CF Cards and Airport Security??

[dadsgm]

I will be heading to Italy in April with my D60 and a few CF cards and plan on downloading the images after I return.

Has anyone had any experience with taking CF cards through airport security - ie does the carry-on baggage scanning have an effect upon images stored on the CF card??????????????

[defordphoto]

Don't worry. The xrays will not affect the cards.

[gsrossano]

It is highly unlikely xrays will damage a CF card, though not absolutely impossible. The xray machines used in scanning checked luggage are much stronger than used for carry on, however, so I never pack them in my checked luggage. It is also remotely possible that airport screening will corrupt the info on a card, so it is also prudent to back up the images before heading home (like on a MindStor or your laptop).

[redbutt]

I went to Sweden in September and sent everything thorough the carry on scanners (not like I had choice...it was either that or not get on the plane) and all was fine. Interestingly enough, they didn't seem to interested in the camera or the Microdrives...but the guys with laptops were getting the 3rd degree.

DB

[gsrossano]

After I sent my previous the question occured to me (just curiosity), since CF cards are mostly plastic and semi-conductor material, will they set off the metal detectors at the airport? Has anyone set off a metal detector at an airport with one in their pocket?

[redbutt]

Never tried it, but now that you mention it...next trip to the airport....

[AMintram]

I work at an airport, and CF cards will rarely set off an Archway Metal Detector on their own.

If there is an accumulation of metal on the body then it will add to is, but the amount of metal is rather negligible compared to something like a watch or keys, which you can usually carry through an AMD and not alarm, again, if you've not got any other metal on you.

CF cards cannot be affected by X-rays as they are not sensitive to light. Just in the same way your laptop memory (BIOS etc) cannot be affected.

BTW, laptops generally get more attention from Airport Security because they have more electronics in them, so it is harder to clearly see everything contained within the casing on x-ray. A camera by comparison has less clutter so it is easier to see what is inside.

Andy

[dadsgm]

To everyone who replied - thanks for the info.
For experimental purposes I plan upon taking a few pictures on each of two cards. One will be kept in the camera and one in my pocket and then both will be checked for picture degrigation. Upon my return I will post the results for those still curious.

[gsrossano]

More about xrays and electronics (from a PhD researcher in photography, electronic imaging and space systems for over 20 years).

xrays are extremely unlikely to affect most electronics, but do on very rare occassions. Xray photons have enough energy to release electrons in semiconductor materials, if absorbed (though the cross-sections is quite low). Usually these electrons recombine with the positive holes without causing damage. There is an extremely small chance these electrons will change the state of a gate in a circuit. For most consumer electronics it would require several years of exposure to see an effect.

Another aspect of screening equipment is that there are large magnetic fields generated within the equipment that can induce currents in electronics passing through the machines. Although extremely unlikely, it is not impossible that these fields will affect electronic equipment.

The chances of these things happening is extremely remote, but it is not scientifically accurate to say they can NEVER happen. Airport security people like to say never because even words like extremely unlikely or once in a lifetime make people queasy about putting there stuff into the machines. Much the same way they say that the machines will not affect film, even though Kodak and Fuji, and all professional photgraphers, researchers ect. know and have measured the effect. But we all don't use film anymore - the difficulty of getting it through airports being one reason why.

[GenEOS]

No need to worry about airport x-rays, etc.
Hell, I had a CF card with images on it, survive the washer and dryer, Images in tact!!!
No bull, the card was not damaged....