Airport Security
The X-ray machines at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports are film-safe. If you are carrying 1000 ASA or higher film, you should store it separately and ask to have it inspected by hand.
Film and Equipment
Print film and processing is pretty cheap in Cambodia. A roll of Kodak or Fuji film (36 exposures) costs just US$2 for ASA 100 or US$3 for ASA 400. Printing is also cheap with most laboratories charging about US$4 for a roll. The Fuji labs are generally the best quality, but the Konica ones are sometimes a little cheaper.
Slide film is also available at the competitive prices in Phnom Penh. It costs US$5 for a roll of Kodak Elite or Fuji Sensia, and US$6 for Fuji’s Velvia or Provia range. Purchasing as much as you need in Phnom Penh, as it is pretty hard to come by elsewhere in the country. Do not have slide film processed in Cambodia unless it is really urgent. Many shop claim to be able to process slide film, but you’ll more than likely end up with black and white X-ray-style shots.
Most processing shops in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap can also now burn digital images onto CD to free up space on your memory card, as well as print top quality photos straight from your camera or CD. Cheap memory cards are available all over the place.
General camera supplies can be purchased in Phnom Penh. Camera batteries are easy to replace, providing you don’t require anything too obscure; don’t forget to carry spares if you are heading off the trail. There is a great range of new cameras in the capital at bargain prices, as most come in tax and duty free, including all the leading brands.
Camera Film is available all over the city – Just pick your brand and there will be a shop within a few hundred metres. The best place for developing photos; from film or from digital is City Coler Photo (Add: 123 Monivong Blvd), which also stocks cheap cameras and memory sticks.
If you carry a video camera, make sure you have the necessary charger, plugs and transformer for Cambodia. Take care with some of the electrical wiring in guesthouses around the country, as it can be pretty amateurish. In Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, it is possible to obtain video tapes for most formats, but elsewhere around the country you are unlikely to find much of use. It is often worth buying a few tapes duty-free before you start your trip.
Photographing People
The usual rules apply be polite about photographing and video taping people; don’t push cameras into their faces; and have some respect for monks and people at prayer. It shouldn’t be necessary to say this, but unfortunately there are a lot of amateur photographers out there who think that they’re on assignment for National Geographic. In general, the Khmers are remarkably courteous people and if you ask nicely, they’ll agree to have their photograph taken. The same goes for video typing – ask permission first, although in rural areas you will often find children desperate to get in front of the lens and astonished at seeing themselves played back on a LCD screen. It is the closest most of them will get to being on TV.