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Archive 2011 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear

  
 
Sharona
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Thanks Alan - any trouble ever when carrying it on planes?


Dec 31, 2011 at 09:52 AM
martines34
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


From Arthur Morris's news letter:

http://www.outdoorphotogear.com/store/eckla/

Makes a lot of sense.



Dec 31, 2011 at 10:09 AM
Alanu
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Sharona wrote:
Thanks Alan - any trouble ever when carrying it on planes?


The large roadie is primarily for local carting of my lighting gear.

The airport security meets the dimensions of North American carry on requirments. My last plane trip I packed two non rollers (classified 200 AW and Flipside 400) for carry on. I should have taken the airport security but I wanted more gear I can pack on my shoulder.

The layout on the thinktank airport security I can pack two loaded bodies adn sufficient space for lenses and flashes. Not a cheap bag but without a doubt you can see and feel the quality from Thinktank.



Dec 31, 2011 at 09:05 PM
James Taylor
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Thanks Steve! Looks like a really nice bag.


Dec 31, 2011 at 09:42 PM
Roland W
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Your movement toward one bag for travel and something different for storage is the way to go. You do not need to do both right away, so pick which is most important to you first. The Think Tank roller cases are fantastic. Do not worry about their empty weight too much, because you want the best features and best protection you can get. And if you think a Think Tank roller is heavy, check out the weights of the Pelican cases. For the size, pick one that will cover the amount of what you travel with, and know that you can re configure it for different trips.

For storage, if you want the protection, pick one of the Pelican cases that suits your needs. You might also want to use it for checked baggage of photo gear, so if you think you will, keep that use in mind. If you are sure you only want home storage, the non wheeled cases cost a little less, and are available in many sizes. Buy one with the adjustable insert kit included rather than foam. The insert kit costs a lot more if you buy it on its own to convert a foam case. And then if or when you run out of storage room as your collection of gear grows, you can always add another Pelican, or use something else for home storage. I make good use of translucent plastic tote containers for storing some of my gear.

As far as trouble taking a Think Tank roller on to an aircraft, it depends on if you meet the rules. Domestic size limits are fairly generous, and if you check you will find that Think Tank has a roller case that just meets the most common set of size rules. Some airlines also list weight limits, but never seem to check that part. As long as you make it "look light" as you handle and stow it, you should be fine. Do not ask for help from an attendent to get it up in the overhead, and do not drop it on someone when you are stowing it. I seem to get past 40 pounds fairly easily for my photo carry on.

International travel is a whole different story, and is very airline and aircraft dependent. If you go on a major carrier from the US right to your destination, you may have luck with generous rules for carryon, and the rules can depend on the class you are flying. If you need a final connecting flight on a smaller aircraft via a local carrier, you will likely be subject to actual weighing of your carry on items, and you may be required to check some things. Just check out all the rules for the whole journey ahead of final purchase of a trip, and know what you will be getting in to.



Jan 01, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Sharona
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Thanks Roland! As someone who needs the flexibility of traveling on very small planes (i.e. in Africa) there is little chance I can even use a wheeled case the more I think about it. I make my Lowepro mini trekker my overseas bag as it always qualifies as my carry on. I truly sound wishy-washy. As more people have weighed in, the more my thoughts about this continue to morph!! I am actually now leaning toward the TT Airport Security again, as it will likely store everything I need at home and will work for domestic travel, too. I think onceI buy a pelican AND a smaller roller I am looking at a lot more cash, and that isn't really feasible. My priority now is to get a case that will stow my stuff here in one place (at least the bulk of it) and the Security should do that as well as travel with me by car and on a plane. Of course, this could change by the end of the day!


Jan 01, 2012 at 01:15 PM
saneproduction
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


The biggest thing about the 1510 is that it is carrying legal size. A bigger pelican case may not be.


Jan 01, 2012 at 02:16 PM
Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


saneproduction wrote:
The biggest thing about the 1510 is that it is carrying legal size. A bigger pelican case may not be.


It's legal size. But not legal weight when you have your equipment inside. At least not for international flights. But it will be the same for most other Rolling bags



Jan 01, 2012 at 09:59 PM
rscheffler
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


As Roland mentioned, the Pelican's weight will be an issue for non-USA flights where the airline controls weight. If you fly international direct to destination on a US carrier, it won't be an issue as most allow 40-45lbs for carry-on and rarely ever weigh anything at the gate. The Pelican 1510's size is not a problem either. It obviously fits large planes, but also 737s, Airbus 319/320, the Embraer E series, some of the regional jets, and even in the latest version of the Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 turboprop used by United/Continental.

Rollers are great if you're traveling mostly in modern urban environments with smooth walkways, but are not ideal once you're away from paved surfaces, unless you need it for storage in your own or rental vehicle. The benefit of a Pelican over a TT or Lowepro roller is that it can be put in the luggage hold with less risk to the equipment. It's not that you want to always do this, rather, there may be times when flight crew tell you it's the only way you're getting on the plane. If you go for a soft sided roller, make sure it can fit completely under the seat in front of you without sticking out into the row. If you have to sit with your feet on the roller, then it's too long and the cabin crew aren't supposed to allow this, especially if you're not at a window because it will hinder other passengers in an emergency. Sometimes you can turn the roller 90 degrees, but then you'll encroach on your neighbour's space and some under-seat areas can't accommodate this. Another challenge with under seat storage is the number of different types of in-flight entertainment systems that have space hogging equipment boxes under the seats.

And what I think is just as important as the type of bag you travel with, is the strategy you use to get the seat you want, and if possible, related boarding priority to ensure you have sufficient storage options available. I would highly recommend using the website seatguru.com whenever you're researching flight options to determine if the available seats for a given flight provide what you want, such as seat pitch, power outlet, whether equipment boxes encroach in the footspace area, etc. Also know your airline's boarding procedure. For example, many board from the back to the front. But some like Southwest and US Air base boarding priority on other factors such as whether or not you used online check-in (you should) and how early you did so (the earlier the better). The benefit of a seat at the front is that you will deplane faster if you have a tight connection or that you're in front of the engines where it's less noisy, or away from the lavatory where there might be more foot traffic and unpleasant odours. But the tradeoff will be that unless you have elite status with that airline, you will be among the last to board. And what is increasingly the case now, especially in the US due to checked baggage fees, is that everyone carries on as much as possible. So if you're last or late boarding, you could be SOL. This is especially true for the second or later leg of a tight connection. The last few flights I've taken the gate agents have announced that passengers in the last couple boarding zones are not guaranteed any overhead storage space and will be required to gate-check their bags if none is available. The only space you're guaranteed to have is that under the seat in front of you. If you can pack for that space, you have less to worry about. Otherwise, try to have a seating and boarding strategy.

For my needs, I use the Pelican 1510 with dividers for most US domestic travel. When I travel internationally, I usually fly with a medium size backpack and a 'laptop' bag that contains a MacBook Air, which takes very little space, as well as more camera equipment in that bag. Currently this combo has been a repurposed Arcteryx Blade series backpack (I use the now discontinued Blade 21) with Domke inserts, and a TT Urban Disguise 35 for the laptop and more gear, though sometimes I'll use a Domke satchel instead. If you can avoid over-padded bags, then you will be able to fit more gear in a smaller space, but this seems to be a mental block for most who seem to prefer traditional camera bags. In this respect, the Gura Gear bags appear to be excellent (I have not used one).

In case you're curious, this is the DLSR kit I fit in the Arcteryx bag:

http://www.ronscheffler.com/samples/inthebag/arcteryx_blade_21_contents_0006.jpg

Coincidentally, it's quite similar to what will fit in the Pelican 1510. There are photos and more of my thoughts in a blog post I did a little while ago.

I have recently reconfigured the kit I use to reduce size, weight and improve certain image quality aspects. Of course this suits my needs and will likely differ from yours. It has become a two-brand system split between the Leica M series for all wide angle and most normal focal length applications and Canon for telephoto and some technical uses, such as tilt/shift. My gear set, as pictured above, has been reduced from two huge DSLRs to one with two zooms (16-35 & 70-200, with the 16-35 brought primarily as a back-up to the Leica) and one M9 body with 12, 21, 35, 50 and 90mm lenses. Those lenses and the M9 fit in a Domke F-5XB size bag, which can also carry just a 70-200 f/2.8, to give you a feel for the real space savings that can be gained from a more compact system.

Oh, and one last tip. If possible, ditch Canon's rigid plastic lens hoods for a decent collapsible rubber one that can be used on multiple lenses with step rings. The rigid hoods add to the diameter of each lens, consuming precious space.

Ron



Jan 02, 2012 at 02:02 AM
Sharona
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Thanks - yeah, now I'm leaning toward Pelican again. However, I don't think I'd want to travel with it - don't potential thieves pretty much know what Pelican cases have inside them? A large Pelican for storage and local shooting may be the ticket for now. Thanks for all this food for thought - it really does help.


Jan 03, 2012 at 10:30 AM
Michael White
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


My choice would and is a pelican hard case with dividers, the think tank.


Jan 03, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Sharona wrote:
Thanks - yeah, now I'm leaning toward Pelican again. However, I don't think I'd want to travel with it - don't potential thieves pretty much know what Pelican cases have inside them? A large Pelican for storage and local shooting may be the ticket for now. Thanks for all this food for thought - it really does help.


How can potential thieves know what's inside a Pelican They are used for a thousend different things.
But a rolling bag from LowePro or ThinkTank are nearly only used for photo equipment



Jan 03, 2012 at 11:23 AM
Lars Johnsson
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p.2 #13 · p.2 #13 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Michael White wrote:
My choice would and is a pelican hard case with dividers, the think tank.




Are you saying a Pelican hard case with a ThinkTank inside or



Jan 03, 2012 at 11:26 AM
Sharona
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p.2 #14 · p.2 #14 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Lars - I meant to say that I wouldn't check it at the airport.... but you have a point in that Pelicans are used for tons of things. I have never checked my photo gear - always carry it with me. (In some international airports, stolen bags in the cargo hold are very comonplace...)


Jan 03, 2012 at 12:06 PM
rscheffler
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p.2 #15 · p.2 #15 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Actually, the Pelican is quite nice to travel with, so long as it's on smooth surfaces, or by car. But this is true for any roller.

I don't think attracting the wrong attention is a significant problem when you travel with the Pelican as carry-on. If you have to gate-check it, it's never 'out of sight' of the plane and potentially a number of different eyes, and therefore difficult to pilfer (unless everyone's in on it and/or it happens in the plane's hold, as you suggested). Putting a couple TSA locks on it, which you should do anyway, will add a bit more to discourage easy theft opportunities. You'll generally have to gate-check it for small planes, not large ones. If you can get a window seat on the left side, which is usually the side of the luggage hold hatch on small planes, you should be able to keep an eye on the bags as they're loaded/unloaded. Another reason to be picky about seat selection.

One solution that is frequently used, especially if checking an expensive looking case, is to pack it in a duffle bag. Of course now you can't roll it, but it will disguise the contents from view. You can also stuff in some of your clothes and other soft items to disguise the boxy feel of the contents. I can only comment based on my experiences and what I've heard from other sports photographers, but have yet to have an equipment or bag theft occur, and I've flown with the 1510 for over 5 years now, and Pelicans as undisguised checked bags for over 10.

IMO, the Pelican is generally not an 'at destination' shooting solution, rather an 'in transit' solution, unless you're working out of a car or other vehicle, or at a venue where you can leave it in one spot the whole time.

Regarding your comment about the risks of some international airports: I wouldn't suggest the Pelcian roller for most international travel, unless you're always on a US Carrier. But even then, would rather opt for a backpack and satchel/shoulder bag option. You're potentially at a significant carry-on weight limit with many non-US carriers, so you'll want to start off as light as possible. The Gura Gear Kiboko 22L+ looks to be a good solution, though unfortunately its weight isn't listed on their site...



Jan 03, 2012 at 05:01 PM
Sharona
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p.2 #16 · p.2 #16 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


The Gura Gear stuff is very light and I'd love to have one, but it's too expensive for my needs. I would not see myself traveling on any flight with a Pelican. The Pelican would be for car travel and storage. Now my decision is clear as mud, but I'll figure it out.....


Jan 03, 2012 at 09:15 PM
rscheffler
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p.2 #17 · p.2 #17 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Well, if the Kiboka 22L+ is too expensive, then the TT International at only $30 less is likely as well... I'm not sure you'll have much luck with any of the other photo rollers. I think there are some backpack rollers that might be a consideration, but I suspect they'll be a bit heavy. Maybe look into modding a standard carry-on roller for photo use? Kata sells both rigid and soft foam divider sheets. You could probably whip something together yourself, but by the time you buy enough of these inserts, it might be up there in price too...

http://www.kata-bags.com/product_list/8374.85655.56.0.0?n=0&va=t&intl_code=

Towards the bottom of the page, the modular divider kits.



Jan 04, 2012 at 02:23 AM
Sharona
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p.2 #18 · p.2 #18 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Thanks Ron - You make very valid points and have some good ideas! But one difference between the Kiboko and the TT is that TT has wheels and that is what I'm after.


Jan 04, 2012 at 09:44 AM
martines34
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p.2 #19 · p.2 #19 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


Porter Case makes a rolling hard plastic case which is very different and interesting.

http://www.portercase.com/catalog/

Arthur Morris recently reviewed a large wheel rolling cart for equipment which really makes a lot of sense. Can't find the link right now.

Wheels are important as is the inside dimensions of a carry - on case.




Jan 04, 2012 at 10:13 AM
Michael White
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p.2 #20 · p.2 #20 · ROLLING bags for CANON gear


That is. One way. I have the 1660 that I have used to store my gear in in the bags that I use locally. I take a good pad lock and a heavy bike cable and lock the case to something that is going to let the case roll off. I then use lock that are designed to lock trailer latches. Short shank an meaty body.


Jan 04, 2012 at 10:52 AM
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