Top 8 Tips For Flying With Photo or Video Gear

[@jericagustin6557]

What about Carnet?

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Good question. Honestly not super familiar with Carnet. I should probably do more research on it because I have read it described as a 'passport for equipment.' Good tip to bring up!

[@JayLamm]

Finally, a concise video that answers my questions. I'm about to go on a trip with my gear and have seen many videos on the subject matter. Normally, I have to wait for the video creator to talk about all the different pieces of gear they have and all the different places they've gone and all the little stories about what went wrong, etc. You're right to the point with good tips. Love it. Thanks.

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Really appreciate that. Honestly keeping the receipts in Dropbox or some derivative thereof has saved me twice this year, alone. If you fly to foreign countries, especially where theft is high, it's good to have copies of receipts and serial numbers for customs or authorities. Best of luck!

[@MannyFernandezMF]

This helped out a lot! I’m leaving to Hawaii with a lot of gear, and this helped me with everything!!

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Hawaii you should be fine on any major US carrier. Hopping between islands however, be aware some of their small jets have very small overhead bins and may not fit the Pelican described in this video.

[@radioog6945]

You left no stone unturned! Thank you!!!

[@FlyingLapMedia]

You bet! Glad you found it of some value. If you have any tips you find along the way, please be sure to share.

[@oscarloaiza1111]

Great and very helpful video man, thank you so much for taking the time, new subscriber!

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Appreciate that. Glad the tips helped. Safe travels!

[@EricMolinatti]

Great tips, Great Video! Nice work

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Thanks man. Appreciate you taking the time to watch it.

[@Zer0Nine]

Awesome tips for travel! Thanks!

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Appreciate that, thanks for taking the time to comment and give it a watch.

[@gusjaramill0]

Such an amazing and full of wonderful tips. Thanks for this video. Very helpful 🔥🔥

[@FlyingLapMedia]

You're so welcome! Safe travels.

[@keithken2828]

Excellent video thank you for the tips

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Glad it was helpful! Appreciate you watching.

[@wyattlloyd7]

Super helpful! What hard drives do you find best to travel with?

[@chrisortenburger1777]

The only correct answer is Samsung T5's or T7's #amiright ? 🙂

[@Ranger7Studios]

What about things like small super clamps, mini ball heads, extension arms, etc? Mostly small grip gear. Any problems getting those on a flight? Also, I have a multi part mono pod that has to be disassembled to fit in my luggage. If it is in a bag inside my bag is it okay, or do I need to carry that on separately? Great video!

[@chrisortenburger1777]

Checked luggage, you'll be completely fine. Heck, you can bring firearms. *In checked luggage. I've brought GoPro clamps and Joby stuff in my carry on with ZERO issues. The only thing that seems to get TSA in a stir is anything that resembles a multi tool. A Leatherman. Allen Keys. Small stubby screwdrivers to attach tripod mounts, etc. And the crazy making thing is, it's inconsistent. Some airports couldn't care less. Others confiscated the tools. So now I just put those in my checked bags or cases. General rule for carry on is nothing sharp that could be used to do bad things. Most anything else is fair game.

[@JRShof]

Almost all airline have media discounts, including American allowing over weight bags, and up to 20 check bags at $50 each 😉

[@FlyingLapMedia]

For sure. Although American as of late has more strict requirements on what they consider "media." They typically want a letter of assignment from a reputable news outlet or broadcast affiliate. In any case, if you get status - (which isn't hard to do if you fly enough) you can usually get the overweight thing waived *up to a point, or even fly with free luggage. It's rare I'm traveling with more than 2 pelicans for what I shoot.

[@joyoffilming9500]

Great video! Especially, the hint re work visa can turn out to be an expensive mistake if not prepared proberly.

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Canada is particularly tough. I've had a colleague be turned away because they explained they were there to 'work' with camera gear. And I've personally been in a private customs room coming back from Brazil. I was there on a very short trip to shoot a race and they thought it looked suspect I had so much gear for such a short trip. And they suspected I was trying to evade duties and taxes and bringing in gear to resell. Having all that receipt info and paperwork in the cloud might just be the biggest takeaway I've learned and can hopefully save someone else the hassle. Best of luck.

[@RetroSoulGirl]

I was just wondering... I have a DSLR camera and the shutter is pretty loud, but is there any way I can take pictures on a plane without it being loud? Taking videos is silent so I'm not too worried but I was just wondering if I can shoot pictures without the shutter so loud. I have a Canon Rebel T7.

[@FlyingLapMedia]

One bit of advice I've learned the hard way ... you're better waiting until you're getting ready to take off. E.g. once the flight attendants are seated and strapped in. Pulling out your camera too soon can be a mistake. I've had a few freak out over a GoPro and they insisted I stow it away. It all depends on the flight attendant and the day, but their primary goal is safety and a reasonable preservation of privacy for other passengers. In my experience, the more discreet you are the better. A DSLR draws more attention than say a phone. So proceed accordingly. Good luck!

[@lenanana8]

My main concern is the weight! I'm just a normal person with a bunch of tech equipment for my research and my photography hobby. With two laptops + charging cables, 1 ipad, dslr camera, 2 lens, joby tripod, 3 external hard-drives, 1 bluetooth speaker, 1 steam deck, and a mini skateboard I'm lugging around 10-15 kg alone in my carry-on that I can't even lift without help! Any tips, other than leave stuff at home or just bear with it?

[@FlyingLapMedia]

It's really a never ending juggling act. An infinite amount of gear you'd like to bring and a finite amount of room. My usual rule of thumb is to always carry on anything that's mission critical. I've had my clothes get lost, but at least I could shoot for my client. There's always a cheap option to buy some clothing and toiletries to get you by.

[@nasdeentv184]

Can i bring studio led lights ? On Airport

[@FlyingLapMedia]

If you're talking about the small LED ones that have become popular as of late, the small rechargeable ones - those will have to go in your carry on. If it has any kind of lithium ion battery or rechargeable battery, they want it on your person, and not in the cargo hold.

[@tonyrowland9216]

can’t belive how littel gear i carry and take just as good of pics.

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Less is definitely more, almost always. More gear doesn't make you more creative.

[@freyafoxmusic]

Yes I am and it’s a nightmare lol 😂

[@kevinjorgensen1046]

That Pelican case and equipment was under 7kgs? I don't think so!

[@FlyingLapMedia]

Great point. In the states, they're not super strict about checking carry on weight. It's probably somewhere in the nature of 15 kilos of total weight. (guessing).