Welcome To The New World Order .. Cameras Vs Security

Interesting how a purse up to 12x12x12 is till OK, a diaper bag is OK, and seat cushions are OK. I expect that any of these could be made a security risk.

If anything, a detachable lens SLR is *less* risky than a P&S or an iPad, since you can disassemble it and see its innards.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #15866879
If the Derby works anything like the Super Bowl or World Series, there will be XRay to go through and Dogs to sniff everyone's rear.

There I fixed it for you.

Wayne

Today at Churchill Downs: Security check did not want to see our cameras even after we offered. Many fans were using DSLR cameras. There was one five seats from ours using what appeared to be a 70-300mm zoom lens. Local fans are furious. We got an email, saw the newscast, read the new policy in our newspapers and read about it on the internet.

We are fools. We followed the rules and watched the out of town guest use their DSLR cameras while we used camera phones or old p & s cameras.

I overheard a local lady say, "I am never coming back to this place." Screw the regular customers is not a very good business model. We are mad. Sadly, no one cares.

Craign wrote in post #15895673
Today at Churchill Downs: Security check did not want to see our cameras even after we offered. Many fans were using DSLR cameras. There was one five seats from ours using what appeared to be a 70-300mm zoom lens. Local fans are furious. We got an email, saw the newscast, read the new policy in our newspapers and read about it on the internet.

We are fools. We followed the rules and watched the out of town guest use their DSLR cameras while we used camera phones or old p & s cameras.

I overheard a local lady say, "I am never coming back to this place." Screw the regular customers is not a very good business model. We are mad. Sadly, no one cares.

That would be the most infuriating part about the whole thing, if they relaxed the rules and didn't let you know, or didn't enforce the rules evenly so that a lot of folks are left holding the bag.

BobOh wrote in post #15903036
That would be the most infuriating part about the whole thing, if they relaxed the rules and didn't let you know, or didn't enforce the rules evenly so that a lot of folks are left holding the bag.

Frustrating and mad beyond your wildest imagination. The locals and regular patrons followed the new policy and were screwed. My previous post was for Friday. Saturday, Derby Day, was worse. We saw many DSLR cameras with small lenses that were being used as point and shoot cameras. The worst was a man sitting directly behind us with a 30D, multiple lenses one of which was a Canon 70-200mm lens, all in a camera bag. There was no way those were sneaked into the track.

I suspect the rules were enforced differently at the various gates. We had tickets and went through the doors marked "VIP," not that we were VIP people but because it was the first door we saw. The security check was by far the easiest since the security level was increased in 2002 and we have been there every year.

I would have taken my 50D and 24-105mm lens if the weather forecast had not been so bad.

The solution to all of this is to follow professional surfing instead. The major contests are in outstanding vacation locations, the athletes are right there on the beach with everyone else, and since all the venues are public beaches, you can bring any equipment you want and shoot photos all day.

The icing on the cake is that they usually end the event each day a couple hours before sunset, which gives everyone the opportunity to paddle out and surf alongside the pros of the sport.

And unlike most pro sports, you can actually surf the big, world-class waves the pros surf. Pipeline, trestles, J-Bay: It's all there for you.

www.aspworldtour.com

Craign wrote in post #15904263
Frustrating and mad beyond your wildest imagination. The locals and regular patrons followed the new policy and were screwed. My previous post was for Friday. Saturday, Derby Day, was worse. We saw many DSLR cameras with small lenses that were being used as point and shoot cameras. The worst was a man sitting directly behind us with a 30D, multiple lenses one of which was a Canon 70-200mm lens, all in a camera bag. There was no way those were sneaked into the track.

I suspect the rules were enforced differently at the various gates. We had tickets and went through the doors marked "VIP," not that we were VIP people but because it was the first door we saw. The security check was by far the easiest since the security level was increased in 2002 and we have been there every year.

I would have taken my 50D and 24-105mm lens if the weather forecast had not been so bad.

I think it was enforced differently because many people didn't know. Two, it is bad for business to give your customers a hard time and telling them to leave the gate because they have a DSLR with them. Or they are being denied entry because they have a prohibited camera. When caught, you can always claim innocent and not knowing the new policy and to threaten them with boycotting the event. Last thing a business, commercial entity fears is when a upset customer making a big scene. Is bad for business....