Camera thru security at All Star game?

[Williamgerv]

I am going to the All Star game at Busch Stadium tommorrow night, and I usually can take my 5d and 70-200L into a regular game. The President is throwing out the first pitch and they said no profressional size cameras allowed. I really want my camera in but don'r know whether to chance it. i have taken my grip off but the white lens might catch their eye. I can't believe they will turn away all dslr because so many consumers have them. What do yall think!

[Pete]

Call and ask would be the sensible answer here?

[Williamgerv]

Already did and thats when I got the standard no profressional cameras allowed. But i don't know what they consider profressional.

[Pete]

Usually, "professional" cameras are considered to be those with detachable lenses...

I might be wrong though.

[Todd Lambert]

Sounds like it's going to be a decision made by the staff at the checkpoint. You're going to have limited success with any white lens, I think.

You can try one, if they say no... go to another checkpoint and try again, I guess.

Good luck.

[RickyH]

You know security will be tight, so I'm guessing it will get turned away. If you do try it & they deny you, the worst that will happen is that they will make you take it back to you're car.

[Todd Lambert]

You know security will be tight, so I'm guessing it will get turned away. If you do try it & they deny you, the worst that will happen is that they will make you take it back to you're car.


No, the worst would be that someone will see this, follow you to your car, and then steal it while you're in the game! :mad:

[Celtic Tiger]

I'll be there tomorrow night as well. I posed this question in another forum as well. I'm not even going to try to get my 70-200 in.

Someone said the worst that could happen is you go back to your car. That's worse than you think. I went to opening day back in 2004 or 2005 or whenever GWB threw out he first pitch. We waited in line to get in the park 1.5 to 2.0 hours. If you guess wrong on this one, by the time you go through the line 2x, Albert might be on the bench.

I'm also going tonight. I may try to get the 50D & 70-200 in tonight (I think the standards may be looser and the wait time minimal. Not that it has much bearing on tomorrow night but look here tomorrow. I'll let you know how I did.

[Williamgerv]

Good, post tonight if you can, we are leaving early in the morning! I really want my 70-200 2.8l IS in if I can but if not will go with 24-70 L.

[bigjon0107]

Since the president is going to be there, you can almost count on that decision was made by the Secret Service. When i cover an event with a president (past or present) in attendance, the Secret Service will get you there hours early and inspect each piece of gear you bring in to clear it. You cannot do that with a stadium full of people.

[Celtic Tiger]

Good, post tonight if you can, we are leaving early in the morning! I really want my 70-200 2.8l IS in if I can but if not will go with 24-70 L.

Well, got my 70-200 in. Detached the lens from the body; took a very small LowePro bag and created a false bottom with velcro dividers. Put the (ungripped) 50D on top with some misc junk. The guy started to look through and almost pulle dup the dividers and then saw the junk he had to look through and waved me in. Had the 1.4x in another pocket.

Realize however that tomorrow is an entirely different gig with the POTUS there. I got my shots tonight. Tomorrow I'm P&S all the way and just enjoying the game.

Two that I did some quick work on. Very noisy but shot from the outfield and cropped big time. When I've had a chance to work with some others I may post more.

[bamatt]

I just called the stadium too. They were very vague about it. They said the secret service is trying "steer away" from detatchable lenses. Guess I'll take a P&S.

[silvex]

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/ballpark/ballpark_guide.jsp

Cameras/Video Equipment

Both still and video cameras are allowed in Busch Stadium, as long as they do not obstruct another guest's view. Credentialed professional news crews/cameras are only allowed on the concourses and are not to film any game action unless given permission by the Cardinals.

[scpictaker]

Looks like they let the good cameras in the park. I wish I was there.

[DennisW1]

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/stl/ballpark/ballpark_guide.jsp

Cameras/Video Equipment

Both still and video cameras are allowed in Busch Stadium, as long as they do not obstruct another guest's view. Credentialed professional news crews/cameras are only allowed on the concourses and are not to film any game action unless given permission by the Cardinals.

That is aimed strictly at news video cameras. Due to MLB restrictions on game coverage they are not allowed to point their cameras toward game action at any time. This does NOT apply to someone walking in with a DSLR, even if it's a "professional" model.

[Celtic Tiger]

Follow-up...there were "special" rules in place that superceded the regular park rules due to the All-Star Game being under control of MLB (as opposed to the St. Louis Cardinals) and more importantly the POTUS being there. I wussed out and took only a P&S. They were not as strict as they led you to believe and I saw a few white lenses in the crowd. Heck in one crowd shot on the big screen, I swear I saw a regular fan with a monopod. Not sure how he pulled that one off.

Anyway, I had a lot of fun. Looking forward to the OP's experience and hopefully posts.

[bamatt]

I borrowed a friends P&S (PoS) and was quite disappointed to see that I could have brought my dSLR. All my pics are OOF and horribly grainy, how the heck does that happen with a P&S?

[pknight]

How do you you not get horribly grainy under those conditions with a P&S?

[Celtic Tiger]

I borrowed a friends P&S (PoS) and was quite disappointed to see that I could have brought my dSLR. All my pics are OOF and horribly grainy, how the heck does that happen with a P&S?

Don't know where you were, but from my vantage point seeing four Secret Service sharpshooters on the roof silhouetted against a twilight sky, I was jonesin' for my 50D and extended 70-200.

[T&E Run]

Update. They let pretty much any camera and lens in. Kind of sucks for me though, as I left my 100-400 at home. When I got down there (at 7:15am LOL) I asked the men in black (SS). He said, "will it attach to a sniper's rifle". "Um, no" I said. He said can you take a picture with it, yes. "I don't care then. You can take it in". I at least had my 70-200 f4, but wish I had my 100-400. An usher the night before (at the HR Derby) told me "not" to bring any big lens to the All Star game as it wouldn't be allowed in. Oh-well, maybe another chance to shoot at an all star game in my hometown sometime in the next 30-40 years HaHa

[Eaton Photos]

Two that I did some quick work on. Very noisy but shot from the outfield and cropped big time.

I cleaned up your images. :)

[emtp563]

I was lucky enough to get tickets to the White House Easter Egg Roll this past April and I was scared off by the "rules." I left my 1D/70-200 at home and brought a P & S. As it turned out, everyone and their grandmother brought in DSLR's and the Secret Service didn't care. Next year I'll come better equipped. You live and learn I guess. I was right on the South Lawn of the White House and could have gotten some killer "once in a lifetime" shots if I would have had my proper gear, or even part of it.

[Celtic Tiger]

I cleaned up your images. :)

Thanks. The software took care of the noise but also some faces. I guess that's the price from that distance.

[carshop]

I cleaned up your images. :)
Great Job.
What software did you use?
Im new at this.
Thanks

[bamatt]

Don't know where you were, but from my vantage point seeing four Secret Service sharpshooters on the roof silhouetted against a twilight sky, I was jonesin' for my 50D and extended 70-200.


Yeah, I got some pics of them (albeit very bad ones) from where I was. That was pretty cool seeing them up there with their rifle barrells sitting over the edge. I walked by them in the street after I parked while they had all their gear layed out behind the big black suburban.

[Palladium]

A little off topic but for the Superbowl, the NFL checks very carefully and no lens longer that 6 inches are allowed.

That's why in the weeks leading up the the super bowl the 200mm 2.8 is usually sold out ;) at stores. Anyway the 200mm and a teleconverter in you pocket is a good way to go into events.