Getting a camera through customs?

[mebemelissa]

Is it safe to have a digital camera go on the belt scanner at an airport?

[RichardTaylor]

Mine do - in a camera bag.

[BuddhaPi]

only problem i see is if there's something in the camera that shouldn't be!

[Biomech]

I always take my cameras/lenses as carry on luggage and they always get scanned. Never had a problem with the gear.

Although the Icelandic popo did take my knife off me and often my bag gets a quick search because the spare li-on batteries get flagged.

Memory cards have been fine though

[UlpilotSC]

I sent mine through twice, in charlotte NC, and at Garden Grove, CA. Didn't hurt it. They gave it a long look though. Probably because I had my headphones and external iPhone battery pack in there. All those coiled wires probably looked a lot like a cartoony bomb.

[jdepould]

My bag always gets pulled and swabbed for explosives residue. Don't know why.

The only thing you can't send through the scanner is undeveloped film.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by jdepould

My bag always gets pulled and swabbed for explosives residue. Don't know why.

Yes me too. I was swabbed and body searched twice in as many months recently. It was all very friendly and I asked the female security why me. She said because I would be easy and not cause any issues. Maybe a quota thing.

Cheers,

John W

[jdepould]

Originally Posted by Woody

It was all very friendly and I asked the female security why me. She said because I would be easy and not cause any issues. Maybe a quota thing.

Glad to see they put real thought into who they choose to search.

I got a second patdown/bag check departing Heathrow a while back, but it seemed like they pulled every third person or so for that.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by jdepould

Glad to see they put real thought into who they choose to search.

I got a second patdown/bag check departing Heathrow a while back, but it seemed like they pulled every third person or so for that.

Well Jamie,

There are certainly different rules for flying into the US. I fly to New Zealand regularly and its very similar to flying domestically around Australia. Indifferent bag screening, cursory trip through the body scanner and off you go. My swabbing exercise was flying domestically from Sydney to Cairns in North Queensland and flying Sydney to Adelaide.

Flying to the US, they even take bottled water, that was purchased inside the secure zone, and bin that. Its all to do with the US paranoia (and perhaps rightly) that causes an issue. But you can take knitting needles, they serve you with metal knives and forks on the flight and I bet I could do some damage swinging a 50mm prime inside my sock.

I just read an interview with Nick O'Herne, an Australian pro golfer. Don't drink alcohol, just water, don't eat meat, just fish and fruit and use the sleep patterns of your destination. And stuff the terrorists.

Cheers,

John W

[Jonbar18]

Originally Posted by Woody

Flying to the US, they even take bottled water, that was purchased inside the secure zone, and bin that. Its all to do with the US paranoia (and perhaps rightly) that causes an issue. But you can take knitting needles, they serve you with metal knives and forks on the flight and I bet I could do some damage swinging a 50mm prime inside my sock.

Oh please. Those knives couldn't cut through orange juice.

And this is my personal favourite story: Rifle bearing soldiers had to relinquish nail clippers