PKR
Veteran
Just a note on Fed-X, and, I don't know if this applies to the current Fed-X business model.
For several years, I shipped exposed film stock out of state for analogue to digital processing. There was one lab I used with SOTA gear for this processing.
Fed-X was my primary shipper and, a large depot was close by. All Fed-X air shipments are X-Rayed. So, I shipped my film Ground. I found some ground shipments arriving very quickly. I asked about the quicker arrival times. I was told, if there is room on a flight for extra cargo ground shipments are added to the flight. In that case, ground shipments are X-Rayed.
I never saw any problem with any of the film I shipped and, there was a lot of it. But, this is several years back. I'm not current with what Fed-X is doing now.
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
Not all X-rays will damage film. If FedEx uses scanners like for cabin baggage (not crt) then it’s ok. In India for example my film got scanned 20 times just going in hotels. Also FedEx doesn’t scan all of it because low terror risk with cargo planes but they X-ray for other stuff like drugs and other contraband. If the parcel ends up in passengers plane cargo then the X-ray will be damaging because it’s a passenger craft like checked in luggage. I have never had film damage when shipped by courier. This is how my fresh film is shipped from Maco, B&H and Freestyle to HK.
PKR
Veteran
Yeah, that makes sense. Also, i think most things that the law people would be interested in, "cargo shipped", are subject to sensors that are more accurate than X-Rays for detection.
I'm unclear on if CT Scans will also be used on cargo shipments?
I know, flying via private aircraft, nothing is scanned. An airport official or Customs Officer visits the plane as or, before passengers deplane to check documents. My gear has never been examined when flying this way. But, it's expensive and in my case, on the clients Corp plane.
Rayt
Nonplayer Character
Doubtful the CRT scanners will be used for cargo at least I hope not. Those scanners are extremely expensive and so expensive many countries don’t have them yet. Couriers need to be speedy with the parcels. They don’t have all day like the post office. If they scan everything that mean they need to hire people to look at the scans. The terror risk is too low to justify the time and expense.
KM-25
Well-known
Yep, serious body of work with lots of travel and accommodation overhead to budget for. But since I have to be out my home for up to 4 months for a remodel, no better time to focus on a rewarding project. As my wife will be at her mother's place AZ during this time, this will be total immersion for me and I want it to go smoothly.
I have tried to make both time and financial sense of developing it all on site but we are talking 300-500 rolls here, that is a lot of time not out making images and then also a lot of chemistry to deal with buying, using, etc. And then there is the consideration of how to the Faroese would feel about me dumping chemistry into their sewage / water systems, especially silver laden fixer?
In theory, souping on site is a workable thing, but in practice the cost / benefit ratio is not not making sense, at least in my case.
So on that note, I finally have real math in which to plan for shipping film out and back. It will cost me between $305-$500 to ship 300-500 rolls of 120 to the Faroe Islands and about $500-$700 to ship it back. So I am budgeting about $1200 for film logistics.
As I said in an earlier post, I will attempt to take 40 rolls of 120 with me on the plane just to see how the whole hand check thing goes. But the rest simply has to be shipped.
In terms of pulling this thread away from it's "click-bait" title and having it continue to be of value, I suggest that as people travel, they post their experiences in moving out and about with film.
I'll certainly share my experiences as they happen.
PKR
Veteran
KM-25,
I don't use anywhere near the amount of B&W film that you do. Just different working styles. I'll go a day without taking a picture and then maybe, expose 3-6 36exp rolls the next day.
That said, and all the logistics of on site processing aside, I love looking at a day's work after it's done. If the sky didn't look as good as expected on a series of negs, then, I'll go back for more at that location when the skies look better. I love the feedback. I've been doing this stuff long enough (you too) that, I don't need to see positives.
Even if you just processed the best of the best (I'm sure you know when you have one) you would be way ahead as image insurance goes.
Just a thought..
I don't use anywhere near the amount of B&W film that you do. Just different working styles. I'll go a day without taking a picture and then maybe, expose 3-6 36exp rolls the next day.
That said, and all the logistics of on site processing aside, I love looking at a day's work after it's done. If the sky didn't look as good as expected on a series of negs, then, I'll go back for more at that location when the skies look better. I love the feedback. I've been doing this stuff long enough (you too) that, I don't need to see positives.
Even if you just processed the best of the best (I'm sure you know when you have one) you would be way ahead as image insurance goes.
Just a thought..
pyeh
Member of good standing
Ken, I'd love to post pictures but I am completely in the dark on how to do it. I don't have a hosting site.
What seems to have happened to my film, which was Fuji Industrial 400, was that the colours got washed out, and an odd cast applied to them, plus a greatly increased level of grain. I'm sure its not my lab's fault because all my rolls got affected in the same way.
Luckily none of my pics were meant to be high art, but just holiday snaps, and they still turned out great for that.
Hilmersen
Established
Not quite on topic.... If I have understood correctly you plan to go to Færøyene. If there is a problem buying film there, why not just buy film in Denmark and take a boat there? https://www.smyrilline.com/
There's a sticky thread in RFF's Help sub-forum with many suggestions and instructions on several ways to manage this. And, the RFF Gallery is a very workable host for photos.
Rangefinderforum.com > Cameras / Gear / Photography > Rangefinder Forum > Help / Feedback forum > How to post pictures in threads
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117509
KM-25
Well-known
The problem is the large added cost.
Let’s say I buy the 400-500 rolls of 120 Acros 100 and Tmax 400 in Denmark, that will be about $6,000 US. Then if I close the shipping loop entirely and process it in Denmark, that is another $4000-$6000 US. I already own the film in cold storage at home and have a fully stocked darkroom in addition to that. So in terms of pulling from my own stock and developing at home, those are long since written off sunk costs.
Even if shipping my film back and forth were as much as $2,000 for a bonded courier type Carnet situation, that is far less expensive than buying it there.
If this were a 1-2 week holiday trip in which I would bring 30-50 rolls it would be different, but it is not.
Skiff
Well-known
But were at that time CT scanners installed at these airports?
And were therefore your film damaged?
That was my question.
I've have experienced that myself, but only at airports with the older, film-safe x-ray machines. Therefore no problem. That the TSA staff refuse hand checks when they are not needed because of film-safe technology, it is not surprising at all.
Hilmersen
Established
I see. The cost really adds up with so many rolls. I also doubt that you could get it without ordering it in advance. Probably could get the price down quite a bit...but probably not to the levels you have. Acros is becoming extremely costly.
Fjäll
■̷̛̈́̉̓́̽&
Putting the film in a led bag won't show up on the x-ray so they will have to perform a closer inspection on their own accord.
kram
Well-known
Pal_k, Good dose table comparison, remember the CT is for humans, not luggage inspection. Last measurements I was privy to ranged from below minimum recordable level of the dosimeter to 2.7mSv, for outward and return exposures. The dosimeter was placed at the surface of the liggauge to receive max exposure Best option hand search or place fimed in shield container which will offer some protection, hand inspection afterwards would show it is just film. Surely airpoets should be aware that photographic film is sensitive to CT, x-ray scanners.
traveler_101
American abroad
"It is not going to matter which airport, country, or security personnel you come into contact with . . . " Well maybe so, but this is what I have found in years of travelling within Europe and the US and in between. I have NEVER been refused a hand inspection in the US. Even in the old days with the relatively safe machines, even the one time I had a whole brick of unexposed T-MAX 100 I was bringing back to Europe. TSA simply pulled me aside and opened the boxes and checked each roll. No problem. Leaving Atlanta last summer, even amidst the pandemic, the TSA officer actually offered to hand inspect before I had a chance to open my mouth. On the other hand, I have never managed to convince a single inspector in any European country to hand inspect my film. "It's not a problem" is the curt answer. Or "is it below 1600 ISO . . . then it is not a problem". Unless there is some progress on this I am not likely to take a film camera on trips within Europe.
Highway 61
Revisited
Putting film in a lead bag is the best way to have it look like the usual suspect, then to have an argument with the security staff and at the end of the whole thing to be refused any hand inspection. They just will take film out of the lead bag and throw it through the CT scan machine. And they may confiscate the lead bag by regulation enforcement. You are not supposed to try to hide things from legal screening.
Out to Lunch
Ventor
Many moons ago, I used a lead bag and it did not go down well: the screening staff got annoyed. Cheers, OtL
kram
Well-known
How about a nice old style tobacco tin to stop your films rolling around. Won't stop all the x-rays but will reduce film exposure and film shapes will show up on image. Remember they are looking for dodgy stuff. In the UK they point to the image and ask you what it is.
Joao
Negativistic forever
lamefrog
Well-known
The only difficulty here is that you don’t seem willing to budget properly. There are clear logistical solutions to your problem -either shipping your film stock or purchase locally in Denmark - but they require a certain level of funding. You’d need to pass on the cost or commit personally. Once the project is budgeted properly all your problems go away. You could also sell off some of your current film stock in the u.s. to somewhat offset the cost of buying new film locally in dk. This assumes you believe you will not deplete your film stock in your lifetime. If your film stock will deplete in your lifetime the idea of saving money by using some of that stock now is silly as the film you’d buy in Denmark today is just an advance purchase of the new film you’d buy when the stock does run out . Hope this makes sense , it’s late here .