Q: DSLRs on a plane/NTSB paranoia

[Andy Resnick]

I'm attending a conference in Nashville, TN in a few months and would like to take my camera and 15mm lens along- has anyone recently dealt with US airline 'security'? I guess I have 2 concerns (probably both unfounded):

1) potential X-ray scanning damage to the camera sensor. I figure if the camera is off and the battery is out, there shouldn't be a problem. Even so...
2) overzealous security wankers who think they are breaking up a major espionage ring.

Any pro/con regarding carry-on vs. checked is helpful as well. I don't expect to take photos out of the window during the flight...

 

[chingkui]

I don't fly often, last time a few months ago. But I also hand carry my DSLR + lens + flash with me, and never have a problem. I will never store them in my luggage and check in, who know how they are going to handle that.

As for demage from scanning, I really have no idea if that would, and I would also like to know if that's possible.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Thanks-

the TSA put this out:

http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1035.shtm

'None of the security equipment - neither the machines used for checked baggage nor those used for carry-on baggage - will affect digital camera images or film that has already been processed - slides, videos, photo compact discs or picture memory cards.'

but doesn't mention CCD/CMOS damage. There's a lot of supposition/opinions out there, but I couldn't find any real information either way.

 

[Triple_D]

Not an issue. I carry a DSLR, 17-35, 28-70, 80-200, 10.5 fisheye, flashes, extra batteries, flash cards, etc., in a Lowepro Micro Trekker without any problems. Just run it through the x-ray machine, with your other carry-on luggage.

Always carry your camera gear onboard the plane. I would never check it.

 

[AlephZero]

I don't expect to take photos out of the window during the flight...

Why not? We once were investigating the cause of an in-flight engine shutdown, and we got some valuable information from a passenger who was smart enough to realize that what they could see through the window was "interesting", took some pictures of it, and told the cabin crew about them.

Though with luck your flight won't be quite so "interesting" as that

 

[Andy Resnick]

Thanks for the comments, guys. In related news...

The blades for a new windmill were recently delivered to Cleveland:

http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2011/04/lincoln_electrics_wind_turbine.html

and since the weather was nice today, I thought I'd go snap a few shots at the dock. Here's the best shot I got:

[PLAIN]http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5585/dsc7031a.jpg

Not that great, maybe I can fix it with post-processing. I was holding the camera up and over the chain link fence, poking the lens in between rows of razor wire, guessing on getting the blade centered. Each blade is about 60 feet long, and I was about 30 feet away.

Anyhow, some Fatty McFatty rent-a-cop came a-huffing and a-puffing at me, yelling about how I was in trouble, so I turned and started taking pictures of *her*, mostly because I was in a foul mood to begin with. She stopped dead in her tracks- had no clue what to do. Then I left.

Heh- if some TSA goof starts up, I'll tell them I'm under contract to observe the engines for defects during flight (thanks, AlephZero) :) Once (pre-9/11) I scared the x-ray baggage check people by pulling out my NASA badge and told them they were mishandling sensitive flight hardware and were liable for damages.