Film and flying

[Isca]

So what is the definitive answer, can film fly?

No, no, ignore the last question.

Will undeveloped film fog if it goes through airport security. Any other hints on taking film for a vacation?

 

[Carlos Cruz]

Never put undeveloped film into checked luggage, the x ray down there is much stronger and it will fog your film, so try to always take it on board and avoid scanning whenever possible it's effects are cummulative, ask the security guys for hand inspection, sometimes it works

 

[dnk512]

Follow the instructions at each particular gate. Have your film in a clear bag and ask the people working at each gate. I've always asked for hand-check. In the US they always do so. In Europe they NEVER hand-check. I never had anything fog at 400ISO and less. Remember, NEVER put unprocessed film in the checkin. Also, if they hand-check your film, they WILL open every canister. They took my 120 film out of the sealed packaging, too 🙁. Not the box, the aluminum sealed wrapping. Pretty soon they will unroll each film to make sure nothing escapes them :bang:.

 

[mich8261]

Definitely in checked luggage. For carry on, you must ask for a manual inspection. If you are flying through US airports, TSA guarantees you this service. Go to TSA.gov and print out the page in case you encounter security personnel not familiar with their policy. Don't let them convince you to do it because it is "safe" for film under 800 ISO. The effect of x-rays is cumulative and that doesn't just mean each airport you go through. If they choose to redo your bag or reverse the mechanism to reinspect someone's belongings and your film is on the belt, it may get two or three doses in one go.

 

[peter_n]

Try to make it convenient for them. Take the film out of the canisters and place in two clear plastic bags so they can complete the task quickly. Bring a 3rd bag for exposed film on the return trip. And do a search on this topic here and on photo.net; there's a huge number of threads on this topic.

 

[StuartR]

Generally, do security a courtesy by being early for your flight. If you are there with time to spare and there is not a huge line, they will be much more willing to do a hand check. Don't hand them 100 rolls and expect a hand check. If you are traveling to a major city and have done your homework, you are probably better off bringing a few rolls with you and then buying the film at your destination. It may cost a bit more, but it is worth it if you are going to be going through multiple x-rays. This goes double or triple if you are shooting high ISO's. It is going to be better to buy Delta 3200 or TMZ at your destination than it would be to bring it with you. ISO 100 film will hold up a lot better. If you cannot buy your film at your destination, it will help to develop it there, or if not, then just smile and try to get a hand check. It always helps if you speak the language. People say they could never get a hand check in Japan or Russia, but I never have had a problem since I speak the languages. Politeness and a basic command of their language goes a long way.

 

[WoolenMammoth]

Much of the hysteria you read on the internet about xraying film is just that hysteria in my opinion. I can only speak to my experience, but for years the only thing I shot was TMZ and have had that film Xrayed both as carrry on going out of heathrow and in checked luggage out of JFK and have had NO ill effects. Not one single frame of fogged film. What really gets me is that %100 of the TMZ I shot in that period of time was fedexed out of NYC to LA for processing and fedex surely must xray their packages before putting them on planes. Its possible that Im exceptionally lucky, but I never had a single issue with xraying the film and processing it at 3200. Im also speaking about what probably amounts to a few hundred rolls of film over the course of a few years.

 

[StuartR]

Yes, it is possible that you are extremely lucky. I have had ISO 400 speed film fogged after going through a few X-rays across Europe. That is why I am hysterical about it. Also, FedEx and UPS are non-commericial airliners and subject to totally different regulations. I doubt that they x-ray packages in most circumstances. They don't have government regulations and insurance companies breathing down their necks because there are no passengers.

 

[Al Patterson]

I've put XP2 in my camera bag through security twice on a round trip without problems. (It's 400 speed.)

Never taken anything faster on a flying trip.

 

[PaulDalex]

A am so scared that they might fog my film that I always buy it and process it at the destination, typically using A&I. This workflow is a real pain. I remember the happy times when it was enough to show the film at the gate to be allowed not to pass it under the Xray scanner.

 

[dmr]

Will undeveloped film fog if it goes through airport security. Any other hints on taking film for a vacation?

Two points here.

First, I always ask for a hand inspection of any film I take, just in case. I always have the film in a baggie and all rolls out of those plastic canisters to make it easy for them. I ask politely. I've never been refused. Sometimes they just look at it, sometimes they take it over to that Nasty Stuff Detector machine and swab it off.

Second, and I thought this film was literally toast, but ... and this was post-911, I accidentally left a partly exposed roll of Fuji 800 in the Pentax in a checked bag when flying Southwest out of MDW in Chicago. I expected it to be badly fogged, but it came out normally, with no fog marks even in the clear negative edges and unexposed frames. Either the dose was not enough to register, or for some reason it was not x-rayed. I'm not going to repeat this to try to find out, however. 🙂

 

[mpt600]

I've never had film fogged by airports, ever. I don't know anyone who has, and my memory goes back to when all camera's used film, pre digital.

 

[icebear]

How about a film protection bag ?

How about a film protection bag ?

This topic comes up every so often, has anyone heard of a film protection bag ? 😕 Get your self a Domke x-ray shield bag in the appropriate size and you and your film up to 800 ISO are good to go eeeh fly of course.😀 Put your film in the bag and in your carry on and no hand inspectionn needed. Security might once in a while want have a look into the bag after screening but that's usually not a big deal instead of asking them for hand inspection upfront.

 

[PaulDalex]

I own film protection bags ever since. But I heard that after 9/11 they are not safe anymore. So I started traveling without film. A real pain...

 

[PaulDalex]

Also I recollect that my fears originated from a series of discouraging articles of PopPhoto pre 9/11. I understand that is there is no way to buy (even on the web) at the destination, one can only take the chance to ask for visual inspection, use the Xray protection bags...

 

[Kim Coxon]

Yup,
Film can certainly fly! 😀

So what is the definitive answer, can film fly?

 

[rxmd]

I own film protection bags ever since. But I heard that after 9/11 they are not safe anymore.

Why?

Philipp

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Take your camera to the airport empty as they may well want you to open them.

 

[PaulDalex]

Philipp,
I wish someone will repeat the PopPhoto tests under today's circumstances. After them, the new models of Xrays machines have an increased power. Also if one has connecting flights exposure to Xrays is repeated.
Since I can afford very little photographying time, the slightest idea that the film is compromised, the anxiety associated with such would take away all my concentration (and pleasure). For the same reason I keep film in the refrigerator and do not feel confortable using expired film.
These might be only symptoms that I am an hobbyst, but I don't see any cure but some reassuring scientific tests. But PopPhoto is lost after the digital gadgets....

 

[kaiyen]

carry-on x-ray machines are strong_er_ but are not strong enough to fog film on a single pass through. I've run Delta 3200 through about...8 times on a single trip and still no fog. At least not any of the banding type you see in the Kodak examples.

Just chill about it. You'll be fine 9 out of 10 times. Ask for a hand inspection, if they say no, then just let it be.

allan