Delta 3200 and Airport Security

[Bobfrance]

I took Delta 400 in and out of Cuba (in luggage) and some of it was decidedly fogged. This from a camera that has never suffered a light leak before or since.

I was wondering about buying an x-ray proof pouch. However are you just asking to have your luggage ransacked when this shows up on a scanner? And if it's in hand luggage are you asking for a rubber glove up the a*$@?

Anybody tried one?
(An x-ray proof pouch not a rubber glove up the a*$@) 😉

 

[vieri]

I took Delta 400 in and out of Cuba (in luggage) and some of it was decidedly fogged. This from a camera that has never suffered a light leak before or since.

I was wondering about buying an x-ray proof pouch. However are you just asking to have your luggage ransacked when this shows up on a scanner? And if it's in hand luggage are you asking for a rubber glove up the a*$@?

Anybody tried one?
(An x-ray proof pouch not a rubber glove up the a*$@) 😉

I didn't try either, nor I am willing to - the latter, for obvious (to me at least, YMMV) reasons 😀, the former & more photo-related one because I imagine that the baggage checking people will go nuts when seeing an impenetrable-to-X-rays blob in your luggage and will go violent on the luggage itself. :bang: I'd rather get to the airport 10-15 minutes earlier, carry my film with me and ask for hand inspection if unsure of the safety of hand-baggage machines (which should by fine, btw).

 

[Bobfrance]

...I imagine that the baggage checking people will go nuts when seeing an impenetrable-to-X-rays blob in your luggage and will go violent on the luggage itself.

My thought exactly - anyone here tried one?

 

[pevelg]

I imagine that the baggage checking people will go nuts when seeing an impenetrable-to-X-rays blob in your luggage and will go violent on the luggage itself. :bang:

...hehe... 🙁 They do go nuts. I had this happen to me on my return flight from Alaska. They shoved a weird device into my camera bag, testing for some chemicals or something.... Then they searched all the items, searched the X-ray bag, finding the film. The film was then inspected individually, all ~40 rolls of it.

 

[semrich]

I especially liked the information and suggestion, which I wonder why it never dawned on me, about taking the foil off of 120 film and carrying it in cargo pants pockets through the metal detector.

Thank you for those who have shown concern, It was a fun idea because I never thought about it in that way, though being conservative about most things it is just not something I would do.

I will see what the response is at security for hand inspection, if that is a no go just see what happens when I develop the film.

 

[dave lackey]

Hmmm...quick question...

Should the film be taken onboard in intact boxes or taken out and in the plastic cylinders, or, just the film cartridges showing with leader out in plastic baggies?

 

[Chuck Albertson]

I took Delta 400 in and out of Cuba (in luggage) and some of it was decidedly fogged. This from a camera that has never suffered a light leak before or since.

I was wondering about buying an x-ray proof pouch. However are you just asking to have your luggage ransacked when this shows up on a scanner? And if it's in hand luggage are you asking for a rubber glove up the a*$@?

Anybody tried one?
(An x-ray proof pouch not a rubber glove up the a*$@) 😉

I think the scanners in Cuba are of the same vintage as their cars.

I quit using a lead pouch about 25 years ago, after a security guard at Schipol saw the dark blob on her screen, jerked the bag of film out of it, and ran it through the scanner.

 

[mackigator]

I've also read anecdotes of security personnel increasing the power of the scan in an effort to see into the "xray proof" bag until the film is finally affected. And then hand search the blob anyway. No idea if they can actually do this, but I can see how that might play out.

I've used clear zip locks and the voluntary hand search option with no troubles in the U.S.

 

[Shac]

So far in my travels the only times they always refuse to hand inspect film is in UK airports. I believe in the US, FAA rules indicate hand inspections are fine.

 

[Roger Hicks]

So far in my travels the only times they always refuse to hand inspect film is in UK airports. I believe in the US, FAA rules indicate hand inspections are fine.

I've even had ONE hand inspection in the UK in the last 20 years.

Cheers,

R.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Has anyone taken Delta 3200 on a trip and had it go through Security X-ray shot it on a trip and gone through X-ray on the return trip then developed it without problems?

I took about six rolls of Fuji Superia 1600 on a trip to Thailand/Laos last christmas/new year in my hand luggage, and it got fogged. The film went through x-ray inspection maybe six times.

I limit myself to ISO800 now and ask for hand inspection all the time, although some airport staff are not always obliging and stick the film through the x-ray anyway. That doesn't bother me though, as long as I can keep the x-ray count to a minimum.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I took Delta 400 in and out of Cuba (in luggage) and some of it was decidedly fogged. This from a camera that has never suffered a light leak before or since.

I took about 45 rolls of film (ISO 400 and ISO100) to Cuba via Toronto in my checked in luggage, and also took it home to Japan in my checked in luggage (4 international flights) and didn't have a problem with any of the film.

Edited to add: after getting away with it on the Cuba trip, I have avoided putting film in my check-in luggage ever since. You might get away with it like I did, but the risk is just not worth it.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Has anyone taken Delta 3200 on a trip and had it go through Security X-ray shot it on a trip and gone through X-ray on the return trip then developed it without problems?

I have. Expired Delta 3200, on *two* intercontinental round-trips (so, make that four intercontinental trips). Developed it a year after shot. Some fogging, for sure, but the image was well, otherwise.

So, I'd assume that with only one trip and prompt development, you should be ok.

 

[vieri]

I have. Expired Delta 3200, on *two* intercontinental round-trips (so, make that four intercontinental trips). Developed it a year after shot. Some fogging, for sure, but the image was well, otherwise.

So, I'd assume that with only one trip and prompt development, you should be ok.

Gabriel, no disrespect intended but I think almost everything developed one year after shot would show some fogging, the more if it hasn't been stored in a cool place of course 😀 I am not sure that this could count as a clear X-Ray contamination case 😉

 

[furcafe]

I think you were luckier than you might imagine. If security had decided to scan your checked luggage (or if it had been in close proximity to suspicious luggage), much of the film probably would have been toast because the X-ray scanners used for checked luggage are designed to penetrate metal containers, etc. The Kodak link posted above shows some examples of what 1 model of checked luggage scanner can do. If you are forced to check in your film, I would keep it away from anything metal or high density.

Scanners for carry-on luggage are not nearly as powerful (otherwise, there would be potential radiation risk to security workers & passengers); on these machines, workers can manipulate the displays to focus on different densities, etc., but, contrary to what some believe, they cannot "turn up the heat" sufficient to fog your film.

I took about 45 rolls of film (ISO 400 and ISO100) to Cuba via Toronto in my checked in luggage, and also took it home to Japan in my checked in luggage (4 international flights) and didn't have a problem with any of the film.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I think you were luckier than you might imagine. If security had decided to scan your checked luggage (or if it had been in close proximity to suspicious luggage), much of the film probably would have been toast because the X-ray scanners used for checked luggage are designed to penetrate metal containers, etc. The Kodak link posted above shows some examples of what 1 model of checked luggage scanner can do. If you are forced to check in your film, I would keep it away from anything metal or high density.

Scanners for carry-on luggage are not nearly as powerful (otherwise, there would be potential radiation risk to security workers & passengers); on these machines, workers can manipulate the displays to focus on different densities, etc., but, contrary to what some believe, they cannot "turn up the heat" sufficient to fog your film.

You're absolutely right, and I should have added the disclaimer "don't try this for yourself" because since then I have always hand carried my film, as I realised just how stupid it was to pack my film in my check-in luggage after getting home.

 

[swoop]

I have an X-Ray pouch for my film. I've left it in my checked baggage as well as my carry on and it gets around just fine. I will say that when I have the pouch in my carry on, 80% of the time they ask to look inside the bag. And then I show them that it's film and they just let me be on my way.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Gabriel, no disrespect intended but I think almost everything developed one year after shot would show some fogging, the more if it hasn't been stored in a cool place of course 😀 I am not sure that this could count as a clear X-Ray contamination case 😉

That's the point: X-Ray scanning didn't seem to change a thing. 😛

 

[andrewmore]

Gatwick security will hand check film, but they moan like mad - standing your ground and getting them to do what they are obliged to do is about the only fun you can have at Gatwick other than leaving the place.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[furcafe]

Per my earlier post re: jonmanjiro's experience, you are also lucky. If your checked bag had been deemed suspicious, the scanners are powerful enough to go right through your pouch (assuming it's your typical 1 bought @ B&H, etc.).

I have an X-Ray pouch for my film. I've left it in my checked baggage as well as my carry on and it gets around just fine. I will say that when I have the pouch in my carry on, 80% of the time they ask to look inside the bag. And then I show them that it's film and they just let me be on my way.