Traveling internationally with lot of expensive gear?

[Caps18]

Has anyone every had any problems with the customs people either going to or coming back from a country with thousands of dollars worth of camera gear? Do I need a document saying that I have purchased this gear and will bring back the same gear?

Have you ever run into an airline that doesn't let you carry-on a Pelican 1510 case?

Everytime I try and figure out how to reduce the size and weight of gear I take, it just keeps getting bigger...

Add to that, I won't have my gear with me all the time if I go out at night or swimming in the ocean (I'll have to lock it up back at a hotel or hostel), I've never thought about it before... It is easier when I go to a national park and am the only human for miles.

 

[Michael_pfh]

So far I have never faced any problems at customs anywhere in the world. Since I got some status with different airlines I have never had any discussions on carry on or check-in size/weight.

The weight/size topic is covered extensively in this thread:
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,2660.0.html

The Pelican case discussion you can find in this thread:
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,2981.0.html

Usually I leave the gear that I do not need at the reception of the hotel and ask them to lock it away.

 

[Rocky]

If yo uare home based in the USA and want to play it safe. You can bring all your expensive gear to the custom office and have them registered with model number and serial number for each peice of equipment. On you return trip and if the custom has an doubt, all you need to do is to show them the paper. Before the digital age, I always travel with my Leica M4 and 3 lenses, along with my Exakta and 3 lenses. I have only been asked once to proof that I did not buy those oversea.