More Airport info on SLRs

[Steelsun]

News article today states there is no specific requirement for SLRs to be taken out of bags for normal screenings:

http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-979...?tag=nefd.only

[rogerfsmith]

Originally Posted by Steelsun

News article today states there is no specific requirement for SLRs to be taken out of bags for normal screenings:

http://www.news.com/8301-13580_3-979...?tag=nefd.only

This might not be a bad idea and I think it might develop into something regular rather than the exception. A SLR camera is large enough to hide all sorts of things such as plastic explosives, etc. and some of the large pro lens would hold a knife or other devices. I can remember times when security used to look at each lens and look into the ends after removing the caps to make sure they really were lens. I know its a pain to have to go through these hand inspections of things like this, but its better that than becoming a large missile in the hands of deranged individuals.
Cheers,
Roger

[boxofrocks]

From the article:

""There is no hard and fast requirement for cameras to be removed from bags, though we do reserve the right to ask a passenger or photographer to remove the camera to get a better look at it," said Nico Melendez, a spokesman for the Transportation Safety Administration and an SLR owner himself."

In other words, "we won't examine your camera unless we do".

[Steelsun]

My last few flights I took out my SLR body and ran it through next to my sneakers "just in case". Left my lenses in the bag (including the monster 100-400L) and had no problems.

[FreshPhotography]

Flights in both the US & Europe, no one cared about my SLRs. They only asked if I had a video camera in the bag, and then let it go on through.

Of course, if traveling with gear, it is a good idea to leave time to deal with any possible security issues.

[Adcox]

My equipment goes through those x-ray machines sometimes twice a day. Each time at a different airport. I've only had them open my camera bag one time. That was after I got a new iPod for Christmas. I had stuck it in my camera bag along with my ear buds that were coiled up next to it.

[shawn patrick]

I took 15 flights this spring and only unpacked my camera when I was pulled aside for the "random" screenings. I learned that random means that there was a last minute change in my plans and I was on a different flight.

[mathia]

I went to Vegas over the weekend. No problems on the way there, but on the way back, they made me remove my camera from the bag. The other photog I was traveling with didn't have to take his out (2 bodies), but his bag looks more like a backpack, so I guess the screener thought it was just that.

[jon_k]

Originally Posted by rogerfsmith

and some of the large pro lens would hold a knife or other devices

The horror of somebody gutting out a large pro lens to hold something stupid like a knife.

For the price of some of those pro lenses, you could rent your own aircraft!

[okcwannabe]

I have taken many trips this past summer and just had to pull my camera out once...the lady said "they might want it out" and I wasn't about to argue that I had never had to do that before.