packing and transporting my rig

[troporobo 244]

I tried various combinations and didn't find that separating the port from the housing worked any better. Maybe it wouldn't work as well with a larger DSLR housing. I guess that is one advantage of a m4/3 system.

 

I got the ThinkTank dividers and lid organizer, mainly because I couldn't try the Pelican Trek Pak dividers in person and was a bit sceptical that they would bend as I wanted to accommodate the housing and dome port as shown. The lid organizer is excellent, much nicer than the Pelican mesh version, and will hold a laptop or tablet:

 

[Pajjpen 63]

Hey Robert

 

I think you have done pretty well there. I've never thought of fitting the port onto the housing and having the camera/lens in the housing. You need to leave out the housing o-ring though, eh, if you fly?

 

It's not clear from the photo, but the Pelican 1510 has a good lid storage fitting with all sorts of zippered pockets which can hold lots of bits n'bobs. You might have that already.

U mean it's recommended to remove the o ring from the housing when you fly? I have never done this to be honest. Any reason why?

 

 

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[TimG 62]

U mean it's recommended to remove the o ring from the housing when you fly? I have never done this to be honest. Any reason why?

 

 

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Only if the housing and any attached items (ie a port) form a seal when flying. The changing air pressure can "lock" the whole assembly together making it extremely difficult to remove the back of the housing or the port. There's no need to remove the housing o-ring if, for example, you have some form of plastic port cover on the port opening of the housing. That doesn't form a seal. The problem is only when the housing is effectively sealed and air - and the varying pressure - cannot move through it.

 

So in the case we were talking about above: flying with the housing o-ring in place and an o-ring fitted port attached (so effectively a fully sealed unit) could well result in making it very difficult to open the housing or remove the port.

 

I hope that explains it better!

[Barmaglot 250]

Worse yet, with a fully sealed housing, sea-level pressure trapped inside while ambient pressure drops may cause your dome to pop out of its seal - it's designed to withstand external pressure squeezing it in, not internal pressure pushing it out - and that may require a factory repair. Therefore, when you're taking your housing on a plane, it's best to ensure that it is not sealed - keep it open, or close it without o-rings, or dismount the port, or remove the vacuum port cap, doesn't matter what as long as it can freely equalize internal and external pressure.

[TimG 62]

Worse yet, with a fully sealed housing, sea-level pressure trapped inside while ambient pressure drops may cause your dome to pop out of its seal - it's designed to withstand external pressure squeezing it in, not internal pressure pushing it out - and that may require a factory repair. Therefore, when you're taking your housing on a plane, it's best to ensure that it is not sealed - keep it open, or close it without o-rings, or dismount the port, or remove the vacuum port cap, doesn't matter what as long as it can freely equalize internal and external pressure.

 

The vacuum port cap is a very good idea. Certainly with the Vivid Sentinel removing the vacuum port dust cap would give you access to the valve seal which, even if disaster struck, should move and allow pressures to be re-equalised and the housing to open.

 

I came horribly close to this unhappy state of affairs with my first housing, a Subal for the Coolpix 5000. I had no idea of the potential problem and arrived on my first dive trip with the gear having flown with the port attached to the housing (and why wouldn't it be?) and REALLY struggled to get the housing open. Talk about panic attacks! It was only by finally getting the port to move and then disconnect that I resolved the situation. By then I was soaked in sweat.....

[hellhole 21]

I think u can put more things if you pack better. I think the torches can stand straight.

[Pajjpen 63]

 

 

Only if the housing and any attached items (ie a port) form a seal when flying. The changing air pressure can "lock" the whole assembly together making it extremely difficult to remove the back of the housing or the port. There's no need to remove the housing o-ring if, for example, you have some form of plastic port cover on the port opening of the housing. That doesn't form a seal. The problem is only when the housing is effectively sealed and air - and the varying pressure - cannot move through it.

 

So in the case we were talking about above: flying with the housing o-ring in place and an o-ring fitted port attached (so effectively a fully sealed unit) could well result in making it very difficult to open the housing or remove the port.

 

I hope that explains it better!

I see, that makes sense! I have only been using the housing and the nauticam cap which doesnt seal it shut hence not having any problems

 

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[vigfus 2]

A few years back Lufthansa, which was my main carrier from Europe to Asia, started to charge extra for my divebag despite the total weight being under 23kg. So I bought the biggest sturdy, but light weight suitcase I could find (120 liter Antler) and stuffed all the dive gear in one half and clothes together with non breakable camera gear (floaters, clamps etc.) in the other half. Then I would pack my carry-on with the kitted camera as I currently only own a 60mm macro lens, strobes and wet lenses. If someone complains about the carry-on weighing 15kg I show them the gear and I've always been allowed to take it into the cabin despite it being packed to the brim.

Now, I'm looking into an upgrade which could mean 1-3 lenses and 1 dome more and I don't see how that could fit in the current space so something need to change.

 

For those of you who use wide angle with a bulky dome, do you send two kolli in the haul, sneak in two "carry-on" in the cabin or how do you manage?

[TimG 62]

A few years back Lufthansa, which was my main carrier from Europe to Asia, started to charge extra for my divebag despite the total weight being under 23kg. So I bought the biggest sturdy, but light weight suitcase I could find (120 liter Antler) and stuffed all the dive gear in one half and clothes together with non breakable camera gear (floaters, clamps etc.) in the other half. Then I would pack my carry-on with the kitted camera as I currently only own a 60mm macro lens, strobes and wet lenses. If someone complains about the carry-on weighing 15kg I show them the gear and I've always been allowed to take it into the cabin despite it being packed to the brim.

Now, I'm looking into an upgrade which could mean 1-3 lenses and 1 dome more and I don't see how that could fit in the current space so something need to change.

 

For those of you who use wide angle with a bulky dome, do you send two kolli in the haul, sneak in two "carry-on" in the cabin or how do you manage?

 

 

Yeah, those big domes are tricky especially if you have to manage with the usual 20/23kgs baggage allowance on European flights. No clothes is my usual policy (well, swimmies and a couple of t-shirts). Pelican roller box in the cabin with all fragile u/w gear jammed into it - plus a camera bag with cameras and lenses. Everything else into my dive bag: arms, clamps, BC, wetsuit, blah blah.... It's usually 23 kgs. And I wear any extra clothes I might need! I've hand-carried the 230 domeport a good few times (in addition to the Pelican box and camera bag) and, thankfully, no-one bothered. Usually though it's in the hold-loaded bag packed inside a home-made, polystyrene-lined envelope (a big envelope!) wrapped inside my wetsuit.

 

I have been thinking I might end up not packing my BC and fins and renting them. That's a cheap enough option, they are heavy-ish things and items which are not as personal as, say, a reg, wetsuit or mask.

 

But, nope, it's never easy

[benedika 124]

A few years back Lufthansa, which was my main carrier from Europe to Asia, started to charge extra for my divebag despite the total weight being under 23kg. So I bought the biggest sturdy, but light weight suitcase I could find (120 liter Antler) and stuffed all the dive gear in one half and clothes together with non breakable camera gear (floaters, clamps etc.) in the other half. Then I would pack my carry-on with the kitted camera as I currently only own a 60mm macro lens, strobes and wet lenses. If someone complains about the carry-on weighing 15kg I show them the gear and I've always been allowed to take it into the cabin despite it being packed to the brim.

Now, I'm looking into an upgrade which could mean 1-3 lenses and 1 dome more and I don't see how that could fit in the current space so something need to change.

 

For those of you who use wide angle with a bulky dome, do you send two kolli in the haul, sneak in two "carry-on" in the cabin or how do you manage?

...i know what you are talking about.

I have a Manfrotto D1 aviator backpack within the weight limits (almost), + a very small shoulder bag for lenses + a so called "banana bag" (the one you strap around your hips. So i disguise 16kg.

 

globaldivemedia.com

[SwiftFF5 134]

I tried various combinations and didn't find that separating the port from the housing worked any better. Maybe it wouldn't work as well with a larger DSLR housing. I guess that is one advantage of a m4/3 system.

 

I got the ThinkTank dividers and lid organizer, mainly because I couldn't try the Pelican Trek Pak dividers in person and was a bit sceptical that they would bend as I wanted to accommodate the housing and dome port as shown. The lid organizer is excellent, much nicer than the Pelican mesh version, and will hold a laptop or tablet:

 

 

I am thinking about a new case for my rig, and while looking up these Think Tank dividers, I discovered that they have a line of hard cases. Any thoughts on these:

 

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/skb-hard-cases/products/skb-iseries-3i-2011-7dl-case

 

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/skb-hard-cases/products/skb-iseries-3i-2011-8dl-case

 

Thanks.

Edited August 24, 2018 by SwiftFF5

[Pajjpen 63]

You would have to check it in most likely, keep that in mind. I would never dare checking my babies in and leaving them to the mercy of the airlines for hours and hours. I use a thinktank backpack and enjoy it altho it's seriously heavy haha.

 

I am thinking about a new case for my rig, and while looking up these Think Tank dividers, I discovered that they have a line of hard cases. Any thoughts on these:

 

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/skb-hard-cases/products/skb-iseries-3i-2011-7dl-case

 

https://www.thinktankphoto.com/collections/skb-hard-cases/products/skb-iseries-3i-2011-8dl-case

 

Thanks.

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[SwiftFF5 134]

You would have to check it in most likely, keep that in mind. I would never dare checking my babies in and leaving them to the mercy of the airlines for hours and hours. I use a thinktank backpack and enjoy it altho it's seriously heavy haha.

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Hmmmm, it is about the same size as my current Pelican case, which I use as a carry on, and they state that it is "Airline carry-on approved size" so I was hoping that it would be able to stay in the cabin with me. Like you, I really hate checking my gear (have only had to do it once so far - coming back from the Red Sea, the airline personnel in Jordan were quite unreasonable).

 

I could probably continue to use my current Pelican case, but would need to get new foam or dividers for it anyway, so I thought that perhaps I would get a case with wheels (like the 7 series above).

 

 

Thanks.

Edited August 24, 2018 by SwiftFF5

[Pajjpen 63]

 

 

Hmmmm, it is about the same size as my current Pelican case, which I use as a carry on, and they state that it is "Airline carry-on approved size" so I was hoping that it would be able to stay in the cabin with me. Like you, I really hate checking my gear (have only had to do it once so far - coming back from the Red Sea, the airline personnel in Jordan were quite unreasonable).

 

I could probably continue to use my current Pelican case, but would need to get new foam or dividers for it anyway, so I thought that perhaps I would get a case with wheels (like the 7 series above).

 

 

Thanks.

Weight is more of a problem with these hard cases in my experience, they tend to get weighed. But if you're usually getting away with a hard case then I say go for it! Don't really have any input on the hard cases u mentioned tho, but thinktank is great!

 

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[SwiftFF5 134]

Weight is more of a problem with these hard cases in my experience, they tend to get weighed. But if you're usually getting away with a hard case then I say go for it! Don't really have any input on the hard cases u mentioned tho, but thinktank is great!

 

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Hand carrying it, and pretending that it doesn't weigh much seems to help ;-}

 

.

[thetrickster 328]

I recently got a Pelicase 1535 (the newer Air variant of the popular 1510) with the Trek pac inserts and ThinkTank lid organiser to replace my ThinkTank Security V2 as I’ve had a couple of issues in the past with its size (56x35x23) and over zealous gate staff.

 

But man the 1535 is just too small. Not sure I can use it :-(.

 

As seen from the photos above you have to almost strip the housings down to to get them to fit.

 

I need something that is 22cm deep to take the Inferno housing standing up otherwise it takes up almost all the 1535 alone. I’ve had a couple of CineBag camera bags but if I’m honest apart from their newer UW series, their bags are pretty poor compared to ThinkTank or Tenba.

 

 

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[hezishohat 0]

Hi

 

I have Nauticam D500 which is 9.4'' height and 13.7'' width. no hard case or soft case is enough for this.

So when I traveled from Israel to Mexico, I just carried housing with the 9'' heavy glass dome with a weapon strap.

camera in the housing

there are no rules for camera weight when it's on you.

5 flights, Internal and Trans Atlantic. no one ask any question.

I just padded the dome with thick bubbles nylon

it's ok only when you go directly to diving safari. not recommended for long trip

[synthetic 4]

I hate to check my housing so I fit it in a carryon. I used a small cooler bag and padded it with a yoga mat. Nauticam 5D4 housing, macro port, SMC, two Inon Z220 strobes, and a spotter light = 15.0 lb.

 

I just bought the Cinebags "Lens Smuggler" bag for my camera, lenses, laptop, batteries, and other misc electronics. That one is pushing 17 lb, but I'll put a lens in my pocket if they want to weigh it.

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by synthetic

[rfkissling3 1]

I have used a soft sided cooler with good success. Heavy though, no way around that!

[LeDouxDiving 0]

What size pelican cases do you use for your underwater rig? Thanks!

[T.Sven 0]

I use a samsonite cosmolite, it’s light,  have wheels, strong (using it every year for at least 10 years) housing camera strobes macro&mini dome, lenses, all fits. I have a multi pockets jacket inside in case I need to settle it to 7kgs.

[danrees 0]

Brilliant ideas here....

[atus 20]

I know it's an old topic but I would like to explain my experience in my last two trips.

Nowadays I am travelling with the diving equipment (drysuit incluided if needed) and the camera rig in this way. For the diving equipment I am using a normal lightweight samsonite suitcase, I adjust the weight between 20-23 kg depending the air companies. And for the camera rig....The housing, big macro port, with the camera, and the lens inside, with 2 clapms and an arm as a handle, and an attached strap hanging from my shoulder like a bag. This way passing the airport filter it's pretty smooth. The rest of the rig goes into a cabin suitcase with me during all the time. There is place for the two strobes, arms, clamps, chargers, batteries, dome port, lenses, laptop.

Only in the Madrid airport I had some issues with the cabin suitcase and I had to empty all the elctronics  and pass the scanner with 4 different trays.

And I had another issue with the weight of the cabin suitcase (16kg) in the Tenerife north airport, I usually hide that suitcase when I go to the airport check- in, just because I don´t want them to weight it, but this time I was distracted talking with a friend. The flight was to El Hierro with a small turbo propeller plane and they only admit a 6 kg cabin suitcase. So they offer me to put for free some of the stuff in the cabin suitcase to the big suitcase, I did it, suffering for my laptop, and the strobes, which arrived with no more issues.

This is why in my next trip I am going to change the cabin suitcase for a big camera backpack, one of my partners use to travel with this bag with no issues untill now, nobody looks at the backpacks hanging for your back and if they do they assume it's not that heavy.

[hyp 111]

Backpacks are not 100% save either these days. Mine usually weighs about 12kg and most of the time noone even takes a second look, but it's been weighed before. Luckily when I showed all the camera equipment inside the lady at the counter allowed me take it. Other times I've had more trouble, so I now also wear a vest which I could put a bunch of lenses into the pockets, in case someone kicks a fuss.

[sharkbytesmatt 1]

Great ideas in this thread!