Derek Leath
dl__images Instagram
I use a Film X-Ray bag.
Always works.
I think you can still find them on line.
Always works.
I think you can still find them on line.
Film in airport X-ray machines
- Thread starter ProSimex
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CharlesDAMorgan
Veteran
I took two rolls of TmaxP3200 out with me to Spain, on the way out scanned in my hand luggage and then kindly hand checked at Girona. Not a trace of fogging now developed.
Derek Leath
dl__images Instagram
I have Topcon Super D also, I was thinking about putting some film through it.
CharlesDAMorgan
Veteran
Great camera and lenses. It's about time I shot another roll, but my previous results are superb.
rob.nyc1
Established
Just got back from a trip to Poland where the film was x-rayed 4 times, once in the US, three times in Europe. 400 ISO, no problems.
The smaller the ISO the less sensitive it is to the x-rays. I wouldn't worry about it.
The smaller the ISO the less sensitive it is to the x-rays. I wouldn't worry about it.
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
My last two trips were via SFO and Schiphol (Amsterdam). They had the new scanners that look like hospital CT machines with a round entry way. They are supposed to take "many" scans of your luggage at once to form a 3D image so there is no need to remove the laptop etc. In Schiphol they hand checked my roll film. In SFO I had TMY 4x5 sheet film so let them pass through. My processing is backlogged but I'll process them this weekend.
Huss
Veteran
In the US they will hand check your film so no need to get it xrayed.
traveler_101
American abroad
No one seems to have commented on the new CT scanners have been introduced at the major airports. Anywhere you see a sign that it is not necessary to remove liquids and laptops the new technology is in place. Airport personal claim that they are safe for film, but some people are telling a different story.
Ste_S
Well-known
Still yet to see anyone post up photos from radiation damaged film from the new scanners.
Most recent trip took Lomo CN800 and Ilford Delta 400 (pushed to 1600) through Birmingham, UK and Barcelona airport scanners; and the scanner for the AVE service at Madrid station without issue.
dourbalistar
Buy more film
There's a thread on Photrio with examples of film damaged by some of the new x-ray scanners:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/new-airport-scanners.170709/
traveler_101
American abroad
Yes I posted there too. The claim that damage to the films in question were caused by the new machines is sharply contested by an expert. I can't decide on the basis of that thread what to believe.
KenR
Well-known
The last time that I asked for hand inspection was in Italy and a soldier pointed a sub-machine gun at me and quite emphatically said “No.” Since then I have put my film through scanners, including five times in China, and have never had a problem.
traveler_101
American abroad
Yes it went well - at least in terms of the integrity of the film, but when was this "last time" and did the airport in question have the new CT x-ray scanners? I have never received hand inspection in Europe; they just say it is safe. Haven't had a machine gun pointed at me yet - geez
In the U.S. I have asked for and received hand inspection - that is true - but one never knows when you will run into the wrong TSA officer. Here is what TSA has to say about the new scanners, along with a list of seventeen US airports where the technology is currently installed.
https://www.tsa.gov/computed-tomography
Brian Atherton
Well-known
In all my years travelling around the world (Middle East, North Africa, Europe, USA) with 400 ISO film, I have never, ever had damage to film caused by my luggage being scanned, sometimes multiple times during a trip.
Admittedly, since the advent of digital, I have taken film abroad less and - in the last five years never: it has been digital only. Not because I am worried that my film will get ruined by a scanner but because I just can’t be bothered lugging ten to twenty rolls of 35mm with me, and the associated cost of purchase and processing etc.
Admittedly, since the advent of digital, I have taken film abroad less and - in the last five years never: it has been digital only. Not because I am worried that my film will get ruined by a scanner but because I just can’t be bothered lugging ten to twenty rolls of 35mm with me, and the associated cost of purchase and processing etc.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I’m going through Logan at the end of the month. I’ll bring a roll of HP5 and see what happens.
KenR
Well-known
Italian episode was about 15 years ago, with multiple Chinese scans about 5 years ago. I have no experience with the newer ct scanners that I know of. I travel a lot domestically for business and always have a camera loaded with Tmax400 with me. No problems thus far except for bad light seals in a Goodwill camera.
giganova
Well-known
I travel extensively with film. On one trip I had 20 rolls of FP-4 scanned 5x with no fogging whatsoever. A technical paper by Kodak says up to 8x is fine with 100 ASA films, which my involuntary experience seems to confirm.
X-rays bags never worked for me because the TSA person will ask what's inside, I have to take it out, and they inspect it. Takes 10x longer than simply putting the films into a transparent Ziplock bag and kindly asking for a hand inspection. Works like charm in the US, but in Latin America and most European countries, they often refuse hand infection and put it through the X-ray machine. I once had a foreign TSA agent shout at me at the top of his lung, made a huge circus, made the entire line of people wait forever, which made them mad at me, and then the foreign TSA agent pulled me aside and gave me a thorough strip search. So I don't even ask for a hand inspection in foreign countries anymore because X-raying up to 8x is no problem.
X-rays bags never worked for me because the TSA person will ask what's inside, I have to take it out, and they inspect it. Takes 10x longer than simply putting the films into a transparent Ziplock bag and kindly asking for a hand inspection. Works like charm in the US, but in Latin America and most European countries, they often refuse hand infection and put it through the X-ray machine. I once had a foreign TSA agent shout at me at the top of his lung, made a huge circus, made the entire line of people wait forever, which made them mad at me, and then the foreign TSA agent pulled me aside and gave me a thorough strip search. So I don't even ask for a hand inspection in foreign countries anymore because X-raying up to 8x is no problem.
traveler_101
American abroad
That would be a great service.
traveler_101
American abroad
Yes, it can be very unpleasant if you get on the wrong side of these people. Procedures vary but somehow you are expected to know "the" rules.
One time I asked for a hand check at Orlando for two bricks of newly purchased Kodak I was bringing back to this side of the Atlantic: they opened every singly box and checked it. They were very pleasant about it.
Well yeah, once I became convinced that multiple scans were safe I stopped asking for hand checks even in the U.S. The issue is now new scanners that are said to resemble those used on checked baggage.
traveler_101
American abroad
A member at PHOTRIO developed a roll of 120 film that went through a new CT scanner. It was clearly damaged. https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/new-airport-scanners.170709/page-5#post-2240260
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