How do you guys carry films through airport checking

[newfinder]

I'm currently on a trip to US, and carry only several rolls of films;

Could I ask the security guys to handy check the films? or do you use the anti-Xray bags? (I've heard you should be asked to get the films out of the anti-Xray bags because they can't see what's inside😡 )

Cheers~

 

[rxmd]

I usually put all the films in transparent canisters, all of those in a transparent plastic bag, then I ask the security personnel nicely for a hand check, and if they won't grant it, I don't bother. Unless you're carrying extremely highly sensitive film it isn't really that much in danger from the X-ray scan in a hand baggage scanner.

Anti-Xray bags don't help all that much. Actually they are counterproductive because high-altitude radiation will lead to bremsstrahlung inside the bag during the flight, especially during intercontinental flights.

Philipp

 

[kully]

The anti-Xray bags are a sure way of getting _everything_ searched.

I use these: LINKY LINKY

You'd be suprised how much space they save.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Stick a few in your jacket pocket and turf them out with your keys and coins and stuff.

 

[Sparrow]

In the UK at the moment everything gets scanned without exception, I’ve never had a problem.

Has anybody ever had any film damaged by x-ray, that is apart from x-ray film?

Come to think about it how do they transport x-ray film?

 

[Simon Larbalestier]

The anti-Xray bags are a sure way of getting _everything_ searched.

I use these: LINKY LINKY

You'd be suprised how much space they save.

I use the lead bags for films on trips to Cambodia from Bangkok and Bangkok to UK and back and haven't had them opened. I flew back last night from the UK to BKK via Manchester and apart from the restricted hand luggage size (Emirates was actually smaller than the sizes advertised on the Airport's weblisting) nothing was stopped and looked at.

Last year i started to use just plastic bags for the 120 tx400 but found that some fogging was occurring on the trips back from Cambodia so i reverted to the lead bags. X-ray fogging is accumulative - a return trip to Bangkok via Cambodia is four passes through the machine.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

If you're traveling into the US, your film only will get scanned by the TSA on your way out of the US. When you arrive, it won't.

Since you're leaving from Shanghai, I'd ask for hand inspection... if you're carrying film faster than ISO800. Otherwise, you can carry it with in your hand luggage.

The day you leave the US, just do the same thing: carry any slow film in your hand luggage.

Have a nice trip! 🙂

 

[Sparrow]

Simon, what does x-ray fogging look like?

 

[clarence]

The German airport authorities are particularly strict about security. When I flew through Munchen and Dusseldorf this summer they kept insisting that the scanner was film safe up to 1600. I politely repeated that my film was 'high speed' and 'faster than 1600' and after pressing my case enough, they granted me manual hand checks and a swab test.

Clarence

 

[Skinny McGee]

I usually put all the films in transparent canisters, all of those in a transparent plastic bag, then I ask the security personnel nicely for a hand check, and if they won't grant it, I don't bother. Unless you're carrying extremely highly sensitive film it isn't really that much in danger from the X-ray scan in a hand baggage scanner.

Anti-Xray bags don't help all that much. Actually they are counterproductive because high-altitude radiation will lead to bremsstrahlung inside the bag during the flight, especially during intercontinental flights.

Philipp

Yeah the last European tour I had I did this with no problems... Coming in to the US is absolutly humilialting..If they pick you out to F*%$# with you they will go thru all your stuff and let you figure out what just happened. Welcome to the United State We hope yu enjoy your stay. Out of all the countries I have traveled to the worst one for customes is Home.

 

[Fred]

Had a works trip to Nuremberg, the flight there was UK to Munich then on to Nuremberg. Leaving UK everything went through, even when I asked for a hand film check. They took everything out of my camera bag and searched it, no problem or damage to the camera or lenses.

The internal flights connecting flight checks were better, I requested a hand film inspection and was refused initially, after saying thet the film had already been through x-ray they were pretty good. Untill leaving Frankfurt to the UK everything went through x-ray. So I got a bunch of HP5 thats had 2 doses, should be OK as long as it does not get any more I hope.

I did leave one small bulk loaded can in the bag for a reference to see what 4 doses results in.

Note film in the camera is always x-rayed.

 

[Ponsoldt]

If possible I just buy film where I am going and send it back by mail.

 

[anandi]

On my recent trip to the US, I bought film there (in Portland) and then asked the Security people nicely to handcheck the film since "I'm carrying professional and high speed film" the stuff in Portland was HP5 / 400 and some 100 fuji but they didn't seem to mind. On the same trip I went to Vancouver and bought some Delta 3200 for a wedding and was more concerned about the film and the same "I'm carrying professional and high speed film" worked out fine. All film was in clear plastic bags.

The trip had a total of 4 X-ray checks so I'm glad the film didn't pass through any of them.

-Amit

 

[smileyguy]

I was thinking of this as well. We're going to Europe next year and we know we will be staying with friends. I thought that I would just mail a bunch of rolls over to them to hold on to (in the freezer if they can afford the space) and then have it when I get over there. As a few rolls are exposed, do the opposite and send it home to get processed when I get back. Either or really, I suppose I could get it processed while I'm over anyway I just thought that sending it back would save a tiny bit of space and avoid carrying the negs/prints around with me.

Has anybody done it this way?

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

I was thinking of this as well. We're going to Europe next year and we know we will be staying with friends. I thought that I would just mail a bunch of rolls over to them to hold on to (in the freezer if they can afford the space) and then have it when I get over there. As a few rolls are exposed, do the opposite and send it home to get processed when I get back. Either or really, I suppose I could get it processed while I'm over anyway I just thought that sending it back would save a tiny bit of space and avoid carrying the negs/prints around with me.

Has anybody done it this way?

Send film ahead, and send it back?

Why not buy it locally and develop it locally?

Most European cities have shops that can sell you film and can develop film.

 

[smileyguy]

True!

I guess I just thought that I have a ton of film in my freezer, I may as well use it rather than buy more. Plus, I'm cheap and I can't stand getting soaked for film when I "have" to buy it.

 

[rncamero]

On a recent flight to Denver, carried 15 rolls each wrapped in cellophane (no canisters) in one of those thin Quantaray X-Ray bags. Made no indication I had any film in there. Went in my backpack through the scanner at LAX and Denver no problem.

My international flight experience is limited to experiences in Japan and Philippines. In Narita, the X-Ray bags will guarantee you will get searched, however the security there was so polite and apologetic that I didn't mind. Everything always gets searched for flights out of Manila. Standard routine even pre 9/11.

 

[mich8261]

if you are travelling in the US, you can ask for manual inspection. It's official TSA policy http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1035.shtm. Some airports even have signs set up that tell you to request hand inspection. A few airports even have special equipment just for film (Las Vegas for instance). If I travel with film, I keep a print out of this TSA page with me, but I've never had to show it. If someone insists that it's safe, I stick to my point. You can tell them that you have already been through several inspections (the effect is cumulative). Make it easier and have your film out of canisters and into a clear plastic bag.

Michel

 

[TEZillman]

I bought an out of date roll of 3200 speed film and include it with my film in a clear plastic "zip lock" bag as a sacrificial roll. That way I can honestly say that I have high speed film with me when I ask for a hand inspection. The TSA staff generally tries to first assure you that the x-ray is perfectly safe for lower speed film before they'll hand inspect it. The only minor problem I've had is when a new TSA guy decided he needed to swab each roll of film. That went on until his supervisor saw what he was doing and told him to visually inspect them.

 

[dmr]

A few airports even have special equipment just for film (Las Vegas for instance).

Oh really? That's one I frequently fly out of (almost always C and D terminals), most recently just a few weels ago, and I've never seen any special equipment. I just ask for a hand inspection and they do it manually, sometimes taking it over to the machine for a swab test.