I just finished reading the thread regarding digital cameras/memory cards/ batteries. I picked up a lot of good tips; however, I still have questions about taking digital camera equipment through airport security. Can the camera, memory cards, and batteries pass through airport security unscathed - or do special precautions need to be taken? This may be a dumb question, but after years of protecting my old fashioned cameras and film, well... old habits die hard.

There's no film to fog. It goes through the x-ray machine.

Digital cameras and their storage media are generally unaffected by airport security equipment.

Undeveloped film can definitely be fogged by modern airport security, but digital cameras do not use film.

I had no idea normal film could be damaged by x-ray equipment - how can damage be avoided? Are unopened film canisters ok to have in your carry-on backpack?

Gretchen and Anthony - what I am understanding from your response is that the digital camera, memory cards, and batteries are unaffected by any security precautions in place at airports. This is my first trip with a digital camera, although I've taken many with my "old fashioned" camera and film. I'm just trying to imagine problems that might crop up that I haven't thought of. Don't want to disappoint the throngs of friends and relatives that will be anxiously awaiting a two hour long slideshow of my travels....

The way to avoid destruction of filmed images is to buy the film in Europe and have it developed to negatives before you return.

Figure on the TSA putting your unexposed and exposed film through the x-ray. Checked baggage is all x-rayed now.

nevermind - As others have said, youdigital equipment will be fine going through the x-ray machine.

One great bit of advice that I picked up here and TA, carry more than 1 memory card. Especially if you are going to be in more than 1 city. This way if the unforseen happens (camera gets stolen/lost or the card gets fried) you wont lose all your pictures. I carried a 256mb and 2 512mb cards when I went to Italy.

Tom

"Undeveloped film can definitely be fogged by modern airport security"

If you put it in your checked luggage - yes, but not if it's in your carry-on

Sorry, but if the TSA wants to, they will put your film through the x-ray.

This happens if the agent doesn't like the way you look, her ulcer is acting up, or he got turned down by his wife that morning.

You are not in control of all the variables.

I had my film go through checked luggage a couple of years ago and nothing happened to it. I thought it would but the pictures came out fine. I don't recommend you do that but in my case, I forgot to take it out.

From the TSA website:
General use film **
You should remove all film from your checked baggage and place it in your carry-on baggage. The X-ray machine that screens your carry-on baggage at the passenger security checkpoint will not affect undeveloped film under ASA/ISO 800.

If the same roll of film is exposed to X-ray inspections more than 5 times before it is developed, however, damage may occur. Protect your film by requesting a hand-inspection for your film if it has already passed through the carry-on baggage screening equipment (X-ray) more than 5 times.

Specialty film **
Specialty film is defined as film with an ASA/ISO 800 or higher and typically used by professionals.

At the passenger security checkpoint, you should remove the following types of film from your carry-on baggage and ask for a hand inspection:

Film with an ASA/ISO 800 or higher
Highly sensitive X-ray or scientific films
Film of any speed which is subjected to X-ray surveillance more than 5 times (the effect of X-ray screening is cumulative)
Film that is or will be underexposed
Film that you intend to 'push process'
Sheet film
Large format film
Medical film
Scientific film
Motion picture film
Professional grade film

None of the screening equipment - neither the machines used for checked baggage nor those used for carry-on baggage - will affect digital camera images or film that has already been processed, slides, videos, photo compact discs, or picture discs.

When I first got my Canon D30 a couple of years ago, digital SLRs were new and I got a couple requests by security officials to turn it on to demonstrate that it was, in fact, a real working camera. But in the last few years no one has ever even looked at my camera; I've taken it and my laptop and all media cards through security numerous times and nothing has ever happened to them. No worries - your digital camera and equipment is perfectly safe going through the airport xray machines.

Andrew

Thanks guys! I'm glad I happened upon this thread...I had no idea. Should be an interesting probem, I have several flights during my stay - I have to keep an eye out for photo finishing shops.

Cheers!

Rufus our posts crossed - that is excellent information thank you. Sounds like nevermind and myself will both be OK at the airport.

In my trips to Europe, I’ve stored the film for my old-fashioned Nikon Zoom Touch 500 in a lead bag that I picked up at a camera shop. Sometimes I had the bag in my carry-on, other times in my checked-in luggage. I’ve never had a problem with security. And my film has been protected.

I hope to still use my trusty old camera in Italy in May, so I’ll still use the trusty old Kodak film, which I’ll keep in my trusty old lead bag. They say the newer scanners don’t bother film anymore, but I take absolutely no chances. The lead bag is handy anyway for keeping all my rolls together.

On my last trip with a film camera two years ago, my carry-on was searched both coming and going -NYC to Tokyo - and both times the culprit was my lead film bag. They took it out, opened it and then put my suitcase thru the xray machine again. My most recent trip, and first with my digital camera, was search free.

If TSA wants to see what's inside the lead bag, they will <i>turn up the x-ray voltage until they can visualize the contents</i>.

They are civil servants, and they do not regard &quot;protecting travelers' film&quot; as part of their job description. Yes, I know they <u>say</u> it's okay, and you can believe that if you want to.

If you are going to take <u>absolutely no chances</u>, you will leave your trusty old lead bag at home and buy your film abroad.

http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/e...orial_1035.xml

Be careful of the lead bag - if its in your luggage and they can't see through it, they can turn up the intensity (power?) of the x-ray machine to see through it. If you shoot with anything higher than 800 speed film, you will see fogging from x-ray machines.

In general, the carry-on x-ray is weaker than the checked luggage one.

I put all my film in a clear ziplock and ask the security person to hand it around the x-ray machine. Coming out of CDG, they don't care and it goes through, however, in the US, they were willing to not put it through the x-ray machine. It IS accumulative - once or twice may be okay, but if you fly multiple times, then you may have problems.

As for digital - if you have any way to carry a jump drive or laptop and backup photos, you will be better off. Your memory card can fail. Most likely, it will not, but its happened. Also, if you tend to shoot a lot, you can easily burn through one memory card.

I've been lucky in that my husband always brings his pc and I upload pictures every night...

good luck!

Have had a digital of one kind or another for close to 10 years. Never had a memory card failure. That said, I have a number of them, in case it does happen. I don't want everything on one card.

All I can say is that I’ve taken nine trips to Europe with my film in a lead bag, and I’ve never had a problem.