taking cameras to china
 

Two of us traveling to China as tourists. We have a fair amount of camera equipment (two canon digital cameras and several high end lenses all packed in a rolling camera bag). My concern is that we could look sort of 'professional' and worry that customs would question whether we are taking photos commercially. We not professional photographers but wonder if we need to worry at all about being viewed as such by customs officials. Any feedback or advice is appreciated. We are, of course, traveling on tourist visas.

To me, doesn't sound like it will be a problem. The Chinese tend to be suspicious mostly of big professional video cams like you see TV cameramen use since that's the hallmark of the dreaded foreign snoop...oops I mean journalist. It's not usual for incoming foreigners to get stopped going through Customs anyway, and you don't have to declare personal goods anymore on a Customs form. But if by odd chance they do want a look and question you, just tell them you are two tourists sharing one combined bag for both your gear. This isn't a big deal.

Lots of trips. We've been looked at slightly once--they left our luggage behind and we had to go back and pick it up two days later. My wife spending forever talking to the luggage people and to get her to come along (there was nothing they needed to talk about and we had people outside waiting for us) I headed for the exit. I get to the exit with the cart with 4 large suitcases/no carryons and that draws the interest of a customs guy who starts running them through his x-ray. At this point she shows up and explains what happened, end of search.

Years later she tripped the radiation alarm at the exit and nobody responded. Admittedly the alarms are set quite sensitive. Even the initial scanner she tripped that was manned they simply filled out a form as to why--completely taking her word for it (the card the lab gave her was sitting in the pocket of the jacket she didn't wear instead of the one she did), no attempt to locate the radiation source (she was *NOT* separated from her carry-on) and that was that.

The only problem I've ever had with my camera there was someone at the old Hong Quao (Shanghai) airport who wanted me to check my camera bag thinking it was too heavy.

Thanks for your replies. Looks like no problem.

I've made many, many trips to China (and within China), lugging lots of camera equipment, including, at one point, a prosumer camcorder and associated support equipment. I've never had the slightest problem.

One anecdote: My first trip to China was for business -- I had to take a deposition of a Party official. China does not permit depositions and, per my boss at the time, I only needed a tourist visa. I brought with me an entourage consisting of a court reporter (with all of her court reporting equipment), a videographer (with all of his professional video gear) and a translator. When we entered China, I was asked, "Purpose of visit?" I said, "Tourism," and we were immediately admitted.

I always thought that, if asked why I had a staff of three equipped with professional video and audio equipment, as well as a steno machine, I'd simply say, "I like well-documented vacations."

I don't think its wise to post on a public forum, entering a foreign country with the intent to
commit a criminal act.

The opposition should have objected prior to the deposition.

First of all, this was 15 years ago. The opposition had noticed the deposition, and it was of a Party official who, obviously, had consented to the process. The situation was complicated, but boiled down to a power struggle between the People's Liberation Army and the Party (both of whom owned factories at the time), fought in an American court through the vehicle of a copyright and trademark dispute over a toy. It's really quite a story, but far too long to relate here.