Should you take the battery out of the camera while flying? (still in your carry-on)
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No reason to remove batteries prior to flying. If anything batteries still installed in the gear (computers, cameras, etc.) are typically considered lower risk and safer than loose batteries that could conceivably short out and overheat.Should you take the battery out of the camera while flying? (still in your carry-on)
Short answer: only if they ask you to. The reality is that in a number of aspects of "going through security," airports differ in their requirements and procedures. Every once in a while an agent will want to check your gear for gunshot residue. Every once in a while they will take you aside and want to go through your whole bag. Usually, they just pass the camera bag through the scanner without incident.I guess it’s obvious that I haven’t been through an airport with my camera gear yet. Do I need to remove all of my cameras and lenses from the bag when I go through security?
Normally they don't ask to open the bag, but it has happened to me a couple of times. Depends on the TSA agent on duty, they can check anything they want. It can also depend on what country you are in. I was flying from Wellington NZ to Sydney and they made me take the battery pouch out so they could look at it - mine are pouches that separate the batteries so they were good with it. Then it turned out that I had gone through the security line for domestic travel instead of international and I had to go through a different line - and they also made me take the battery pouch out.I guess it’s obvious that I haven’t been through an airport with my camera gear yet. Do I need to remove all of my cameras and lenses from the bag when I go through security?
No, don't remove stuff unless told to do so. The procedure is different at different airports. In my experience, smaller airports are more fastidious. There is a greater chance they will want to see something deep in the bag, or swipe your bigger items looking for hazards. At most airports they ask you to take out laptops. But at a few they tell you to leave the laptop in the bag. Just show up with lots of time and follow instructions.I guess it’s obvious that I haven’t been through an airport with my camera gear yet. Do I need to remove all of my cameras and lenses from the bag when I go through security?
My essential stuff goes into my camera bag just before I go through security (after the TSA agent checks my ticket with my ID).No, don't remove stuff unless told to do so. The procedure is different at different airports. In my experience, smaller airports are more fastidious. There is a greater chance they will want to see something deep in the bag, or swipe your bigger items looking for hazards. At most airports they ask you to take out laptops. But at a few they tell you to leave the laptop in the bag. Just show up with lots of time and follow instructions.
It can help to have a readily-accessible place to temporarily stow your essential stuff. Many airports ask you to empty your pockets completely at security. Usually you have very important stuff in your pockets! - like your phone, wallet, passport, and boarding pass. That stuff has to go somewhere quick, and it needs to be easily accessible later.
A few european airports ask for cameras out of the bag and 2-5% of the time in the US. I have global entry which includes prechek with means laptops stay in the bag, shoes can be left on, ... Only a few times have they saw something which required additional scrutiny such as a long loaf of rye I was take from our favorite deli when visiting my mother. Soft mass - could have been an explosive material.Normally they don't ask to open the bag, but it has happened to me a couple of times. Depends on the TSA agent on duty, they can check anything they want. It can also depend on what country you are in. I was flying from Wellington NZ to Sydney and they made me take the battery pouch out so they could look at it - mine are pouches that separate the batteries so they were good with it. Then it turned out that I had gone through the security line for domestic travel instead of international and I had to go through a different line - and they also made me take the battery pouch out.
So from my experience I haven't had any issues in Japan, South Korea, Australia or Canada, but did in New Zealand. If you go to NZ make sure your batteries are either separated from each other or have the plastic caps over the end or they may not let them on the flight. In the camera is fine. Twice in the US I've had them open my camera bag to inspect it. But they let it through both times. And several times they have swiped the outside for explosives without opening the bag.
I once had a large summer sausage that my then mother-in-law gave me on a trip home that they thought might be a bomb. They got very serious, took my backpack to the table to search and I had no idea what they were so worried about. Then the agent pulled the sausage out and said "it's just a sausage!".A few european airports ask for cameras out of the bag and 2-5% of the time in the US. I have global entry which includes prechek with means laptops stay in the bag, shoes can be left on, ... Only a few times have they saw something which required additional scrutiny such as a long loaf of rye I was take from our favorite deli when visiting my mother. Soft mass - could have been an explosive material.
The other non-camera related issue I have is my artificial hip sets off the metal detector at most US airports (that still have them). Oddly, it doesn't normally set them off in foreign countries.A few european airports ask for cameras out of the bag and 2-5% of the time in the US. I have global entry which includes prechek with means laptops stay in the bag, shoes can be left on, ... Only a few times have they saw something which required additional scrutiny such as a long loaf of rye I was take from our favorite deli when visiting my mother. Soft mass - could have been an explosive material.