was a good idea to take 2 M bodies, that still felt too much.

I can see exactly the same number of cameras (2) in his list as yours. Is it really that odd to be traveling with two cameras?

 

[Ko.Fe.]

OP's strategy to take different camera for every day of few days vacation was the failure. If you can't find place even for Elmarit lens...

What about pros with big boxes of gear? They have no choice but to check it in!
...

In Canada (at least) pros could buy photogear insurance.

 

[Rob-F]

It says a lot for Finland and its people that the cameras were still in the Hadley when it was returned to you. I don't know if it would be the case in the U.S. I don't think Sue and I ever felt as safe anywhere else, walking at night, as we did in Helsinki. That is quite a city you have there! We loved the Chiasma museum and the Russian restaurant. The latter is where we walked to one evening, from the Holiday Inn.

 

[Lauffray]

I can see exactly the same number of cameras (2) in his list as yours. Is it really that odd to be traveling with two cameras?

Plus 3 other bodies and 4 more lenses in the carry-on. Again, no judgment intended, I want to understand what compels someone to travel with so much gear. The hassle, worry and logistics seem to outweigh any possible advantage from having many cameras on hand

 

[MIkhail]

The hassle, worry and logistics seem to outweigh any possible advantage from having many cameras on hand

Only if you worry about the result...

 

[valdas]

Plus 3 other bodies and 4 more lenses in the carry-on. Again, no judgment intended, I want to understand what compels someone to travel with so much gear. The hassle, worry and logistics seem to outweigh any possible advantage from having many cameras on hand

One day street (so you have M bodies), another day trip to mountains (Medium format and Widelux). Then also I shoot both BW and colour slide. So here you have it...

 

[brbo]

Again, no judgment intended, I want to understand what compels someone to travel with so much gear.

What's the point of having cameras that you leave at home?

I'd love to bring all of my cameras, but I'm too lazy. OP is obviously not lazy and I respect that.

 

[Out to Lunch]

As if it is a sin to bring more than two cameras... I usually take a long leave of absence once a year and like to bring a variety of cameras in an international carry-on size ThinkTank roller. This roller is, indeed built like a tank. I take a Billingham Hadley for my passport, tickets, tablet etc... and use it at my destination as a go-around photo bag. This said, after I once saw the ground crew in Tblisi throw my Samsonite suitcase from the cargo door of an Airbus onto the tarmac, I vowed never to put anything fragile in my checked-in luggage ever again.

 

[Lauffray]

What's the point of having cameras that you leave at home?

I'd love to bring all of my cameras, but I'm too lazy. OP is obviously not lazy and I respect that.

That doesn't answer the question. Speaking for myself, I have the Rolleiflex to make portraits not for travel, and the other M body is a backup that doesn't always travel. When it does I rarely found the added weight and hassle was worth the convenience of having it, I can only shoot with one camera at a time anyway.


Anyway, I'm clearly the odd one out here, I'll stop here