Taking DSLRs into olympic venues

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WibblyPig

Jan 24, 2012
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#1
I've found lots of conflicting information online about what gear can be taken into Olympic venues. There seems to be a general consensus on nothing over 30cm long but some sites say that certain venues (e.g. Wembley) prohibit anything "pro" including anything with interchangeable lenses. Bags must be able to fit under seats, but that shouldn't be a problem with any of my lenses.

Anything confiscated won't be returned, and I'm keen neither to miss my sessions nor to lose my camera. Has anyone actually been into the aquatics centre or the Olympic stadium with something like a 5D body + any of 135 f/2, 35mm f/1.4 (or even a 70-200 f2.8 )? I'd like some record of the day better than iPhone pics...
 
#2
I've just returned from the Olympics venues a few days ago.
I was at the Aquatic Center and at the Gymnastics (North Greenwich).

At the gymnastics stadium they search your bags (after the security search a-la pre-flight searches), and if you have a camera with an interchangeable lens that looks too big they don't allow it in.
They don't confiscate it, though, you can leave it in a locker and get it back after you leave.
They showed me the rules that state that you cannot enter a camera with an interchangeable lens that is greater than 35mm.
But they told me that up to 100mm is ok.
So my 70-200 F/2.8 IS had to be left there, but they allowed my 24-105 F4 (twice).

At the Aquatics center nobody checked my bags, but I didn't want to chance getting my 70-200 taken, so I brought the 24-105 and no one said anything.
If you're in one of the higher seats, I don't think anyone will notice you even if you have a 400 F4...
Downstairs, closer to the pool, they might, but your 135mm should be fine, as nobody said anything about my 24-105 even when I was at the AA seats very close to the pool.
 
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#3
Many thanks, Roman! It's a shame there doesn't seem to be an (easy to find) official site that lays it out clearly, but your experiences are a great guideline. I'm four rows back from the track so the 135mm should be a useful lens. I won't bother with the 70-200 as it's heavy to lug around and sounds like it won't make it through the gate. Will take the 40mm pancake and the 135mm in as small a bag as possible for an innocuous looking combination.
 
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#4
Roman said:
I've just returned from the Olympics venues a few days ago.
I was at the Aquatic Center and at the Gymnastics (North Greenwich).

At the gymnastics stadium they search your bags (after the security search a-la pre-flight searches), and if you have a camera with an interchangeable lens that looks too big they don't allow it in.
They don't confiscate it, though, you can leave it in a locker and get it back after you leave.
They showed me the rules that state that you cannot enter a camera with an interchangeable lens that is greater than 35mm.
But they told me that up to 100mm is ok.
So my 70-200 F/2.8 IS had to be left there, but they allowed my 24-105 F4 (twice).

At the Aquatics center nobody checked my bags, but I didn't want to chance getting my 70-200 taken, so I brought the 24-105 and no one said anything.
If you're in one of the higher seats, I don't think anyone will notice you even if you have a 400 F4...
Downstairs, closer to the pool, they might, but your 135mm should be fine, as nobody said anything about my 24-105 even when I was at the AA seats very close to the pool.
Click to expand...

Can someone explain to me, why they would have any of these rules in the first place?!? Why won't they let you bring in a nice camera and lens combination?
 
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#5
The only venue AFAIK that has said no interchangable lens cameras is Wembley for the football. Which typically is the only place I managed to get tickets for. >:(

My girlfriend went to see some of the Handball in the Copper Box and I lent her a 550d with a sigma 50-150 f2.8 which was deemed fine (and as a 240mm equivalent lens on aps-c in a fairly small venue took some decent pics).

As I understand it, the logic is based partially on the corporate overlords being concerned that video footage can be shot and put up onto Youtube, meaning that people wouldn't have to use the channel who've paid for exclusive Olympic rights and watch their advertising.
 
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#6
syder said:
As I understand it, the logic is based partially on the corporate overlords being concerned that video footage can be shot and put up onto Youtube, meaning that people wouldn't have to use the channel who've paid for exclusive Olympic rights and watch their advertising.
Click to expand...
That, and the fact that there are paid professionals who are doing their job. Letting everyone with a huge lens in will not only be a bother to spectators near you (potentially blocking their view if you have something that's long enough), but also risk taking away the official photographers' jobs.
 
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#9
Joellll said:
syder said:
As I understand it, the logic is based partially on the corporate overlords being concerned that video footage can be shot and put up onto Youtube, meaning that people wouldn't have to use the channel who've paid for exclusive Olympic rights and watch their advertising.
Click to expand...
That, and the fact that there are paid professionals who are doing their job. Letting everyone with a huge lens in will not only be a bother to spectators near you (potentially blocking their view if you have something that's long enough), but also risk taking away the official photographers' jobs.
Click to expand...

...and also being smacked in the back of the head constantly by idiots with long lenses. >:(
 
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#11
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#12
WibblyPig said:
Many thanks, Roman! It's a shame there doesn't seem to be an (easy to find) official site that lays it out clearly, but your experiences are a great guideline. I'm four rows back from the track so the 135mm should be a useful lens. I won't bother with the 70-200 as it's heavy to lug around and sounds like it won't make it through the gate. Will take the 40mm pancake and the 135mm in as small a bag as possible for an innocuous looking combination.
Click to expand...
It's not easy to find, but there is a restricted items list.

http://www.london2012.com/mm/Document/Documents/General/01/25/44/06/Prohibitedandrestricteditemslists_Neutral.pdf

It states on there that there is a limit of 30cm, but for some venues (especially football grounds), there may be more stringent restrictions. Also, any photos or videos cannot be used commercially, without media accreditation.
 
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#15
Joellll said:
That, and the fact that there are paid professionals who are doing their job. Letting everyone with a huge lens in will not only be a bother to spectators near you (potentially blocking their view if you have something that's long enough), but also risk taking away the official photographers' jobs.
Click to expand...

I very much doubt the venue is in any way concerned over the the prospect of a photographer losing his job. Rather they know very well that without these restriction, the "official" paid photographers would probably be sitting in the stands and not paying the organizers for the "rights" to shoot.
 
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#16
DavidRiesenberg said:
Joellll said:
That, and the fact that there are paid professionals who are doing their job. Letting everyone with a huge lens in will not only be a bother to spectators near you (potentially blocking their view if you have something that's long enough), but also risk taking away the official photographers' jobs.
Click to expand...

I very much doubt the venue is in any way concerned over the the prospect of a photographer losing his job. Rather they know very well that without these restriction, the "official" paid photographers would probably be sitting in the stands and not paying the organizers for the "rights" to shoot.
Click to expand...
Nonsense. There's no way you're going to get the money shots from the stands.
 
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#17
If you read the actual brochure from the Olympic website, they refer to a physical length limit of 30cm, not a focal length limit.

Which if you think about it is a perfectly reasonable restriction - a foot long lens could hurt someone. If you want a really long focal length, find a mirror telephoto.

Which come to think about it, I don't think Canon makes any more (didn't they make a nice one in FD mount about 30 years ago?).
 
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#18
It is a difficult balancing act for organisers, and to be honest, I am not positive anyone really knows where the balance should be.

Media generally have very strict rules by which to conduct themselves, and there are plenty (long, long list) of can, and cannot dos - both during and post-event.

I have been at many events as media and have not been allowed to take stills or video from the media box, yet just a few metres away from me are non-media filming the whole thing and taking snapshots with a good DSLR and covered long lens.

It took that particular event two years, and a lot of moaning from some media for them to relax the rules slightly and allow media to take stills from the media box and there were still plenty of restrictions. Still no video though which is understandable.

That is just one example, at one event, and each event is very different.

I have watched a fair bit of the Olympics and there seems to be plenty of good looking cameras in the crowd, which the TV cameras always seem to pick up on (at least once).

Anyway, whatever it is you are going to watch. Enjoy.
 
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#19
Reading this I was thinking about the use of a tele-converter. Would a security Guard know what it was? What it does?

And then a few minutes later as I watched, and they scanned the crowd at a track event I spotted a guy with a Canon DSLR, and a 2X converter, (tan). Attached to that appears to be a smaller off brand converter. I think Kenko 2X, and then a 50mm f1.4. That would give a less than stellar quality 200mm f5.6. But it's not that big, does not look pro, and says 50mm right on it.
 
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#20
I personally think this is done. We have 38MP cellphones now. For some reason the crowds at events view themselves as amateur cinematographers, and the ticket sellers aren't going to complain. And it would be better for the "talent" and event organizer to look better than cellphone grade, would it not?

So it's done. Four years from now, anything goes...because it will be ridiculous to say you can't bring a professional camera to an event, when that seems to be all people want to attend to do.

Safety concerns? I think photographers would be more worried about someone's head hitting their precious 600mm/4 than their lens hitting some idiot's head. That whole issue is contrived in the desire for usage fees. The usage fees will just become part of the price of admission.

And for the professionals? If they can't earn their keep over the morons in the stands, the hell widdum. You either succeed on merit (not to mention prime seating) or you go home medalless.
 
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