Flying with spot meter

Cybertrash · Jul 15, 2014

I'll be flying to the UK on vacation this weekend and I'll be bringing a bunch of photo equipment, including my Capital Spot meter. To the untrained eye a spot meter could look a little bit like a handgun, and in todays paranoid climate around airports I'm a little worried that I'll get hassled by security. So I was wondering, has anyone here ever had issues when flying with a spot meter (or other "strange" photographic equipment), any recommendations on how I should pack it (hand luggage vs checked in)?

hdeyong · Jul 15, 2014

I'd pack it in checked luggage. If they can't be convinced of what it actually is, they may make you surrender it or not allow you to board if you won't. I had a monopod that would fit into my carry-on, and after fifteen minutes of explanations, and multiple passes through the X-rays, I finally told them to let me keep the ball head, and they could throw the rest out, it wasn't worth the hassle. At that point, they let me take it on board. This was at Heathrow.
And, from what I'm reading, airport security is ramping up again.
Film doesn't seem to bother them at all. UK security is strict, but they generally seem reasonable, especially if you remain calm and polite.

BrianShaw · Jul 15, 2014

I had a similar problem at Heathrow with a monopod some 20 years ago. They were convinced that it was an aerial antenna of some kind. Even a demonstration left them scratching their heads. They could not understand why one would hold a camera on a tripod that only had one leg. Eventually they just let it (and me) go. Interestingly, this happened AFTER a flight and all I was trying to do was pass through customs. After that I took my monopod on flights within UK and EU without problem. And when returning to US the monopod was carried on the plane, again without any questions at all. That was before 2011 so I don't know what they might do now... especially after the latest concerns.

Xmas · Jul 15, 2014

make sure the battery is good.

empty pockets, phone, take off watch, trouser belt, shoes, specs, dump into xray tray with camera and meter.

The metal detectors may pick up tooth implants...

Mainecoonmaniac · Jul 15, 2014

It might look like a gun to an untrained eye, but when it's x-rayed, the electronic circuitry should show up and you'll probably get it past security. While flying to Chicago, I had a back back full of metal film gear and they pulled out every camera from my bag. Most camera gear is plastic and anything metal is suspect. I'm sure anything shaped like a gun metal or not is also suspect because somebody designed a plastic gun that can be made with a 3D printer. I always cooperate with US TSA agents.

jeffreyg · Jul 15, 2014

I have traveled through many airports both in the US and Europe with a Pentax digital spot meter with my carry-on camera gear and never had a problem. It is easy for the agent to hand check any of your gear and see that it isn't a hand gun. If questioned ask for a supervisor. If possible pack it so it is vertical in your bag as it will have a different configuration to the x-ray. On a few occasions I have been asked to open the bag (backpack). If possible arrive with plenty of time to go through security before your flight, open lenses to the widest aperture in case they want to look through. If you get an agent who knows something about photography all the better. Once in Milan, I asked to have my film hand checked and the agent said the x-ray was film safe but the one working with him saw the Delta 400 film and said "that is fast film check it by hand". I've never had a problem with the film being x-rayed but I still prefer a hand check if possible.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

ajmiller · Jul 15, 2014

Fly between UK and France 2 or 3 times a year. Always have meter in checked in luggage, never been a problem.
Only problem with "strange" photographic equipment, as you call it, was with my Mamiya C330s which I had in hand luggage. Not sure what caused it but had a swab alarm, men in uniform swarmed around it. Asked to open it (never have film in it going through airports), they checked it, swabbed it again then asked me "what exactly is it?" - me thinking all sorts of smart-arsed answers calmly said it was a film camera. Forms filled out (sure I saw TNT at the top of the form) and off I went with camera. As I was using it out in the streets of Manchester a lot I can only think it had picked up something that triggered their equipment.

snapguy · Jul 15, 2014

manual

I suspect if it were me I'd at least make sure I had the spot meter's owner's manual, in English if possible, to show them what it is.

pentaxuser · Jul 15, 2014

ajmiller said:
. As I was using it out in the streets of Manchester a lot I can only think it had picked up something that triggered their equipment.

You'll have to stop going into the "Jockey" on the Chatsworth Estate

pentaxuser

Tebbiebear · Jul 15, 2014

Mainecoonmaniac said:
It might look like a gun to an untrained eye, but when it's x-rayed, the electronic circuitry should show up and you'll probably get it past security. While flying to Chicago, I had a back back full of metal film gear and they pulled out every camera from my bag. Most camera gear is plastic and anything metal is suspect. I'm sure anything shaped like a gun metal or not is also suspect because somebody designed a plastic gun that can be made with a 3D printer. I always cooperate with US TSA agents.

Just to be clear its just the frame that is plastic. The Barrel and about 90% of the lock mechanism is steel. Its no different that most of the polymer framed pistols that have been on the market for 2 or 3 decades.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 15, 2014

Cybertrash said:
I'll be flying to the UK on vacation this weekend and I'll be bringing a bunch of photo equipment, including my Capital Spot meter. To the untrained eye a spot meter could look a little bit like a handgun, and in todays paranoid climate around airports I'm a little worried that I'll get hassled by security. So I was wondering, has anyone here ever had issues when flying with a spot meter (or other "strange" photographic equipment), any recommendations on how I should pack it (hand luggage vs checked in)?

the stuff that grows at the bottom of my shower curtainbeats anyone working at airport securityin an IQtest, especially in the UK. if you don't want to risk losing your equipment, leave it at home.These people don't work on logic ,only on strict orders. if it was the goal of terrorism to change our society;they have won already.I no longer fly anywhere due to the airport security hassleand it seems to be getting worse.

Chan Tran · Jul 15, 2014

RalphLambrecht said:
the stuff that grows at the bottom of my shower curtainbeats anyone working at airport securityin an IQtest, especially in the UK. if you don't want to risk losing your equipment, leave it at home.These people don't work on logic ,only on strict orders. if it was the goal of terrorism to change our society;they have won already.I no longer fly anywhere due to the airport security hassleand it seems to be getting worse.

You're so right! If terrorists wanted to take away our freedom they are successful.

removed account4 · Jul 15, 2014

Cybertrash said:
I'll be flying to the UK on vacation this weekend and I'll be bringing a bunch of photo equipment, including my Capital Spot meter. To the untrained eye a spot meter could look a little bit like a handgun, and in todays paranoid climate around airports I'm a little worried that I'll get hassled by security. So I was wondering, has anyone here ever had issues when flying with a spot meter (or other "strange" photographic equipment), any recommendations on how I should pack it (hand luggage vs checked in)?

a long time ago i flew to france
someone in our party brought a polaroid spectra camera
the big wide ones .. and its tripod ..
the tripod is in a small leather case and looked like a fire arm ...
he also had one of those devices to bleep into your telephone
to retrieve the messages on your answering machine in his shirt pocket.

it was not as high security as it is today ( early 1980s ) but
when he removed the tripod ... and then had this radio transmitter
it kind of freaked the good folks at airport security out ... ( understatement! )
not to mention he was wearing a shirt without a collar
and looked like an "anarchist"

it was kind of fun
thanks for the memories

Poisson Du Jour · Jul 15, 2014

Let's not get all beaten out of shape about things that looks like guns in a photographer's pack. Probably wise to strip 'em down in the place like the USA where guns are nauseatingly abundant. But in this age, don't you think the Security guys at airports also have a camera themselves, and an interest in some sort of photography, and that they have a knowledge of old equipment through their training? Yes they do. It's not as if photographers are an alien species; they do know many may have odd-looking, old equipment and if it comes up as an unusual shape in x-ray, all well and good to give it a further inspection as needed. Tripods, though, have been found to be an exception. You have more chance of getting into strife trying to board with a spiked-foot tripod. Assuming you get that past security. A tripod with retractable spikes will be noted as such at security and in X-ray, and will be waved through. People have had their precious wooden tripods with large spiked feet refused.

TheMissingLink · Jul 16, 2014

I hope at least the future coloscopies will be paid by the health insurances ...

Sorry, couldn't resist.

AgX · Jul 16, 2014

Xmas said:
make sure the battery is good.

Yes, any item brought on board must at least be fully functionable.

Dan Fromm · Jul 16, 2014

My, how times have changed.

When I went to Paraguay in 1992 I wanted to do some night filming so took a Lowel Omni-Lite with 30v bulb and a home-made 30v battery belt with me. The battery belt was very heavy so I wore it, the better not to be charged for overweight checked luggage. My carry-on included a Tundra case with a couple of Beaulieus.

The nice lady at security had no idea what to make of it all so sent for her supervisor. Nice guy, named Tyrone. He asked, I explained, and he told me that his day job was doing special effects for low budget films. We had a nice half hour chat about the problems of making films on a shoestring, and that was that.

jeffreyg · Jul 16, 2014

In addition to my comments on page1: I never put photo equipment or for that matter anything of great value in checked luggage. Having previously experienced lost luggage it's much easier (and cheaper) to replace clothing than camera equipment especially when on a trip. I also carry on a carbon fiber tripod that has never been questioned. Maybe I don't look suspicious.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

wombat2go · Jul 16, 2014

Last year I took some small test equipment items in my checked case from USA to a South American country.
I took all the batteries out and tagged the items "battery removed" and had the battery compartments open with doors in a ziplock
One item was a UHF device with a small yagi antenna.
On unpacking it had been broken open with a pry bar.
Next time I will send that stuff by Fedex , even though that is rather costly.

On another trip, at a regional airport in a large asian country I had some 35mm 400 & 800iso film cartridges in the carry on.
The younger security check crew did not recognize them and did not understand when I explained it was "film for a camera" They xray'd them in a separate tray and swabbed then xray'd again to be sure.
It was eventually processed quite OK although some of the evening photos were a bit noisy in the black areas, I don't know if related to Xray. To be prudent I will revert to 100 and 160 film for travel as some round trips have up to 11 scans.

TimFox · Jul 16, 2014

I made the mistake about ten years ago to put my Zone VI-modified Pentax analog spotmeter in my checked bag on a trip to Italy. I had checked all my 4x5 equipment the previous week with a quick shoot at home (and E-6 processing) to verify it was OK. On site, the calibration on the meter was way off, presumably due to shock encountered by the checked suitcase.
Returning home, I had Calumet re-calibrate it, and the report indicated that it had been knocked several stops out of calibration.
Since the meter is almost all plastic, it won't look very gun-like on an x-ray. The next trip to Europe, I took the now-calibrated meter in my carry-on and had no problems.

RalphLambrecht · Jul 19, 2014

Cybertrash said:
I'll be flying to the UK on vacation this weekend and I'll be bringing a bunch of photo equipment, including my Capital Spot meter. To the untrained eye a spot meter could look a little bit like a handgun, and in todays paranoid climate around airports I'm a little worried that I'll get hassled by security. So I was wondering, has anyone here ever had issues when flying with a spot meter (or other "strange" photographic equipment), any recommendations on how I should pack it (hand luggage vs checked in)?

Yes, the FFA is always very concerned about your safetyunless you are in a malaisian aircraft flying over Ukranian air space. Then a Russianmissle is less dangerous than a spotmeterin a UK airport.Their priority is inconvenience and power demonstration not safety.They haven't saved anybody from anything but comfort yet.:munch:

DREW WILEY · Jul 21, 2014

I've flown with spotmeters numerous times. Never an issue. But I never ever put any kind of camera gear into checked-in luggage, but always
carry-on. Otherwise it would all have been stolen by now.

sly · Jul 23, 2014

It soooo depends on the day and who's working. I once had a polarizing filter passed through the machine 3 times. No idea why it was suspicious. A 1 lb block of chocolate once came in for extra scrutiny. My worst moment though was the time I asked for hand inspection of 3200 film at Schiphol airport. Apparently the only way the supervisor knew to hand inspect film was to unspool (and expose) it. I let it go through the X-Ray machine.

Flying with spot meter

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