Are Compact Flash cards susceptible to magnetic influence?

[Deja Q]

I'm going on a vacation to Atlanta this autumn and will want to take some pics with the D-SLR camera I'm likely buying on Friday. But CF will be the only media available to me.

Thx!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. Yes, just like everything recordable, there has tobe a media

and it is magnetic.

You want to check your cards for digital cameras, and have film hand inspected.

[AndyTiedye]

12. Flash Memory is NOT Magnetic

I've never had a problem with flash cards at airports.

Film is MORE likely to be a problem, since X-rays can fog it.

[Xithras]

2. Interesting timing

I just posted this on another thread...

A friend recently flew through SFO with a 512MB CF card in his pocket, and they made him run it, his wallet, and his other personals through some kind of new magnetic or bio radiation machine (sorry, I honestly don't know exactly what the machine did, and have slightly conflicting stories on which machine it was). Whatever it was supposed to do, it ERASED the CF card and hundreds of his vacation photos.

The solution is simple, just place your CF card in your checked luggage. Checked luggage is scanned using ordinary X-Rays, and CF isn't affected by those (only high intensity radiation or magnetic fields affect CF data). I don't know that all airports are using this technology, so YMMV, but I wouldn't take the chance.

[Deja Q]

3. Hmmm... little point to go digital then. My aunt's luggage got checked 2x

thanks to Ashcroft.

I'm sure checked luggage will undergo the same treatment sooner or later.

I don't do checked luggage anyway.

[Ready4Change]

4. If you're worried...

before getting on a flight with a flash card loaded with pictures, stop by almost any photo development center and have the pics burnt to a CD. You'll be good to go.

[Deja Q]

5. I only shoot RAW...

I'd have to go to Kinkos where they program their Macintosh computers to be buggier and more crash prone than usual so I'd end up paying more than I ought to in order to burn one frigging data disc...

Hmmm, maybe I shouldn't sell my Mavica CD500 after all. Nice 5mp camera that burns directly to CDs...

[pnorman]

6. That's the best idea by far.

I've been seeing portable CD burners in catalogs, that read directly off memory cards. I forgot the prices, but they'd probably be considered affordable to someone who does a lot of shooting.

pnorman

[Deja Q]

7. I also read that if airport security, by machine or by hand, ruins

the camera or media, out of maliciousness, incompetence, or out of 'legitimate concern', we have no recourse against them.

I think I'll use my film camera and keep the film packaged separately, to be handled by hand.

It's pure cow pattie that they can't make something to protect film/files while protecting us from ourselves. :eyes:

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

8. Of course not, everyone has a hold harmless clause

except us little people.

[DS1]

9. You could mail them to yourself

They're light enough, even a FedEX shouldn't cost too much unless you're leaving the country.

[Xithras]

11. Not safe either

The USPS and FexEx have started using those high intensity rad machines to sterilize letters in some areas (soon nationwide, IIRC) to kill bioagents like anthrax. Radiation levels high enough to kill bioweapons are more than high enough to erase CF cards.

[johnnie]

10. I have went thru two years of travel

I used flash cards and they have yet to be erased. I don't know if it was just because of old technology at the airports.