Traveling with Gear

Hess

PRO user
Happy Holidays everyone!!

I usually ask this question every 18 months or so.

How do you pack when traveling with gear. What gets shipped, what gets checked as baggage, what's in your carry-on??

Do you ship your camera?? Dejero??

I travel for college basketball and follow the hometown team. We take the post game presser with the Dejero, and I send back a melt after the game.

We do a Post Game show anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes after the game.

Having said that here's my gear:
This is what I carry on,

Camera, Panny 5000, in Porta Brace travel bag (airlines love me)
Back pack with laptop, spare everything.
Small folding 2 wheeled cart.

Checked bags:
Clothes, battery charger, spare cables, Tripod.
Sometimes Check the Dejero, Big Pelican case to handle the banging around.
If time allows I'll ship the Dejero ahead of me so It's at my hotel when I get there.

Biggest hassles are getting from baggage claim to the rental car lot, too much stuff for one person, but I manage, and then getting into the venue, parking is never close for out of town guests.

Just looking for thoughts or comments on traveling smarter not harder.

Thanks for your input.

Have a Great Holiday!!

Hess
 

At the scene

Well-known member
Hess I have a question, in the beginning of your post you mention "we" have a 90 min show. Towards the end of your post you mention " to much stuff for 1 person"
Do you travel alone and meet the "we" at location?
 

Hess

PRO user
Hey Scene,

I was speaking in the "WE" as a group produce a post game show out of a studio in Rochester NY, but in fact I am the only one traveling to these game by myself.
If there was a second person on these trips it would be much easier.

thanks,

Hess
 

svp

Well-known member
When traveling, especially for sports, I take the smaller camera if its an option. Either Sony NX5 or Panny HPX250. Camera, batteries, and anything I can stuff in that camera bag goes with me as a carry-on. Backpack with laptop also stuffed with everything possible is my second carry-on. One bag with clothes is checked. Tripod is checked in the tripod bag not a hard tripod case. I wrap the tripod in bubble wrap inside the bag. The reason will be explained later. One large rolling Pelican case with wheels containing everything else (included live unit) is also checked. When having to carry equipment around, I have backpack on my back, tripod on my shoulder, rolling pelican with camera back stacked on top pulling with one hand and my clothes case pulled with the other hand. Trips usually end with a lot of back pain but at lease I can get it all by myself. Its usually a lot more difficult when I have to take the Panny HPX370.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
If time allows, ship everything ahead to the venue or hotel. I despise having to carry anything when I fly. 'Back in the day', when I used to travel for someone else, I've had to drag camera, support, tripod plus my own suitcase and back-pack through baggage claim and to the rental car, which as we all know, depending on the airport can be an absolute nightmare(Miami, DFW, etc...). I'd rather get kicked in the balls with a 'hob-nail boot' than ever do that again. And I never will do that again. I own multiple gear packages and can send gear ahead.

But if you have no choice, carry what you absolutely HAVE to have on-board with you:camera, battery, wireless, top-light, etc., so that you can still make TV if the airline "mis-handles" you checked baggage.
 

At the scene

Well-known member
Hey Scene,

I was speaking in the "WE" as a group produce a post game show out of a studio in Rochester NY, but in fact I am the only one traveling to these game by myself.
If there was a second person on these trips it would be much easier.

thanks,

Hess
Yes traveling alone sucks. Like the other posters mentioned I would ship as much as you can to your hotel. However there is a downside to that as well, I travel a lot for my station and a way that the company is cutting cost is to travel the same day as the game I am covering. So often times I do not get to the hotel until after the game plus live shots which turn out to be past midnight which makes shipping a mute point.

Today's technology makes it easier to travel than in years past. Battery operated LED'S is the way to go. Light and compact easy to carry on, I carry on at least 1 light plus camera light ( just in case my checked bags go somewhere else). I do not use the camera carry case anymore, once you travel on a DC-8,9 or 10 you cannot fit the camera in the overhead compartment. To correct that problem I take the camera apart at the gate waiting for boarding. Everything fits nicely into a backpack which includes Lens, top light, wireless transmitters unless they are built in. ( Also always pre-board)

However I check the tripod in a case but not a tripod case. I chose a golf bag hard case carrier for a few reasons. It has wheels, its super big so I can stuff not only the tripod but extra batteries, BNC, XLR cables, light stands, boom pole etc.

We use LIVEU as our cellular bonded unit. We have a small hard case on wheels that fits the LIVEU and a 2 port small battery charger perfectly. So that's 3 bags including luggage. Camera slung on shoulder, manageable but still a bit for one person. I travel with talent so easy enough for 2.

I always rent a big suv, once I get to the stadium I unpack everything in the suv and take only what I am going to need. I bring an empty fanny pack that I packed in my carry-on backpack and load it up with BNC,XLR batteries (only fit 2) to carry in. Also the Hard case Golf Bag case becomes my case for lights, stands, batteries, etc and the LIVEU which comes in a backpack gets strapped on my back. Camera on shoulder, LIVEU on back, Fanny pack around my waist and Hard case with wheels for everything else.

Pack mule is what I am. I have been doing it for 20 years and have it down to a science but you do learn something new everyday. Let me know if you have found an easier way. I'm always looking for new ideas.
 

Run&Gun

Well-known member
At the scene, you should talk them into getting you one of the newer LiveU units that are essentially camera mountable and not much bigger than an old Lectro.
 

At the scene

Well-known member
At the scene, you should talk them into getting you one of the newer LiveU units that are essentially camera mountable and not much bigger than an old Lectro.


This one?? I mentioned it to our engineer awhile ago. They were not impressed especially with only 6 network links as compared to the 500 or 600 that has I believe over 13. But man that would be sweet!!!
 

cameragod

Well-known member
Been using them for a few months and have been very impressed. Even been able to get stuff out when a crew with the old big unit next to us couldn't. Your engineer should try one before he dismisses it.
 

At the scene

Well-known member
Been using them for a few months and have been very impressed. Even been able to get stuff out when a crew with the old big unit next to us couldn't. Your engineer should try one before he dismisses it.
Correct Cameragod, I'm already on it. It's worth another shot.
 
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