Airplane-legal carry-on case for Epic - very satisfied with this unit.

[Brian Iannone]

I can confirm that Air Austral, Air Berlin, Air France, Air Tahiti Nui, Lufthansa, Qantas, Swiss and United and only allow one carry-on bag and one accessory bag. However, the accessory bag can measure no more than 15" x 11" x 4".

 

[BigLu]

Thats awesome love that idea

JetStar has private contractors at the gate with a scale. Count on getting busted. Work around is to have a XXXL pocket coat with 30 pockets for all the camera bits. No limit on what you can wear

 

[Frazier Nivens]

Singapore airline are very picky about the weight limit on carry on's. A crazy low weight restriction. I actually got down on one knee and begged the lady at the check in and told her that if my gear didn't make it safely that the trip to Indonesia would be for nothing as I was hired to go film there, without the camera, my shoot would be finished. She let me slide, but when I got to Singapore, Singapore airlines made me gate check the gear, felt like I had lost my gear forever but it managed to arrive safely, nothing broken or damaged.

But if you fly American Airlines and the carryon does NOT fit their sizer you will have to check it. Very picky but the good thing with AA is that for Pro's with business ID you can check each OVERWEIGHT bag for $50 each and I don't think there's a limit on the number of cases you can check but have your ID ready.
It's on their website their rules for traveling media pros.

 

[Dominik Muench]

Singapore airline are very picky about the weight limit on carry on's. A crazy low weight restriction.

is this coming out of the US ? i fly singapore a lot and never had any issues, they never even weighed my luggage in the past. but this is mostly coming from europe or australia and the asian hub.

quantas are an absolute nightmare when it comes to weight restrictions.

 

[Frazier Nivens]

is this coming out of the US ? i fly singapore a lot and never had any issues, they never even weighed my luggage in the past. but this is mostly coming from europe or australia and the asian hub.

quantas are an absolute nightmare when it comes to weight restrictions.

Yes, coming out of JFK, really literally had to get down on my knees and beg which I had no issue, she found it very funny which I think helped me.

Just found this on a website regarding someone else that was on Singapore AL. On a recent flight from New York to Singapore on Singapore Airlines, the check-in agent asked to weigh my carry-on bag and determined that it exceeded the airline’s 7-kilogram (about 15 1/2 pounds) weight limit.

Only my insistence that the bag contained valuable electronics, which the airline would not accept liability for in the case of loss or damage, spared me from checking it. Once on board the Airbus A380, I noticed a manufacturer’s sticker inside the overhead bin stating that the maximum load for the entire bin was 50 kilograms (about 110 pounds). And while most U.S.-based airlines and a few international carriers have no carry-on weight restrictions, many do.

This is straight off of Singapore airlines website: 7kg. which is really not very much weight. 15.4 lbs. So really the weight of the bag, plus camera body, one lens, plus one battery and a side handle, crazy restriction. My bag usually weighs 35 to 45 lbs.

Cabin baggage

Under the Singapore Airlines' cabin baggage policy, each passenger will be allowed the following cabin baggage allowance. Please expand the tabs below to see the cabin baggage allowances as well as what items constitute one piece of cabin baggage.

Open all
Cabin baggage allowance per piece
Cabin class Allowance Dimensions
Suites, First, Business Two pieces*, 7 kg per piece Sum of length, width, height (including protrusions) not exceeding 115cm **
Economy One piece, 7 kg per piece Sum of length, width, height (including protrusions) not exceeding 115cm **
* subject to local country specific requirements, aircraft cabin space and stowage
** subject to baggage being able to be stowed securely

FYI, Singapore Airlines was great, even economy was just fantastic, flight attendants were wonderful, food was great, LCD TV in every economy seat, first class airline. Just not easy with carryon weight limits.

 

[Steve Gibby]

I just returned a few weeks ago from three weeks of shooting in the Austrian Alps for Nike with one of my Epic camera kits. As most here know by now, with my Red cameras I usually shoot in a mobile hybrid EFP style using 35mm still lenses, and a minimum of accessories (no MB, FF, etc). I knew the shooting in Austria would be super mobile. I wanted as usual to carry my Epic and lenses on the flights in a carry-on backpack - then use that same backpack for my work high in the Alps. I found exactly what I needed in the CLIK Elite Contrejour 40 backpack. It is designed from the bottom up as a mountaineering backpack AND as a photography backpack. Its a back-loading pack, internal frame, tons of different compartments, is very strong but light, and my Epic, three Canon zooms, 6 Red Volt batteries, and various accessories all fit into the pack easily.

This backpack is the most comfortable photo backpack I've ever used! It is padded and ergonomically fits to my back. I easily walked with it through airports, train stations, and for hours of hiking through the Alps each day. With the Epic kit on my back, and my Miller Arrow 55/Sprinter II CF tripod in my hand I easily met the mobility needs of each day's production work. The pack itself weighs just 4.5 pounds. With the complete Epic kit loaded, including my Canon lenses (16-35, 24-70, 70-200) I'd say the pack weighed around 20 pounds - amazingly lightweight for containing a complete Epic kit.

To be clear, the CLIK Contrejour 40 measures slightly above many airline legal measurements. The airline I flew was United and I had no hassle about the pack. It fit just fine in the overhead bins of the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft I flew on. If someone's concerned about meeting the letter of the rules on carry on bag size, CLIK also makes a Contrejour 35 pack which is basically identical, but slightly smaller. The Epic kit would fit fine in that one too - with a few less accessories. I opted for the Contrejour 40 because I wanted a bit more room, and I felt I wouldn't get hassled by the airline - and I was right on that. Another cool thing with this pack that it is a "stealth" pack in that it just looks like a normal pack, not like it might have $50k USD camera stuff in it. I also travel in just T shirts and jeans so along with a normal looking pack I just look like another backpacking tourist.

BTW - this pack also has a great hidden compartment which is designed for a slim laptop or iPad.

I've attached some shots of the backpack loaded with my Epic/Canon lens kit, and of the pack on location with me in the Austrian Alps.

Here are some links:

CLIK Elite Contrejour 40
http://www.clikelite.com/products/contrejour-40/

CLIK Elite Contrejour 35
http://www.clikelite.com/products/contrejour-35/

CLIK Elite has a cool line of other photo backpacks and accessories too...

As others on this thread have verified, most airlines will give you some slack if you tell them you're a pro photographer or cinematographer on assignment. I NEVER check my cameras or lenses as normal baggage when I fly - its ALWAYS carried on. I've worked in 70 countries in my career and flown a lot of different airlines. There have been just a few that wouldn't budge in the carry-on weight/size limitations. Usually nicely telling them it was delicate and expensive camera equipment that couldn't be checked did the trick. Some simply charged me a extra fee if I was overweight on the carry-on bag. Having a professional business card, showing them the equipment, and letting them know I plan to fly a lot with them, has almost always mellowed them out on their size/weight rules.

 

[Dane Henry]

I agree the Cliks are a great pack, durable fabric, good frame and can carry a tripod.

The F-Stop packs are bad ass as well, we use the Tilopa http://fstopgear.com/en/product/mountain/tilopa-bc, you can buy different size camera blocks, great frame, taped seems, waterproof fabric and can carry a tripod and skis at the same time!

I also have the LowePro AW500, its the only backpack that is deep enough to allow me to keep the camera fully built out for easy/quick set up when in remote and sketchy locations...can't carry a video tripod though... http://products.lowepro.com/product/Flipside-500 AW,2294.htm

Scarlet_LowePro-AW500

I just returned a few weeks ago from three weeks of shooting in the Austrian Alps for Nike with one of my Epic camera kits. As most here know by now, with my Red cameras I usually shoot in a mobile hybrid EFP style using 35mm still lenses, and a minimum of accessories (no MB, FF, etc). I knew the shooting in Austria would be super mobile. I wanted as usual to carry my Epic and lenses on the flights in a carry-on backpack - then use that same backpack for my work high in the Alps. I found exactly what I needed in the CLIK Elite Contrejour 40 backpack. It is designed from the bottom up as a mountaineering backpack AND as a photography backpack. Its a back-loading pack, internal frame, tons of different compartments, is very strong but light, and my Epic, three Canon zooms, 6 Red Volt batteries, and various accessories all fit into the pack easily.

This backpack is the most comfortable photo backpack I've ever used! It is padded and ergonomically fits to my back. I easily walked with it through airports, train stations, and for hours of hiking through the Alps each day. With the Epic kit on my back, and my Miller Arrow 55/Sprinter II CF tripod in my hand I easily met the mobility needs of each day's production work. The pack itself weighs just 4.5 pounds. With the complete Epic kit loaded, including my Canon lenses (16-35, 24-70, 70-200) I'd say the pack weighed around 20 pounds - amazingly lightweight for containing a complete Epic kit.

To be clear, the CLIK Contrejour 40 measures slightly above many airline legal measurements. The airline I flew was United and I had no hassle about the pack. It fit just fine in the overhead bins of the Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft I flew on. If someone's concerned about meeting the letter of the rules on carry on bag size, CLIK also makes a Contrejour 35 pack which is basically identical, but slightly smaller. The Epic kit would fit fine in that one too - with a few less accessories. I opted for the Contrejour 40 because I wanted a bit more room, and I felt I wouldn't get hassled by the airline - and I was right on that. Another cool thing with this pack that it is a "stealth" pack in that it just looks like a normal pack, not like it might have $50k USD camera stuff in it. I also travel in just T shirts and jeans so along with a normal looking pack I just look like another backpacking tourist.

BTW - this pack also has a great hidden compartment which is designed for a slim laptop or iPad.

I've attached some shots of the backpack loaded with my Epic/Canon lens kit, and of the pack on location with me in the Austrian Alps.

Here are some links:

CLIK Elite Contrejour 40
http://www.clikelite.com/products/contrejour-40/

CLIK Elite Contrejour 35
http://www.clikelite.com/products/contrejour-35/

CLIK Elite has a cool line of other photo backpacks and accessories too...

As others on this thread have verified, most airlines will give you some slack if you tell them you're a pro photographer or cinematographer on assignment. I NEVER check my cameras or lenses as normal baggage when I fly - its ALWAYS carried on. I've worked in 70 countries in my career and flown a lot of different airlines. There have been just a few that wouldn't budge in the carry-on weight/size limitations. Usually nicely telling them it was delicate and expensive camera equipment that couldn't be checked did the trick. Some simply charged me a extra fee if I was overweight on the carry-on bag. Having a professional business card, showing them the equipment, and letting them know I plan to fly a lot with them, has almost always mellowed them out on their size/weight rules.

 

[Steve Gibby]

Good stuff Dane...

The CLIK Elite Contrejour 40 and 35 are also deep enough to hold a fully built out Epic. Though in the first pic I attached I have the Epic body/LCD combo separate,and all three lenses in separate areas, what isn't shown is in the Alps photos is that I left either the 16-35 or 24-70 on the camera in the pack, simply removing one of the lens holder dividers. If I'd have wanted to I could have alternately arranged the bag so even the 70-200 could stay on the camera in the pack.

The pack is truly a "set it down, quickly unzip the back compartment, pull out the camera, and start shooting" solution. Love it...

I have a whole area of my equipment room full of other packs and bags - various Lowepro, Tamrac, Cine Bags, and Porta Brace. But now this CLIK pack is my new favorite for hyper mobile 35mm still lens work with my Epic kits.

 

[JanneJansson]

Take the lens OFF the EPIC for travel :confused5:

Why?

 

[brett ogden]

Why?

Don't want a Hit to the Bag to brake the mount on the lens or the epic. (That's what i have been Told)

 

[Brian Iannone]

Don't want a Hit to the Bag to brake the mount on the lens or the epic. (That's what i have been Told)

That shouldn't really be too large of a concern. If an impact were to occur so strong that it could cause the lens mount to separate from the brain, you'd probably be more concerned about the lens, which at that point would be destroyed.

However, if you take look at Scott's case, you'll notice that it has a hard outer shell; that completely eliminates any chances that the above scenario would even occur.

 

[brett ogden]

That shouldn't really be too large of a concern. If an impact were to occur so strong that it could cause the lens mount to separate from the brain, you'd probably be more concerned about the lens, which at that point would be destroyed.

However, if you take look at Scott's case, you'll notice that it has a hard outer shell; that completely eliminates any chances that the above scenario would even occur.

Your Right i think Scott's Case is Grate, I was thinking about A soft Case.

 

[Brian Iannone]

Your Right i think Scott's Case is Grate, I was thinking about A soft Case.

That could indeed pose an issue when using a soft case. For the past two years, I've travelled with DSLRs in photo backpacks and have always positioned the camera (with a lens attached) towards the center of the pack. That way, in case an impact were to occur, only the equipment in the outer edge region of the bag might possibly be damaged. Which, in my case, was just audio gear, backup cameras, etc.

However, you'd need quite a large impact to cause that much damage to the equipment.

 

[Brian Iannone]

By the way Scott, have you tried any Pelican cases in about the same size range as the HPRC 2550WDK? If so, do you prefer Pelican or HPRC?

 

[Gavin Greenwalt]

By the way Scott, have you tried any Pelican cases in about the same size range as the HPRC 2550WDK? If so, do you prefer Pelican or HPRC?

I have 2x Pelican 1510s which are about the same size. They work really well but you can't fit nearly as much into a hardcase as a backpack. It takes about 2 pelicans to fit what I can fit into one carry-on sized softcase due to the foam. Even 2x pelican 1510s are juuuussssstttttt barely enough for a camera, few bricks, charger, mattebox and accessories. I just picked up a 1560 so that everything would have a little more room and could transport more batteries.

I like the Pelicans though since they have rolly wheels and handles.

If I was just on vacation though I wouldn't take the pelicans I would just go with the backpack. One of the big challenges is that you have to carry-on lithium Ion Batteries. Otherwise I would love to just load out my 1560 with accessories and other less-breakables to check and then carry-on the body but you need your bricks and redvolts together.

 

[Brian Iannone]

I have 2x Pelican 1510s which are about the same size. They work really well but you can't fit nearly as much into a hardcase as a backpack. It takes about 2 pelicans to fit what I can fit into one carry-on sized softcase due to the foam. Even 2x pelican 1510s are juuuussssstttttt barely enough for a camera, few bricks, charger, mattebox and accessories. I just picked up a 1560 so that everything would have a little more room and could transport more batteries.

I like the Pelicans though since they have rolly wheels and handles.

If I was just on vacation though I wouldn't take the pelicans I would just go with the backpack. One of the big challenges is that you have to carry-on lithium Ion Batteries. Otherwise I would love to just load out my 1560 with accessories and other less-breakables to check and then carry-on the body but you need your bricks and redvolts together.

Aaah, I just had a moment of realization there... You're that Gavin! Hey there! (Sorry, something just "clicked" for a second.) =D

All righty then, about the cases... Yes, it is indeed much easier to fit equipment into soft cases like backpacks than it is to stuff them into hard ones. If I were to go on vacation though, I'd never bring Pelicans or HPRCs. In fact, I've always just used backpacks.

Although for local shoots (in the same country), I typically prefer the more protective 1510s. They're so easy to roll around and transport; no carrying stuff on your back.

 

[Les Dittert]

So on the idea for a coat that has lots of pockets to hold stuff to avoid the weight limit, does anyone have a recommendation ? Something that would not look too odd in the summer, and does not make you look like a trench-coat spy...
The pockets would have to be close-able because you have to run the coat through the belt to the xray machine, right ?
Or I suppose you could have a light cloth bag with the items in it, just another carry on on the xray belt, they aren't the guys that bust you for too many bags or whatnot. Then as you close in on the gate, where the weight/size patrol is, you transfer the cloth bag contents to the multi pocket coat / cloaking jacket. The coat will have to fit in the overhead bin without all the contents getting damaged of falling out.

This is like a game.

The ultimate solution: A camera back pack that turns into a jacket, transformers type metamorphosis !

 

[Mark Toia]

Unless you travel to Aus or NZ where the carry-on is a ridiculous 7k / 15lbs. Thot those were tough guys down under

We call those bag nazi's arse holes down here! 7kg! What a fricken joke!

 

[Ketch Rossi]

Wow, nice! What airlines have you been on that allowed this?

Remember there is NO legal regulation on CAMERA BAG, so they can't do anything about, they can scream all they want, and as far as you keep your ground, they'll bring you to the head Hostess, and or even the Captain, at the end that Camera Bag, and yes even my hefty 50LB camera Bag will be boarded as part of the carry on.


Alitalia, Airfrance, Emirates, American Airlines, Delta, KLM, British Airways, US Airways, SouthWest, United Airlines, Alaska Airlines...

Right off the top of my head in this past two years alone, and I'm sure I'm missing several to the list...

 

[Tom Hamilton]

We call those bag nazi's arse holes down here! 7kg! What a fricken joke!

In the last several years, airlines have been digging for additional income streams, they have found the extra bag charge to be extremely profitable.

I was in Oz last year with a large Gates housing case traveling home from a shoot, Cairns to Brizzy, they informed me that due ramp worker safety regulations, they could not accept the case. Why did they accept it coming, and not going? She had no answer for that. After conferring with her managers, they decided to accept it, but at a charge of A$750, this for a one-hour flight. (They charged nothing for the inbound.) Protesting further, she informed me that if I upgraded to V-OZ's version of business class, for A$350, they would take the bag at no charge. Said thanks, told her I'd be taking Qantas next time. Little comfort though, they might even be worse.

Seems to me it depends very much on the person you happen to get when you check in. Do they make this shit up as they go?