Digital Focus: Traveling With Your Digital Camera

Packing it, protecting it, letting security guards have their way with it.

Dave Johnson

Feature: Vacation With a Digital Camera

Now that both school and the sun are out, our thoughts invariably turn to summer vacation. With luck, you've scheduled a week or two of downtime, which means you can hop on a plane and jet off somewhere for some well-deserved leisure. No matter where you go, though, be sure to pack your digital camera.

If you've ever traveled with a 35mm camera, you know about some of the hassles of traveling with photo gear. The prognosis for digital is mixed: It's better, and it's worse.

Radiation Woes

Digital cameras tend to be smaller and more rugged, so they pack more easily. You don't have to worry about damage from X-rays, either.

Since September 11, security systems at airports have been upgraded, and that means higher doses of radiation for baggage. That's bad news for 35mm film, which can cloud over when hit by X-rays. The Transportation Security Administration's official position is that the radiation exposures are not harmful to film below ISO 800. Some trips involve repeated exposures at multiple airports, however, which could add up to ruined vacation photos. It's your right to ask for a hand check; but good luck with that one! In my experience, many security guards are unwilling to perform hand checks, and some screeners--such as at airports overseas--don't speak English. Hand checks there are virtually impossible.

But if you've got a digital camera, you're in luck. Digital cameras and memory cards are unaffected by the metal detectors and X-rays used at airports. You can pack memory cards in your carry-on or your checked baggage and not worry about damage in transit. That's quite a relief when you're traveling with 100 once-in-a-lifetime images.

One caveat: Think twice before you send CompactFlash media by mail. The CompactFlash Association warns that that mailing the cards can result in permanent damage from the irradiation process used by the U.S. Postal Service to sanitize the mail.

Security Concerns

But just because you don't have to worry about X-rays doesn't mean you're out of the woods. Not yet. When you travel with a digital camera, be prepared to demonstrate that it works. The more exotic and less camera-like it is in appearance, the more likely a security guard may ask you to turn it on and take a picture with it.

It's a good idea to take your camera's batteries out when you pack it, especially if you place it in checked luggage--otherwise, jostling in transit can accidentally turn on your camera, draining its batteries. It's okay to put the batteries nearby; I pack batteries in plastic bags near the camera so they're easy to access.

Finally, remember that security screeners now have authority to open your luggage behind closed doors, even when you're not present. These examinations may eventually be videotaped; for now, however, such invasions of privacy are not monitored. Be sure you write down the serial number of your digital camera and know exactly what you put in checked luggage--camera, accessories, memory cards, and so on. As a diver, I've already heard stories about expensive gear disappearing on some international flights, so it pays to be careful with your camera as well.

Dave's Favorites: 99 Easy Tips for Digital Photography

I'm always on the lookout for good books on digital photography--especially for folks like my dad, who are new to the world of digital imaging. While I typically recommend my own book for new and intermediate digital photographers (How to Do Everything With Your Digital Camera), I've recently run across another title that really hits the mark.

Digital Photography: 99 Easy Tips, by Ken Milburn, is published by Osborne McGraw-Hill and steps the reader through the basics of digital imaging and digital editing in a logical way. Milburn starts in the right place, with an overview of digital cameras. He then goes into what you need to know to buy and use a digital camera. From there, he writes about lighting, composition, and shooting modes. The second half of the book is packed with handy tips for getting the most out of image-editing software and tweaking your digital photos.

I recommend this title if you want to expand your knowledge of digital photography. I found the book on Amazon.com for as little as $5.

Q&A: How Do I See My Digital Camera's Movies?

I want to know how to see the movies I make with my digital camera. Also, is there a program to edit them? Can others see them on their computers?

--Stan Crookston, Sutton, Massachusetts

Actually, Stan, it's a lot easier than you might think. Digital cameras with movie-making capabilities capture video in either MPEG-1 or AVI format. These formats are easily viewed on a PC with a common program like RealPlayer, Windows Media Player, or QuickTime.

Once a movie is your computer (you can transfer video using the connection cable or a memory-card reader), you can play it in one of those programs, e-mail it to others, post it to a Web site, and even edit it. Common video-editing packages like Pinnacle Studio 8 let you trim movies made on digital cameras, add titles, transitions, and second audio tracks. You can even copy the finished product to a CD or DVD. Remember, though, that video from a digital camera is pretty low resolution and plays best in a small window on the computer's desktop.

For the latest prices on Pinnacle Studio 8, check the PCWorld.com Product Finder. At press time I found it as low as $60.

Hot Pic of the Week

Get published, get famous! Each week, we select our favorite reader-submitted photo based on creativity, originality and technique. Every month, the best of the weekly winners gets a prize valued at between $15 and $50.

Here's how to enter: Send us your photograph in JPEG format, at a resolution no higher than 640 by 480 pixels. Entries at higher resolutions will be immediately disqualified. If necessary, use an image editing program to reduce the file size of your image before e-mailing it to us. Include the title of your photo along with a short description and how you photographed it. Don't forget to send your name, e-mail address, and postal address. Before entering, please read the full description of the contest rules and regulations.

This week's Hot Pic: "Keeping Up on Current Events," by Barry LaPoint, Greeley, Colorado

Barry captured this Norman Rockwell-esque photo of his children using an Olympus e-20N camera and an external flash, which he bounced off of the ceiling.

We want your feedback! Send your comments, questions, and suggestions about the newsletter itself to comments@bydavejohnson.com. If you have a question that you'd like to see answered in the weekly Q&A, send it to question@bydavejohnson.com.

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