No photography in museums/sights; but is video allowed?

No photography and photography but no flash rules include camcorders. Typically the no flash rules are to help preserve items and the no photography rules are because people ignored the no flash rules or because of licensing of images contracts.

Actually, most places I've been to do not prohibit photography, only the use of a flash. On our recent trip to France, I shut off the flash to my Sony digital camera and used a low light setting to get beautiful pictures.

Each place has their own rules. Ask when you get there, or look for the signs.

Any place that states no photography is also meant to include video. Each church, museum, etc. has it's own rules.

Most of the time there will be a sign at the entrance that will tell you. If not, just ask. Many of the places we visited had signs for no flash photography, but video was okay.

Gabriel,

Locations in Italy seem to vary somewhat not only with their rules, but also their enforcement of the rules. For example, photography is strictly prohibited at the Borghese Gallery in Rome and large Cameras especially must be checked. There are also Guards in each room, so it's not likely someone could even "sneak" a picture. In many other Museums and Galleries, photography without flash is allowed, but Tripods are usually prohibited.

Another example is the Duomo in Milan. When I was there in June, there was a very strict checkpoint at the door, manned by a soldier, Polizia di Stato and Carabinieri. There was a large sign beside the entrance, which as I recall also indicated that video cameras were prohibited. There's no way I can hide my somewhat large dSLR Camera, so I promised not to break the rules. However, when I got inside there were people taking FLASH photos all over, and no one seemed to be enforcing the rules. I asked one of the Priests about this, and he just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

I always try to be respectful of the rules, especially in a place of worship.

Cheers!

As others have said, picture taking in churches is usually prohibited. As a commercial photographer I am always respectful of whatever notice (either signs or verbal) asking people not to take pictures. However, in many places we visited people were busy snapping pictures and taking videos. At some locations (St. Peters/Marks, Borghese Gallery, Vatican Museum, Cistine Chapel) the autorities are very vigilant about enforcing the no picture/video taking rules. I actually witnessed a security guard in the Cistine Chaple confiscate a camera from a woman who simply would not stop taking pictures.

Thank you for all your advice. Very much appreciated.

Like Doug and Ken and others, I respect whatever are the rules of the specific museum or church. I wish a guard had confiscated the camera of a fellow in the Sistine Chapel who, despite being told "no photos," kept shooting the flash on his dinky subcompact. Folks do not realize that most built-in camera flashes have a reach of only 10 feet or so. Therefore, in large places like the Duomo in Milan, they are useless, so why bother? I shoot with a DSLR, carry a lens with a very wide aperture, and always shoot with available light only when photography is allowed such as in the Vatican Museum. Many places will have a sign with a camcorder image and the universal "prohibited" symbol over it. Look for that.