Film in lead-lined bag for air travel to SA

[MrFujicaman]

I have a friend that works for TSA. If they find a large mass they can't see thru, they will A) jack the power on the x-ray machine way up. B) if that doesn't work they yank you out of line and pat you down and hand search all your baggage. The TSA's rules for hand inspections of film are online-print them out and take them with you.

 

[Bill Clark]

Lead bags were a PITA for me.

Now i use an Oni bag, fits under the seat. I carry film in it loose and so far no inspections and no fog. Used Tri-X.

 

[Huss]

TSA in LA and Hawaii were nice enough to hand check my film.
Security in London refused, and fogged some of it. 100 ASA 120 slide film. And it was in a lead film bag. Thing is, they just crank their machines up until it goes through your bag.

This was last summer.

 

[rfaspen]

My goodness Johan. The most "variable" things about the topic of film and airport x-rays are the opinions folks have about them. I tried to prepare the OP for this fact.

Folks remain concerned about this issue. Thus, my advise to bring films in carry-on luggage and possibly ask for hand checks where feasible seems reasonable for those that are worried (e.g., the OP).

Modern air travel with modern carry-on baggage scanners has had no apparent effect on my films. It was different in the past (15-20 years ago) when I had more than one occasion of fogged images.

My anecdotes will never settle the issue on this topic. I hope I didn't give that impression. I would simply advise the OP to skip the lead bag and follow my suggestion about carry-on.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Must be a German X-Ray machine to make streaks that regular, closely spaced, and in the direction of film/scanner travel. 🙂

Dante

I just processed a lot of film from my trip to Paris/London from last March. Even my Tri-x is exhibiting some nasty banding from going through four sets of x-ray machines. I say be as careful as you can be!

Example:

 

[x-ray]

I just processed a lot of film from my trip to Paris/London from last March. Even my Tri-x is exhibiting some nasty banding from going through four sets of x-ray machines. I say be as careful as you can be!

I was in Italy a few years ago and flew back through Paris. The security agent couldn't figure out what was in my carry on camera bag and ran it through the machine several times. My 100 Fuji Acros was fine but my Neopan was trashed. I posted a scan on the forum of what should have been clear leader and it had Xray shadows from the metal cassettes.

I work in X-rays as an art form. I use conventional camera film most of the time to xray on. Take for example three or four 400 speed films. Some are more sensitive to X-rays than others. I find HP5 to be more sensitive than TX or Foma by about 3 times. Xray sensitivity isn't the same as light sensitivity.

 

[x-ray]

Remember Xray exposure is cumulative. The more it goes through machines the higher the probability of damage. I'm not certain there are uniform standards for Xray output in these machines certainly not between countries. You might get a low dose machine in Italy and an old high output in Paris. Pretty much you just take your chances. The only time I carry film now is if I'm driving or walking across the border. I've decided after my experience to never carry film if there's any chance of Xray exposure. I'll take digital in the future.

 

[SteveM]

Rodinal describes the Santiago arrival procedure well. The main purpose of the baggage AND carry-on scan is for agricultural screening. You aren't required to take off your coat etc. at that stage, so in the past I've just put my bag of film in my jacket pocket. You will, however, have to go through regular screening on departure but I've always found their security personnel very courteous - although you might have to make the request in Spanish! Enjoy your trip.

Steve

 

[craygc]

I have a friend that works for TSA. If they find a large mass they can't see thru, they will A) jack the power on the x-ray machine way up.

For carry on x-ray machines operators can't change the power level. Hand carry on x-ray scanner units perform a single scan with most machines today being dual-energy type scanners. Dual energy type scanners pass x-rays first through your bags, etc, then through 3 barriers which in turn filter out high, low and pass-through energy. The detection from these 3 filtrations are then compared in the system's computing modules for interpretation and display.

Within these scanners the initial power level of the scan beam is usually within the range of 140 to 160 kilovolt peak. The colour changes you see on the screen are merely differing representations of metal, organic and inorganic objects achieved by performing additive and subtractive transformations on the different energy levels calculated from the filterings at the 3 barriers of a single pass scan - although operators can reverse an object back into the beam for another scan. The scan energy level is set on these machines and cannot be arbitrarily increased by an operator.

 

[Huss]

TSA in LA and Hawaii were nice enough to hand check my film.
Security in London refused, and fogged some of it. 100 ASA 120 slide film. And it was in a lead film bag. Thing is, they just crank their machines up until it goes through your bag.

This was last summer.

Fogged (the pink edges) 100 ASA film from last summer. Thank you Heathrow security!... (I asked for a bag check, the person refused)

The worse/better examples I deleted as I could not salvage the images. This one I converted into B&W, cropped and it was ok.

 

[peterm1]

I never had any problems in my film shooting days but made it a rule to always ask for my film to be inspected visually just in case. In many years of traveling by air, I only ever had one security officer grumble but even she complied. Not sure if they are so compliant these days though. I should imagine others are right if you put it in a lead bag they will jsut crank up the power and then the real damage starts. It was often told to me that carry on was the way to go as the machines were less intrusive than ones for checked baggage. Just in case it may make sense to (a) carry the film in a transparent and openable bag (b) request a visual inspection and (c) if they wont agree ask politely the nature of your concern. Getting cranky or pushy is more likely to see them try to irradiate you stuff till it glows, just for the sheer hell of it.

 

[Pherdinand]

items scanned multiple times and they would not "hand check" anything. I showed my film to some folks and told them it was "120mm" and they thought it was ammunition!
.

And they might have been right, since theres no such thing as 120 mm film 🙂)

 

[Sparrow]

1) the carry on x-ray machines have contrast adjustment the operator cannot alter the power settings.

2) carry on machines have a consistent output they do not put stripes or bands on film

3) x-ray damage would fog the whole of the film, so if the film's edges and frame spacing are not fogged it's not x-ray damage

4) I have asked for examples to support peoples claims each time this 'zomby' topic comes up for many years now and have yet to see convincing evidence.

for many years I traveled a lot on business ... trips to the US and Australia in particular could involve many flights each trip and while I had a few spoiled negatives each time I never felt the need to blame x-rays

 

[Rangefinder 35]

Thank you very much for many replies. I'm just gonna put the film in my carry-on. I was thinking of 40 rolls. I might just put them all in ziplock bag and ask for visual inspection. Thanks for the scoop on Santiago inspection. Again, this is the topic that many of us have to deal with, eventually.

 

[leicapixie]

I suggest not using "lead bags" as the X-ray operators cannot see what's in bag..In my case they sent bag up and down at least 6 times before opening it..
i have never had any luck in "hand" search.i no longer air-travel with Film. Digital way to go.

 

[Huss]

Fogged (the pink edges) 100 ASA film from last summer. Thank you Heathrow security!... (I asked for a bag check, the person refused)

The worse/better examples I deleted as I could not salvage the images. This one I converted into B&W, cropped and it was ok.

"4) I have asked for examples to support peoples claims each time this 'zomby' topic comes up for many years now and have yet to see convincing evidence."

 

[johannielscom]

I was in Italy a few years ago and flew back through Paris. The security agent couldn't figure out what was in my carry on camera bag and ran it through the machine several times. My 100 Fuji Acros was fine but my Neopan was trashed. I posted a scan on the forum of what should have been clear leader and it had Xray shadows from the metal cassettes.

I work in X-rays as an art form. I use conventional camera film most of the time to xray on. Take for example three or four 400 speed films. Some are more sensitive to X-rays than others. I find HP5 to be more sensitive than TX or Foma by about 3 times. Xray sensitivity isn't the same as light sensitivity.

First sensible claim that can be scientifically checked in the whole thread. Somebody better check this / corroborate this to see what the significant sensitivities between different films are.

It would be nice if this whole topic would move away from hearsay and gossip and anecdotal 'truths' and shape into something with actual facts.

 

[Sparrow]

"4) I have asked for examples to support peoples claims each time this 'zomby' topic comes up for many years now and have yet to see convincing evidence."

... see

3) x-ray damage would fog the whole of the film, so if the film's edges and frame spacing are not fogged it's not x-ray damage

I have no idea what may have caused that but ascribing it to x-ray damage seems a bit of a stretch don't you think?

 

[Huss]

... see

3) x-ray damage would fog the whole of the film, so if the film's edges and frame spacing are not fogged it's not x-ray damage

I have no idea what may have caused that but ascribing it to x-ray damage seems a bit of a stretch don't you think?

My film was fogged by the x ray machine.
I provide the proof that it has been fogged.
You deny the proof because it doesn't play well with your argument.

Got it.

I'm out of this one.

 

[Sparrow]

... how is a faulty print proof of damage to the negative? it's your lack of proof I'm pointing out.

I have a duff print and it went through an x-ray machine is not proof of causality