Travelling with lots of film - ziploc bags?

[Jamie123]

I often see on blogs of photographers that many keep their rollfilm unwrapped in Ziploc bags. Any particular reason to do this other than not having to do it later when loading the film? Is it easier to get a hand check at the airport if the film is unwrapped in a Ziploc bag??

Bit of a silly question but I'm curious 🙂

 

[peter_n]

Is it easier to get a hand check at the airport if the film is unwrapped in a Ziploc bag??

Yes. It's good to help the TSA folk as much as possible. I've stopped having hand inspections as I take mostly film <=400ISO so no worries with the x-ray. If I'm going thru multiple airports I'll have it hand-checked if possible.

 

[coelacanth]

If your travel includes flights, yes it definitely helps. This way the security forks can hand inspect the films quickly and you can be on your way quickly. Imaging opening the package and plastic canister one by one when you are carrying 40 rolls of films. 😉

 

[Papercut]

What about carrying bulk film? Anyone ever done that? How do the TSA inspect those without opening the tins?

I'm planning a two to three month research/photo trip to China next year and am planning on taking a hundred rolls or more worth of film. Already starting to wonder how to travel with that much. I don't mind bulk rolling and developing while I'm on the road, but that's only an option if security aren't going to insist on opening the tins.

EDIT: I guess the only film I would be worried about would be the 400 speed, some of which I would push to 1600. (25, 100 should be fine just going through x-ray).

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Unwrapped in ziplok bags seems to work best, so they can see the film leaders. Don't put too many in each bag - maybe about eight. They're easier to check and also easier to poke into corners in your luggage if it's not bulky. I also try to leave the leaders exposed on rewound film to avoid any suspicion that it's not "kosher" but I've become less paranoid about putting 100 and 400 ISO through the carry-on Xrays.
I do have a compartmented plastic fishing tackle box that I store lots of films in but that's a bit unwieldy for travel. Only tried it once!

 

[shadowfox]

What about carrying bulk film? Anyone ever done that? How do the TSA inspect those without opening the tins?

I'm planning a two to three month research/photo trip to China next year and am planning on taking a hundred rolls or more worth of film. Already starting to wonder how to travel with that much. I don't mind bulk rolling and developing while I'm on the road, but that's only an option if security aren't going to insist on opening the tins.

EDIT: I guess the only film I would be worried about would be the 400 speed, some of which I would push to 1600. (25, 100 should be fine just going through x-ray).

Kevin, for a long term project like that, wouldn't getting your film in China be a better solution? At least in Shanghai, film is quite plentiful and I think it's cheaper than here in the US (I didn't do an exhaustive investigation, just asking around).

 

[jpa66]

I always carry my film in ziploc bags regardless of whether they're going to be hand-checked or not. It's easier for me, and easier for the techs to see the film on the screen.

BTW, I've discovered that it all depends upon the airport security personnel whether or not your film gets hand-checked. I had some 3200 speed film with me on my last trip, and had no problem in the US, but problems in France and Ireland ( where they refused to hand-check it, despite all my protestations ). From now on, I'm not bringing any ultra fast speed film - it's just not worth it.

 

[shadowfox]

Yes. It's good to help the TSA folk as much as possible. I've stopped having hand inspections as I take mostly film <=400ISO so no worries with the x-ray. If I'm going thru multiple airports I'll have it hand-checked if possible.

Exactly, airport security checks varies from those who diligently swab each and every canister, to ones that just wave it off (true story).

I passed through six x-ray checkpoints in three airports, and got my ziplock full of film hand-checked every time.

It's time to dismantle the myth that traveling with film is a hassle these days, it is not.

 

[Papercut]

Will,

If I was traveling to Shanghai, Guangzhou, HK, or Beijing I think that would be possible -- but for almost the whole time I'll be out west (Chongqing and Qinghai). I spent a year in Chongqing (2006-07) and I didn't see any film then (though to be honest it's an enormous city: 6-10 million in the "central" urban area, so it's quite possible that it's there but very hard to find). Unless I'm very mistaken, Colin (Avotius here on RFF), who lives there, has said that film is very difficult to find in the city. Hence, I think I may have to take it with me.

Kevin, for a long term project like that, wouldn't getting your film in China be a better solution? At least in Shanghai, film is quite plentiful and I think it's cheaper than here in the US (I didn't do an exhaustive investigation, just asking around).

 

[coelacanth]

Regardless of ISO speed, I never let them scan the films with the machine. X-ray is still a light. It accumulates so if films are scanned 4 times in one trip, that's 4 times more exposure the films will suffer.

When I visited France, I put ISO 400 films in ziplock and put a paper saying the films will be exposed at 1600 and 3200 speeds and "HAND INSPECT ONLY" in two languages.

 

[Jamie123]

What about medium format film? I don't mind taking it out of the box but usually I prefer to keep it in the foil until I use it so it stays protected from moisture.

I'll be carrying some 800 Iso film on this trip so I'll definitely would prefer not to have it scanned.

 

[andredossantos]

Jamie: keep it in the foil. I have a lot of experience travelling with film within the US and I have never taken the 120 film out of the foil. Just take off any cardboard around the foil and put everything in a clear ziplock bag. Also be sure to tell the agents you need a handcheck for "PROFFESIONAL" film. Reiterate that it's "proffesional" everytime someone asks as they are not obligated to grant a hand check for the consumer grade stuff (and even if you have consumer grade film they won't know the difference!).

 

[sepiareverb]

I Fed-Ex films ahead, and Fed-Ex them home. I carry a very few rolls with me while enroute, and as little high ISO stuff as I can expect to get away with.

 

[Papercut]

I may take this route -- especially if I send them early enough that I know for sure they made it there safely. I'll develop there, so the return trip they'd be fine in my carry-on.

I'm curious, though, is it hard to trust them to Fed-Ex after the film is exposed? (When I did my research in China, I would not let the photocopies of archival documents for my dissertation out of my sight coming back: if someone lost them that was a year of my life just gone. Somehow I felt more secure with them on my person than trusting them to anyone else.)

I Fed-Ex films ahead, and Fed-Ex them home. I carry a very few rolls with me while enroute, and as little high ISO stuff as I can expect to get away with.

 

[shadowfox]

Will,

If I was traveling to Shanghai, Guangzhou, HK, or Beijing I think that would be possible -- but for almost the whole time I'll be out west (Chongqing and Qinghai). I spent a year in Chongqing (2006-07) and I didn't see any film then (though to be honest it's an enormous city: 6-10 million in the "central" urban area, so it's quite possible that it's there but very hard to find). Unless I'm very mistaken, Colin (Avotius here on RFF), who lives there, has said that film is very difficult to find in the city. Hence, I think I may have to take it with me.

Kevin, I see the problem.

I don't know if you're okay with Lucky film brand, their website is full of phone numbers. Maybe you can get one of your chinese-speaking contact to call beforehand and see if they are willing to sell you a hundred rolls (or some reasonably big number) and ship it to Chongqing.

Their film is quite cheap. Even 120 format in a retail store (in Shanghai) is about 13 RMB which is about 1.50 USD.

 

[coelacanth]

I'm curious about shipping method. Does Fedex guarantee no X-ray scanning? It's well known that the check-in luggage gets much stronger scan (so don't put your films in your luggage), I wonder if the same MIGHT happen if you use Fedex.

 

[KenR]

I keep bricks of film together with extra rubber bands (always useful to have along) and place each brick in its own ziplock bag. I have not asked for a hand inspection after a security guard with an Uzi pointed it at me in Rome Airport after I requested a hand inspection. Thus far no fogging, no bullets, no arrests.

 

[Papercut]

Will,

I've haven't used it yet, but I wouldn't be adverse to trying, at least as a backup plan. I speak Mandarin so I could call and see if there's a retail location in Chongqing, but I'd have to get a hold of some before the trip: I don't want to be experimenting there, and my first choice is to continue using materials I'm already familiar with.

Kevin, I see the problem.

I don't know if you're okay with Lucky film brand, their website is full of phone numbers. Maybe you can get one of your chinese-speaking contact to call beforehand and see if they are willing to sell you a hundred rolls (or some reasonably big number) and ship it to Chongqing.

Their film is quite cheap. Even 120 format in a retail store (in Shanghai) is about 13 RMB which is about 1.50 USD.

 

[wgerrard]

I use Ziploc bags because it helps me keep track of the rolls. I've been known to leave a roll or two behind in a hotel room. Putting a fixed number of rolls in each bag, before and after exposure, helps prevent that sort of thing.

Besides, it keeps the stuff from rolling around inside the baggage.

 

[sepiareverb]

Fed Ex owns their own planes, and will label packages needing particular conditions. No X-ray, Photosensitive- the package will not even travel near anything that can damage it. They have always delivered film on time and safely.

I've never had film damaged by X-ray anywhere but at the airport, from getting scanned as I'm traveling with it. I've sent film via Fed-Ex with proper labeling many times without any trouble. I have also sent film via the US Post Office within the US, properly labeled, without damage from x-ray; in fact I send in my color films (35mm, 120 & sheet) for processing via the mail 90% of the time and have since moving to Vermont in 1995. Outside the country and with a definite time needed at point A I choose Fed-Ex for the superlative tracking and knowledge that it will be there when they say it will no question.