Travel and cameras

[dbarnes]

X-ray experience this summer

X-ray experience this summer

Had my Fuji Superia 400 X-rayed four times in the passenger security lines on a European trip this summer. Twice before exposure, twice after. No problem.

 

[kermaier]

Never put a camera in your checked luggage. It will (not might) be stolen.
::Ari

 

[Brian Legge]

I had an SB600 disappear sometime between loading luggage at my inlaws and getting home. I initially blamed myself for failing to pack it but the flash never turned up - and that bag had a mark on it saying it had been opened.

In hindsight, I'm pretty sure someone pinched it. I won't be putting any valuable in luggage again.

 

[Haigh]

Can't add much to the collected wisdom of the above. I have film out of boxes and in plastic containers and all of them in a plasitc bag- clear is preferred and they go through the scanner on their own, not with my other stuff and definitely not with cameras since they are metal cameras. They always go through no problem. I have problems because of my hip replacement.

 

[wgerrard]

Taking film out of their cartons and putting them in those sealable plastic kitchen bags means they take up a lot less precious room in that single carry-on bag. I learned to take an empty extra bag to store exposed rolls after I left a couple of rolls behind.

 

[Ben Z]

I have no personal experience on that but have heard that the FedEX packages are scanned with X-ray at random. I do recall someone mentioning that he had all film practically burned by FedEX (or was it UPS?). But that was just one single occasion, all others have reported no problems. And I am not 100% sure about that single occasion anymore.

It may well be that they scan ALL packages with something like carry-on X-ray, but just SOME packages they scan with stronger ones. But that is pure speculation. Go and browse the largeformatphotograhy.info/forum - this subject was discussed there several times into details.

I'm very skeptical. B&H and Freestyle would be going nuts if it were true.

 

[papasnap]

I am planning to take a D90 and would like to take one of my RF cameras also.

Not sure which RF cameras you've got (is it just the M3 and retina?) but personally I'd suggest taking an RF with a built in meter (eg M6/M7/MP, bessa, ZI - to cut down on equipment and help make fast accurate exposures) and at least one lens 35mm or wider. For example I got through 4 months travelling in south east asia with just an M6 TTL 0.58x and a 35mm f1.2 lens and never needed anything else - the 35mm was both wide enough to give context but tight enough to give emphasis. eg:

film wise, where possible I'd get my film developed locally (so I didn't have to carry exposed film through airports), but sometimes I just had to carry it back anyway - and didn't have any problems with iso 400 film (even pushed to 1600) that had been through the carry on scanners.

cheers!

 

[Damaso]

If you're flying out of the US you can ask for a hand inspection of your film....

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Pretty much all of the above. I got quite paranoid about this a few years back when there was a security scare at Heathrow and we had to put EVERYTHING into checked baggage. A number of rolls of exposed Delta 400 were ruined by the stronger x-rays used there.
For a while after that I put all my film in clear plastic bags and deliberately carried some Delta 3200 with them so as to have proof that my film was over the 800 ISO the carry on xrays are supposed to be safe at. Had a few arguments about hand inspections even so, but mostly in India.
Finally got a ruling from the Australian Government that under the regulations, security staff at Australian airports were OBLIGED to carry out hand inspections if requested. Some didn't know so I took to carrying a copy of the regulations and routinely asked immediately for a supervisor. Often the supervisor didn't know either! Once asked to see the airport security manager when faced with total obstinacy. That worked!
Today I'm much more relaxed about it. Two plastic bags, one for unexposed film and one for exposed film. Removed from cartons. Only carry 100 and 400 ISO film. Show the bag. Even when it has to go through multiple carry-on check xrays I've had no problems.
I wouldn't recommend putting film in your pocket. You can get away with this with 120 film with plastic spools and the foil removed, but why bother? 35mm film in metal containers will get picked up by the detectors and you'll have to go back, empty your pockets and put the film through xray anyway. Again, why bother? Just show the bags, ask for a hand inspection. If it's refused you can still put the bag through the xray without worry.
But take the film bags out of your luggage. You will probably have noticed that if the operator is uncertain about anything on the screen they reverse the conveyor and rescan, maybe three or four times and may still ask you to open your bag at the end of it all! Since most operators don't know what a film camera looks like on their screen, and especially a vintage Leica or FSU clone they regard what they see with deep suspicion!

 

[Pablito]

Just stick your film in your pockets and walk through the metal detector if concerned.

VERY bad idea...

 

[Gumby]

I have no personal experience on that but have heard that the FedEX packages are scanned with X-ray at random. I do recall someone mentioning that he had all film practically burned by FedEX (or was it UPS?). But that was just one single occasion, all others have reported no problems. And I am not 100% sure about that single occasion anymore.

It may well be that they scan ALL packages with something like carry-on X-ray, but just SOME packages they scan with stronger ones. But that is pure speculation. Go and browse the largeformatphotograhy.info/forum - this subject was discussed there several times into details.

One probably has a higher chance of having a FedEx/UPS pouch lost than having x-ray damage from the airports.

I always just put them through the carry-on x-ray machine.

 

[pschauss]

I would be more concerned about theft of the cameras after you arrive than damage to the film in transit. I have never had a problem with film damaged by the scanners used for carry-ons, but there have been several postings here about stolen cameras and I have had a few close calls myself. When I am walking in a major city, I usually carry a camera which fits in my pocket like a Leica IIIa, half-frame Super Ikonta, or an Olympus XA. I pick one lens and one film type for the day and live with their limitations.