Digital Camera Travel -- X-ray machines

[large_diver]

Taking my 5050 on vacation for the first time in a few weeks...

So -- a few stupid digital newbie questions.

Are there issues with letting a digital camera and the cards pass through an airport x-ray machine? Should you pass them around?

Thanks.

-Chris

 

[Warren_L]

I don't think so. I've not had any issues with any of my digital camera or memory cards passing through X-ray machines. They asked me to turn the cameras on occasionally, but that's about it.

 

[TedJ]

If it's just x-rays you are fine. If it's some type of magnetic resonance imageing device you could be in trouble, although I don't know of any airports that are using this gear - yet.

 

[Cecil]

The biggest thing is make sure the camera and memory are in your carry-on bags. The x-ray machines they use for checked bags is much more powerful and could damage a digital.

 

[Dee]

I don't take a chance. I keep the memory cards in their own little wallet thing and it gets hand checked. I keep it in my pocket so when I go through the carry-on x-ray thing, it goes into the basket to be hand checked. I used to have my film hand checked so this is no different. It's easy to do and I have peace of mind!

 

[Scubatooth]

ted--good suggestion on the MRI as it will kill electronic devices, depending on the level and strength.

personally when i travel all of my photo equipment is in xray blocking bags(thats everything from film camera bodies to my digitals, i just dont trust the people at security to not mess up my camera gear)

especially with the TSA agents say that all film has to be scanned (which is a lie, you can request a hand inspeection) personally all of my film is in xray bags and to further prevent TSA from trying to scan it i label it "Professional Scientific film" with labels using the manufactures logo and such.

With my digitals i know that it can go through xray but im not going to risk it. so my memory cards go in a xray bag, and so will the camera. i do this anticipating it getting xrayed , but i always ask for a hand inspection, and i normally get it, but i have to be insistent. now if it does get x-rayed it always gets looked at because they see nothing but solid objects in it because of the lead in the xray bags, normally they have me open it and when they see its all photo gear they leave it alone, becauses its just to much of a hassle for them to unpack it, and check everything

so not to confuse anybody this is what a xray bag is (they can be used for everything from film - camera bodies)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=NavBar&A=search&Q=&ci=344

FWIW

Scubatooth

 

[wheezy]

I don't take a chance. I keep the memory cards in their own little wallet thing and it gets hand checked. I keep it in my pocket so when I go through the carry-on x-ray thing, it goes into the basket to be hand checked. I used to have my film hand checked so this is no different. It's easy to do and I have peace of mind!

Last time I went through security, they made me run ALL my film through xray stating that anything under iso800 is o.k. Was out of Orange County... no hassles on the return flight.

I was a bit upset and didn't really belive them. BUT... all was o.k. i know for sure that xray has no effect on digital memory cards or harddrives. (I carry a portable firewire drive for dumping my digital files onto)

 

[Scubatooth]

wheezy-- thats not true on 800 orslower film because i have travelled since 911and i have a radiology rad badge in my back pack at the start of a trip and have it checked after i get back and even on only going through 2 xray sets (ie this was my trip from dallas to Grand Cayman (via maimi) and there was enough xrays on my carry on to start a color shift on most films, not noticeable on most films that a lab cant correct it, but it is still effecting the film, thats why i mark mine the way i do.

now one my check in i know they blasted mine because the rad bag in my check in came back with the eqivilant exposure of a radiology tech in a major hospital for a years time.

FWIW

Scubatooth

 

[nusspli]

Last time I went through security, they made me run ALL my film through xray stating that anything under iso800 is o.k.

That's why I carry at least one roll of high speed film, so I can insist on hand inspection.

 

[orangeBloke]

I've never had a problem with bringing cameras thorough the X-Ray machine. The only issue I've ever had was with the new PT-20 housing I got recently as the weight from the bottom showed up as a dark object on the X-Ray and I had to strip everything out so they could look at it. The pictures were all okay though on both the xD and Compact Flash cards