M8 & Flying.

[ostman]

Has anybody flown recently internationally with their Leica M8 and had any issues carrying it on? I flew last year to france with an M7 and had trouble with my Mono-pod, but not the camera. This year I am going to be flying BA from the US to Switzerland via London and wondered what if any collective experience there was on whether I am going to be asked to check my camera.

I know I can ask the airlines but I want real experiences.

 

[sf]

Has anybody flown recently internationally with their Leica M8 and had any issues carrying it on? I flew last year to france with an M7 and had trouble with my Mono-pod, but not the camera. This year I am going to be flying BA from the US to Switzerland via London and wondered what if any collective experience there was on whether I am going to be asked to check my camera.

I know I can ask the airlines but I want real experiences.

You won't have trouble with the camera. The monopod was trouble last time because it can be used as a weapon. They wouldn't probably let somone take a baton or baseball bat onto the plane either...similar devices.

I flew to London last year, and they didn't even look at my tripod with its metal spike feet. Could have been a real nefarious tool of detruction if had been so inclined.

 

[aad]

I carried multiple cameras on with me a few weeks ago, got my film through on a quick and courteous film check. No problems, I think.

 

[jaapv]

You won't have trouble with the camera. The monopod was trouble last time because it can be used as a weapon. They wouldn't probably let somone take a baton or baseball bat onto the plane either...similar devices.

If blunt weapons are prohibited this seems to rule out any Canon 1D series cameras 😀

 

[ostman]

I ask because I had heard that electronics were being scrutinized more closely now. The M8 being slightly more electronic than the M7 or Zeiss I wondered if people had been having problems. So far it sounds like it won't be a problem.

 

[Rod Fung]

I've never had any troubles (this year or previous years) flying international (with BA, NWA, EVA, Asiana, United, SAS, China Southern, Air Canada) with my Leica. A few times in Narita I have been asked to take my M6 out for inspection. I typically carry-on cameras, laptops, external HD, Ipods, and sometimes an Xbox 360 dev kit. Once in London, after buying a bespoke 'best' umbrella on St. James St. the BA counter asked me to 'check it' in luggage...amazingly it suvived the overseas flight unharmed. I doubt you will be allowed to carry on a monopod as it's more dangerous then my umbrella 🙂 As soon as my M8 arrives...it will be going with me on every trip I make.

 

[Ash]

Back a few months ago I travelled with my FSU cams and film. This was shortly after terrorist 'stuff' and even then I went up to the guards by the check-in desk and told them I had my cameras and a bunch of film "is it ok to carry these on-board?" their reply "unless the rules have changed overnight".

You probably won't know for sure until you get there, but if in doubt, ask. And always act casual and relaxed. It's the edgy ones they're watching out for. 🙂

 

[B&W Norway]

Has anybody flown recently internationally with their Leica M8 and had any issues carrying it on? I flew last year to france with an M7 and had trouble with my Mono-pod, but not the camera. This year I am going to be flying BA from the US to Switzerland via London and wondered what if any collective experience there was on whether I am going to be asked to check my camera.

I know I can ask the airlines but I want real experiences.

Not with M8 but with my R-D1, Digilux 2 and Eos 1d MII

No problem, but you are supposed to send them one by one thru the security scan

 

[B&W Norway]

If blunt weapons are prohibited this seems to rule out any Canon 1D series cameras 😀

You, funny man.....😉

Then there will be a problem for the press/newspaper photographers
They use to travel with there "guns" on the shoulder....

 

[Al Patterson]

I did fly from Columbus Ohio to Albuquerque New Mexico a while back and actually was allowed to take my tripod on board.

It wasn't listed as a prohibited item on the TSA website, and lo and behold, I had no hassles.

One should always check with the airline when in doubt, or if your country has a version of the TSA, check with them.

 

[jaapv]

I may be slightly paranoid, but I do keep my digital camera's in a lead bag (for film) when flying. Cosmic ray damage has been documented. In fact, Leica warns against it in the M8 manual.

 

[Avotius]

hm...I was wondering about hat cosmic ray stuff, havnt heard it come up in a while

 

[rxmd]

I may be slightly paranoid, but I do keep my digital camera's in a lead bag (for film) when flying.

Could be that that is actually counterproductive, because if the high-energy particles from altitude radiation don't hit your sensor, they hit heavy nuclei in the lead, releasing radiation. Google for Bremsstrahlung.

Edit: Responded without seeing it's an M8 thread. 🙁

Philipp

 

[jaapv]

I read that link; interesting. So I would need a plexiglass box as well, or dunk the camera in water. If I understand correctly, it may well be that the magnesium body would stop such radiation.

 

[etherfarm]

I took my M8 with me to India a few days after I got it. I flew from San Francisco to BLR via Frankfurt. I used to take my 1DmkII and associated lenses with me but due to weight limits (I also have to take a computer), stopped taking them several trips ago.

The M8 posed no problems. I was placed into the secondary screening line in Frankfurt during my return and they wiped down the camera with those chemical test pads, but they've been more annoying--I mean thorough--with my Canon setup. They once had me take all the lens caps off, mount each lens on the camera, then take a picture and show them. At the time I thought, "wow, how thorough," but then I realized after getting home that I had walked away with several photos of the security screening area (which, for the record, were promptly erased).

Anyway, just watch the weight limits very carefully. 1 handbag and 8kg for anywhere from the U.S. to Europe (business class a little more, but I always pack as if I were flying economy in case my itinerary has to change at the last minute and no business seats are available). They're being very strict about this.

 

[borrel]

Having carried R-D1, 5D and various other digital cameras on flights trans-Atlantic, across Europe and to the Middle East, the only piece of photographic equipment I've ever had problems with before and after 20010711 is my trusty 1950's Minox minipod (http://www.swssec.com/IIISontripod.JPG). They never learn what it is and the oval hole on the main leg which looks like a breech loading opening arouses a lot of interest, but it always goes back in the bag and on board as hand luggage.

 

[DrDick]

Has anybody flown recently internationally with their Leica M8 and had any issues carrying it on? I flew last year to france with an M7 and had trouble with my Mono-pod, but not the camera. This year I am going to be flying BA from the US to Switzerland via London and wondered what if any collective experience there was on whether I am going to be asked to check my camera.

I know I can ask the airlines but I want real experiences.

I flew Swiss Birmingham (UK) - Zurich - Tel Aviv last month and returned same route. I took Eos 1Dmk2 and L lenses in LowePro back pack hand luggage, with chargers and canon postcard printer and laptop checked in hold case. Outbound no problems. Returning at Tel Aviv Israeli security spent half hour taking my hold case apart trying to find something in the case corresponding to something on the scanner. They didn't find anything, so they took my Eos 1D body off me and said it couldn't go on the same flight and they would send it on next day. All I got for it was a luggage check tag. Fotunately it did arrive 2 days later at my practice in the Uk non the worse for wear. They wouldn't be convinced by my pointing out that it wouldn't still work as a camera if it was full of explosive - and that as a medically qualified caucasian male I didn't really fit the profile for a suicide bomber! :bang:

The size of the hand luggage photo backpack wasn't a problem, nor was my checked tripod.

Have a good holiday