Tri-X and Airport X-Rays

[ironhorse]

I'll be flying for the first time in years carrying film. I will ask security to hand inspect it, but is there a serious problem if the film is X-rayed in US airports? (max total of 4 times)

 

[Pablito]

don't bother with hand inspection, just carry it on board and let them scan it.

Have had tri-x scanned 20x with no problems. Been doing it for many years, many times, film used professionally.

DO NOT put in checked baggage.

Many threads on this on RFF and elsewhere................................

 

[Tim Gray]

Agreed. I fly at least once a month, Tri-X in bag. Never saw a problem. Don't put it in checked luggage - carry on only.

 

[filmfan]

Why not in checked luggage? (besides that it might go missing along with your bag)

edit: I have also allowed my BW film to be X-rayed many times with no problems while traveling around Europe.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Why not in checked luggage? (besides that it might go missing along with your bag)

Because the x-ray scanners used for checked in luggage are much stronger than the x-ray scanners used for carry on luggage.

 

[wgerrard]

The scanners used to examine checked luggage are much stronger, and different, than the scanners used on carryons. It's almost a certainty that they will damage film.

 

[ironhorse]

Thanks to all.

 

[clayne]

Scanned fillm (even higher speed 1600/3200 stuff) over 15 times back and forth multiple times. No issues.

 

[Haigh]

I have never had a problem but it goes through the scanner on its own in a plastic bag. I don't leave a roll in the camera either when that is scanned.

 

[xxloverxx]

Europe's fine; anyone know about China (specifically Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai)?

 

[Griffin]

I hear the sweet 'n sour pork is rather nice there.

 

[Pablito]

Europe's fine; anyone know about China (specifically Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai)?

no problem been there done that so long as it's all air travel.

if you go by land from Hong Kong to Shenzhen watch out for the big x ray machines at customs. But it's not like they are going to hand check anyway.

 

[sevo]

Europe's fine; anyone know about China (specifically Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shanghai)?

YMMV, wildly. Facilities in urban China are usually more modern than in Europe, being built in the boom of the past decade - but it can suddenly drift towards the medieval if you hit some remote region.

 

[Brian Puccio]

Got my film (a dozen rolls of ADOX CMS 20, a handful of Kodachrome, and dozens of rolls of Velvia, Provia 100F and Provia 400X, some of which was psuhed to ISO 1600) zapped 6 times on a recent trip, including while going into the Bundestag. No problems and we were super paranoid.

 

[thegman]

I took film through US x-rays at least 4 times this year, even the 1600 speed stuff came out unaffected.

 

[xxloverxx]

I hear the sweet 'n sour pork is rather nice there.

Can be!

no problem been there done that so long as it's all air travel.

if you go by land from Hong Kong to Shenzhen watch out for the big x ray machines at customs. But it's not like they are going to hand check anyway.

YMMV, wildly. Facilities in urban China are usually more modern than in Europe, being built in the boom of the past decade - but it can suddenly drift towards the medieval if you hit some remote region.

Thanks — I'll watch out 🙂