The TP nifty fifty meets security!

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AliB

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I've got our little Canon nifty at the moment and I'm trying to get some pics in and around Manchester with it. So today I went into the Trafford Centre. In all it's gaudiness and sheer tastelessness I thought it would make an ideal subject. So out came the 5D, on went the nifty and I popped them in a little SLR camera bag that I have. Nice and discrete, not my usual bag of tricks but somewhat understated.

Got to "The Traff" and loads of people takings pics. Mainly compacts and hoardes of phone cams. On one set of stairs there were 6 poeple snapping away.

Guess who got stopped by security? Yep, obviously the fact that I have a digital SLR is the dividing line between the local terrorist cell and Joe average.

"What are you doing?" I was asked. "errrm taking pictures" was the somewhat obvious reply.

"What for?" "Well it's a project actually, worldwide, this little lens has just come back from New York and it's off to Hong Kong and Australia next, I'm just doing Manchester"

That seemed to flumox him somewhat so he got on his radio and repeated what I had told him to "Boss security"

"Is it just a normal camera?" was the reply. What? What to they class as a "normal camera"

"Yes it is, just a normal camera" I replied before he could jump to any conclusions. And with that I was allowed to carry on. To be fair I did show them some of the pics I had taken and they could clearly see that there was nothing untowards about them.

I wonder what would have happened if I had the 70-200mm on or the 100-400. Would they think that was normal?

So the nifty fifty was passed and I got some pics which I now need to download. If it is dry tomorrow, I'm off to the beach with it and the 20D.
 
This "normal" camera excuse still makes me giggle

You should have said, yes this is a normal camera.....my rocket launching compact is at home today.
 
I might go in with the 70-300m with lens hood on , lol

Then again , maybe not.
 
It's not as if I was hiding in the undergrowth either. Believe me there is plenty of it, jungle proportions too. The chap was OK and just trying to do his job but then I feel that he should have been stopping all those compact users too. After all, a camera is a camera and those compacts had a lot more range than the nifty!
 
I know you can get a third-party mini-gun that attaches to the hotshoe adapter, but i guess that wouldn't have fitted in your little bag?

This country eh!?

I'm getting old, please ignore my comments.

JB
 
At least he was fairly reasonable Ali, many shopping centres just forbid photography with no real rhyme or reason other then the normal 'commercial' excuses. Looking forward to seeing your results, haven't been to the Trafford Centre pretty much since moving to London over 3 years ago, though pressuming it hasn't changed too much ;)
 
Most terrorists I know use Sony cybershot mini compacts for that reason , LOL

*Terrible joke.
 
AliB said:
"What for?" "Well it's a project actually, worldwide, this little lens has just come back from New York and it's off to Hong Kong and Australia next, I'm just doing Manchester"
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... and it belongs to a guy called ...... oh never mind :shrug:
 
I also got stopped by security at the Milton Keynes shopping centre. I was taking a picture of a big tree in the middle of the shooping centre with my 400D + 24-105. I was asked if I had a license, I said to them if they can ask the tree I'm taking a picture off how much it costs then I would pay.

We got into an argument, in the end, I showed them the pictures I've taken and they warned me next time they would take my camera.
 
strobefreak said:
I also got stopped by security at the Milton Keynes shopping centre. I was taking a picture of a big tree in the middle of the shooping centre with my 400D + 24-105. I was asked if I had a license, I said to them if they can ask the tree I'm taking a picture off how much it costs then I would pay.

We got into an argument, in the end, I showed them the pictures I've taken and they warned me next time they would take my camera.
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Just wonder how long it'll be before someone sues for harassment or some such thing, as we're suing for almost everything else these days.
 
strobefreak said:
We got into an argument, in the end, I showed them the pictures I've taken and they warned me next time they would take my camera.
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Right well, I'm coming with you next time, I'd like to see them try and take anybodys camera, especially mine..

Srsly though, it really is down to their employers to provide adequate training, on this they are failing....stupendously.
Its also up to togs to know what security can or can't do, because training or not, they will try to railroad togs who clearly dont know.
 
LadyLens said:
haven't been to the Trafford Centre pretty much since moving to London over 3 years ago, though pressuming it hasn't changed too much ;)
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I live in Manchester and in 3 years the TC hasn't changed...until now! Its now had a MASSIVE new bit added to it full of home sort of shops.

If only you had said you was in the TC ali I could have come over and said hello :D only live round the corner from it.

Sounds like at least the security were fair although picking out you and not any of the other people taking photos is what seems to be happening all the time now with SLRs. They should make an SLR the size of a compact! That would solve everything!!! :lol:
 
Rusk said:
I live in Manchester and in 3 years the TC hasn't changed...until now! Its now had a MASSIVE new bit added to it full of home sort of shops.

If only you had said you was in the TC ali I could have come over and said hello :D only live round the corner from it.

Sounds like at least the security were fair although picking out you and not any of the other people taking photos is what seems to be happening all the time now with SLRs. They should make an SLR the size of a compact! That would solve everything!!! :lol:
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They're working on it but not quite there , turn up with this baby. :D

images


Can you imagine their faces?:lol::woot:
 
It was a kind of a spur of the moment thing Rush, I was at the gym first thing which is just across the road so I thought, while I'm there I could have a walk through the TC.

I'm usually Ok handling these security type bods, been stopped in Leeds and Manchester. They are under trained and have no authority so it's a matter of being assured but remaining polite. I find that meeting them half way is the best approach but there is no way anyone is going to confiscate my camera, not if they want to keep their own teeth!
 
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