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What to take on holiday

bforbes
Posted 26/05/2009 - 22:58 Link
I'm just back from a trip to Florida and the Airline had a 5Kg limit for Hand luggage. Assuming you don't want to risk your precious camera gear in the hold, what would you pack for the holidays?
Mannesty
Posted 26/05/2009 - 23:13 Link
If you will be recording mostly memories of the holiday, holiday snaps in other words, I'd probably take just the K100D and 18-55mm. If it gets lost or damaged, they are the cheaper items to replace. Your DA 17-70mm will give you slightly more range of course.

You'll also get more images on a card from it's 6Mp sensor.

If you want the best quality images, then the K10D and DA 27-70mm is your best choice. I doubt I'd take the DA* 300mm with me.

I don't see the point in taking the other primes as their range is covered by the zooms.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Anvh
Posted 27/05/2009 - 00:08 Link
Wear the K10D with the DA*300 around your neck and the rest of the lenses can fit in your hand luggage. You've of course the 17-70 so no need for the 18-55.
Stefan
Comment Image

K10D, K5
DA* 16-50, DA* 50-135, D-FA 100 Macro, DA 40 Ltd, DA 18-55
AF-540FGZ
iceblinker
Posted 27/05/2009 - 00:18 Link
bforbes wrote:
I'm just back from a trip to Florida and the Airline had a 5Kg limit for Hand luggage. Assuming you don't want to risk your precious camera gear in the hold, what would you pack for the holidays?

Camera body + expensive wide angle + expensive standard zoom lens in the hand luggage. Budget telephoto and any other cheap lenses and accessories in the main suitcase the hold.

The airline didn't actually weigh my hand luggage when I flew last time anyway despite stating a limit. That was Zoom - sadly now defunct.
~Pete
Edited by iceblinker: 27/05/2009 - 00:19
Unlocker
Posted 27/05/2009 - 00:23 Link
Weight and size were checked when we flew out from London for honeymoon recently (6kg) but flying back from LAX, it seemed as if you could take anything, one guy had a heavy suitcase, a laptop bag, and 2 other items of hand luggage!

When I complained to the cabin crew, as I had spent £100 on a new bag to comply with their size regulations, I was told that it was the airport that just didn't give a s***. Not sure I believed that, but I was well annoyed I can tell you!
Unlocker
Posted 27/05/2009 - 00:26 Link
Oh yeah, I took K20 + grip + batteries, DA* 50-135, DA* 16-50 and 77mm ltd with flashgun. Based on what you have in your sig, I would take the K10 + 17-70. For us, it was a once in a lifetime trip, so we went for the quality!
bforbes
Posted 27/05/2009 - 00:41 Link
iceblinker wrote:
The airline didn't actually weigh my hand luggage when I flew last time anyway despite stating a limit. That was Zoom - sadly now defunct.

We went with Thomson Fly and I thought they were quite cute. They did not weigh the hand luggage going out, but did coming back, after the wife had raided the clothes and souvenir shops
iceblinker
Posted 27/05/2009 - 02:05 Link
The trick is to stuff the souvenirs in your pockets before the weigh in
~Pete
Mannesty
Posted 27/05/2009 - 06:18 Link
No matter what the weather, I usually travel with a coat which has plenty of pockets and I stuff them full with lenses and the like. Airlines never weigh coats. Once I've got past check-in, I empty my pockets into my hand luggage.

I have since heard that Ryanair are weighing hand luggage at the departure gate so I might have to leave the additional items in my coat pockets from now on.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Gwyn
Posted 27/05/2009 - 08:37 Link
I took my K20D, 17-70, 50-135*, Bigma and 90mm macro on holiday. I never used the macro, barely used the * but used the other two a lot. I was frustrated at times at not having something more portable than the Bigma at the longer end, but generally was very glad of the 500mm!
KLM/NWA also have a weight limit on hand baggage but since they won't accept liability for checked valuables they allow camera bags and laptop bags on without weighing them. I had no other hand baggage, which helped.
I checked my tripod as they are not allowed as carry on by the TSA.

I see NWA are now charging for a second checked bag. I'm not sure how that works with their KLM code share flights since KLM still allow two checked bags for free. We needed an extra bag on the return flight - (sadly not filled with Pentax goodies, or even anything for me - my other half went mad on clothes buying there but with 501s for $39 who can blame him?) but we had booked before the new rules came in so it was free - otherwise it would have been $50 .
greynolds999
Posted 27/05/2009 - 08:39 Link
You could always ask if you can take an extra body if you volunteer to put the kids in the hold!

But I work on the basis that you get good camera insurance then take the lot. I'd far rather risk damaging some equipment than missing out on some shots.
Dr. Mhuni
Posted 27/05/2009 - 12:54 Link
I bought a Crumpler Jimmy Bo which takes my K20D with my heaviest lens and passport, ticket etc. This straps around my waist and is technically a bum bag, so has not been weighed yet. The rest of my stuff - inc. a laptop usually - I have in a Crumpler Daily, which is capacious and(consequently) heavy - however, so far I have got away without this being weighed too.

I travel mostly long haul, and the big carriers don't tend to be so strict about carry on - at least in my experience. Meanwhile, in Europe I tend to go Easyjet, which allows you to take on as much as you can fit in your bag.

Am mildly anxious about a flight from Heathrow I'll be taking in August. The airline (Qatar), specify a 7kg limit for carry on, but I'm usually well in excess of this - even with the camera round my waist. If anyone's got any experience of Qatar - or Qatar at Heathrow (sounds like the airport is important from the above comments) - fedback would be much apreciated.
Mhuni

500px
greynolds999
Posted 27/05/2009 - 13:46 Link
Mannesty wrote:
I have since heard that Ryanair are weighing hand luggage at the departure gate so I might have to leave the additional items in my coat pockets from now on.

Don't forget that Ryanair are just annoying by design. You cannot even 'pool' baggage with your friends/family so each and every bag must be under 10kg!

I'm wondering if my sliplock pouch counts as baggage if I attach it to my waist rather than my bag?

Of course you could go the whole hog and buy a LowePro belt and harness and claim it's just your normal clothing!
mph555l
Posted 27/05/2009 - 14:11 Link
I think the golden rule is to travel as light as you can. These days I soon get fed up carrying loads of heavy kit around.

I never put camera gear in the hold luggage. Besides the obvious risk of being bashed around hold luggage can go missing or be at least be delayed, especially if you are transiting. In 40 years or so of airline travel I have never had any problems, then twice last year while transiting at Heathrow our bags went on a journey all of their own. One of them disappeared for three days.

/Ian
K10D & Super A user.
mikew
Posted 27/05/2009 - 14:18 Link
mph555l wrote:
I think the golden rule is to travel as light as you can. These days I soon get fed up carrying loads of heavy kit around.
/Ian

I totally agree. One one holiday I took lots of lenses but soon tired of lugging them about all day so each day I would take just one or two with me. The next holiday I took just my 17-50 and that was just fine. Sure you may miss the odd shot but is it a holiday or photographic expedition?

Mike
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You can see some of my shots at my Flickr account.

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