TSA Getting Tough on Photographers? (Page 9): I've been out of the country multiple times over the past few years, most recently a few weeks ago and carrying two cameras and lenses up...

mikegreenwald Loc: Illinois

CaptainBobBrown wrote:

Just returned to U.S. from Costa Rica bird shoot v... (show quote)

I've been out of the country multiple times over the past few years, most recently a few weeks ago and carrying two cameras and lenses up to 400mm. Never a single problem.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Mike, Did you use Global Entry?

JDspartan48

U.S. Customs & TSA are obliging, you should be thankful that it was a mere hop & skip. I travelled to Israel & the Holy Lands three times during the last 25-30 years. I had to strip, they told me that I had to have my "BARE LEG" searched to make sure it was not hollow for a bomb, had my lens caps, body caps, motor drive batteries removed and other accessories, bags & monopods scanned & checked. You should have seen the look on their face when I presented them with a lead lined bag holding my exposed slide films about forty-fifty or so.That took me a lot of time in a small enclosure. So what you went thru was a piece of cake. The only thing that they did not due was to stick their fingers thru my empty camera bags. Those were the days!

aardq

Semi-rant. I don't mind if I have to remove a lens, but I strongly object to them removing a lens. About 6-7 years ago a lens in my check through was "inspected:" and apparently the lens hood came off. The idiot must have tried to put the hood back on and didn't know to line up the 2 marks. The hood was forced on with so much force that it damaged the focusing ability of the lens. He must have had a lot of arm strength to do that. Since then I only take what I can carry on. And quite frankly, from what I've experienced, about 1/3 of all TSA agents should be in another line of work. And no, this doesn't make me feel safer.

Ed Bearden

My wife and I travel often and usually carry a couple of cameras. We have found since we registered with the global entry system (GOES) we have no trouble getting through security. It cost a hundred bucks to register and requires a TSA interview at the airport. That is a small price to pay to fly (pun intended) through airport security.

anotherview Loc: California

With Muslim terrorists looking for avenues by which to murder innocents in the name of Islam, America must take every precaution to stop these religious fanatics from committing their evildoing.

Other nations take similar or stronger precautions to the same end.

Vlemasters wrote:

Last time I flew (4 months ago) they singled me out. Swabbed everything, thought they were going to drop my canon L 100-400, calling it some kind of big lens I think. Figured it was because I checked a handgun. Maybe just the photo equipment. No shoes, no belt, body pat down, whole nine yards. Said had a major alarm on my bag with the camera gear. Finally let me board.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

anotherview wrote:

With Muslim terrorists looking for avenues by which to murder innocents in the name of Islam, America must take every precaution to stop these religious fanatics from committing their evildoing.

Other nations take similar or stronger precautions to the same end.

Just remember that we need to protect ourselves against any creed of fanatic or terrorists, which can equally well be Christians or white supremacists. The majority of Muslims are peace loving and law abiding people.

sharonmblais

I just returned from a trip in Southeast Asia two days ago after about three months of not traveling. In Hong Kong, there was a whole extra security check at the gate of everyone on our flight to the US. I had checked my regular bag and my carry on and carried on my smallish camera backpack with one mirrorless camera and lens, one backup P&S, my meds, my Ipod, my Mini-Ipad, Iphone, Kindle, and one cloth bag with mainly food in it. I answered the questions the security agent asked and asked the security agent if he needed me to empty the bags and put everything on the table. He said no, but started looking through the bags. I asked him very politely to please be very careful with my cameras and lens. He was very polite and obliged to my request. It really didn't take nearly as long as I had expected and I did feel more secure afterwards that no one was going to get the bad things through. I think being polite and reasonable helps a lot.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Peterff wrote:

Just remember that we need to protect ourselves against any creed of fanatic or terrorists, which can equally well be Christians or white supremacists. The majority of Muslims are peace loving and law abiding people.

I do believe that they are (as you said) “peace-loving and law-abiding people”. As is often the case, it is a few extremists who make a bad name for the group as a whole. There have been “terrorists” of every race, ethnicity, religion… every group has been affected by these whack-jobs.

anotherview Loc: California

The Koran calls for all Muslims to kill infidels (non-Muslims) wherever they find them. Read more here: https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx

Let us not close our eyes to the threat from the Muslim terrorists.

Peterff wrote:

Just remember that we need to protect ourselves against any creed of fanatic or terrorists, which can equally well be Christians or white supremacists. The majority of Muslims are peace loving and law abiding people.

Brian in Whitby Loc: Whitby, Ontario, Canada

Jim Bob wrote:

Thank the terrorists who have altered the way we live.

I agree the terrorists have won!

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

anotherview wrote:

The Koran calls for all Muslims to kill infidels (non-Muslims) wherever they find them. Read more here: https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx

Let us not close our eyes to the threat from the Muslim terrorists.

Apparently that is not the only interpretation of the Quran. The Bible isn't exactly all peaceful either.

How about we focus on fanatics and terrorists rather than picking on a specific religious creed?

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

Brian in Whitby wrote:

I agree the terrorists have won!

They have had an effect upon our lives, but that is not the same as winning.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

anotherview wrote:

The Koran calls for all Muslims to kill infidels (non-Muslims) wherever they find them. Read more here: https://www.thereligionofpeace.com/pages/quran/violence.aspx

Let us not close our eyes to the threat from the Muslim terrorists.

I would guess you haven’t actually read the Old Testament. There are quite a few exhortations by god to kill all of the opposition— including their livestock.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Peterff wrote:

Apparently that is not the only interpretation of the Quran. The Bible isn't exactly all peaceful either.

How about we focus on fanatics and terrorists rather than picking on a specific religious creed?

For sure. the Bible is not all hearts and flowers, love and peace, either.