Best camera bag for hand held luggage on African Flights.

[Geranium]

I'm going to Africa (Kruger and then Zambia) in a few weeks for the first and probably the last time. I am taking my Nikon 7100 , my 80-400 (II) lense and maybe my sigma 10-20 wide angle. There are a few extras such as a portable hard drive, llight monopod, chargers etc etc. that I am happy to pack in my checked in luggage along with my clothes etc. I am not willing to put my DSLR and 400mm lense in with my checked in luggage and determined to take them with me on the plane. However I have to keep hand luggage to a minimum as the flights to and within Zambia restrict hand luggage to only 5KG. (also one piece only of hand luggage is allowed). . I own an array of camera bags for almost every occasion and I had almost decided to settle on my old medium sized Lowenpro back pack to accommodate the said DSLR and lense to use for my carry on luggage and use the outside pocket for passport money etc. My thoughts were that I would shove the backpack under the seat on the plane. However I am now having second thoughts and wondering if I should purchase a small HARD camera CASE as it may end up having to be chucked in the overhead luggage compartment along with everyone elses hand luggage... and that would be a worry.. The weight of a hard case will be a consideration with a 5Kg limit in Zambia( I don't know what they weigh) but I have invested in a safari type jacket in case I need to put some of my stuff in my pockets as apparently that's not included in your 5Kg limit in Zambia. Apparently one can also get away with a camera around ones neck when checking in in Zambia but I'm not keen about wandering around an African airport with an expensive and large lens dangling around my neck. If I take a hard case it will also mean I do not have a convenient camera bag to use in Africa and will probably end up carrying the camera around uncovered all the time. Most days in Africa however will be spent in a safari vehicle.
Sorry about the very long prologue.!! If you have had the patience and fortitude to get to the end of it I am wondering if any of you that have been to Africa might have some advice on the matter. Any advice at all about all this would be very very greatly appreciated. Many many thanks for reading this.

[AB26]

Hi Denise,

I use a Lovepro sling bag loaded with almost 7Kg of gear. On domestic flights in SA I have never had any airline weighting my hand luggage. Having my hand luggage (camera gear) in the overhead storage has never presented any problem.

Flying domestic in Zambia you will probably be flying with Proflight, most likely in a De Haviland dhc 8. With these smaller aircraft they are strict with baggage weight. Rather not exceed the maximum they allow. Using a hard case won’t be nessaccary, a soft bag should do it. (Never, NEVER EVER have your camera gear going into the luggage compartment unless you are flying with a private charter company.)

If you will be flown by private charter companies you should not have any problem (as long you stay within weight restrictions).

You might be pleasantly surprised with your visit as Zambians are tourism friendly people. Enjoy the trip to Africa.

A tip: if anyone wants to sell you anything you do not want – smile at him or her and say in a friendly clear voice “ Not today, Thank you”.

[davidedric]

Hi Denise,

I know from previous correspondence that you are taking the scheduled Proflight from Lusake to Mfuwe. I have taken that flight quite a few times, so I can tell you how it goes.

The aircraft. They fly Jetstream aircraft on that route. They have two sizes, on with about twenty and one with about thirty seats. They are nice planes, big enough to get above any turbulence. Your baggage is manually handled - not like in a big airport where it disappears down a chute to heaven know where - it will basically be in view all the time.

They most certainly do weigh hand baggage, and the number of $'s for extra kilos is rather high. They are also wise to the trick of hanging heavy expensive gear around your neck - they will almost certainly just ask you politely to put it on the scales. I wrap my flash up and put it in my main bag, to save weight.

Your Lowepro backpack sounds ideal - very similar to the one I have and that most other people I have seen use. In my view, you definitely do not need a hard case, and , as you say, it would be a real nuisance on safari.

There are no luggage racks on a Jetstream! You might be allowed to carry it on, and site with it on your knee. Or you might be asked to leave it by the airplane steps, when it will be placed (not thrown!) in the luggage compartment, and you will get it back at the end of the flight. It seems to depend on whoever is the flight attendant (yes, there is one!). I would certainly be inclined to keep important documents on my person, though.

Mfuwe (actually, Mfuwe International because there are occasional flights to Lilongwe) is a proper little airport, with a decent metalled runway, and a representative will be waiting there for you (there are always a few safari vehicles lined up outside to ferry guests to the various camps.

I've been to South Luwangwa ten times or more. It is a fabulous park, and I am sure you will have a great time there.

Dave

[Geranium]

Thank you SO MUCH BOTH David and Andre.. What you have said here makes me feel much less anxious. I will go ahead with the back pack. How wonderful to hear from people who have beento/live in SA and Zambia.i wonder if you would indulge me a little more by answering a couple of further questions? So Dave are you saying that on Proflight you can in fact take on more than the 5 kg hand luggage as long as you pay for it? It might be worth the money for peace of mind to take my other lense, my little cyber shot and portable hard drive in my hand luggage! Also you might be able to advise me about which second lense to take.i have a Nikon 80- 400 mm as I mentioned. Would your choice for a second lense be a wide angle lense, a18-200mm( VR) or a little 18-70mm. Looking forward to hearing from you again. Denise.
Ps. I wasn't going to bother with a flash. Would you advise taking one?

[davidedric]

Hi Denise,

Ask as many questions as you like - definitely no need to apologise. That's what CiC is here for!

I have checked out Proflight again. In fact it seems that they do not allow excess on hand baggage. It's a good job I did check. They say that they operate a strict 5kg limit. They do allow excess in the hold - but the snag is they don't guarantee to carry it! It depends on the aircraft load. (This makes no sense to me since they don't weight the passengers!) However, if it were me I would try to stick within the weight limits for peace of mind

So far as lenses are concerned, I also have a crop frame camera, a Canon as it happens, and take a 70-300mm and a 17-70mm faster lens. I always carry both on game drives, and I don't think I put the shorter lens on more than twice. You're in even better shape with the 400mm reach. The only time you might find the short end restrictive is probably if an elephant gets a bit too close. In which case you'll likely be getting out of there and not changing lenses. Another general point is that game drives can get a bit dusty (though not at this time of the year in Luangwa), and so changing lenses on the go may not be a good idea. The times I do use the shorter zoom is for wandering round camps and taking a few general shots. I really wouldn't take the 18-200mm. As for a wide angle, it obviously depends what you like to shoot, but South Luangwa is pretty flat, so you won't see many dramatic landscapes.

So far as a flash is concerned, Zambia is one of the few places that allow night drives, which you will certainly be doing, so I would take the flash. You might see nothing much, but you just might see something amazing. Here's how it works. You will have a guide/driver up front in the car, and next to him a spotter with a hand held search light. When the spotter finds something interesting, the guide will get as close as he can. I have found that the light from the spotter is enough for the camera to autofocus, and the flash can then take over for the picture.

Hope this helps,

Dave

[rpcrowe]

It seems that an equitable solution to the weight restrictions on smaller airlcraft would be to weigh both passenger and gear I weigh about a hundred kilos, yet I am allowed to carry the same weight of gear (checked on and carry on) as a person who might weigh only 50-kilos.

Fair as that might be for the lighter weight passengers, I am glad that the system is not in effect for people of my size

[davidedric]

t seems that an equitable solution to the weight restrictions on smaller airlcraft would be to weigh both passenger and gear

Yes, I envisage a set up like a jockey's weigh-in. A little chair for the passenger, and a scale for the bags. Mind you, I weigh less than 70 kilos (with apologies to Denise for high-jacking her thread - please ignore us)

Dave

[Geranium]

Hi Denise,

Ask as many questions as you like - definitely no need to apologise. That's what CiC is here for!

I have checked out Proflight again. In fact it seems that they do not allow excess on hand baggage. It's a good job I did check. They say that they operate a strict 5kg limit. They do allow excess in the hold - but the snag is they don't guarantee to carry it! It depends on the aircraft load. (This makes no sense to me since they don't weight the passengers!) However, if it were me I would try to stick within the weight limits for peace of mind

So far as lenses are concerned, I also have a crop frame camera, a Canon as it happens, and take a 70-300mm and a 17-70mm faster lens. I always carry both on game drives, and I don't think I put the shorter lens on more than twice. You're in even better shape with the 400mm reach. The only time you might find the short end restrictive is probably if an elephant gets a bit too close. In which case you'll likely be getting out of there and not changing lenses. Another general point is that game drives can get a bit dusty (though not at this time of the year in Luangwa), and so changing lenses on the go may not be a good idea. The times I do use the shorter zoom is for wandering round camps and taking a few general shots. I really wouldn't take the 18-200mm. As for a wide angle, it obviously depends what you like to shoot, but South Luangwa is pretty flat, so you won't see many dramatic landscapes.

So far as a flash is concerned, Zambia is one of the few places that allow night drives, which you will certainly be doing, so I would take the flash. You might see nothing much, but you just might see something amazing. Here's how it works. You will have a guide/driver up front in the car, and next to him a spotter with a hand held search light. When the spotter finds something interesting, the guide will get as close as he can. I have found that the light from the spotter is enough for the camera to autofocus, and the flash can then take over for the picture.

Hope this helps,

Dave

Thanks so much again for your valuable information. And I really appreciate you checking with Proflight . I actually did ring them from here in Australia. Of course it had to be in the middle of the night for me. It was extremely difficult to get on to them and the information I did mange to get was very scanty and vague so thanks a million. I will make sure I have the bare 5kg in my hand. Also your suggestion about the flash is worth considering and the small lense, although my Nikon 18 to 70 is nothing fancy.On advice I have also invested in a little compact camera but finding it is more complicated to use than my DSLR.( the online user e book manual which I had to also purchase has 450 pages !) . I expect Kruger is old hat for you and too infested with tourists but of course I will be there for over a week . I only hope there are a few rhinos left. I am a guide at our open range zoo here and we keep hearing the figures for the daily slaughter of these amazing animals. I am getting off track here photographically speaking. I like your quote and was going to reply with one but couldn't find out how it operated. Thanks again. Cheers. Denise.

[davidedric]

Hi Denise,

I've only spent a couple of days in Kruger, but that wasn't a proper safari, and was many years ago.

If you want more up to date information, I found this web site recently, dedicated to safari nuts. There is a huge amount of info there, provided by conservationists, guides, tour operators and of course travellers.

http://safaritalk.net/

Here is a thread leading to a more optimistic view of rhino futures:

http://safaritalk.net/topic/12075-it...s-experts-say/

And while you are there you might be interested in this report I wrote about a trip 30 years ago. Things have changed a bit since then!

http://safaritalk.net/topic/12130-dr...retrospective/

Dave

[Mike Buckley]

About the flash: When I was on safari a few months ago at a place you won't be going to, flash was prohibited at night time but was allowed during the day.

[davidedric]

I promise you that in South Luangwa, and Zambia generally, flash is permitted at night (I don't think it will have changed since last September)

[rpcrowe]

IMO, for any daylight shots of wildlife, I really like to use flash. Even if the distance is too great for the flash to have much effect on the animal itself, the flash will often add those little catch-lights in the eyes that are all-important.

I don't worry about the loss of light when using HSS. In reality when you are increasing your shutter speed, you will be opening up your aperture. The loss is not really as great as some photographers like to espouse.

Given a reasonable distance and/or a powerful flash, the light from the flash will often open up the shadows of deeply set eyes - like those of water buffalo. The "Flash Xtender" (Better Beamer) will increase your flash capability but, is best with lenses of 300mm of more.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search...tialSearch=yes

However, the Harbor Digital Design XT Flash Extender Kit shown in the B&H Photo link above seems like a more compact way to increase the flash capability. Since I have a 600EX-RT flash, I will investigate that unit...

It is, IMO, pretty necessary to have high speed sync (or whatever your camera/flash manufacturer calls it) to be able to use a shutter speed higher than your maximum non-HSS sync speed.

I don't know about Nikon but when you are shooting with a Canon camera/flash in HSS and your shutter speed falls below the maximum standard sync speed (for my Canon 7D that is 1/250 second); the camera/flash automatically reverts to standard sync. I don't know if it works like this when shooting a Canon camera with third party flash units...

I just keep my Canon 7D and 600EX-RT flash in High Speed Sync all the time and let my shutter speed determine the sync.