SD Cards and airport scanning

[Plays With Light]

Howdy all,

Just had a random thought last night about the possible ill effects of airport scanners and my SD cards meeting in an ugly fashion. How do you safeguard your cards from that nasty electromagnetic force? Is it something to worry about? I've never taken a camera with me before through an airport screening system so am genuinely curious.

I'd gather there must be a way of avoiding any EMF interference, or that it's nothing to worry about as I see plenty of holiday shots from others just on this forum alone.

Thanks in advance for soothing my nerves about this one.

[Gazza]

I travel through airports all the time and have never given that a thought...((:eek:))
So far, I've never taken any precautions and everything still works, hmmm

[jim]

As above; never had a problem. Do you have any specific reason to believe you would?

[Plays With Light]

As above; never had a problem. Do you have any specific reason to believe you would?
I once had an SD card sitting on my outboard hard drive bay and it got scrambled, so I know it can happen with EMF interference from personal experience.

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I travel through airports all the time and have never given that a thought...((:eek:))
So far, I've never taken any precautions and everything still works, hmmm
Thanks, Gazza. Do you take your gear onboard with you, that's my intention, to have my small backpack with my kit in it.

[Gazza]

Thanks, Gazza. Do you take your gear onboard with you, that's my intention, to have my small backpack with my kit in it.
Nearly always take it in the cabin with me, Alex (last 6 - 8 times that I can remember)
So yes, it goes through security scanners along with my ePassport, phone and on occasion, a laptop as well...so far, so good.

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Took a trip last year(?) and checked a bag in with the majority of my gear, 600D came in the cabin with me, I got there, the bag turned up a few days after!! :grinning01:

[ameerat42]

Hasn't happened to me during lots of scans at air/otherports. Just had them in camera in bag, or just
in latter. Last travel domestic last year.

[Mary Anne]

All my cameras and lenses go in a back pack as my Cabin Luggage I would never put them in my suitcase :eek:
The monopod or if I took a tripod would go in the middle of my suitcase. No problems with Memory Cards.
Hubby has a wide briefcase bag for Laptop, chargers batteries, flashes and all those things that you have to take when going Overseas.

[Plays With Light]

Nearly always take it in the cabin with me, Alex (last 6 - 8 times that I can remember)
So yes, it goes through security scanners along with my ePassport, phone and on occasion, a laptop as well...so far, so good.

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Took a trip last year(?) and checked a bag in with the majority of my gear, 600D came in the cabin with me, I got there, the bag turned up a few days after!! :grinning01:
Thanks for the reassurance, Gazza. Good thing you had the 600D with you, hopefully it had a lens or two with it, so you could get snapping straight away. I've heard some horror stories about luggage turning up weeks late from an air steward friend.


Hasn't happened to me during lots of scans at air/otherports. Just had them in camera in bag, or just
in latter. Last travel domestic last year.
Thanks, AM. I think I can rest easy now.


All my cameras and lenses go in a back pack as my Cabin Luggage I would never put them in my suitcase :eek:
The monopod or if I took a tripod would go in the middle of my suitcase. No problems with Memory Cards.
Hubby has a wide briefcase bag for Laptop, chargers batteries, flashes and all those things that you have to take when going Overseas.
Thanks, Mary Anne. I've seen the way airport handling staff toss around baggage, I'd never subject my gear to that either! :eek: And I'm a bit precious about my gear, so it's definitely coming onboard with me too.

I'm taking my tripod and monopod with me, Mary Anne, I want to get some long exposures in while I'm in Brissie, I've just gotten a 16 stop ND filter to play with, and I'll need the monopod for the whale and dolphin cruise as I'm taking the 120-400 lens specifically for that, so I can hopefully get some intimate images of them. The tripod and monopod will be in the centre of my suitcase too.

[Gazza]

A quick read (almost) :D http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?145236-One-Of-Those-Days

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Might have to scroll down a little....

[Plays With Light]

A quick read (almost) :D http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?145236-One-Of-Those-Days

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Might have to scroll down a little....
Gawd, that sounds like it was a nightmare of a trip, Gazza! At least it got better.

After reading that thread, I'm gonna put half of my clothes in the other halves suitcase and have one change of clothes squished into my camera bag. :nod:

[ameerat42]

Oh, as M A said, absofalutely take camera gear as cabin luggage, and if Gazza's talking of underwear,
pack some in as well:nod:

[Tannin]

The main thing, especially going to the USA, is to delete those snaps of the nuclear missile plans.

[Plays With Light]

The main thing, especially going to the USA, is to delete those snaps of the nuclear missile plans.
Not to worry, Tony, I'm just off to BrisVegas. I've got some pictures of newly built frigates if you know anyone that's interested! ;)

[landyvlad]

There hasn't been any issue with taking cameras through airports since the days of film.
X-rays obviously had the potential to damage film, but not so with electronic components.

Any 'scrambling' of SD cards etc would be purely coincidental and completely unrelated.