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

Lauffray said:
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
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You are probably just thinking about limitations where others see possibilities. Not everybody have Rolleiflexes just to take portraits. At home.
 
brbo said:
You are probably just thinking about limitations where others see possibilities. Not everybody have Rolleiflexes just to take portraits. At home.
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Good sir, let's agree that we disagree on this and leave it here, I don't think any of us is going to change their minds today
 
zauhar said:
What about pros with big boxes of gear? They have no choice but to check it in!...)
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SOP is to carry on everything you need to work if checked stuff goes awol. This means battery chargers, laptop and all cables etc.. If it means no clothes in carry on, so be it. For major events like Olympics etc, long glass, monopods etc get checked.
 
I tend to do the same thing as valdas. Last time we went to Maine I took 2 Contax IIa bodies with 3 lenses, Rollei 3.5F, Bessa II and Rollei 35. Used them all. When traveling by car I take what I think I will use.
 
This reminds me of what a joy it has been for me, traveling with one camera + one lens + one type of film. I remember each trip in terms of which camera/lens I used. That's just me.
 
The only thing I can see wrong with traveling so many cameras, is the slight possibility of not getting to use them all (like if the weather takes a nasty turn). Other than that, I've hauled a lot of gear before, but not on an airplane yet.

If you've got 'em, use 'em! Happy Trails, Valdas!

PF
 
valdas said:
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...
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I wish you the best of luck!

I used to travel for a living. Twice a week, every week. Mostly domestic US flights, some overseas to Europe, Asia, and South America.

I have had many things stolen from my checked luggage over the years. It happens.

I have had many discussions with people who insist it never happens, because it has never happened to them. If you've never been in a car crash, does that mean that car crashes are imaginary? Poor logic. Theft happens. Not often, but far more often than it should, in such a controlled (supposedly) environment, in my opinion.

Again, I wish you the best. I hope everything is still there and in good shape when you get it back.
 
Unfortunately carry-on restrictions on many non-US flights are a pain to deal with when the objective is to travel with a fair amount of equipment. Make that film equipment and the need to bring your film onboard only compounds the difficulty. I've been shooting 100% digitally for over a decade and can't imagine going back to travel with film, therefore much respect to those who continue to do so. (I once had a 4-month trip to Europe in my youth for which I carried onboard the plane several hundred rolls of film in its own backpack 🙂. It was my first 'big trip' and didn't realize I could actually buy a lot of that film cheaper in Europe, particularly E-6 with processing in Germany...)

In any case, another strategy is to carry as much gear as possible on your body because coats and items in pockets (of 'photo vests', etc.) are not restricted by weight or size like carry-on bags. I have successfully done this with super-tele lenses when the lens in a Pelican case was otherwise overweight.

A possible tactic is to use a bag that will carry everything but will of course be overweight. At points in the airport process where you may be asked to weigh the bag, arrive with enough gear out of it, but in your pockets, around your neck, etc., to keep the bag underweight. This may also include the gate itself, which can often be the 'last line of defense' by airline staff intent on enforcing restrictions. Once on the plane, pack your gear back in the bag and stow accordingly.

While it isn't possible in many situations, consider booking on a US carrier because carry-on restrictions will be much more generous than carriers from many other countries.

Anyway, I hope you're successfully reunited with your equipment and still have time to use it on your trip!
 
I would have rather shipped some of the gear and film rather than put it in checked luggage.
 
rscheffler said:
Unfortunately carry-on restrictions on many non-US flights are a pain to deal with
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Agreed, but most of the restrictions are for items you can easily live without: shampoo bottles, liquids, etc. I am traveling a fair amount with filming gear because I am also a documentary film maker. Strangely, my big carry-on bag that is stuffed with cameras, batteries, radio transmitters (!!), wireless microphones and tons of cables never gets hand inspected. But if you forgot that you had a harmless mini-scissors or mini-knife with a 1-inch blade in your carryon … they'll treat you like your intention was to bring down an airliner! 🙄
 
newsgrunt said:
I would have checked the Bessa, Fuji and CV lens. or not brought them and just gone with the Leica and Rollei, but that's me.
Click to expand...

I did not check Bessa because it was with the slide film shot mid roll. I simply checked those cameras that were without film.
 
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