C300: cases for air travel

New_Zealand

New_Zealand

Veteran
With air travel changing I need to change the way I pack and travel with my gear. I have one carry-on bag but need a personal bag (airlines call laptop, purse etc...) that I can place the C300 MKII and two large lens into, without it looking huge and gets tag as baggage. A shoulder type bag?
 
I travel for several years with two think tank airport accelerator. I use it for all kind of equipment including EVA1 with the 18-80 and additional gear. It hits exactly cabin luggage size. I had to run a proof on a small Bombardier. I recommend also the non roller version as it saves almost 5lb. It’s rock solid it protectsyour precious stuff. I hadn’t had a single issue in about 6 yrs. My assistant even “forgot” it in the field when it started to rain. Everything was safe after an hour. I rate it 6 out of 5 stars.

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sorry I read your post again. It seems you already have a backpack.
I don't think that there is shoulder bag which is big enough for a C300 that isn't considered as cabin luggage. Worst case in this scenario that the airline forces you to check in one bag as cargo. I would not run that risk and avoid this by all means.
 
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One thing I've done with air travel when trying to pack as much as possible without paying baggage fees (so one 60 lb carry on and a 30 lb personal bag (backpack)) is to use a regular suitcase and backpack for my luggage as opposed to video ones. Of course video ones cost more, are better padded, etc., but on the downside, their extra padding means there's less room for equipment. So if you're handling the items yourself then you don't really need that bullet-proof padding as much and can then pack more stuff in it. In the suit case I mostly put metal objects, lights, Glidecam, tripod, light stands, etc., so nothing fragile (which helps in the event you have to check the carry-on), and then camera, lenses, and audio in the backpack.


New_Zealand said:
It a bit stressful trying to figure out the best way to get from point A to B.
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Really? My parents taught me the alphabet back when I was a little kid and I never considered it stressful. Nowadays I can get all the way to "Z" without breaking a sweat.
 
I pretty much do what Eric recommends.

In my experience, you will rarely ever get checked with a backpack on your shoulders, so I started to purchase thin and large backpacks. And if you needed a better padded one, I'd use one that had a separate pouch for a laptop and cut it out to have a little more room.

Also - out of the hundreds of things I have sold in my life, this discontinued Tenba bag has somehow lasted with me for 7 years and still looks great. I took out the cardboard sides so it stretches like a thin backpack for those times I need a little more space.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/103975-REG/Tenba_634_403_Car_Case_CC15.html

With a carry-on, you always have to compromise between size, gear, and amount of protection.
 
I will warn you that far too many times I have been on small commuter planes where all luggage has to be placed in cargo. Sometimes this can include backpacks if they deem the flight to overcrowded. Anything larger than a laptop bag might get sent to cargo, which could destroy a lightly-padded camera kit. There are times it's better to pay the excess baggage fee and charge it to the production. Simply make it part of your deal from the outset: production pays for for gear transpo. Not worth it to risk.
 
Mitch Gross said:
I will warn you that far too many times I have been on small commuter planes where all luggage has to be placed in cargo. Sometimes this can include backpacks if they deem the flight to overcrowded. Anything larger than a laptop bag might get sent to cargo, which could destroy a lightly-padded camera kit. There are times it's better to pay the excess baggage fee and charge it to the production. Simply make it part of your deal from the outset: production pays for for gear transpo. Not worth it to risk.
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I agree absolutely. My cabin luggage was been weighed in the last years more and more often as well as checkin and also rarely when boarding. One trick to avoid it is to have the backpack on your back but it isn't a guarantee that they don't. I case they try to get your cabin luggage to cargo tell them that it's not possible because of all the batteries :)
but there is no guarantee either.
 
Mitch Gross said:
I will warn you that far too many times I have been on small commuter planes where all luggage has to be placed in cargo. Sometimes this can include backpacks if they deem the flight to overcrowded. Anything larger than a laptop bag might get sent to cargo, which could destroy a lightly-padded camera kit. There are times it's better to pay the excess baggage fee and charge it to the production. Simply make it part of your deal from the outset: production pays for for gear transpo. Not worth it to risk.
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Agreed.

I’ve traveled with the fitted Jason Case’s C300ii case. My “personal” is a small camera bag with my lenses, lav mic, laptop, portable SSDs, etc.

I used to use a roll on think tank and it was put under the plane on a trip from Vancouver to Seattle. The wheel was broken when I got it back. Camera bags just can’t take any sort of beating and you’re hosed if there’s no room.

You can however always pay for priority seating to get seated quicker and ensure you have overhead cargo space. I’ve also noticed that holding a camera case, rather than wheeling it, helps your chances of them not flagging it at gate check in. The trick is to make the case look as small and light as possible.

Are you trying to get around checking anything? I’d assume you’d need to check a small suitcase with clothing etc.
 
It can be a dangerous game. I’ve been put on some smaller jets that I could barely fit the naked camera in the overhead and it still involved weird angles, twisting and some light praying. I would have paid money to have a picture of the young flight attendants face as she was closing the bins on that one early morning flight when she saw my F55 in there. It was priceless. The mix of quizzical, surprise and I wanna say almost ‘wonder’, like when a kid discovers something for the first time.
 
Can't you just put the backpack on your front and then put a coat over it and pretend to be fat or keep it on the back and pretend to have a hunchback? At this point you've already passed security so it's not like they're going to do a body search. Perhaps hire an obese or hunchback PA to ride with you so if they decide to search you you'll have an assistant to start an outcry on fat shaming.

The whole "bill it to the production" concept really does not apply to many shoots. What if you are the production? What if the client is paying you a flat rate? I've often dealt with flat rates for budgets when traveling for jobs, so the travel expenses are on me (this however does not mean I'm not still making a killer profit). Different productions work in different ways so it's best not to assume you can always just "bill it to the production." Every production (even Avengers) also has a limited budget, so that extra budget can go to you (such as say up-charging for a second camera) or to travel expenses. Baggage fees can quickly add up.

Generally speaking you'll know if you're going to be flying on a small commuter plane so can prepare for that. I've never flown on one in my life, having done about 50 round trip flights in my life.
 
That’s easy. If you are the production and cannot afford the transportation you made a mistake in budgeting. There is no magic trick. You have to choose either expenses that must be covered or shoot with limited gear or go for a rental on site.

( trying to imagine a guy hiding sth under a coat on the airport makes me laugh)
 
Eric Coughlin said:
Can't you just put the backpack on your front and then put a coat over it and pretend to be fat or keep it on the back and pretend to have a hunchback? At this point you've already passed security so it's not like they're going to do a body search. Perhaps hire an obese or hunchback PA to ride with you so if they decide to search you you'll have an assistant to start an outcry on fat shaming.

The whole "bill it to the production" concept really does not apply to many shoots. What if you are the production? What if the client is paying you a flat rate? I've often dealt with flat rates for budgets when traveling for jobs, so the travel expenses are on me (this however does not mean I'm not still making a killer profit). Different productions work in different ways so it's best not to assume you can always just "bill it to the production." Every production (even Avengers) also has a limited budget, so that extra budget can go to you (such as say up-charging for a second camera) or to travel expenses. Baggage fees can quickly add up.

Generally speaking you'll know if you're going to be flying on a small commuter plane so can prepare for that. I've never flown on one in my life, having done about 50 round trip flights in my life.
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Depends on the market segment you serve. I've never taken a flight for a shoot in almost 23 years that I couldn't expense the baggage and/or shipping fees back, if needed. Some clients even let me use their accounts to ship on, because they get a HUGE discount, so it's cheaper for them to pay for it directly than me billing it back. Not to mention shipping gear to the hotel is much easier than flying with it. Sometimes I'd ship it ahead and fly back with it, because I needed it as soon as I got back. At least I saved myself some trouble. But yes, sometimes there are productions that are, "Here's $10K for EVERYTHING. Make it work." and what's leftover is extra profit. Sometimes that's just the cost of doing business and needs to be built-in or planned for or just be ready to accept the unexpected.

Generally speaking, you do know what equipment you're supposed to be flying on, but equipment changes happen, as do having to take other flights, because of cancellations, weather, etc. Flying sucks. I've gotten to the point that if it's a 7 to 7 1/2 hour drive or less, I won't even think twice about driving and actually prefer it. Especially if I'm traveling with gear.
 
Eric, I know you're joking a bit as always. It's not about if the bags are visible on your body or if you can get them past the boarding agent. It's what happens once you get on the plane and to your seat. Either the stuff fits in the overhead or under the seat in front of you. If it doesn't then it has to go in the cargo hold. That simple. On some smaller planes like ones made by Bombardier or Embraer the overhead is either not big enough to fit a standard rolling suitcase (21"x9"x14") or if it is there is not room if everyone brings a bag that big. And they will not fit underneath the seat.
So then you have the choice to give your back to go into the cargo hold or get off the plane. Do you really want to risk that situation?
 
The flip side of this situation is one that I've done when traveling as small as possible. I use my clothes as the padding in a case for my gear. You can get vacuum-sealing bags to stick your clothes in and if you're smart about it can even form the bags to the shape of the gear as you pump out the air. This only works for a very small amount of gear but I have successfully padded it for stealth productions (I was going into a combat area). You can get a little hand pump to repack the vacuum bags. I've even seen ones about the size of a flashlight that run on rechargeable batteries.

Please note that this is a VERY limited solution.
 
New_Zealand said:
With air travel changing I need to change the way I pack and travel with my gear. I have one carry-on bag but need a personal bag (airlines call laptop, purse etc...) that I can place the C300 MKII and two large lens into, without it looking huge and gets tag as baggage. A shoulder type bag?
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Did I miss something? Are they changing carry on limits or something? Talking about standard commercial flights. I've always used my Kata beetle 282, well I have for 10+ years. Cameras packed: C300, EVA1, Varicam LT, Panasonic S1H, Red Epic Dragon and Helium, C300MKII. There may be one or two others.

If I'm travelling light I also use this: http://www.kata-bags.com/lw-99-pl-rolling-organizer.htm I pack chargers anything else in there along with clothes. I basically put everything in pouches then wrap those in clothes. Can fit a lot and often get away with standard baggage fee, weight dependant. Also, underwear and socks usually end up in my tripod case haha

Look I know we budget to cover these costs, but my clients always appreciate if Im a little inventive to keep those down.
 
I’ve flown a lot over the last 20 years and during the last five or so I’ve noticed airlines around the globe getting a lot stricter about carry-ons. I have had hand baggage weighed before international flights at Narita, Haneda and Sendai (Japan), Charles De Gaulle, Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Seattle-Tacoma, Heathrow, O’Hare, JFK, LA, and a few others. Doesn’t seem to make much difference which airline either. Sometimes I go sailing through without a hitch but I just accept now that I have to be within the limits or some “jobsworth” is going to enjoy his/her role and follow the rules exactly no matter how sweetly I smile.
Worst one was at Narita. I was using a Canon C300/2 with a few lenses and it just fitted in my LowePro backpack. Tried to be smart and carried it while I queued to make it look light but the check-in lady weighed it and obviously it was well over the 7kg limit. I transferred as much as I could to my two suitcases but it still came in at 8kg. The smiling worked and they let me on but it was touch and go whether that C300 took its life in its hands in the hold. Fortunately the cases made it without being “lost” but it could have cost me dear. I hope YMMV.
 
figure ot how to get a media pass. Will save you a lot on check in fees. And will be safer for everyone if there aren't 100lbs carry-ons in the overhead.

That said, I usually have a lightly back soft carry on that is actually slightly larger than the average carry-on. That way if I run into over weight issues, I can quickly put a few extra pounds into my carry-on.

But if you are traveling with cine zooms and pro video bodies, can get real tricky trying to go as a civilian. Definitely get a media pass. talk to the companies you have worked for and they may be able to help with that.

Airlines need to address the freelancer though, they primarily only recognize media that are on staff, which is ridiculous in todays media landscape. At least one person I know freelances for some big networks, and he has had to make his own media badge because of how poor the airlines have their media credentials system set up. I can't think if anyone that travels with broadcast gear for fun, just to save money on check ins for said gear. Just doesn't really happen.
 
Most crews working in the United States have easy access to FedEx and UPS locations where thousands of dollars of rented equipment is waiting usually close by the production location(s). Even if filming will be taking place deep in the woods or mountains over here, you can most likely still find one 1-2-3 hours away. And if companies aren't renting, they are usually driving everything over in huge trucks. (Big budgets/projects.)

Although I think I remember you saying you work in many remote locations so you may be in a compromised situation regardless, and have no choice but to pack what you really need and pay and hope for the best.
 
James0b57 said:
figure ot how to get a media pass. Will save you a lot on check in fees. And will be safer for everyone if there aren't 100lbs carry-ons in the overhead.

That said, I usually have a lightly back soft carry on that is actually slightly larger than the average carry-on. That way if I run into over weight issues, I can quickly put a few extra pounds into my carry-on.

But if you are traveling with cine zooms and pro video bodies, can get real tricky trying to go as a civilian. Definitely get a media pass. talk to the companies you have worked for and they may be able to help with that.

Airlines need to address the freelancer though, they primarily only recognize media that are on staff, which is ridiculous in todays media landscape. At least one person I know freelances for some big networks, and he has had to make his own media badge because of how poor the airlines have their media credentials system set up. I can't think if anyone that travels with broadcast gear for fun, just to save money on check ins for said gear. Just doesn't really happen.
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It's pretty trivial to make your own media pass from your own company.

I've only been hassled trying to get media bags on a plane once using just a business card... and they eventually relented. After that, I paid like $25 and had three media passes made. Never had an issue since.
 
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