Can anybody advise me if Flash memory cards are effected by the x-ray machines used at airports??

I'm asking because we are away on holiday from the end of June (yee ha!!) and there is no way I want to leave them in my suitcases for fear that they get lost (a high possibility in this country unfortunately!!) so will carry them in my hand luggage.

If my camera goes missing, well, that's what insurance is there for, but no amount of money will replace any pictures I've taken over the two week holiday!!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

Chrissy xx

Hey Chrissy! Long time eh! heheh.. Just to let you khow that i am still around sneaking sometimes tho! :))

Answering your question, NO!

X-ray equipment used to inspect carry-on baggage uses a very low level of x-radiation that will not cause noticeable damage to most equipments!. Please check this LINK from Kodak

The X-Ray machines in the airports as you called it, will not effects your cards, or any other type of cards.. And don't effect the films even! either empty or with taken shots!

All of my cameras and cards go through the detectors and these x-ray machines a lot tho! And i never complained.

Also if you left your equipments in the suitecases! They will still go through that monitoring systems and x-rays.

Don't worry dear, let them pass and you will be fine.. And wish you enjoying your time and holiday

Regards,

JOE

if you have a laptop then take that with and backup the data on there... two copies are always better than one ;)

Oh that's great!!  It has been a long time Joe - I miss your valued comments - come back to me sooooooooooooooon!!!

A new laptop, hmmmmm, I wonder.............................??????

Darren has a laptop for his work, I wonder if they would let him take that with him??  It's going to cost me a fortune buying enough memory cards as it is (I think I worked out that I'm going to want at least 12 x 2gbs cards 'cos I take loads and loads and loads of pics when I'm away anyway, and that was before I got into photography, so there is no way I'm going unprepared!!!

Thanks Joe and Rich, my mind has been put at ease now.

Hugs

Chrissy xx

If you're not going to take along a laptop you might concider an image tank. Basically it's a portable harddisk with cardreader. Takes up much less space. I have one and it's just a matter of sticking in the card and pressing a button. Here's an example: http://www.vosonic.co.uk/xsdrive2smart/
I have a very old version of this brand (i.e. much bigger). But it has served me well.

Good question Chrisy  -  I was curious  myself:)

Thanks for the info nattarious;)

I like that storage device - have saved it to my favourites and Darren has said he will get me one of those for my birthday instead of buying me loads of SD cards.  He did say he could take his work's laptop, but thinking about it, it won't fit into the safe in the apartment and I wouldn't want to leave it insecure, not considering they have cleaners in each day!!  His company wouldn't be very impressed if it got lost or stolen!!

A definite must have storage device though, it will still mean I only have one copy of my photos as I will just reuse the same SD card each day after uploading, but it's going to be much more efficient storing them that way.

Thanks everyone for your help.  I can always count on you when I have a silly question that needs answering!!!

Cheers

Chrissy xx

Make sure you have at least TWO SD cards just incase something happens to one. I would be more worried about static and magnetic sources getting near the card/camera than (it going through) an X-ray. Try to get (good) internet access while on vacation to backup your favorite photos on the internet (so you have a backup of your backups).

Yes, we discussed this last night, I will make sure I have my login details to my C Panel and upload them to my website (obviously not online!!) I'll just need to find an internet cafe or somewhere in the apartment complex to access a pc to do it - and of course make sure I have enough gb space available on my site to upload the huge amount I am bound to take!!

Thanks everyone for the helpful tips - this is the first holiday since I took photography more seriously so would be devastated if anything went wrong.

Hopefully, I'll have enough pics to upload for months afterwards LOL!!

Chrissy xx

If your interested in portable storage for use on holiday I can recommend the Jobo Gigaone.  40Gb of storage and 9 different card readers in a 11.5 x 7.5cm body.  

It will store about 10Gb before requiring recharging. I took mine to Sri Lanka on my honeymoon last year and returned with 20Gb of captures!  Also I use it just as my standard card reader without downloading to its hard drive when its plugged into my system.

They cost about £110 and weigh a lot less than a laptop and fit in a hotel room safe.

Enjoy your holiday.

Yes all should be safe from damage at airports and I  always get them to  hand check mine as I carry them in my pocket... The small storage devices make a lot of sense.. I have also used net Cafe to burn a few blank DVD if you dont  take a laptop..

Quote - If you're not going to take along a laptop you might concider an image tank. Basically it's a portable harddisk with cardreader. Takes up much less space. I have one and it's just a matter of sticking in the card and pressing a button. Here's an example: http://www.vosonic.co.uk/xsdrive2smart/
I have a very old version of this brand (i.e. much bigger). But it has served me well.

I bought my Creative Zen Vision just for this purpose ... its a PMP (Personal Media Player) with a Compact Flash Slot.

have fun oo

when are you away exactly and where do you live? just kidding, enjoy yourself and hope to see some pics when you return.

With four CCTV cameras recording 24/7 to a hardrive hidden deep in the depths of the ????? and a burglar alarm, I think it would be a futile effort anyone trying to break in.  LOL!

With 2Gb SD cards now costing less than £10 each.  Is there a need for other storage devices?

We have decided to do just that - mainly because I'm concerned that if I upload everything to one storage device, if something goes wrong with that, then I lose two weeks worth of holiday shots (which believe me, WILL be into the thousands of shots!!) - and at about £100 for a decent one, it works out much cheaper to buy 5, 6 or 7 2Gb SD cards.

I believe my little boy is getting me two or three as a birthday present (he didn't like that as an idea, but I told him it was what I wanted and therefore why waste his money buying me flowers or something else??)

xx

hey dear chrissy !

don't forget the Apple iPod, it's a good hard disk when you are in holidays. i've got it when i was in Roma, and come back with 600 raw on it ;o)

see u !
Olivier

I don't think my son would let me use his iPod, and there isn't that much space left on it with the hundreds of songs he's downloaded to it!!

But nice idea - maybe I could buy one for myself??

xx

why not ;o)

iPod is 'always' a good idea lolllllll

:oD

Oh, is that the child within speaking out there LOL!!! xx

yep yep yep :oD

Attached Link: 7 day shop

Thanks for the link but apparently...... Darren has ordered some (surprise for my birthday!!!) for 50p more than their price but includes postage too, so not a bad comparison.  But I will definitely keep it in my favourites because we usually shop for these things at Microdirect.com but he couldn't get the stock from there this time!!

Thanks again. xx