My Advice on Camera Bags, Packing, and Dealing with Airlines when Traveling with Camera Gear

Traveling with camera gear is kinda scary, right? You’re thinking about overhead bin limits, bush planes, dust, rain, weight restrictions, laptop backups, tripod decisions, and whether a) it's all going to fit and b) will it make the round trip journey safely.

I’ve been traveling with camera gear for 20-plus years as a professional photographer, expedition leader, and wildlife guide, and I can tell you this: there is no single perfect system for every trip. But there are some very reliable principles that can make the whole process safer, smoother, and a lot less stressful.

Here are some (hopefully) valuable pieces of advice when it comes to camera bags, how to pack them, and how to sail smoothly through airline check-ins, adapted from my recent full podcast episode on the topic.

Start With the Big Question: Roller Bag or Backpack?

There are two main ways I travel with camera gear: a roller bag or a camera backpack.

If the trip allows it, I love a roller bag. For long airport days, multiple connections, and endless terminal walks, rolling your gear is a beautiful thing. Your shoulders will thank you--mine do.

But roller bags are not always practical. If you’re heading into places with bush flights, small vehicles, soft-sided luggage restrictions, or strict weight allowances, a roller bag can quickly become a liability. Many small aircraft simply cannot accommodate hard-sided or semi-rigid roller bags, even if they technically look “carry-on sized.”

That’s where a proper camera backpack comes in.

For years, camera backpacks were often good camera bags first, but mediocre backpacks second. They protected gear well, but they weren’t always comfortable for real hiking.

Fortunately, that has changed. Companies like Shimoda Designs, Peak Design, and f-stop are making bags that work both as serious camera carriers and legitimate adventure packs.

My personal preference is a backpack with modular padded dividers, a comfortable harness, hip belt, some degree of weather resistance, and one feature I absolutely love: back-panel access.

Back-panel access means the side of the bag that rests against your back is also the side that opens. Why does that matter? Because when you set your pack down in mud, dust, sand, or wet vegetation, the dirty side stays away from your jacket when you put it back on. It sounds minor until you’ve spent a day in the field and realize your bag is wearing half the trail.

There May Not Be One Bag to Rule Them All

Sometimes the best solution is using two bags strategically.

For example, if I’m flying into and out of the same city, I might bring a camera roller for the airport days, then pack a collapsible day backpack in my checked duffel. Once I arrive, I transfer the camera gear into the backpack for the actual field portion of the trip and leave the roller at the hotel.

This gives me the best of both worlds: easy airport travel and a practical field system.

But if the trip involves moving constantly, small planes, strict soft-sided luggage rules, or remote logistics, I skip the roller and go straight to a travel-friendly camera backpack.

And here’s something that may be surprising to hear: you don’t always need a “camera bag” at all.

If you’re traveling with one camera body and two or three lenses, a normal daypack can work just fine. Wrap lenses in extra shirts, buffs, or a jacket, and make sure nothing is bouncing around. The main rule is simple: no jostling. Whether you’re using a fancy camera pack or a regular backpack, gear should fit snugly.

Loose, jiggly gear is where little bumps become big problems.

Disconnect Big Lenses During Major Travel

This is one of my biggest travel rules: if you have a larger lens, disconnect it from the camera body during major travel days.

The lens mount is one of the most vulnerable points in the whole system. A long telephoto lens attached to a camera body creates torque. If the bag gets bumped, dropped, shoved into an overhead bin, or compressed by another traveler’s suspiciously overstuffed carry-on, that connection point can take the stress.

I’ve heard more than a few horror stories of lenses snapping off camera bodies during travel.

And arriving in Botswana, Alaska, Patagonia, or the Galápagos with a broken lens mount is not exactly the opening scene we’re hoping for.

So for flights, long drives, and chaotic transfer days, remove the lens, cap both ends, and pack everything tightly.

Think Small, Look Light, Stay Calm

Airlines are one of the great wild cards of travel--I suppose that's true for all things, but especially when traveling with camera gear.

Most airlines have carry-on weight limits, even if they rarely enforce them. Many of us have watched people wrestle bags into overhead bins that clearly weigh more than what's allowed, so enforcement is inconsistent. Still, camera bags can attract attention if they look huge, heavy, or awkward.

My strategy is to keep the bag compact, avoid overstuffing exterior pockets, and make it look easy to carry. If you’re hunched over like you’re smuggling kettlebells, you’re more likely to get questioned.

If an airline ever tries to gate-check your camera bag, stay calm and be kind (really, be very kind). Explain that the bag contains cameras, electronics, and lithium-ion batteries, which generally cannot be checked in the same way ordinary luggage can.

Kindness goes a long way here. Nobody at the gate wants a lecture or to be berated for just doing their job. They just need to understand that this bag really does need to stay with you.

If you'd like to hear many more pro tips on traveling and protecting your camera gear while on the road, check out my latest podcast about How Pros Travel with Camera Gear...Safely and Effectively!

Until next time!

Court