Many travelers worry that airport x-ray machines will damage their camera's memory or the memory cards. So far, there is little proof that airport x-ray screening machines can damage your camera's memory cards and images. The airlines often warn about damage to film from x-ray machines - not digital media.
Rather than being worried about x-ray exposure, some believe that digital equipment is affected more by magnetic exposure, particularly to the magnetic hand-held wands and metal detectors. Some also believe that you should avoid the drive motors of conveyor belts by placing your camera far away from the beginning of the belt.
If you are still worried about losing your images or damage to your camera, you can do the following for some peace of mind:
While the jury is still out on the amount of damage airport screenings can cause to your digital camera, having some common sense for protecting your digital camera and safekeeping your images is an important step any photographer should take.
No
If in doubt, take it by hand. Pass the digital picture frame to security and be prepared to show them that it really is just a picture frame
No
NO
No.
No, it will damage the components.
Hard drives are really good protected, you can damage if you are shaking a hard drive extrimely hard. The travel hard drive series made using special technologies and it's not that easy to damage them. It's unlikey that your hard drive was damaged by airport security machines. You could break if you have dropped it.
It depends on which kind. The small ones that you put your cary-ons through to get to the gate usually won't, but the big ones that you put your checked bags through probably will destroy your film. If you are concerned about your camera and film, ask for a manual search of the affected bags.
Basically - No. A computer virus can possibly damage images you have downloaded to your computer, but not your camera. A virus does its business by running certain system commands in the operating system. The camera does not have the same type of operating system as a computer.
Extreme temperature conditions can damage a camera. A camera should never be left in freezing temperatures or extremely hot locations for any length of time. If the camera is not waterproof, dropping a camera into water can damage it. Dropping a camera on a hard surface,such as concrete may damage parts inside the camera.
Doubtful but not out of the question. Just don't leave it there and you will never have to find out.
Would not recommend opening the camera as the chances are much greater for you causing greater damage. BUT would instead recommend that you try the seven sequential repair step outlined for a lens error in the below listed Related Link "Fixing a Lens Error on a Digital Camera". None of the steps outlined in this link involve opening the camera. and reportedly you should have close to a 50% chance of success with these techniques. If you cannot repair the lens yourself with the first related link, then consider trying the two 'Digital camera repair" links below for two online digital camera repair businesses.