Going through airport

[sdotkling]

I went through the airport in Toulouse, France with a stack of Tri-X. I asked that the film be hand-examined, instead of going through the scanner. The nice security guard in my lane called over his boss, who listened to me carefully. "No problem!" he cheerily exclaimed. Then he took the film and put it through the scanner in the lane next to me.

 

[Sparrow]

This topic has been debated here at RFF before (hotly debated). I'm just going to share my own firsthand, empirical experience. I am a sample size of one.

I have had film fogged after going through about 8 (8+) carry-on scans during a trip to eastern Europe. During the same trip I reserved some of my rolls for hand inspection through most (perhaps all) of these checkpoints. Those rolls (hand checked) had no fogging at all. E-chrome 100 and 400, B+W 100 and 400, and a little C-41 of un-remembered speed. The scanned films were clearly fogged, often heavily. Consistent with what I have been shown as examples of airport x-ray scanner fogging of photographic films. I'm convinced about the cause of my fogging. I should mention that it is un-contended that checked luggage (that which goes in the cargo hold of the plane) is zapped at much higher x-ray intensities. Your film is almost certain to be affected if it goes this route!

I have since learned that film with speeds above 800 are considered susceptible, and most B+W of moderate speed and above is also susceptible. I can also say that the number of times your film goes through these "harmless" carry-on scanners will influence susceptibility too! As a second experience to share: I have had my film go through the scanner twice (once each way on a trip from Oregon to Everglades and back) because I was too lazy to pull it all out for a hand check (not to mention the treatment I get from grumpy security people; not all, but some). I had no noticeable effects with those film. The only issues with those shots were "operator induced" and included poor exposure choice, poor composition, and flare effects from too much Florida Sun.

I say proceed with caution and make best-informed choices. Its certainly possible to let some films go through the scanners (a minimum number of times) with no noticeable effect. The trick is to know which films and how many times through the machine before you go through the hassle of "hand check". Add to that the reason for the film and you have another layer of decision making; vacation snapshots or paid assignment? Lucky for me, I'm rarely paid for my photographs. Lucky?

Remember: travel should NOT discourage the use of film. Be smart and it becomes a non-issue.

Well, I have made many trips, and like your single trip, I cannot offer any photographic evidence of x-ray damage ... it would seem

 

[jalLee2001]

I just got back from a business trip to Europe. I was very surprised both the German and british airport security would not hand check film. I have never had that problem in either Singapore, states or Japan.

Actually they were a..holes about it. Is this new (not checking film)? 🙂

 

[kshapero]

I went through the airport in Toulouse, France with a stack of Tri-X. I asked that the film be hand-examined, instead of going through the scanner. The nice security guard in my lane called over his boss, who listened to me carefully. "No problem!" he cheerily exclaimed. Then he took the film and put it through the scanner in the lane next to me.

That sucks.

 

[Roger Hicks]

I just got back from a business trip to Europe. I was very surprised both the German and british airport security would not hand check film. I have never had that problem in either Singapore, states or Japan.

Actually they were a..holes about it. Is this new (not checking film)? 🙂

Listen to Jeremy Taylor singing Jobsworth, http://lyrics.lucywho.com/jobsworth-lyrics-spike-milligan.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[andrewmore]

If you contact Gatwick airport security in advance (by phone and then e-mail) they will hand-search film by prior arrangement. Unfortunately I can't work out how to do the same for the Greek island of Skiathos for fast or x-ray sensitive (Fuji B&W) film - I'll have to learn some Greek...

Regards

Andrew More

 

[Sparrow]

If you contact Gatwick airport security in advance (by phone and then e-mail) they will hand-search film by prior arrangement. Unfortunately I can't work out how to do the same for the Greek island of Skiathos for fast or x-ray sensitive (Fuji B&W) film - I'll have to learn some Greek...

Regards

Andrew More

Why do you need fast film in Greece?

 

[andrewmore]

Low light inside chapels (to save having to use flash) and for evening/night shots, both without having to use a tripod - also I have loads of 400ASA Fuji B&W C41 type film (long story..) that is specifically marked as x-ray sensitive in red lettering on the box. Other 400ASA Fuji B&W film isn't so marked (nor is any Ilford film for that matter) and I've never worked what makes one type of film of the same speed particularly sensitive. I guess I'll have to try some other films through the Greek x-ray scanners and see what happens.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[rfaspen]

Oh, I remember the security guy in the Prague airport looked like he was going to assault me when I asked for hand check. This was one of the few times I happily just stuck the film in my bag and dropped the issue. Better to make it home with pleasant memories and crappy photos than whatever that guy had planned for me if I asked twice.

I seem to remember that security in Ireland cheerily looked at my bag of film. Just looked at it and asked if I enjoyed my stay. Big contrast with London. Heathrow will not hand check. Don't ask. You don't want to ask. Don't ask.

Oddly, I remember my last hand check in Mexico to be much like Ireland. They just looked at the rolls of film in the bag and that was that. I figured with all the drug smuggling issues they've had recently, they would have inspected a little closer.

In general, I use slower films (400 and below), so I feel I can risk a time or two through the scanner, but as I said earlier, 8 or 9 times through and even slow B+W film show fogging. It's variable over and among the rolls, but I'm comfortable with my conclusion as to how the fogging occurred. Scans.

And, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think all these experiences with grumpy security folks should discourage anyone from taking film on trips. If I'm traveling in the US, either I can seek out friendly security people and get hand checks, or let the film go through the scanners because I'm typically looking at just 2 scans and that doesn't seem to be enough to cause fogging. If I'm traveling internationally, I just seek out as many hand checks as I can get, and use slower speed films. I've had good luck with that strategy . In fact my most recent trip to Wales resulted in many wonderful "keepers" because I was able to keep the scans down to about 3 total.

In years past, I probably could have purchased all my film while in Wales and cut my scanner exposure by half. But, I could not find any B+W film for sale during my recent trip to Wales. I suspect that will be the usual experience now that we're in the digital age. And not just in other countries, I recently couldn't find film for sale while visiting a moderate-sized city here in the US. I ended up buying a disposable camera and cracking it open to get at the film inside.

So, I use a digital camera these days as well and I tend to worry about effects on my SD card too while traveling. For example, magnets are supposed to be bad for memory cards, and they're easy to encounter (speakers for instance). Its always something...

 

[rfaspen]

andrewmore, what's your experience trying to get a hand check of film in London airport? Same as mine?

 

[andrewmore]

Only been through London Gatwick rather than London Heathrow. When I just turned up at Gatwick and asked for a hand search they got a bit put out - the security check facility was a lot smaller than it is now and so doing something unusual caused stressed the already stressed staff even more and they suggested contacting them in advance next time which I did. I phoned in advance and then e-mailed the details and took the e-mail copies with me and the security folks were expecting me and the process went very well. I see no reason for London Heathrow not to do the same. You need to ask for the security officer for the terminal you will be using, explaining what you are after to the switchboard and take it from there. Hope this helps.

Regards

Andrew More

 

[Expatinprogress]

It might sound like a stupid question, but here it goes:
Does X-ray affect only to already exposed film or even to those unopened, in the box?

I want to take with me a good stock of film for the next months...

 

[johannielscom]

X-ray doesn't affect any film. Even the 800 fogs ever so slightly only once in a blue moon. We've had at least ten threads here (no exaggeration) and a poll that showed it.

Only if you're having your film in a cheap bag going into checked luggage in third world countries were old equipment is used would you risk getting your films fogged.

Personally, I 'm getting real fed up with this internet myth. It's a monkey sandwich (een broodje aap), as we say in Dutch. Means it doesn't exist.


EDIT: Read more about this here. http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130700

 

[Dana B.]

From BuzzardKid:

Only if you're having your film in a cheap bag going into checked luggage in third world countries were old equipment is used would you risk getting your films fogged.

From me:

Employing a normal bag with film checked in the cargo hold by mistake in Portland, OR, the "third world" of the US:

 

[BardParker]

Agree, that all American TSA screeners, and most European screeners should hand check film. The only time I was refused recently was at the St Pancras Train station in London. Having the rolls in a ziplock bag helps. If I forget, they always ask me to take the roll out of the box. They have not asked me to open the foil overwrap on new 120 roll film, however, after taking it out of the box. YMMV

Kent

 

[Cyriljay]

In Europe as I know they believe there are less genuine photographers travelling with genuine Film and It should be the reason they don't do hand check film at all. I never had any chance to get my films hand checked when passion from London to Paris and Once it was my Neopan 1600 6 films made me wait at the line more than 35minutes and when coming back It had to go through scan that was life .