Air cabin legal bag for Sigma 500mm f4.5 + more

[Tim Taylor]

I think I need a larger bag to accommodate the Sigma 500mm and was wondering about the Tamrac expedition series. Ideally I want something I can take on a plane as hand luggage and which will accommodate the 30D, Sigma 500mm, possibly the 100-400mm, 24-105mm, Sigma 150mm a flash and some odds and sods. Is this asking the impossible? I guess some stuff could go in the hold...

All advice gratefully received.

Tim :t:

[bob hastie]

Hi Tim
Not sure if the dimensions are right for airlines but Bert has an Expo 5 if you want to try it for size

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks Bob. With any luck the lens comes back this week so perhaps I'll be in a position to take her up on that offer soon.

[Stranger]

Hi
I use a Lowenpro phototrekker AWII which holds a 350d +sigma 50-500,300d +tamron 300. two smaller lenses and various bits n bobs.
Never had any problems on Easyjet flights.
Can`t say for other airlines.

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks Stranger, I'll look it up and compare lens dimensions too.

[Pluvius]

Lowepro Vertex 300 I got a sigma 500 canon 400 canon 100-400 canon 17-40 1d2n and a 40d plus a laptop flash extenders . Flew on easyjet and air namibia and used a cabin baggage

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks Craig. Theoretically some of these bags are bigger than is allowed for cabin baggage but perhaps they aren't that fussy and I guess the bags are squashable to a certain extent. The dimensions quoted by Flybe which we're using in a few weeks are: 50cm x 35cm x 23cm Easyjet quote: 55x40x20cm

[timp55]

Recently flew BA from Heathrow then American Eagle, Mexicana and BA again from LA and not once was our carry on baggage checked. Yes it was put through the scanners but nothing else. I was using a fully packed Kata R103 and trying really hard not to make it look as heavy as it was!

[Ragna]

Ive taken both the Lowepro nature trekker and the phototrekker on planes as hand luggagewith all my gear they weigh about 11 Kilos..Both would easily take your photo gear.Brought both of ebay for a round £70 in excellent condition.

[a.dancy]

I went on a Ryanair jet, the luggage quotas are a bit harsh. I put my sigma 500 in the green bag that came with the lens and that was my hand luggage. My 100-400 went on my belt (in the bag it came with) and I hung the camera around my neck with a wide angle lens attached to it. They let me through , phew.. I thought I might have had problems but didn't.

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks Timp, Graham and Adrian.

[Chris Galvin]

Tim,

I used to have the Sigma 500/4.5 and travelled to Morocco, Goa & Canaries with it in a Mini Trekker not attached to the camera. Bag also held two non-pro bodies and a Sigma 70-200/2.8, two Sigma convertors and a wide angle lens.

Last year I upgraded to a Canon 500/4 and 1DmkIIN. I travelled to Goa in November 2007 with camera in a Computer Trekker AW. In the bag also was a 40D with grip the 70-200/2.8, a 550EX flash gun, two canon convertors, two MKIIn spare batteries and my laptop. It weighed 14 kg but was scanned and NOT weighed. Gitzo 1340 (big heavy job) and Wimberley was in a hard shell suitcase.

[Tim Taylor]

Thanks Chris, that's really helpful. I haven't yet heard any horror stories about bags not being allowed in the cabin - perhaps it doesn't happen...

[Tim Taylor]

Just to close this thread, I finally bought a second hand Lowepro Photo Trekker Classic through eBay. It was pretty much an exact fit in those metal baskets they have at airports to check the size of cabin baggage. The 10kg luggage allowance didn't allow me to put all my kit in the bag so some went elsewhere. At one airport they weighed my baggage and hand baggage together to check I hadn't exceeded my overall allowance. This was on an internal UK flight with Flybe.

Thanks for all advice received.

Tim