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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Travel bag/pack (1 Viewer)

Iceberg slim

Fly by night
United Kingdom
Seeing how this is a Sigma thread i need some advice, purchasing a 150-600 sport with a 1D mkIV, what is the best bag for aircraft travel, i have a Billingham but it is just to bulky, something quite sturdy but not to expensive, well not now anyway.

cheers M
 
Seeing how this is a Sigma thread i need some advice, purchasing a 150-600 sport with a 1D mkIV, what is the best bag for aircraft travel, i have a Billingham but it is just to bulky, something quite sturdy but not to expensive, well not now anyway.

cheers M

I haul my Sigma 120-300 2.8 in one of the Lowepro Flipside's (300 or 400 not 100% sure, would have to double-check. If mine is not already the 400 I would go with it for some extra space). It fits mounted to the camera (D800 with grip) and the hood revered, and there is room left for another lens up to a 70-200 2.8. The dimensions of the 120-300 are close to the ones of the 160-600, so fit should be similar.
The backpack is easy to carry, and the compartment is only accessible from the back, i.e. protected from unauthorized opening while on your back. As a backpack it doesn't offer the same sturdiness as a hard case, but more than sufficient for normal travel as carry-on bag (fits the required dimensions of most airlines). With $150-200 street price (GB may be a different story) its also reasonable priced for a camera bag. Looks like the next generation is on its way to the shelves, some dealer have the current ones on sale.
 
First stop is to check who you are likely to fly with and their carry on luggage maximum size specifications. They do alter from airline to airline as indeed do the weight allowances too. I have three specifically designed camera bags, each one purchased as my lenses got bigger. Should have thought about what I was going to get in the future really and then I'd have less bags now! Think Tank make decent bags, they are pretty expensive but they do the job well and have aircraft travel in mind too.
One the other hand I have a 4th bag which I use for special occasions when I want to take my biggest lens. It is very lightweight, far lighter than any camera specific bag I own, but it's within size limits and will actually take a 600mm f4 lens at a push. There is no inside protection so I wrap the lens well in bubble wrap and I am careful not to trust all the weight on just one of the back straps. Bought it in Home Bargains store for £10 and with the lens in I can still travel when the carry on allowance is 5kgs in weight although of late not needed as Thomas Cook have increased theirs to 6 kilos.
Be careful though, the likes of Ryan Air who I haven't flown with but I am told do make frequent checks on size.
 
Nice looking bag and a good price, you should get away with your 1DMk4 and lens which together with the bag just top the limit with Thomas Cook in their standard class.
I have just returned from a holiday to The Gambia and travelled out with similar weight. A 1D and lens in my bag and a spare 5D and 100-400 lens over my shoulder which didn't present a problem. On the return at Banjul airport I was asked if my bag weighed less than 6 kilos but they didn't weigh it.
 
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