Mailing films

[manfromh]

Is it safe to send film by airmail? Are mail packages going through some security scan aswell? Im planning on going to Serbia in august and figured I'd send all the film there by mail.

Matis

 

[Sparrow]

I would hope everything that went onto a plane was security checked, especially if I was also getting on.

 

[EmilGil]

Dream on Sparrow, not even all check-in luggage is scanned. Only a fraction of all air freight is scanned or inspected in other ways: BBC: Air cargo security gaps exposed

Manfromh: Why not bring the film in your hand luggage? Probably a smaller risk of it getting lost as well.

 

[manfromh]

Dream on Sparrow, not even all check-in luggage is scanned. Only a fraction of all air freight is scanned or inspected in other ways: BBC: Air cargo security gaps exposed

Manfromh: Why not bring the film in your hand luggage? Probably a smaller risk of it getting lost as well.

It just seems that getting x-rayed for 4 times isnt good for film. Im taking ISO 125, 200 and 400 films. I dont know how well they will hold up.

 

[markinlondon]

Ought to be OK. I've taken ISO400 film to New Zealand and back without fogging. That's a scan in London, one in Singapore or Hong Kong and a third in Sydney. Same on the way back, the film was still good exposed or not.

 

[anselwannab]

Load you own film in plastic film canisters and keep it in your pocket 😉

Mark

 

[EmilGil]

I took ISO100 slide film and ISO100+400 b/w film with me to China two years ago. The slide film was bought from B&H and airmailed to Sweden (1 potential x-ray), I then flew with it from Gothenburg to Helsinki to Beijing as hand luggage (2 scans). In China, I flew domestic five times (three x-rays) and had my luggage scanned another couple of times in railway stations and bus terminals (say 3 scans). I then flew home from HongKong to Helsinki to Gothenburg (another 2 scans). The developed films didn't show a trace of x-ray damage. Some of the remaining film then accompanied me on a trip to Cuba with three scans on the way there and two on the way home. I could still not see any evidence of x-ray damage.

I found a nice summary on P.net: X-ray film on London Heathrow (especially Jim Gifford's two posts on the morning of Aug. 17th 2004). According to Wikipedia the average annual background radiation is about 2.5mSv or 250 hand baggage scans (as per Jim Gifford's data). One or four more or less could hardly make a difference, could it?

I'd be more worried that freight companies use the more powerful scanners (as those used on check-in luggage) to scan the goods as they definitely will ruin your film. There are several threads on this matter here on RFF and I think most people agrees that hand luggage scans doesn't pose a problem to film and that film in check-in luggage is a no-no.

 

[EmilGil]

Load you own film in plastic film canisters and keep it in your pocket 😉

Mark

Another reason to bulk load your film 🙂

 

[DavidH]

Take them on board with you - they'll be fine. I routinely take films on multiple hop travels where they may get scanned over 10 times and have never had any issues - even with my favourite 800Z.

On the other hand...I've had UPS and FedEx lose valuable items completely - FedEx managed to lose a package of slides between my office and the depot just 8 miles away - they were never found. That's when I switched to digital delivery for everything...

 

[manfromh]

I guess I should'nt worry then. Ill take film with me to the plane. I will get the ISO200 ones developed in Serbia anyway.

Thanks, guys! 🙂

 

[Matthew Allen]

Load you own film in plastic film canisters and keep it in your pocket 😉

Mark

Better yet, wear your film canisters in ammo belts strapped around your body. When challenged, pull a cable release from your pocket and press the button while snarling and chanting the religious slogan of your choice.:angel:

(To those with sense of humour failure, DO NOT DO THIS)

Matthew

 

[Film dino]

Is it safe to send film by airmail? Are mail packages going through some security scan as well? Im planning on going to Serbia in august and figured I'd send all the film there by mail.

Matis

Dirk Rosler (Megaperls web shop Japan) assured me recently that of the thousands of airmailed parcels of Fuji film he's sent out, none have suffered xray damage.

David