Cameras on planes (1 Viewer)

[RSJ]

How strict are the airlines with cameras on planes these days? Headed off on wednesday, bringing all my gear in my camera bag as carry on (hopefully, it's a big bastard of a bag), have my film in one of them x-ray bags - can i expect to get hassled much?

 

[broken arm]

can i expect to get hassled much?

where are you going?

most of the grief is when flying out of the UK. http://www.baa.co.uk/portal/control...=Corporate^Media Centre^News Releases^Results

 

[hugh]

There shouldn't be a problem. I brought a camera+laptop in a bag to Portugal a few weeks ago withouth hassle.

But .. the film in X-ray bag thing. Are you putting this in your hand-luggage or in your checked-in luggage?

I have heard that if you put the film in an Xray bag it just means when they spot it they whack up the power on the Xray machine so they can penetrate through and see inside, therefore potentially screwing up your film anyway.

If you don't use an xray bag and check it in, then that's even worse because the xray machines they use for checked lugagge are really strong.

Best option I think is to just put the film in your hand luggage and forget about the xray bag. The machines they use for scanning hand luggage are fairly gentle. I have always done this and never had a problem, even going through two or three scans.

 

[Squiggle]

As long as you don't go over your carry-on weight/bag size limitations it should be fine. That is what they're really clamping down on - that and liquids!

 

[magicbastarder]

have the film all in a bag of its own.
take the bag out, and wait until all the stuff in front of you has passed through the machine, and then put the film on the belt on its own; wait until it has passed through to put the rest of your stuff through.

that said, i had a couple of dozen rolls of sensia 100 go through four x-ray machines, with no issues. it's only ISO 800 and above that might have issues, afaik.

 

[RSJ]

where are you going?

most of the grief is when flying out of the UK. http://www.baa.co.uk/portal/control...=Corporate^Media Centre^News Releases^Results

Galway - luton
gatwick - montreal
montreal - indiana
indiana - grand rapids
tampa - JFK
JFK - shannon

Hugh - that's a balls if they just turn the machine up, any point in just pulling it out when you get to the inspector lads and saying "here, i have some camera film but i don't want it zapped"?

ETA: Magic, only seen your post now. Unfortunately it's mostly ISO1600 i'll be carrying.

 

[magicbastarder]

any point in just pulling it out when you get to the inspector lads and saying "here, i have some camera film but i don't want it zapped"?

typically, no. but explain that it's fast film, and you may get a sympathetic guard.
that tip was given to me by a pro photographer - it obviously lessens the chance of something in your camera bag catching the eye of the security guard, and him or her stopping the belt to take a closer look, and giving the film a longer or more intense exposure than you want - this happened with me, when my cable release grabbed the attention of the guard.

 

[Dr Winston Umbogo]

i brought a tripod and camera in and out of luton about a month ago and it was grand. (as hand luggage)

 

[magicbastarder]

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

good tip in there about having your film processed as you use it, rather than waiting till you get home.

 

[Space]

Yeah explain to the guard that it's fast film that will be affected by the xray and they should be able to do a hand search. I've done this with homeopathic remedies a few times with no hassle.

 

[hugh]

Hugh - that's a balls if they just turn the machine up, any point in just pulling it out when you get to the inspector lads and saying "here, i have some camera film but i don't want it zapped"?

Yeah, as other people have said, you can try this. Sometimes it will work, sometimes not I suppose. The "putting it in a separate bag and putting it through on its own" sounds like a good idea. Do this as a fallback if they insist on putting it through. Actually, I read somewhere once, that security staff in the US had to, by law, hand inspect things like film if requested to. Dunno if that is still the case though ...

 

[hugh]

Also, bring a tripod as hand-luggage. If the guard gives you grief about the film, clock him over the head with the tripod and make a dash for the plane. if you time it right, you should be fine.

 

[tripoli]

That's some trip dude, looking forward to seeing some of those shots!!

Galway - luton
gatwick - montreal
montreal - indiana
indiana - grand rapids
tampa - JFK
JFK - shannon

 

[RSJ]

That's some trip dude, looking forward to seeing some of those shots!!

Ha, just you wait dude, have been asked to be the "official photographer" for a punk festival down in Florida. To say i'm stoked is an understatement. Really nervous as i'm not all that confident in my shots and stuff, but seeing as it's a complete mayhem fest (as it was last year), really looking forward to seeing what comes out of it.

 

[Goff]

Ha, just you wait dude, have been asked to be the "official photographer" for a punk festival down in Florida. To say i'm stoked is an understatement. Really nervous as i'm not all that confident in my shots and stuff, but seeing as it's a complete mayhem fest (as it was last year), really looking forward to seeing what comes out of it.

Why nervous? You take great shots. Just bring lots of film/memory cards and use high ISO. You know the rest. Look forward to seeing some of these.

 

[JohnnyRaz]

I brought some 3200 to berlin and back without hassle; took it out and had it examined by hand going through. No problem as long as you leave a bit of the film leader sticking out so they can see its film as opposed to semtex!

Galway - luton
gatwick - montreal
montreal - indiana
indiana - grand rapids
tampa - JFK
JFK - shannon

Hugh - that's a balls if they just turn the machine up, any point in just pulling it out when you get to the inspector lads and saying "here, i have some camera film but i don't want it zapped"?

ETA: Magic, only seen your post now. Unfortunately it's mostly ISO1600 i'll be carrying.