[connie wills Silver Member Posts: 1]

Beginners Questions

on: July 11, 2019 at 8:20 am

Hi: I am going on the Greenland workshop and then travelling in Iceland for two weeks with my friend.I  haven’t travelled internationally (except for the U.S) with my camera gear and am worried about packing it. I shoot with a Canon 5D and have three lenses to bring.  Do most people use backpacks? I have tried a few of them and didn’t really like them. I was wondering how people travel with camera gear. Thanks for the info.

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1311]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #1 on: July 11, 2019 at 9:40 am

Hi Connie, You are on my trip to Greenland and always welcome as such to call me personally.  You should have my contact info.  For a trip like Greenland and Iceland, a backpack is almost a must.  I have used and own just about every camera backpack there ever was.  (I want to do an article one day where I stack them all up). I use presently the Tamrac Anvil 27.  This allows me two bodies and 4-5 lenses plus chargers, batteries etc.  I like this pack as it fits overheads on planes and has a removable waist belt.  I usually pack the belt in my luggage.  Because on the trip we will be doing landings and short hikes the pack is an ideal way to carry gear.  In the zodiac, you put it on the floor in front of you.  Once on land, you carry it and it is comfortable to use.  I am just coming off of back surgery and I need to be somewhat careful with my loadout and for me, this is the best.  You may hear from others that the F-stop Bag, Think Tank bags, Peak design bags are all choices too.  It’s like buying comfortable shoes.  what works for one may not be the one for others.  But I have been doing this a long time and weed these things out pretty quickly.  When I am doing trips and shooting from the back of the car I use a Think Tank Airport security bag that is a wheeled bag (good for my back) and then a small shoulder bag that I can load up with a lens or two if am going to walk the street etc.  Like I said call me if you’d like to discuss.  We are going to have a kick-ass trip.

Kevin Raber
Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

[Robert Peterson Gold Member Posts: 9]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #2 on: July 11, 2019 at 9:52 am

connie wills wrote:

Hi: I am going on the Greenland workshop and then travelling in Iceland for two weeks with my friend. … Do most people use backpacks? I have tried a few of them and didn’t really like them. I was wondering how people travel with camera gear.

My Gura Gear Kiboko 22L backpack carried my Canon SLR body with motor drive, four lenses, filters, 2nd battery, charger, flash, etc., and my 15″ laptop to numerous overseas locations over the past 12 years. I prefer a backpack because my hands remain free without putting my bag on the ground. Someone shooting with smaller gear vs. my full size SLR might achieve the same result with a waist pack.  You really want your hands free when getting in and out of the Zodiac boats. My backpack fits in the overhead bin of all but the smallest aircraft, and it fits under the seat of even the commuter planes.

On some trips I’ve packed a much smaller camera backpack (flash and two lenses) in my luggage and used the smaller one during hikes and Zodiac cruises when my camera is in my hand.

I’ve not seen many people on trips such as these using a sling bag.

-Bob

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1311]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #3 on: July 11, 2019 at 10:00 am

Good point Bob, and just so everyone knows the Guru Gear bags are being reintroduced by Tamrac,  I have the three newest bags and really like them.  They were originally designed by Andy Biggs.  The new bags are really light and for smaller set up works great.  Here is a LINK TO THESE BAGS

Kevin Raber
Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

[Dave L Participant Posts: 19]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #4 on: May 25, 2021 at 10:13 am

Travelling from my Jeep.

Jeep Wrangler JLU, 4 door

Should be easy right?
Here’s what’s happened so far.
As passenger in the Jeep, and navigator, I often use my RX100-7.

First issue. Mud. Travelled down country roads, and two tracks. Got out and got, took photos, and got back in. Mud everywhere. Mudon my seat back, hands and more.

Second issue. Rain. Gall darn Jeep engineers. The rain trough on the hardtop ends. All the water drains into it–if the front end is low when you stop and open the door, it drains into the passenger footwell. You know what’s there? camera gear.

Third issue. Camera drops. put it on my lap because I need my hands, and then we stop…I”ve dropped the little RX100 several times. You’d think that I’d learn.

(I used to be much better at this. I used to have a small photo business. You know…I spent more on gear than I made. I was nationally published, and had fun.)

I’m new here. Live in Toronto. I used to post at another forum for a long time. Considered Michael a mentor.

The Jeep gets me places I wouldn’t go otherwise. It’s beautiful.

[Kevin Raber Silver Member Posts: 1311]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #5 on: May 25, 2021 at 8:37 pm

Big Jeep fan myself, rubicon, Gladiator.  I feel young when I drive my jeep.  Isn’t a better vehicle IMO for adventure and getting out to photograph.  It’s one more critical piece of my camera gear.

Kevin Raber
Owner and Publisher of photoPXL

[Dave L Participant Posts: 19]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #6 on: May 25, 2021 at 10:11 pm

You’re right Kevin. Just have new skills to learn. Keeping my gear safe inside while I’m shooting as passenger.

Can you tell me what lanyard Jeff Schewe uses to hang his from his neck? Darned if I can find a good one. It would be an amazing help travelling in the Jeep.

[Dave L Participant Posts: 19]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #7 on: September 24, 2021 at 6:36 pm

What I learned travelling in the Jeep as a photographer–surprises happen.  So I used a waterproof bag in the footwell.  There’s a dreaded waterfall in rain. Get things wrong–water cascades from the roof of the Jeep to the rain gutter above the door and into the footwell… 2019 Jeep Wrangler with removable hardtop.

the Jeep is incredible. It takes me everywhere I want to go.

 

[Dave L Participant Posts: 19]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #8 on: June 6, 2022 at 2:01 pm

Dave L wrote:

You’re right Kevin. Just have new skills to learn. Keeping my gear safe inside while I’m shooting as passenger.

Can you tell me what lanyard Jeff Schewe uses to hang his from his neck? Darned if I can find a good one. It would be an amazing help travelling in the Jeep.

I’ve inquired about leather lanyards from Gordy’s wrist straps.

I’ve had some Gordy wrist straps for smaller cameras. I just bought one; it’s quality is even better than the ones I bought before.

 

DaveL

[Dave L Participant Posts: 19]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #9 on: March 25, 2023 at 8:58 pm

Travelling in our new Jeep with photo gear is so much better!

2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Rubicon. They solved the problem with the roof drain rails.Water no longer drips into the footwell from the drain rails. Gear is safer now. And I’ve learned to be more careful.

DaveL
Toronto

[Eric Brody Participant Posts: 69]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #10 on: June 6, 2024 at 2:27 pm

Hi Connie,

You’ll likely get more advice here than you may want, but I’ll make a couple of suggestions.

I do not know where you live but if you possibly can, visit a store and try different packs on, with your gear. There is no shortage of available packs and even more opinions. Five packs, ten opinions, some of which might actually be useful.

I’ve been at this a while and have owned many, many, too many packs from Lowepro, Tamrac, Thinktank and a few others.

I’m a smallish male, about 5’4″ and currently pack my A7RV and three zooms plus a macro in a Thinktank Mindshift Backlight 26L. It’s capacious and has a critical feature shared with the other sizes in the line as well as some other manufacturers; it opens from the back. When a pack is taken off and placed on dirty, dusty, or wet ground, the front of the pack takes the dirt, the pack opening is clean. Opening from the back also provides security; no one can unzip it and take your gear. It also can be swung around taking off the shoulder straps and using the waist band to access the pack without even fully taking it off. I own the 15L and 36L versions as well. The 15L is great for short trips with less gear, the 36L holds everything I own. They also have space for clothes and snacks.

Best of luck on your Greenland and Iceland adventures. Enjoy!

[Jeremy Roussak Gold Member Posts: 1047]

Re: travelling with camera gear

Reply #11 on: June 7, 2024 at 3:36 am

As various people have suggested, the best plan is to go to a camera shop and try a few. I have a MindShift 18l backpack. It’s comfortable. It will take my A7R4 with three lenses (24-105, 90 macro and 100-400) and assorted accessory stuff.

See you in Greenland.

Jeremy

[Author]

Posts