Noooooooooo!! I'm about to cry :'( What's a visit to Italy without having your own shots of Michaelangelo's and Bernini's David????? This is such a disappoint; I love taking pictures and this would've been a great opportunity for me to snap away. Anyhow, are video cameras allowed?

There are more restrictions for video cameras than regular cameras. They are banned in some places where still photography is allowed.
As for taking a picture of David, you'll have to settle for taking a photo of one of the copies that stands in the piazza (the name of which escapes me) adjacent to the Ufizzi.

Hi
I was in the Sistine Chapel in January and took several pictures. I use Kodak Max film with 800 speed with no flash as that causes damage. I estimate what I want to shoot and where it is in relation to my camera. If you want to take pictures in a museum, use high speed film and no flash.
Alan

Hi
I've been successful in many museum with non-flash photography, and my camera is basically a point and shoot.
I use 400 film.
I carry the camera with me in my tote.
If I have to check the tote bag (in some places you do or I just want to) then I put the camera (it's small) in my pocket. If I'm allowed to use it I do,if not, not.

Many people don't understand Zo's good info that if the flash is too far away, it won't do any good. (Like all those pictures of the stage that concert goers take)

Additionally,
if the item you want to take a picture of, even with a simple camera, is lit either naturally or artificially, you can often get a better picture without the flash than with it. The camera will focus on the item that has the most light on it: that could be a statue, a painting, or a nearby window or light bulb, in which case everything else but that lit object comes out darker. At least that's been my untrainied experience.

I was in Florence less than one week ago (sniff, sniff), and there were actually 3 museum employees stationed around the David in the Accademia, as well as more in the big hall with the Prisoners. They were scouring the crowd for cameras. I was digging for my eye drops in my purse and pulled out my camera to reach them and got scolded. We observed tourists asking to photograph with no flash and they were refused. Bummer

>Taking photos of the David is not permitted. Everyone does it

Yea, that's what I thought when I was there in May. It wasn't happening. Nobody was taking pictures and if you made an attempt, there was someone there to stop you. Don't get your hopes up.

Joelle

Boy, you go away for a month or two and they change all of the rules. :)

geez, I'll be treasuring my two photos of David even more now!

The bottom line is that these rules are subject to change at any time, and they do. It's best not to rely on what someone else experienced last month or even last week. Check when you get there or you may be disappointed.

If you are using a digital camera, you can adjust it to night-landscape to take pictures in churchs and museums which don't admit flash. They are usually quite good, if you manage to keep the camera still.

Mary, thanks for sharing the photos. Great shots.

Sorry I do not understand, Though it is common, why do people take pictures in museums? Buy postcards / books, they are far better than anything you could capture with a camera....

Hmm, I guess my reply didn't go through..

Marilyn, I will keep that in mind. Thank you.

Hewlpac, I understand your confusion and yes, there are great postcards out there. However, I would rather have taken my own pictures ..my camera's my best friend :). I'm sure that there are tons of beautiful postcards/books with great photos in them but it feels impersonal to me if I'm not the one taking the pictures.

A friend recently returned from Spain and in showing her snapshots had her own, side by side with the books and postcards she bought. That gets you the personal touch AND a decent photo :-)

Paraiso said it all in answering why anyone takes pictures. Perhaps, it's hard for a "non-photographer" to understand that OUR photographs capture OUR moments.

I guess I don't see why people don't want these items preserved for future generations to enjoy.

If you have a film camera or a digital with which you can adjust the shutter speed/apature you can get fantastic pictures in places with flash restrictions. You can make this even better by bring a lightweight travel tripod (with the shutter opened longer you have to keep your hand steady). Try taking pictures of the Duomo in Florence at night. Also, take the trip to the top of the Vatican Dome- it'll be worth the view. Finally, there is a spot just across the Arno in Florence just on the hill where you can get some great wide angle shots of the city. That was when I found it to be it's most beautiful and the pictures were too. One other thing about buying the books and postcards rather than taking your own shots. They are great for some people, but I take my own photographs because I want to remember how I saw a particular place, person, or thing not the view of someone else. I also believe that if you learn how to properly operate a camera the shots that you take can be far better than the ones that come prepackaged for you.

I truly respect the reason behind the no picture taking rule in most/some places; I understand how the flash of a camera can affect the object/s being pictured. Before I started this post, I already had an idea of that. My question was really if I could still take pictures without using the flash. I apologize if I sounded selfish and hope to have not step on anyone's toes. :)

Paraiso, you have nothing to apologize for. In fact, if anything, you should be respected and applauded for checking on the photography protocol before your trip.

..another comment...perhaps flash is also prohibited as it is distracting to others who are trying to look at a painting or enjoy the museum. I certainly find it so. I am more than happy to forgo a flash picture if it assures me that i will never have my enjoyment of a painting ect disrupted by a flash..and dont get me going about flash photos in churches while someone maybe using the church for its initial reason for contruction!!