Airport restrictions for SLRs

Hi folks!

I'm traveling to New York on Tuesday and was wondering if I would encounter security problems bringing my new Nikon SLR in my backpack along with my backpack. If any of you have traveled recently with your SLRs, kindly let me know if I can bring the camera in my carry-on luggage or not.

Thanks a bunch!

Joey

Go to Sportsshooter.com, click message boards, then in the search box type in gear or airports or something of that nature, and you will get a whole slew of messages that will answer your most detailed questions.

To simply answer your Q, if you stay State Side you can carry up to 50 lbs in your carry on, which would quantify as a Notebook, 2 DSLR Bodies, a 400mm Telephoto, 70-200, 24-70, 16-35, Speedlites, clothing, and everything else you could imagine you would not want in your checked baggage. Be careful on going thru Gate Check. If your bag is too big for overheads on small CR-J like the Bombardier or small 50 person planes, you may have to gate check, then put your DSLR around your neck, or carry a bag in bag, and keep the backpack with you. Just a few suggestions.
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Sportsphotoj

I carried a 5D and a couple of lenses in a small camera bag inside a larger backpack as carry on luggage (only one item of luggage allowed). No problem, it all went through the X ray machine.

My wife's talcum powder was another matter. The bag was picked out, hand searched and the offending powder sniffed by about half a dozen security guards.

Check with the airlines before going to the airport. I have not traveled lately as the restrictions have been relaxed, but you may have an issue with carrying batteries onboard.

One poster a while back suggested having a locking bag and placing a Track Gun in your camera bag if you need to check the bag. These are the guns with the solid barrels that shoot blanks and are used to start races at track meets etc. They are still considered to be weapons.

This may sound strange, but upon check in, tell the ticket person you would like to declare you have a weapon in your bag. They will call a security person, hand check your bag, they they will have you lock the bag with your lock. The security person then hand carries your bag directly to the plane. Your bag is also hand carried off the plane and delivered to you. This way you don't have any missing lenses etc in you luggage when you arrive. Think about it, if you were the airport security, you you want a suitcase with a weapon it it get lost or opened unnecessairly?

SHould be no problem, but be prepared to have the bag rummaged through a couple times.
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A small but growing collection of my photos can be seen at
http://www.pbase.com/poliscijustin

Just returned a week ago from a trip to San Fran and had no difficulty. Ran the cameras through the scanner at security and no one looked in the bag. No problem
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Jim