Travelling with a 300, 400, 500, or 600mm lens

[AlbertP]

I'm concerned about travelling with my biggest lens, the 500mm monster. How do you carry this on to airplanes? Will the airport gestapo nab me? Make me put it in the luggage cargo? That would be horrific! I can see the scene now: four armed guards carrying me and my big lens to the security office because I won't let them separate me from the baby.

:=(

[cameraguy21773]

I travel frequently and often carry a Nikkor AF-S 300 f4 and a Sigma APO 400 Telemacro. Fortunately the 400 is about the size of the popular Canon 400L so I can get them and a few smaller ones in a carry on. Then I carry 2 or 3 bodies in a small Domke that I can also carry on.

If you have a good case for your 500 (surely you do?!) and it fits the mearsurements for carry-on, you should be golden. I believe that carry ons must have a length + height + width measurement total of 45 inches.

This very discussion was recently on either DPReview.com or Nikonians.com. Do a search.

[nsurit]

It is my understanding, and I could be wrong, that photographers are allowed two carry ons, which for me is generally a Tamrac shoulder case. It will carry almost all of my Olympus e-1 gear and then some. It is an old, fairly small bag and is totally stuffed. In addition to that I carry my laptop. That doesn't really answer the question about long lenses. When I'm carrying "Big Bertha" which in my case is a manual focus Tamron SP 400mm f4, it either goes in its own Lowepro #5 bag over my sweet wife's shoulder or I configure my photo backpack to accommodate the larger lens and some other gear. I almost never put much that I value in my checked luggage, although my tripod is either checked in its own well packed case or broken down and put in the checked luggage. That will always result in your bag being searched. I have a Pelican case which is configured to carry my 300mm Tamron SP and teleconverters, etc. however I wouldn't dream of sending it through checked luggage and give the gorillas in security an opportunity to roll it out onto the concrete flow. My answer and my vote would then be to carry it with you. Bill Barber

[badpickev]

Not sure if you want to go this route, or if its available to you. When I was younger and traveled on the government plan. We occaisionaly had the option of sending a few things to our destination via a freight carrier (fedex).

[lecter]

I've travelled, with Sao, with a 400/2.8 and a 600/4 , and two bags of gear each, and no problem.
We flew business class which sure helps. Not sure about donkey class, because their allowances are way less.
But Photog's and their gear do get more leeway, as the Airlines don't like handling critically expensive and fragile items....
Cheers
Rob

[Jose]

In one ocassion coming out of Nairobi I ran into an unfriendly KLM gate staffer that denied me carrying the backpack into the airplane ( it did not exceed the carry-on weight limit). As a result, I carried in my 500mm on hand and had a friendly unknown traveler who had no carry-on bring the backpack aboard. Once aboard the plane, got the backpack returned and placed the lens inside with not problems during the flight change in Amsterdam. As a result of this unusual event, I decided to buy insurance for my travel photo gear for partial peace of mind. I say partial because going to the photo destination there is still the fear of arriving without the the equipment and miss the images. It cost me $300/year for insuring @ $20K of the photo gear that I usually carry. Considering that this insurance covers all peril to equipment it is very reasonable. But in all fairness, difficulties has been rare and a bit of friendlyness and cooperation with the inspectors goes a long way.

[nsurit]

Originally Posted by Jose

It cost me $300/year for insuring @ $20K of the photo gear that I usually carry.* Considering that this insurance covers all peril to equipment it is very reasonable.*

It is cheap and everyone should have it and a little life insurance and car insurance and home insurance and . . . {8^) Bill Barber

[rnyholm]

I once went with the Scandinavian Airlines with my Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM and had it in the Tamrac Expedition 8. The total weight was 14 kg and I got the permission at the gate to take it in with me.

[badpickev]

dont try this at home. i went on a short flight with air tran. it was a day trip kind of thing. they wanted me to put my bag in the cargo hold. i said what if i buy another set and put the bag there. they said yes and i bought another $39 seat. i was not asked coming back. still funny

[N467RX]

Travel with your receipt, if they ask you to put it on the cargo hold, show them the receipt ($4000+) and to sign a paper saying they're responsible for any damage of this fragile piece of glass, they will let you have it as carry-on

[RobAmy]

Sorry for the late response but maybe it would be useful. I used the lowpro lens trekker 600aw for my 600mm with the mk11 attached. It also had the lens case for the 100-400mm attached (canons factory tan case) on the outside of it. I used this with no trouble at all on planes as my carry on. I also had a laptop case too. For general info the pads had to come out of the inside to fit the 600mm with the body attached.