Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: Graham Mitchell on May 09, 2011, 05:15:26 am
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I'll be in Dubai in a few days, and I've been doing a little research on dos and don'ts. Then I discovered that it seems to be illegal to bring a Leaf back, or even an AFi camera, into Dubai as it is illegal to bring any goods from Israel or goods with an Israeli logo or trademark into the country. I would never have thought of that. It doesn't affect me but maybe this can serve as a warning to others. Perhaps the situation is the same in other Arab states.
http://www.dubai-online.com/essential/customs.htm
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That is interesting and useful, and stupid. Thanks for spotting and posting.
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Yes, petty indeed.
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I have been in and out of the Emirates several times with lots of Leaf gear and have never ever had problems there & as far as I know there is even a dealer in Dubai/Abu Dhabi with a few Leaf users to boot, the chief photographer of the Sultan of Oman is a Leaf user...
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I can't see it being very easy to enforce, but it's one of those things that could be used against you if someone wanted to, and people seem to be throw in jail there for the smallest things.
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I think you would be regarded as paranoiac.
People are most hospitable and everyone is getting on with his/her business to worry about where your gear was made.
The most important people in that area have more important things on their minds and the day to day business is run by fantastic Indians in almost every sector.
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I think you would be regarded as paranoiac.
Ha, famous last words.
How welcome are, let's say something as innocent as, Cuban sigars in the USA? And that's considered to be a democracy. Now consider electronic equipment from a blacklisted country in a country where public photography is not that common (due to religious constraints).
Unfortunately, Graham is correct.
Cheers,
Bart
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A very close friend of mine is a landscape photograper and artist. He was thrown in jail, and acused of being a spy in Iran for being too close to a boarder in the northern part of the country. Allthough it's illegial, he checked with the boarder patroll in the region and asked if it was okay to take photos in that area beforehand. They said as long as he was xy kilometers from the border it was okay. He obeyed and kept his distance. Then he was arrested the next day.
It wasn't fun for him to be in jail there and he had no access to a lawyer, no translating was done for him and he had no idea what would hapen until, after a month, he was simply let go. He was lucky.
It's a good idea to obay the laws (to the letter) in any foreign country, but especially countries that are not known for their disregard for human rights.
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I just heard from Yair who let me know that as Leaf is now owned by Phase One (Denmark) and the backs are shipped from there, the ban does not affect Leaf. Good news for Leaf owners :)
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That being said, they now have your post and picture and will be on the look out :) jk of course.
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I have travelled for shoots in the middle east and it's very comfortable and the nicest people on earth. the first time I went to UAE I put gaffe tape all over my cameras and logos to make it less appealing to steal, but hey.... there are no thieves in the middle east.
fx in saudi arabia and oman people leave there car running and open while they go shopping, leave their computers and wallets on the table while going to the toilet... so the middle east is 10 times more safe and friendly then any part of europe for my parts
only problem I had was i Jeddah where the airport security thought my 150mm HC was a hand-grenade for some reason :-/
happy travelling
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I am writing this from my office in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I am an architectural shooter based here. There are MANY Leaf backs in this country. I shot with a Leaf Aptus 12 just last week. I've flown to Qatar and Oman with it hanging off my ALPA STC without any problem.
As Leaf is wholly owned by Phase One, a Danish company, Leaf backs are NOT subject to this restriction.
Photographers I know fly in and out of this country regularly with Leaf backs without any problems.
Whilst there are lots of restrictions on what you can and cannot photograph here, there are absolutely no problems using Leaf backs.
Backs from LEAF the Danish owned digital back manufacturer are NOT illegal in Dubai.
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What about Leaf backs from before the P1 take over (with LP serials)?
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What about Leaf backs from before the P1 take over (with LP serials)?
Just don't carry it around in your Kata bag... :D
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I was thinking about Kata too, but they've also been bought out recently!
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Careful with your Sandisk cards and the Expeed chips in your Nikon camera and consider also leaving your laptop behind or at the very least pulling the Intel processor out of it :-)
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Just don't carry it around in your Kata bag... :D
Didn't think about that - I do keep it in a Kata bag
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And while we're at it, if you're in the area come visit Israel - one of the most open and exciting countries on Earth - and you can pay a visit to Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem or Ichilov in Tel Aviv and find out where the richest Arabs from all the Gulf countries come to get the best medical care. So much for the boycott.
We welcome visitors - call me if you come.
Neil
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Who bought Kata?
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... come visit Israel - one of the most open and exciting countries on Earth ...
Unless you're Palestinian!
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Who bought Kata?
The Vitec Group, I believe.
And yes, there are Leaf backs here in Dubai. I held an Aptus-II 12 and Phase IQ180 in my hand today :)
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The Vitec Group, I believe.
And yes, there are Leaf backs here in Dubai. I held an Aptus-II 12 and Phase IQ180 in my hand today :)
Must be a happy day for a lawyer :D
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I was born and raised in Dubai. I think it is wiser to be aware of permits and other issues rather than be worried about where things were made. Nobody checks, until you screw up by standing out in the wrong places.
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LEAF was there in UAE in the past even before Phase One took over it, i heard about it in the past but i swear we have many things that are related or have connection to Israel, I bought a lot of things from B&H which is run by Jewish, we have issue with Israel because of Jewish only.
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Who bought Kata?
Vitec. They are now part of Manfrotto Bags, but still based in Jerusalem, Israel.
Ron
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It's been part of the Vitec Group for several years.