johnbuckley Posted November 6, 2009 Share #1 Posted November 6, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Earlier this week, I was returning from a business trip to New York and going through security at the Delta Shuttle. I had my M9 in my briefcase. The person working the x-ray machine stopped my bag halfway through and peered intently at his monitor. "Sir, is this your bag? I'm going to have to look at it." And so we went through the ritual of going over to a table nearby and he opens the bag and takes out the camera and goes, "I thought that's what this was! This is the first M9 I've seen. I shoot with a G11. I'd love to get a Leica." And he fools with it for a little while, and asks if he can try focusing it, and after a few minutes I had to remind him that there was this plane to catch... He thanked me for letting me see the camera and I went off to catch my plane. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 6, 2009 Posted November 6, 2009 Hi johnbuckley, Take a look here M9 Catches The Eye of the TSA. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
mat_mcdermott Posted November 6, 2009 Share #2 Posted November 6, 2009 That's a great story! My M8 aroused suspicion last time I was going through security in Copenhagen. The screener apparently had never seen a rangefinder camera before. They took it out, turned if over several times and sort of shrugged. At least we know one of the overworked and underpaid security people have good taste in cameras... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted November 6, 2009 Share #3 Posted November 6, 2009 Hmm - my M9 went through two checks in Sept. and Oct. without raising eyebrows especially. Not that TSA wasn't vigilant - they just didn't spend any more time on my bag than anyone else's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pklein Posted November 6, 2009 Share #4 Posted November 6, 2009 Several years ago, at Phoenix airport, my M8 and every lens in my bag was thoroughtly inspected by a young trainee, under the watchful eye of her supervisor. I don't think it was the M8 that was an issue, I just got randomly selected for the full treatment. She did ask what kind of a camera it was, I said, "It's a Leica, it's digital, but it's a manual focus camera. You look through the little window instead of the lens." She said "Oh." She took the front and back caps off of every lens and looked through them, looked through the viewfinder, looked at her supervisor, who nodded. She let me take the camera and lenses out of the bag and put them back in myself, for which I was grateful. Other times, it's gone right through x-ray without any delays. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anguish Posted November 6, 2009 Share #5 Posted November 6, 2009 I have worn my M8 on my chest trying to look like a real goober tourist. At security I put it in the bin with the shoes, belt and wallet and it has been ignored, basically. Then I carry it with the strap over my shoulder and behind my elbow, where it is meant to be. Good story. Let's hope the terrorists don't read this thread and start using the camera as a diversion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LLT Posted November 6, 2009 Share #6 Posted November 6, 2009 Great story John. Am heading off to Africa today from Melbourne (Australia) with my beautiful M9... not sure anyone in AUS would be all too interested in it ... I shall share ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfredo Posted November 6, 2009 Share #7 Posted November 6, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) That TSA agent obviously knew what he was looking at, he's probably one in thousands. How much do those guys make? It's a huge financial stretch from a G11 to an M9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dfarkas Posted November 6, 2009 Share #8 Posted November 6, 2009 A couple of years ago, a similar thing happened to me at Fort Lauderdale airport. The X-Ray operator said mine was the first M8 he had seen and asked me if he could take it out of my bag. I also let him play with the camera a for a few minutes while we stood to the side of the line. I gave him my card and got on my plane. Don't remember where I was going, but do remember the security screening. Funnily enough, the same TSA agent a couple of years before that spotted my Digilux 2 and commented on it at that time. FLL isn't a small airport. What are the odds of running into the same guy 2 years apart who could recognize a Leica on an X-Ray scan?! Incidentally, he told me that he had an M6. Strange coincidences in life. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnbuckley Posted November 6, 2009 Author Share #9 Posted November 6, 2009 David - seems like the TSA draws from a pretty camera-centric applicant pool ;-) I go through the same screening line at the Delta Shuttle pretty often. It's the usual miserable experience, compounded, in a way, by the fact that since there are hourly shuttles both to Boston and DC, people are rushing to catch this hour's flight. Maybe sometime my Leica-phile new friend behind the monitor will be the difference between catching the 4:30 or being stuck until the 5:30! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffwros Posted November 7, 2009 Share #10 Posted November 7, 2009 I have been told that the lenses are the cause for search as the glass appears as black on the X-Ray. I definitely hear that more when traveling with Canon glass. Last time I had the bag searched with Leica gear the TSA agent suggested that "next time, take out each lens and place it on the belt" to avoid a bag search. I don't think so. Another thing to avoid is carrying all of your charging equipment & cords in your carry-on. Apparently lots of wires in a bag full of gear raises a red flag. Go figure. Happy travels! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 7, 2009 Share #11 Posted November 7, 2009 That TSA agent obviously knew what he was looking at, he's probably one in thousands. How much do those guys make? It's a huge financial stretch from a G11 to an M9. Do you think you could be any more patronising? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeicaS2 Posted November 7, 2009 Share #12 Posted November 7, 2009 Nice point Wattsy. Thank you, never assume, never patronize, as I was once a bag scanner. Whenever I saw a Leica, which is easily identifiable in an X-ray I always asked them whom they bought it from. They usually said David. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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