I know I have seen this discussed before, but I can't remember the answer. I am flying to Colorado next week and will be carrying my camera with me. I was wondering if the x-ray machines would affect my memory cards for my camera. Any problems that anyone knows about???
i haven't had any trouble with mine in the airport security gates... they usually wanna inspect those bags manually these days... u can also request that they manually inspect the bag instead of running it through the conveyor if u like...
In most cases soon as you say any word involving electronics when going through security they want to visually inspect it rather than x ray it. I think they are afraid of damaging equipment and having an insurance claim filed so they play it safe and just do it visually instead of through the x ray...
I fly on the average probably about once or twice per week for work and I always take my camera with me. I've never had a single problem with an adverse effect on my memory cards. I just let them go through the xray machine in my backpack.
One funny story was when they hand searched my bag. The guy took out my Sony 707 and tried to look through it, it wasn't on so of course he couldn't see anything (the Sony's viewfinder isn't a true viewfinder, you're just looking at a tiny LCD screen.) I told him how to flip it on and it was on preview mode when he flipped it on. A picture of me sitting on a couch at my sister's came up and the man was completely and utterly dumbfounded.
He looked through the camera, put it down and looked into the terminal, looked in the camera again, terminal again, looked at the front of the lens, back through the viewfinder. I was doing all I could not to fall down in a fit of laughter. After a few minutes of thorough entertainment I finally let him in on the "secret." heh
But back to your question, in my experience they'll be just fine with the xray. Just don't send any high-speed film through.
one extra tip for traveling....
do not try to carry on a tripod...put it in your checked bags.
I know this from personal experience...they said it coud be used as a weapon!
I have not had any memory card problems, though the first time I traveled I did put them in my pocket, just in case.
