Air travel with camera and lens detached or mounted? I was just wondering what most do, as I’ve received conflicting advice. Do you keep your lenses mounted on cameras in your camera...

BarbB

I was just wondering what most do, as I’ve received conflicting advice. Do you keep your lenses mounted on cameras in your camera bag, or detach them, for long airplane flights? My thought is detach, so if there is turbulence, added pressure won’t be put on camera mounts. Just wondering what most people do.

kufengler Loc: Meridian, Idaho 83646

I've always left the lens on and have never had any issues over 30-40 years.
I usually have a zoom lens attached.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

My zoom lens is always attached. The camera is in a messenger bag.
If TSA wants me to detach the lens so they can look in the camera, I will. (Been done in the past. Even had them say "Turn the camera on.".)

There's no more "turbulence" than when I'm carrying the bag around.
It's a personal preference.

ken_stern Loc: Yorba Linda, Ca

As with the other responses -- With numerous long-distance overseas flights over 30 or more years
The bag & often the tripod always remains with me & the lens is always attached to the camera

wrangler5 Loc: Missouri

If they're in the same bag, won't both camera and lens be subject to the same turbulence at the same time? If so, it shouldn't matter whether they're connected or not.

Not that I ever thought about it before. But now that I have, I do feel more comfortable about flying with lenses mounted on my cameras over the past 60 years or so.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

wrangler5 wrote:

If they're in the same bag, won't both camera and lens be subject to the same turbulence at the same time? If so, it shouldn't matter whether they're connected or not.

Well, if they are separated, there is no force (torque) whatsoever on either of the mounts connecting the lens and the camera.
(Not that I would be worried about it though.)

cambriaman Loc: Central CA Coast

Seventy year speaking: I have carried several different SLR cameras and usually a zoom lens attached on short flights and lengthy international flights in both hemispheres without any discernible degradation of any characteristics I can sense. Security has asked for lens removal a few times and camera actuation as well several times in particularly paranoid places and years.
Just sayin'

Alphabravo2020

BarbB wrote:

I was just wondering what most do, as I’ve received conflicting advice. Do you keep your lenses mounted on cameras in your camera bag, or detach them, for long airplane flights? My thought is detach, so if there is turbulence, added pressure won’t be put on camera mounts. Just wondering what most people do.

If there is enough turbulence to damage your lens on your camera in your bag in the overhead compartment in the plane in the sky, then you won't be around to worry about it.

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

BarbB wrote:

I was just wondering what most do, as I’ve received conflicting advice. Do you keep your lenses mounted on cameras in your camera bag, or detach them, for long airplane flights? My thought is detach, so if there is turbulence, added pressure won’t be put on camera mounts. Just wondering what most people do.

I've never had to decide, because every component fits into my bag in a designated place so that nothing can be attached to the camera. Compact and sturdy.

User ID

BarbB wrote:

............. My thought is detach, so if there is turbulence, added pressure won’t be put on camera mounts. Just wondering what most people do.

The lens mount is the strongest element of both the body and the lens. Your concerns about are misplaced.

phot0n0ob

I always travel with a lens attached - typically a 24-70. That way I can use the camera if I want to and I had security personnel ask me to turn it on and show them that it was actually working. My camera backpack is separated into different sections that do not allow the camera to move around a lot within it. Therefore, I don't worry about any movement of the pack creating torque between the camera and the lens

revhen Loc: By the beautiful Hudson

I do same with lens attached. It seems unwise to separate: They could bang into each other during turbulence!

lensmaster Loc: Chicago

If you use a good camera bag, case that is well padded there is no need to take the lens off.

If the turbulence is so extreme that it would affect the lens mounted on a camera you have more problems than just worrying about the camera/lens.

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

BarbB wrote:

I was just wondering what most do, as I’ve received conflicting advice. Do you keep your lenses mounted on cameras in your camera bag, or detach them, for long airplane flights? My thought is detach, so if there is turbulence, added pressure won’t be put on camera mounts. Just wondering what most people do.

My husband & I regularly travel overseas by air - specifically for my bird and wildlife photography hobby. When traveling by air, my lenses are detached from my cameras. Each component is wrapped separately in a neoprene case and packed into my carry-on camera backpack (which always stays in the overhead above my head or under the seat in front of me). For myself, I am not concerned about turbulence. It is simply a matter of my being able to pack more gear when the items are separated. My usual gear on these trips consist of 2 camera bodies and at least 3 lenses (mostly long zooms), plus batteries, chargers, memory cards, filters, etc., as well as my Sony RX10 iv bridge camera.
I seem to be in the minority. However, this is what has been working for me for the last 10 years or so.

stan0301 Loc: Colorado

I have never packed the lens separately - but - I have had checked cameras stolen - my kit always goes into the overhead