Kentucky Derby - bans ALL Interchangeable Lens Cameras

Kentucky Derby Bans All Interchangeable Lens Cameras for ‘Security Purposes’
http://petapixel.com …as-for-security-purposes/


Can some one tell me why? For security purposes a D-SLR is being banned vs. a P&S

My guess is you can hide stuff inside the camera after you twist open the lens.

I have a coffee cup which looks like a Canon 70-200 f4 lens. It is hollow and could conceal items. I've seen other events ban "large lens" but never all interchangeable lens.

It is because they don't want the horses to be photoshopped to look like Beyonce.

Yeah because anything you can hide in there you can't possibly hide in your pocket...

This is not funny guys. What other organization will ban interchangeable lens cameras??

HS Graduations
College sporting events
Pro sporting events
etc
etc
etc

All because of a bombing in Boston. I did miss the news report stating that these type of cameras played a part of the Boston bombing???

Yes it was a tragedy BUT loosing our 1st Amendment rights is more of a tragedy. The camera industry will be hurt, less sales of entry level SLR's because of all these bans(future) then Canon, Nikon, Sony could see there revenue/profit fall and then less "new upgrades" available because of lost revenue.

This is a snowflake that could end up as a major snowball

Some of you will tell me I'm crazy, stupid, etc. BUT this is a beginning.

ironic thing is...the fact that people had cameras is probably what helped them to capture the guys...but i guess there are still iphone cameras...

wysiwyg59 wrote in post #15862040
This is not funny guys. All because of a bombing in Boston. I did miss the news report stating that these type of cameras played a part of the Boston bombing?

The irony is that within minutes of the bombing the authorities made an appeal to the public requesting that anyone who had a camera at the race forward their photos and footage. The suspects were identified and brought down by photos.

wysiwyg59 wrote in post #15862040
This is not funny guys. What other organization will ban interchangeable lens cameras??

HS Graduations
College sporting events
Pro sporting events
etc
etc
etc

All because of a bombing in Boston. I did miss the news report stating that these type of cameras played a part of the Boston bombing???

Yes it was a tragedy BUT loosing our 1st Amendment rights is more of a tragedy. The camera industry will be hurt, less sales of entry level SLR's because of all these bans(future) then Canon, Nikon, Sony could see there revenue/profit fall and then less "new upgrades" available because of lost revenue.

This is a snowflake that could end up as a major snowball

Some of you will tell me I'm crazy, stupid, etc. BUT this is a beginning.

To say the above is a stretch is beyond an understatement. One organization bans interchangeable lens cameras, and all of a sudden we have to watch out for a 'police state' on photography?

How about this.. the Kentucky Derby isn't a multiple hour sports match. The actual race lasts a couple of minutes. Maybe the organizers feel that people with DSLRs can easily distract / get in the way of other people that are there to see the race that basically goes by just about an instant.

This kind of thing already exists in other ways, but I don't see you blasting NBA games for not letting in DSLRs. Most professional sports vary not only by league rules but by venue rules. Fenway Park, for example, allows DSLRs (even now). Granted, they search your bag a bit more thoroughly now, but they're still allowed. The rule basically states that you're allowed to have a camera 'as long as it doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of somebody else' at the game.

I didn't realize that bringing a camera to a private sporting event was a Constitutional right.

MrBernie- Your explanation is far too reasonable

There is already a post on this in the "General photography talk" section of the forum. Here I have pasted my same thoughts:

The same ban on cameras with certain length lenses was made at The Circuit Of The Americas for the F1 race that happened there last year. There was a large reaction from fans and the ban was overturned within a few days, so fans who also had an interest in photography could enjoy both their hobbies.

As far as I am aware there were no security incidents involving anyone with a camera and a particularly long lens.

Hopefully sense is seen from both sides.

I think every concert I've ever been to has banned SLRs; the only thing they were letting in was P&Ss.

archer1960 wrote in post #15862130
I think every concert I've ever been to has banned SLRs; the only thing they were letting in was P&Ss.

I think people can understand close environment locations such as concerts/stadiums that kind of thing.

An outdoor sport with a lot of space for people is harder to justify.

I'm a local and the ban on video and photo equipment for the Derby has been in the news. Lip service was paid to bag searches done during entry taking too long with spectator's photo/video equipment and the ban is to "expedite" entry to the track.

Foodguy wrote in post #15862109
I didn't realize that bringing a camera to a private sporting event was a Constitutional right.

MrBernie- Your explanation is far too reasonable

Yep the host that owns the venue can certainly make the rules and I get a feeling this is only going to keep happening more and more. I remember in the early 1980s when most concert venues banned cameras. I think this could have a lot to do with business and less to do with security. I'll bet those professional photographers that shoot the race or the organizations they work for are partially behind this. Like it or not, right or wrong, I believe its going to keep becoming more and more prevalent. And its their venue so its their rules.