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jvmorris
I Am The Man Who Was Not There.
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-03
Reston, VA
| reply to Maccawolf
Re: Where do we go from here, now that ...
I'm going out to Ace Photo (Sterling, VA) tomorrow and look at some of their bags. I'm gonna stuff all my candidate gear in my old Orion and haul it out there and find out just exactly what fits, without busting the dimension (and weight!) limits.
What I'm looking for is a simple (and rectangular) airline carry-on camera bag with basic padding, no external pockets, D-rings, er whatever (simple shoulder strap would be nice, I guess). That's all this bag would be used for -- international transport from point A to point B. Once I get to where I'm going, the backpack comes out of my checked luggage (along with the tripod and camera accessories) and I never touch this little bag until I'm ready to come home. If the carry-on baggage restriction resurfaces, the whole thing goes over to DHL or Fedex and gets air shipped, fully insured, in a container for which I expect to get recommendations from both shortly. (As I understand it, most UPS air ship goes in the cargo hold of passenger airliners and I don't like that.) This ain't cheap sports fans, but my gear is NOT going into checked luggage.
So, basically I'm just looking for one of them thar 45 cm by 35 cm by 16 cm carry-on bags that I can use standard camera gear separators in. Wide-side opening is highly desirable to expedite the physical inspection that will (almost invariably) be required; I don't want to get into having to unpack and then repack all the gear into a top-loaded bag with other passengers stacking up behind me.
Beyond that, if the airlines and international security types can't get their act together, then I guess I start flying less. (And I suspect people on the other side of the pond will likely do the same.)
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Regards, Joseph V. Morris | |
jvmorris
I Am The Man Who Was Not There.
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-03
Reston, VA
edit:
August 18th, @06:01PM
| LowePro Omni Pro
Okay, I've found one bag that works -- the LowePro Omni Pro ( »www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control···e=search ) , which can be bought with a Pelican 1520 NF hard case (optional).
The Omni Pro itself just barely fits within the guidelines recently issued by British Airways Authority for carry-on luggage and that's only if you don't overstuff it. Well, the one I bought does, because I repeatedly measured it after loading it with the equipment complement I specified earlier. Suggest you measure one before buying, because there are always manufacturing tolerances and this baby is sitting right on the edge.
The Pelican 1520 NF case does not satisfy the BAA dimensional limits for carry-on luggage and is only of potential interest in the event you have to check the gear at the last moment.
Both top-loading and side-loading (with complete exposure of gear) for inspection. Don't use the external pockets and I would recommend removing the tripod straps and shoulder straps if someone challenges its dimensions. (However, there is a pocket on top of the top-load panel that is absolutely ideal for storing your ticket and other documentation after showing it to the security geeks.
If anyone has identified other bags of interest that satisfy the dimensional (and weight) characteristics currently required for carry-on luggage by the UK's BAA, it might be nice if you would provide some specs below this post. I believe the mods could split the thread, (say at the preceding post I made) and thereby provide a ready reference for others who may shortly confront this problem. (And please use the 'post reply' button rather than the 'topic reply' button if you've further contributions to make; that makes it easier for the mods to separate this out as a new topic.)
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Regards,
Joseph V. Morris | |
Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX
 ·Verizon FIOS
edit:
August 19th, @09:45AM
| I would be careful with weight too. You can get a lot in that bag. I had one once as the inside of a 1520. Got shot of it in favour of the padded dividers.
Her's my rig before I sold the Omni Pro for the dividers: »Re: Camera Bag Resources and Bag Shot Thread
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My Gallery
Formerly Nezmo  | |
jvmorris
I Am The Man Who Was Not There.
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-03
Reston, VA
edit:
August 19th, @10:28AM
| Yep, I know.
Virgin allows (still?) 13.2 pounds for economy-class carry-on. I'm 1.2 pounds over that at the moment, but I already know what I'll remove and put in the checked luggage.
I think you carry a lot more fast glass (more weight) than I do when tramping around Cornwall or the Lake District on foot. And, as it is, I'm really carrying one piece of redundant glass (visions of selling it in the UK for a small fortune, and all that  ); I could leave that behind and that alone would put the bag within the weight restrictions.
Lemme go over and take a look at your complement. Back later . . . .
Okay, I've looked. I haven't run up a weight budget, but I'm pretty sure that's a heavier load that what I carry. I don't carry a 28-70/f2.8 or an 80-200/f2.8, and the Nikon 80-400 would be (roughly) the same weight (I suspect) as your 100-400.
Unfortunately, using the Pelican 1520 in lieu of the Omni Pro soft bag is no longer an option inasmuch as it exceeds the current restricted dimensions. And, if they go back to the earlier dimensions, I'd go back to using the LowePro Rover II AW bag (rather than packing it in my luggage, something that I'm not looking forward to doing, in the first place! 
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Regards,
Joseph V. Morris | |
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