Digital Rebel dead upon arrival

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dck - 14 Sep 2005 19:08 GMT

I flew w/ my Digital Rebel from Boston to Marseille (connected in
Rome), and the camera was dead upon arrival. The battery was fully
charged (I double-checked this w/ my charger). After my trip I sent the
camera (still under warranty) to Canon for repair. They replaced the
camera's power circuit board and did a dioptic adjustment (whatever
that is). Nobody at Canon (I spoke to no fewer than 5 people there,
including a supervisor) has the vaguest idea what could have caused
this. They suggested that I telephone the airport or the TSA (but I
also went through security in Rome). Has anyone on this list heard of a
digital camera dying from going through airport security? Any other
ideas what could have caused this? I am trying to figure out how to
prevent a repeat on my next trip. Thanks.

Dck in Boston

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wilt - 14 Sep 2005 19:29 GMT

On another thread, someone wrote about inadvertant exposure of his
digicam to radiation therapy beam as he was receiving cancer treatment,
and how he suspected that this exposure ultimately led to failure of
his camera after a couple of trips thru airport x-ray equipment because
security would confiscate the camera if it was not x-rayed (refusal to
hand inspect). Perhaps the camera was irradiated by cargo x-ray
equipment if the camera was checked, which is more powerful than
airport luggage scanners that we see in the terminal for hand luggage,
and only a little bit less intense than radiation therapy x-ray
sources.

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Pete D - 14 Sep 2005 21:09 GMT

> On another thread, someone wrote about inadvertant exposure of his
> digicam to radiation therapy beam as he was receiving cancer treatment,
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> and only a little bit less intense than radiation therapy x-ray
> sources.

Most likely in both cases the cameras just failed and it just happened to be
that they were exposed to some small amount of radiation. The actual amount
needed is in fact very high indeed, very much higher than they could have
had in each case. Please keep in mind that Canons quality control is suspect
at best and there is much evidence of their cameras failing without ever
being xrayed. Millions of all brands are xrayed every day, how many fail
after?

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eawckyegcy@yahoo.com - 14 Sep 2005 22:19 GMT

> Has anyone on this list heard of a
> digital camera dying from going through airport security?

No. In fact, given the millions of cameras that have been flown hither
and yon over the last N years, yours is the first report of any problem
at all. This is a strong suggestion that your story is warmed over
FUD.

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dck - 14 Sep 2005 22:36 GMT

Of course it could have been simply a bad coincidence: camera works
fine prior to flight; camera dead upon arrival. That doesn't
necessarily mean it had anything to do with the the trip itself. I am
simply asking in case anyone thinks otherwise. According to i3a and
TSA, digital cameras in USA are safe in both carry-on and checked
baggage [http://www.i3a.org/itip.html]
But I know nothing about Rome.

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dck - 14 Sep 2005 22:36 GMT

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Cockpit Colin - 15 Sep 2005 04:11 GMT

I had a "not too dis-similar" experience with a Digital Diary. It worked
perfectly for each and every day of it's life - Right up until the time I
take 1 trip overseas, and upon my arrival at my destination, it's database
is screwed up.

I've heard it suggested that it's not the radiation of the X-Ray machines
that does the damage, but the magnetism associated with some of the
machinery.

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tlai909@visto.com - 15 Sep 2005 05:29 GMT

Any circuit board is likely to fail without any provocation from
external interference.

Canon EOS cameras have been around for over 15 years and like all
heavily electronic cameras, up and fail without warning.

That's not an indictment on Canon's buid, rather just nature of the
business.

T.

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Alan Browne - 25 Sep 2005 16:12 GMT

Occasionally, things fail, even new.

> I flew w/ my Digital Rebel from Boston to Marseille (connected in
> Rome), and the camera was dead upon arrival. The battery was fully

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