Having your Digital Camera go through Airport Security

[discrhythmia]

I'm getting ready to do some flying in the next couple of days and I'm wondering if Canon has given a "Official" answer to the following question- Can having your 10D (or whatever else your using) scanned at Airport Security (ie: exposed to electromagnetic fields) damage your camera in either the short/long term? I have heard that it will not affect your digital media but I really havn't heard much with regards to the camera itself.

I know that supposedly you can request a hand search, but in reality I have had nothing but grief from asking (very very politely) for that hand search.

[Bubber Jones]

I've carried my S400 and G1 through the airport in my backpack many times. I just throw the backpack (after taking my laptop out) through the scanner and have had no problems. I've had my G1 for a few years and I haven't had any problems so far.

[ssim]

My 10D has been through security scanners at least 50 times in many different countries and I have not had any problems whatsoever.

If you want to get further information you can check http://www.catsa-acsta.gc.ca/english/index.htm . It is the website for the Canadian airport security services and has a great number of answers.

[psk4363]

:D

I've just returned from the States having undertaken several internal flights there as well as the transatlantic flights where all of my photo gear went through the security scanners without any adverse effects at all.

Before the 10D my G1, G2 and G5 cameras did several flights without encountering any post-scanner problems.

Hope this helps,
Barry

[Motorsports Photo]

Perhaps the rules have changed from recent events but the rules USED to be that in the USA you can ask for and receive a hand inspection of your equipment. I did it many times with my film equipment. The inspevtor just looked at the canera with the lens off and looked through the lens. Film was in a clear ziplock bag with all the canisters in see-through fui containers.

I have heard horror stories from security who didnt know the law at that time and just shoved everything through the x-ray machine.

My amusing story was carrying an antique clock with me on carry-on. As it went through I heard "What the hell is that?!" They were satidfied with my explanation about it being a clock and not a sophistacated explosive device! :lol:

-Pete

[MrKickalot]

Will it affect the CF cards?? If there are pictures on it will it corrupt them?

[theoldmoose]

Nope.

But I'd be more concerned about magnetic media, such as microdrives. That's one of the reasons that laptops are usually hand-inspected.

Used to be that X-ray machines produced a whopping magnetic field that would be sufficient to disturb hard drives, floppies, and tape. I understand that the newer machines are better shielded for that kind of thing, so maybe it's OK.

If you are carrying an 'image tank' kind of device, it may be vunerable. Some folks that travel a lot have gone to writing CD's each evening, rather than relying on the little portable hard drives, after experiencing mysterious 'format' failures.

Can't say what caused the problem (could be mechanical shock), but it would strike me as safer to carry a small laptop or device that can burn CDs from flash media, and don't trust to carrying images on microdrives or hard drives through the carryon X-ray machines, in particular.

And don't put any of that stuff in your checked baggage. Not only can you not lock it, but the X-ray machines they use for checked baggage are quite a bit stronger, and may also put out a stronger magnetic field, as well.

At least for the US, the TSA now allows an extra carryon for photographic gear. Probably not applicable for overseas travel, but you could check with the various carriers involved, and ask.

[mvrekum]

Come on guys, use some common sence.
How many people with notebooks pass through these security gates? Those machines are absolutely save for all electronic equipment. So do not worry about your digital camera or harddisk.

Martin