Travelling with DVX & tripod

B

Bill_Hooper

Active member
Hey,

What do all you travellers do when you fly with your dvx & tripod? Do you put your DVX in hard case and check it? Or carry-on in soft case? What about tripod? Probably can't put both in carryon. Do you guys have insurance? Have to pay extra for having extra baggage?

Just trying to figure this out.
Thanks a kazillion.
Bill
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Two months ago I visited the states and bought a DVX camera. I brought it back the following way.

- DVX camera in standard video softcase, along with all accessories, as carry-on (stored under-seat).
- Tripod and fluidhead inside a large duffle bag (checked), padded by all my clothes and heroin.
- No insurance.

I don't have the budget for insurance or a hardcase. If you have a similar budget then I would definitely carry the camera with you at all times (that's good insurance). The tripod will be fine. They are pretty sturdy, if you pad it well, and should fit inside a standard suitcase (remove the fluidhead of course).

Good luck!
P.K. Gillock
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Thanks P.K.

That makes sense. I couldn't imagine not having my camera with me.

I'm all out of heroin. Hopefully large quanties of cocaine will work just as well.

Bill
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

I´ve done the same, except for the heroin.
I was carrying my Laptop and my DVX on soft cases and a checked the tripod.
Unfortunately, I didn´t wrap it with anything. It didn´t damage it, but I head oil all over the head.

Just be careful

All the best

Fidel.
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Checking the camera is super scary. Theft from checked bags is pretty high. >:(

Hold it in your lap like the baby it is :)
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Guys, guys, the way to pad a DVX is mescalin.
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

i check the cam in a pelican 1650 (with tsa locks), and check the tripod in a portabrace mummy case (reinforced sides). Works for me around the world.
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

"Mescaline is one of the oldest psychedelics known to man. It is the major active component of the small dumpling cactus known as Peyote. It grows wild in the Southwestern United States and in Northern Mexico, and has been used as an intimate component of a number of religious traditions amongst the native Indians of these areas. The cactus has the botanical name of Lophophora williamsii or Anhalonium lewinii and is immediately recognizable by its small round shape and the appearance of tufts of soft fuzz in place of the more conventional spines. The dried plant material has been classically used with anywhere from a few to a couple of dozen of the hard tops, called buttons, being consumed in the course of a ceremony."

I only know the reference from Fear and Loathing.

I don't know what dim mach is.
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Make sure you have at least one charged battery when you carry on your camera. They will sometimes ask for you to turn it on like they do for laptops. If you can't you might get screwed and have to check it.

Also, an inexpensive option for shipping a tripod is with a golf club case. Find one with a top that encloses the case. Remove the club divider at the top of the case. Slip you tripod in and pad it with clothes or some other padding. Some airlines don't charge extra for shipping golf club bags. So, just don't tell 'em you don't have clubs in there. Or, take one and there you go! ;)
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Hans,

Thanks for the tip. Good call on the battery. I'm not sure how I'll pack the tripod. I may have to get a bigger bag or something. But I like your golf club bag idea.

Bill :)
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

I work the ramp at Denver International Airport. There is some theft, I'm sure, but it doesn't come from us. Not that we wouldn't want to steal your stuff, but we usually don't have time. But here's a couple of tips from my end.

If you are connecting in the States but your flight originates elsewhere and you lock your bags (zip-ties, whatever) you may miss your connection. Any checked bag that comes off an international flight headed for a connecting flight has to be scanned for bombs (Other countries, like Canada, don't do that). They get taken to a machine that will red flag the ones that are suspect (for some reason the chemical compounds in peanut butter do this a lot). The TSA agents then have to search your bag. If it is locked, they have the option of calling you down to the scanner to open our luggage. They can cut the lock too, but they don't have to. If you have a tight connection, both you and your luggage might not make it. They do the same thing with pets on international connections. They have to search the carrier, and they won't take the pet out without you there.

Never check your camera. I'm not concerned with it being stolen (not that it's not possible), but it likely that of the half dozen or so people who handle it, or equipment it rides on, it may wind up getting thrown or dropped. Even when I am not in a huge rush at work, I have had bags fly off of a cart going around a turn (wheeled luggage is notorious for causing this problem). Even in a hard case, I wouldn't want my DVX flying off a cart at 10 mph, 6 ft off the ground. RSM's (people like me) sometimes load and unload hundreds of bags, and tons of freight and mail everyday. Often in bad weather, cramped conditions and behind schedule. They don't have time to lay your bag down gently. In fact, bags often get thrown. So I'd avoid it if possible. If you can't avoid it, pack it well. The odds are still in your favor. We aren't the gorillas in the Samsonite ad (usually). I have been very impressed overall with attitude of most of my coworkers. They treat your bags the way they would treat there own.
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

[quote author=Jim Brennan link=board=Offtopic;num=1102753059;start=15#16 date=12/12/04 at 14:30:50]Not that we wouldn't want to steal your stuff, but we usually don't have time.[/quote]
HAHAHAHA :D

Did anyone else find that hilarious?
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

Jim

Thanks for the great info. Very helpful. What do you think about TSA locks? Does every airport the ability to open those babies easily?

Thanks!
Bill
 
Re: Travelling with DVX & tripod

It's not something I have to deal with, but here are my thoughts.

Easily is a relative term.  At DIA, we work on a "bank" system, which means we get a lot of planes from the same area landing at one time.  Let's say 7 flights from Canada come in within 20 minutes of each other.  Each of those 7 flights has 20 passengers making a connction, with 2 bags a piece.  Most of those connections are within 1 hour.  That's 280 bags, taken by 10 different ramp guys the the TSA.  The TSA has 2 machines, both at one end of the United concourse (don't ask, nobody can figure it out).  With no delays on inbounds, that gives them 30 minutes or so to get all those bags processed by 4 or 5 people if they want to make all the connections (I'm taking into account the travel time to and from the inbound and outbound aircraft).  Now they don't all get searched, but there's no way of knowing how many will.  If one needs to be, and it's locked, they are supposed to check if the lock is TSA approved.  It's a short list compared to what's available, but it is still time consuming.  And it's time they don't really have.  Especially with rabid animals like myself yelling about missed connections. (Every bag we miss on an international flight costs United 130 bucks)

So, it's your call.  I tell people that if it's that valuable, leave it home or carry it on.  But as I said in my earlier post, the odds are in your favor anyway.  I've never lost a piece of luggage, nor had any checked items damaged in 20 years of flying.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top