digital cameras and x-ray machines

[commando]

Are the eos digital cameras and their memory cards ok going thru airport xray machines? I assume they are, I just want to be sure before I take mine through one this weekend.

[robertwgross]

Make sure you carry on your camera bag. The low-dose scanner equipment will have no effect on your equipment.

Checked luggage is scanned by more powerful doses, but it is unlikely that your equipment would be damaged there. Of course, checked luggage might be stolen.

---Bob Gross---

[commando]

There's no fecking way i'd check $1800+ worth of camera equipment! Thanks for the tip Bob.

[Kenski]

hahaha, That is why I bought the Computrekker backpack... I can use it as a carry on... It carries my $2200 Laptop that goes everywhere with me, plus my camera and all of its lenses... Hmmm, lets think about this, Check it, or carry it.... I don't mind standing off to the side and taking it out when I fly because all in all, I have about $5000 worth of crap in that bag if not more at any given time.... Not including my PDA's and Jukebox and crap like that... That bag gets heavy... I had one stewartess try telling me I had to check my bag, I told her that I have more invested in this bag then she makes in two months so I'll hold on to it and it fit fine under the seat.... She got mad... Oh well...

[commando]

I got one of these (http://www.lowepro.com/Products/Backpacks/classic/Orion_Trekker.aspx) LowePro backbacks yesterday. So far it seems pretty good, but it's got way too many cords... I might remove the stiched on waist cord some time. I've already gotten rid of the chest strap.

[tofuboy]

My camera made it through the security scanner fine for my airport excursions yesterday and a week before. None of the airline people seemed to mind the size of my computrekker, and my other carry-on bag which was a bit larger and jam packed full of clothes!!

I must agree, I'll never do checked luggage for my camera equipment, I don't want some John Doe to see an expensive looking backpack come down the conveyor belt and walk off with it... or some minimum wage luggage handler tossing my $2k+ worth of camera equipment around.

[commando]

I call baggage handlers "bag throwers", which I think is a pretty accurate description.

[robertwgross]

I had one stewartess try telling me I had to check my bag, I told her that I have more invested in this bag then she makes in two months so I'll hold on to it and it fit fine under the seat.... She got mad... Oh well...

A flight attendent is trained to do that. Virtually anything that looks like a backpack is supposed to be checked. However, as we all know, some camera bags are more like a shoulder bag or a large purse and is appropriate for carry on.

If you make the flight attendent mad enough, they can have you removed from the cabin. It's either you or the bag. Take your pick.

---Bob Gross---

[commando]

I got a compact bag so it fits in a plane nicely. It'll be beside me all the way, i'm not putting it overhead, people try and crap all sorts of sh1t up there, and not gently.

[joeseph]

If you end up by an emergency exit, you will have no choice but to put your bag where they say. FAA regulations mean they can escort you off the aircraft if you aren't co-operative...
Just be as nice as you can & they usually don't get too obnoxious.

[commando]

I'm only on a 40 min flight, i'll just ask for a seat where I can put my bag under the seat in front.

[edsarkiss]

i went thru india for three weeks (seven intra-country flights) with no problems. i doubt the x-ray machines in small indian airports are the warm and fuzzy "low dose" variety.

i also was carrying an Archos GMini 220 (20GB hard drive with CF reader). no problems whatsoever with the multitude of xrays the gear went thru.

[SashasMommy]

I must agree, I'll never do checked luggage for my camera equipment, I don't want some John Doe to see an expensive looking backpack come down the conveyor belt and walk off with it... or some minimum wage luggage handler tossing my $2k+ worth of camera equipment around.

Not only do you not want to check your camera at bag check, don't let them check it plane-side either. I had a small carry-on suitcase that they made me do plane-side check for, and I thought it would be okay because they were going to put it on the plane right there, and take it off right when we landed, and it wasn't going to go with the rest of the checked luggage. So I'm sitting on the plane looking out the window, and I see them take my carry-on bag and slam it up onto this cart (with my thankfully ancient Minolta in it). You learn the hard way, I guess. I was crazy to think that they'd be careful with it. Luckily my camera wasn't damaged.

[rkoshy]

i went thru india for three weeks (seven intra-country flights) with no problems. i doubt the x-ray machines in small indian airports are the warm and fuzzy "low dose" variety.

i also was carrying an Archos GMini 220 (20GB hard drive with CF reader). no problems whatsoever with the multitude of xrays the gear went thru.

When did you travel around in India? I'm heading out there in Feb... and the customs guys ALWAYS seem to harass me. Last year they told me that I wasn't allowed to bring a laptop into the country without paying duties!

Next trip will be my laptop+camera+lenses+(some storage device) + a 2.5 yr old and a 5.5 year old... oh yeah.. and my wife :-)

I wonder -- Do they make anything like the computrekker + child carrier in one :lol: :lol:

[edsarkiss]

i was there during august of this year.

zero hassles from customs at any point during the trip. i didn't bring a laptop tho.

have a good trip!

[robertwgross]

Last year they told me that I wasn't allowed to bring a laptop into the country without paying duties!


I will assume that you purchased the computer in the USA and you have the receipt. Go to your nearest US Customs office. They typically have a branch office at each international airport.

Take them the computer with the receipt and tell them you want to register it. They will then give you a little registration note that you keep with the computer when traveling internationally. You can show that registration to any customs official that tries to hassle you.

---Bob Gross---

[Jon]

The receipt the US Customs offers is really only good for when you bring the object back into the US, so you don't get slapped with double duty. It offers, say, India, no guarantee that you're not bringing it in for sale there. In those cases, they should be willing to rebate the duty when you prove you have removed it from the country. It's sort of like posting bond on it.

[rkoshy]

The receipt the US Customs offers is really only good for when you bring the object back into the US, so you don't get slapped with double duty. It offers, say, India, no guarantee that you're not bringing it in for sale there. In those cases, they should be willing to rebate the duty when you prove you have removed it from the country. It's sort of like posting bond on it.

Let may start out by saying that I am an Indian-American (having lived here since infancy) having said that, I earn the right to say the following:

I find that the immigrations/customs guys in India will try to harass you to get a few bucks. I find that Bombay is the WORST when it comes to this, and Bangalore is the BEST -- no hassles -- that I've experienced.

It annoys the heck out of me when they have a procedure (they can write your serial numbers in your passport, and check it on departure) that is in place, and yet they will STILL harass me.

Furthermore, I find that they're nicer if you happen to be an 10% gray than if you're a 50%... :lol: :lol:... I guess it's reverse racism...