Bringing my camera through the airport

RCNPhotos

I'm off to london tomorrow for a week with a band and I'm wondering about my camera. It's a 20D and I remember reading before that the x-rays in the airports can either screw around with the camera or maybe the cards. Just wondering if anyone could clarify this for me? I know i left it late but I'm a horrible procrastinator.

-Cheers

Roen

The x-rays won't do a jot of harm to the camera or media, the metal detector wand thing can do damage but is very unlikely to.
You'd have to be extremely unlucky. Besides, you'll be going over with empty cards so when you're on the way back just stick em in with your checked in baggage. That way you won't get 'wanded' when passing through the security gates.

mathias

The x-rays for checked in baggage are way stronger that carry on baggage , so in terms of film these can ruin it and often while travelling in america Ive been told this by the checkin desk ,but ive never seen any damage to a digital from x-rays yet , get yourself a decent camera bag and carry your camera with you.

Thats what I do and I have a 20d , the x-ray has never hurt it , but I never ever check it in. I always carry it and my lenses with me in a lowepro computrekker

mikeanywhere

mathias wrote:

Thats what I do and I have a 20d , the x-ray has never hurt it , but I never ever check it in. I always carry it and my lenses with me in a lowepro

Dito - I have never checked in camera gear and NEVER had any issues ever!!

Draco

Airport x-ray machines these days are designed to minimise the damage to film. I believe the problem though is that there is a cumulative effect so if you're on a long trip the damage will build up and eventually make itself seen, but going through once or twice is fine.

Paulw

I travelled to Canada this year and didn't have a problem with my camera (also a 20D). I always bring the camera as carry on. Safer that way.

You won't have any problems.

City-Exile

Make sure that you remove the batteries from your camera & might also be an idea to remove the flash card. Once the card/camera is not in use, while passing through the scanner, you wont have a problem.

I've taken my camera all over the world and never had a sign of trouble.

familyguy

I'd be more worried about my checked baggage getting thrown around or falling off one of the carts.

I remember reading about some guy going through an American airport, and they would only hand-check his camera (spare it from the x-ray) if it was loaded with ISO 1600 or higher film, cos apparently lower speeds aren't sensitive enough for the x-ray to screw with them. Don't know the story with digital, but I don't think it causes too much trouble

Cabaal

Travelled from US two weeks ago with two cameras (Powershot S50 and EOS 400D) both in carry on and no problems at all, both had batterys in them and CF cards

Paulw

I've never taken out my battery nor memory cards. I never heard any warning that you should.

But, just relax. Your camera will be fine (and so will all your photos).

RCNPhotos

Alright, cheers for that, thanks. Just wanted to be sure. Have to run since I had the bright idea to have a lie in.

-Cheers

City-Exile

If there's not battery in your camera, it can never draw power from it, accidently. It's good practice to remove batteries, from your equipment, when it's not being used. Anyone with a 400D, will notice that the CF light flashes, when you insert the card, even though the camera is powered off.

I was simply giving advice, for the over cautious.

Cabaal

City-Exile wrote:

Anyone with a 400D, will notice that the CF light flashes, when you insert the card, even though the camera is powered off./QUOTE]

Have to say I haven't noticed that :0

rymus

I brought a computrekker plus with a 30D, 20D about 6 lenses, portable hard drive/CF backup device and a 70-200 f2.8L IS through checkin in Cork, Amsterdam (twice) and Boston with not so much as an wayward glance. Had to open it so they could do all those chemical tests on it to make sure it wasnt a bomb, but weight and size wise I was grand...

Actually.. iirc I took the 70-200 out once because I was concerned about the weight limit on Aer Lingus. The bag still has the "Approved Cabin Luggage" tag on it from KLM

Paulw

I use my CompuTrekker all the time for flight travel and have never had an issue with it. Size/weight are fine.

Last time I travelled, it was full to the limit with my gear, and was perfectly fine. I flew Dublin - Chicago - Vancouver. No issues at all, just the "normal" security checks.

Roen

The switch on any Canon made after the 10D is a software only switch, as soon as the battery is in the camera there is power to it. That's why the start up times are so low nowadays. I'm too lazy to bother take them out though.

mathias

How have you found your computrekker with the airline restrictions on size and weight.

The computrekker is fully an inch inside the spec all around , weight wise though , it depends what you have in it , the limit is 10 kilos , With mine fully loaded its only ever been as much as 9.5 , and that was heavy to carry.
( that was with 2 bodys , 300x film , 20D , 50mm 1.8 , 70-200L , 28-135 , 10-22 , 100mm 2.8 macro , 17-40L , 15 inch laptop , portable card reader hard drive gizmo , Sony p + s , some magazines in the front and a snack for the plane !! )
Its not usually that full though , that was only for a wedding in spain.

I have never been stopped with the bag except for security asking if there was a laptop in the bag , you have to take that out and run it through the scanner separately.
This year , Ive been to Egypt , Phoenix , New York , Seville , Vermont , and Almere in holland , ( only Egypt and Seville were holidays , the rest was work ) and the cameras came with me everywhere , no problem carrying on the bag anywhere.

City-Exile

Roen wrote:

I'm too lazy to bother take them out though.

Like I said, it's simply my preference!
I almost never transport my camera, with a battery loaded.