I bought a digital camera for an upcoming London & Paris trip and a friend just warned me that x-ray machines can corrupt the memory cards. True? If so, is it just checked bag screening or carry-on (I'd never check my camera or anything that valuable)? Will it set off metal detectors if hand-carried?

Not true.

If x-rays damaged memory cards, memory chips, floppy disks, CD disks, computer hard drives, magnetic strips on credit cards or anything else like that no one would ever be able to travel with laptops or credit cards.

They all get x-rayed over and over again at security.

Indy is right...you are safer travelling with memory cards through x-rays than you would be with film.

We took our digital camera (wish we had brought more memory) to Italy and back with no harm done. I much prefer the digital now to the standard camera, in fact. The four rolls of convential film we brought went unused!

Hi alan

The scanners for carryon luggage are not harmful to your memory cards or your camera.

The stronger devices used for checked luggage might be.

No harm for digital cards from x-ray, including the powerful luggage scanners.

Ira,

I don't think cards in checked luggage would be a problem.

I'd like to think that people would be more protective of their cards and not risk loss by placing them in checked luggage.

I've been told not to put them in checked luggage, that there might be a problem. I always carry them through with never a problem.

Thanks for the reassurances. Now to stock up on memory!