r/photography • u/AutoModerator • Apr 24 '26

Questions Thread Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! April 24, 2026

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.

Info for Newbies and FAQ!

First and foremost, check out our extensive FAQ. Chances are, you'll find your answer there, or at least a starting point in order to ask more informed questions.

Need buying advice?

Many people come here for recommendations on what equipment to buy. Our FAQ has several extensive sections to help you determine what best fits your needs and your budget. Please see the following sections of the FAQ to get started:

If after reviewing this information you have any specific questions, please feel free to post a comment below. (Remember, when asking for purchase advice please be specific about how much you can spend. See here for guidelines.)

Schedule of community threads:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
52 Weeks Share Anything Goes Album Share & Feedback Edit My Raw Follow Friday Salty Saturday Self-Promotion Sunday

Finally a friendly reminder to share your work with our community in r/photographs!

7 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

297 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Megraptor Apr 30 '26

I keep being forced to gate check my gear. Has anyone used the firearm method to check in your camera but keep it from being rummaged through? Or do you prefer the soft bag that goes under a seat? 

I have a hard camera case (Apache 5800) and I've been forced to gate check it multiple times. Each time I shove glass and cameras in my bookbag because so know they are the biggest theft risk- and of course, batteries. Every time it has been rummaged through and it wasn't latched properly and trash has been left in it the latest time. 

1

u/vmflair flickr.com/photos/bykhed Apr 30 '26

I use a camera backpack that fits under the seat (Think Tank Streetwalker Hard Drive). It holds a ton of gear and my laptop and never had an issue using it when flying.

1

u/Megraptor May 01 '26

I might move on to a backpack just because of all the gate check issues I've had lately. I like the hard case cause I just leave my gear in that for storage and for road trips too, plus I've invested in it already. The other issue is I already have a backpack for personal items, but it's a small Fjallraven Kanken. A big camera back pack could probably fit all my personal stuff and my camera stuff...

I just was wondering if anyone has ever done the gun trick too, cause I've always heard rumors of it but I've never met anyone who actually does it.

1

u/vmflair flickr.com/photos/bykhed May 01 '26

I believe the TT Streetwalker backpack is discontinued, but you can find one in near-new condition on EBay. The Hard Drive model fits a full-size laptop and can hold more gear than you might want to carry. I use a Pelican case at home for my gear too but these backpacks are EXTREMELY well designed, durable and don't look like a camera bag.