My upcoming trip to Namibia will be the first time I've travelled with a digital camera. When I was shooting 35mm film, I carried the film in lead lined bags to protect the film when it went through the security scanners x-ray machines. Is it necessary to remove the digital camera's memory card? The reason I'm asking is because in the instruction manual it says if the memory card is exposed to strong magnetic fields, the images can be lost. What do you guys do with your memory cards when going through airport security?

I wad told airportm x ray doesw not effect memory cards. It did not effect mine.

Didn't effect mine either.

Mike,

I took 600pics in Zim with digital...One of fmy best friends took 8000 that is right 8000 on his photo safari...to Tanzania...last summer..I used 128's and he used 512's and bigger and down loaded them into a laptop and also kept them on DVD's and the Cards..He is an outdoor artist and I can say one of the best also...

Mike

I run my flash cards (NOR/NAND) through airport x-ray machines all the time. Also my PC. Never lost a bit.

Gamma rays are the ones you need to worry about. Unless your sending the camera into orbit, it's likley not going to be an issue for you.

-Steve

As was posted elsewhere, the issue with the cards is use a couple so if one screws up you are not SOL.

I can say that because last month my 512mb XD card reformatted itself!

Also it was mentioned, that if your camera gets stolen at least your pictures aren't.

Nope, not a problem at all. Being a former tech editor of a car magazine, I have travelled dozens of times with my digital camera equipemnt in my carryon luggage and never experienced the loss of a single photo on a flash card. Print film will apparently get destroyed by the x-ray of your check-in luggage, so that became a carry-on item for me as well....

Memory cards are not affected. The carry on x-rays are supposedly safe for 200 Speed or slower film. The new X-rays that they're using to x-ray all baggage after check-in at major airports in the USA will mostly likely expose any film.

Don't know if it helps to set your mind at ease but I am an airline pilot and my peers pack their digital cameras all the time with no ill effect. Additionally, I am required to carry a laptop for work and it goes through security 8-12 times a week! Hope this helps. ScottW

quote:

Originally posted by mikeh416Rigby:
...When I was shooting 35mm film, I carried the film in lead lined bags to protect the film when it went through the security scanners x-ray machines. ....

I`m still shooting 35mm film. Have never protected the film and never had problems, but you never know when it will happen.. What is a lead lined bag and where can I get one..?
Best regards Anders

Mike,
Just got back from Namibia yesterday and have looked at some of my 300 pictures and none of my cards seem to have been affected.

John

The only film that a x-Ray will harm is the ultra violet night film or so I have been told by some hunt professional photographers..I think its ultra violet, or something like that. Maybe I better stick to shooting.

Rray,

This is incorrect. Airport X-ray has the worst effects on HIGH ISO films. Up to 400 ISO should be okay for carry on but if you put ANY film in your checked baggage it will probably be damaged as the Xray used on baggage is much more powerful than those used for carry on luggage.

DC300

Xrays are potentially harmful to all types of film, but the amount of damage is dependant on the strength of the dose they receive and the speed of the film as already mentioned. As I understand it, the older style Xray machines you are liable to find in some African airports use higher doses and this compounded if the machine is not correctly set up/calibrated/serviced ect..

Lead lined bags are one answer and they can be bought from any good photography store, the other is to keep the film seperate and ask for it to be checked through manually rather than going through the machine..

Regards,

Pete

Do you guys mean damage (like in making the pictures different) or totally destroyed.. Can I make an excuse to my friends like:
"that picture seems overexposed, but it`s not my fault, probably the x-ray machines at the airport.."
But seroiusly, destroyed or damaged..?

Anders,

It depends...if the xray were powerful enough, it would start to fog the film just like exposing it to light. How much damage would depend on how much exposure it had and how fast the film was..For instance, ISO800 would not be as fogged as ISO1600 film at the same level of X ray exposure..

The modern machines used to Xray hand luggage are supposed to be film safe and usually are if your using standard ISO100 or 200 film..The problem I see is if you pitch up somewhere where they have older machines or if the machine is not calibrated correctly..Also the potential damage is cumlative so each exposure to Xrays increases the potential risk...

At the end of the day, why take that risk? the easy answer is to remove your films from your hand luggage and ask for them to be inspected by hand..I have travelled a fair bit and I have never been refused this request..

Regards,

Pete

In this time of heightnened airport security, I don't believe a lead lined bag is a good idea, unless you want to cause yourself and the people behind you an unessary delay. Do as Pete suggested, have them check it by hand if you are worried, then pop it back into your carry on.