Bringing Leica M4 to South Korea during Xmas

[GaryLH]

. Will try to find another camera if possible. I am going for 6 days and now thinking I might not have enough rolls. Any experience where can I get some films in S. Korea?

Bring a p&s film or digital as your backup. Best way to get some shots of yourself during this trip.. Easy to hand to friend, relative or any stranger for a quick pic of you both.

Gary

 

[TennesseJones]

Plus one to that.

Have taken up to 400 all over the world and its always been fine.

You'll find most people who travel regularly with film will corroborate the same view. I've regularly flown around Asia (including a lot of China) for work for over 15 years, always carrying film, with not a single issue. The highest number of x-ray passes I've had with 400 speed film is 16x and even that showed no noticeable affects.

 

[dufffader]

I was shooting this weekend with an M2 at -10C in Seoul. The M camera works well below this temperature. Most likely your wife will complain about the temperature before the camera does - from experience. The only problem is that you will need to shoot with gloves, your fingers will not last very long outdoors. This brings another problem: since you're shooting a mechanical camera, either you're very experienced, and you can meter in your brain, or you need an external meter - and you don't have the luxury of taking it out of your bag for each shot to meter. I'd say, since this is a honeymoon, bring a point and shoot (borrow, buy, etc) or perhaps a smartphone - but beware, my iPhone 4s shuts down at 60% battery level when exposed to freezing temperatures. With thick gloves I usually don't rewind the film outdoors - preferring to do it in cafes (explaining why I drink a lot of hot coffee when shooting in winter). The solution to this is, of course, a second M4!

If you still think you still want to do only film, there are plenty of shops selling film in Chungmuro (충무로). Some too in Namdaemun, but I'd argue Chungmuro is where the film people hang out. I think I have seen 400H there. I can't recall, I only shoot 400TX. PM me if you need directions, and recommendations. I think I spend too much time in Chungmuro. But 6 days, 12 rolls of 400H is more than enough. There will be some good days, and there will be some down days.

Best advice to follow is a previous post to test out the camera before using it on an important occasion. M4 is a fine camera, but you might have mechanical adjustments to make if it has been sitting on the shelf for decades, or rangefinder might be out of whack, etc.

 

[dufffader]

You'll find most people who travel regularly with film will corroborate the same view. I've regularly flown around Asia (including a lot of China) for work for over 15 years, always carrying film, with not a single issue. The highest number of x-ray passes I've had with 400 speed film is 16x and even that showed no noticeable affects.

Yup. Chinese x-ray machines are fine. Sometimes you can even carry your camera bag and walk past and not put it into the machine. Seems like they're there just because some directive orders them to have it.

Rule of common sense applies here too. Obviously don't check in your film, they use a stronger x-ray machine for the cargo hold. I was in Bali last month, and at the entrance and exit of the airport, all bags had to go through those large machines. I asked for hand inspection, and they had no problem with it.

 

[lcpr]

You'll find most people who travel regularly with film will corroborate the same view. I've regularly flown around Asia (including a lot of China) for work for over 15 years, always carrying film, with not a single issue. The highest number of x-ray passes I've had with 400 speed film is 16x and even that showed no noticeable affects.

Yep, went to/from Manila this year from London Heathrow (they don't do manual checks there either) with a handcarry bag full of Neopan 1600 and Tri-X at rated at 1600 (plus some pushed Portra), had it scanned at least six times, no visible signs of damage to the images I took.

 

[1joel1]

I usually worry about coming inside from the cold. This is when condensation can form and cause some damage. Condensation can even form inside the lenses so I bring a zip lock bag and put everything inside before I come back into a warm atmosphere. (even use 2 bags sometimes)

Joel

 

[Wetzlarfan]

Ditto on no problems carrying ISO 400 through five x-ray passes in London and India. On the subject of winding. I've never had film break, but in the 70s (maybe not modern film), I found that winding B&W too fast resulted in static electricity streaks across the negatives. The cold should have no effect on the camera if it has had a CLA in the last 10 years.

 

[skyjuice]

Hi guys,
I came back from S.Korea and it is a lovely country. Temperate on average was -14 Celcius but the Leica M4 performed flawlessly.
There was total of 31 people joined the tour to S.Korea and I am the only guy use film. Everyone approached me to look at the camera and many youngsters are completely clueless about film cartridge and have never seen it throughout their entire life 😀

I managed to ask for hand inspection at Malaysia Airport and transit from Seoul to Jeju Island.
Nevertheless, not so lucky while making way home from Incheon International Airport S.Korea back to Malaysia as the officer strictly insist no hand inspection unless I have written consent from S.Korea's Authorities. At first, I was worry but after developing the film there's no issue at all for the film to scan through on hand carry x-ray.
I do notice at the old airport from Seoul to Jeju Island they put up a notice which allow passenger to request for hand inspection as the x-ray might damage the film.

I like to thank you each and everyone responded to this thread and being so supportive.

Sharing the photos during the trip. All photos on Leica M4 + 35mm Summicron version 4. For colour film I used FujiPro400H whereas for B&W I used FujiNeopan400 rated either 800 or 1600; pushed process at 1600.

 

[Vincent.G]

Lovely shots!
I like the color shots very much!
Did you scan them yourself?

For my films (exposed & unexposed), they are fine after multiple X-Ray scanning. I did not notice any problems so nowadays I do not bother with hand inspection.

 

[skyjuice]

Lovely shots!
I like the color shots very much!
Did you scan them yourself?

For my films (exposed & unexposed), they are fine after multiple X-Ray scanning. I did not notice any problems so nowadays I do not bother with hand inspection.

Thank you for liking colour photos. I sent for lab-scan.
Seem like there's no issue to travel around with film 😉