sunny16

Hi everyone. DH and I are leaving tomorrow night for Iceland, and we're avid photographers. I can check my tripod with my luggage, but I'd rather not. Tripods and, I believe, other "club-shaped" items used to be on the Prohibited list on the website, but that mention has been removed. Has anyone here taken a tripod on board? Thanks in advance!

lexi_0906

Hi Sunny16 - I'm so glad you posted this question. I will be going to Iceland in August and hadn't even realized that carrying on a tripod was a issue. I hope you have a wonderful trip and hope to see a trip report when you return. BTW - I'm sure you know Icelandair has a very small weight limit for carry-on. I'm still dealing with that issue and trying to figure out how to get all my camera equipemnt in my carry-on and not be over their 13 lb limit.

lexi

Robespierre

When I want to carry extra lenses in addition to the one on my camera, I stuff them in the capacious pockets of my trench coat - which I am wearing when I check in.

I usually have the normal lens, two zooms, a telephoto, and a wide-angle. Until the airlines begin weighing passengers, this ploy should work.

A clamp-pod I made from a pair of Vise-Grips™ and a tripod socket works for me, and I put it in a checked bag with impunity.

sunny16

Lexi, last night when I weighed my photo backpack, I couldn't get it under 15lbs, and it needs to be 13. But on Icelandair, you're allowed to bring a pocketbook along with your carryon, so I'm going to bring a small one and put some things in it or in my jacket pockets. As it is, I'm packing my filters and such in the checked luggage.

DH is also going to pack my smaller, flimsier tripod in his luggage, so at least I'll have something if something bad happens to mine.

I will indeed post a trip report when I get back. We will be visiting Snaefellsnes and the Southern coast. Do you know where in Iceland you're going?

lexi_0906

Sunny16 - As of right now my camera pack with current equipment is 12 lbs, so I'm safe. But I have been looking at a new lense and that would put me over the limit. Might be slipping that in the purse.
I can't wait to see your trip report. As of right now we are still kinda planning where we want to visit. We will stay in Reykjavik the whole time (10 days) and do day trips. A "must see" is Snaefellsnes and the South Coast. We are also considering a day trips to the Westman Islands and Greenland.

Hope you have wonderful trip!

Lexi

daveesl

Carried my tripod in carry-on last month, but not international. No problems.

dave

sunny16

Lexi, I just got back from my trip. Icelandair never asked to weigh my bag or DH's, and I packed my tripod in my luggage without a problem.

Just my opinion, but I think you might have more fun if you drive around yourself instead of doing the day trips. You end up spending a lot of time in a vehicle all day anyway, and you'll have more freedom if you drive yourself. But maybe you don't feel like staying in a different place every night and driving yourself. That part does get a little tiring, but we still feel that we got to see a lot more than we would have if we'd done the day trips, as we were originally planning. Anyway, have fun planning your trip!

lexi_0906

Hi Sunny16,

That's good news that Icelandair didn't weigh your carry-on. I'm going to be right at the limit, so hopefully I will be all good.

We had thought about driving around the Ring Road but then decided against it. We are going to compete in the Reykjavik marathon. We are also planning a day trip to Greenland and possibly The Westman Islands and both trips depart from Reykjavik. So, we just decided we would stay in the city the whole time and do day trips. Maybe on the next visit we can drive around the whole ring road.

I would love to see some pictures if you have them and hear bout your favorite things you saw.

Lexi

sunny16

Hi Lexi,

That's so cool that you guys are going to run the marathon! I will never be in shape enough to do that, although I did lose 7 lbs during our trip. I will certainly post photos and a trip report as soon as I can, but I took about 1300 exposures, so the editing process will take a while.

sunny16

Lexi, I'm going to post a trip report soon, but in the meantime, here are my photos from the trip:
http://sunny16.zenfolio.com/p434647948/

How is your planning going?

lexi_0906

Thanks for sharing you photos sunny16! They are wonderful. I can't wait to see all of those locations in person. One question for you...I noticed on your photo website that you used a Sigma 10-20mm lense, how do you like it? I'm thinking of buying one.

Can't wait to read your trip report.

lexi

sunny16

Hi Lexi,

Glad you liked my photos! I like the Sigma 10-20 a lot. It is the only wide angle zoom you can get that's that wide. I love the effects you can get with it.

I'm sure you know you can look up photo samples on Pbase, but here's my photo album of my trip to Greece. I used the Sigma 10-20mm on that trip as well.
http://tinyurl.com/2vz6gy

BlueSea

I agree with Sunny that you, Lexi, should drive around yourself instead of going on day tours (except to Westmann Islands and Greenland). We were in Reykjavik for 6 days in early April and we hired a Honda Jazz from the airport - a wonderful car - great for driving on both paved and unpaved roads out in the country (day trips out of Reykjavik). You can get good driving maps at the exit at Keflavik airport. Next time we go back it'll be a few days longer and we'll do the Grand Circle. When we drove we made stops for picture taking, short hikes, lunch - at our own time.

One day we went out for a long drive and we ended up at Blue Lagoon for the lovely sunset (6:30 to 8:00 pm in early April) swim followed by fabalous dinner in the restaurant there. Blue Lagoon is not to be missed.

Westmann Island is not to be missed either, but I'm not sure about Greenland as you'll be spending more time in the air than on land.

The 13 lb limit on hand luggage - what a jobe - we bought *several* bottles of duty free booze (Brennivin and Akvavit) as well as tubs and bags of liquorice candies (they are a hit at office) and our little 19" wheelie must have weighted about 40 lbs.

Have fun!