the unofficial Cosina-Voigtlander User Community

A few years ago, 2002, if memory serves, shaking head and letting rust dust dribble out of my ears....

I flew from Toronto to SF and then back again. At Toronto, I was asked to open camera backs, show light streaming through all of my lenses. A very thorough job. I had a three camera rig: Canon G2, Nikon FM2 and a CV Bessa R, several lenses for the Nikon and two lenses for the R.

Curiously on the way out of SF, nothing was checked. My bag was viewed and passed through.

Back in the 70's I never had a problem with carrying a camera and shooting. I think today, though, all has changed; not only with carrying, checking and so forth, but with all types of security and the subjects. People freak out more often these days when they see a camera pointed at them or nearby. It's just not the same anymore.

Traveling with photo equipment is a minor nuisance these days, but I have come up with a plan which works flying out of Cedar Rapids, and then on return trips from Ft Lauderdale, SFO, Portland OR, Detroit, etc.

I put my Bessa in a ziplock plastic bag, and the lens(es) in a separate bag as well. I do the shoe thing, and pull out my CPAP medical device, and camera equipment, put them in a basket, and send them through the scanner.

I have never had any problem when using this procedure, and, oddly enough, my film shield bag goes through w/o a hitch, I use an Optech bag whihcx should be reasonably 'opaque'. Why they don't pull the bag out and search it I don't know. Maybe they can see through it, but at any rate, never a problem.

Oddly enough, though the CPAP unit is pretty clearly a medical device, about one in three times, they pull it aside, and run a bomb residue wipe down on it.

I think, like most things these days, you get along if you go along. Being pro-active on showing the equipment seems to be a big help.

One other thing, I go through 'naked', no watch, coins, wallet, etc. Just my tickets and ID. Everything is in my waist pouch in my backpack, so there is very little I have to worry about. Nearly forgot my watch one time when I pulled it off to get through the walk through scanner, so I decided it all goes in the pack. Never a problem after that.

Packing sure is a pain these days though, it now takes me a couple of hours to make sure everything is 'just right', that and lists. Lots of lists.

I get the bomb residue wipe down every time...nothing I can do about it. I have 10 screws and a metal plate in my right leg and have to wear a special shoe and OA kneebrace when I walk.

"I'm sorry officer, but I *can't* take off my shoes and walk through the metal detector."

My dad has it worse...he carries a nitroglycerine spray around for his heart condition and on occasion it will accidently go off in his bag LOL