Vincent.G
Well-known
Learnt this from a National Geographic photographer.
travel + film: how many rolls ?
- Thread starter raytoei@gmail.com
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 29
- Views 4K
Learnt this from a National Geographic photographer.
useless generation
Established
Im currently traveling through Europe and i brought 20 rolls with me in the japan exposures fuji containers. They only offered to hand check me once when i asked. Every other airport said its fine if its under 400 and made me put it through, hopefully the photos are okay! Im shooting Portra 400 and 160NC
Tom A
RFF Sponsor
I usually calculate 1-2 rolls/day/camera. Depending on the destination - that works out to about 30-40 rolls for a 2 week trip.
I also know that some places are "film heavy", big cities like N.Y,Paris, Tokyo can be up to 8-10 rolls a day!
I "de-can" the film and put it in freezer bags. First in smaller Zip-Loc bags (10 rolls in each) and these then go into a bigger bag. This way I can grab a 10 roll bag, stick it in the jacket/vest pocket in the morning - shoot away happily and re-stock in the evening. I also bring an additional bigger Zip Loc bag for exposed film. I hate having to dig through a mixed bag with exposed and un-exposed film.
You can also tape filmcontainers "back to back" so you can carry 4-5 of these in a vest pocket. Sometimes you are spending a lot of time in cars or crowded airplane seats and you can squeeze loose rolls in the pocket enough to pop end-caps.
As a rule I never check luggage. Film, cameras etc goes in first and if there is space, clothing. I rather run out of shirts,socks etc - which is easy to find almost everywhere - than film.
Two cameras in the small Brady bag, maybe a third lens and one back-up M2 with a 35 or 40 mm in the bigger shoulder bag.
Addendum: You cant have too much film along! Add the cost of the trip, lodging, food etc - film cost is trivial.
I also know that some places are "film heavy", big cities like N.Y,Paris, Tokyo can be up to 8-10 rolls a day!
I "de-can" the film and put it in freezer bags. First in smaller Zip-Loc bags (10 rolls in each) and these then go into a bigger bag. This way I can grab a 10 roll bag, stick it in the jacket/vest pocket in the morning - shoot away happily and re-stock in the evening. I also bring an additional bigger Zip Loc bag for exposed film. I hate having to dig through a mixed bag with exposed and un-exposed film.
You can also tape filmcontainers "back to back" so you can carry 4-5 of these in a vest pocket. Sometimes you are spending a lot of time in cars or crowded airplane seats and you can squeeze loose rolls in the pocket enough to pop end-caps.
As a rule I never check luggage. Film, cameras etc goes in first and if there is space, clothing. I rather run out of shirts,socks etc - which is easy to find almost everywhere - than film.
Two cameras in the small Brady bag, maybe a third lens and one back-up M2 with a 35 or 40 mm in the bigger shoulder bag.
Addendum: You cant have too much film along! Add the cost of the trip, lodging, food etc - film cost is trivial.
Last edited:
raytoei@gmail.com
Veteran
hi,
somewhat related to travel and film,
http://www.r3maf.com/Ishu_Patel_HCB.html
"
After dinner we came back to our room and there I witnessed for the first time, his evening ritual.
After changing in to his night clothes, he sat on his bed and assembled two large Kodak film cans, each distinctly marked “Exposed” and “Unexposed”, a black cloth zippered bag, a dozen or more film cassettes, a pair of scissors and a roll of black plastic tape. He arranged them neatly on his bed and asked me not to disturb him or talk to him for an hour, but just to watch what he does and if I have any questions he will answer me later.
He unzipped the black bag and placed inside it the two Kodak film cans, the cassettes, the scissors and the plastic tape, and zipped it shut. This black day-light loading bag had two tight 'armholes', into which you inserted your hands in order to load light sensitive film. He pushed his two hands through the elastic armholes of the bag and began the long ritual of unloading that day’s exposed film from the cassettes and rolling it loosely into the empty film can marked ‘Exposed'. After that, rolling new film from the Kodak can, he wound it inside the cassettes for the next day’s shooting. During this long process he was whispering numbers in French."
somewhat related to travel and film,
http://www.r3maf.com/Ishu_Patel_HCB.html
"
After dinner we came back to our room and there I witnessed for the first time, his evening ritual.
After changing in to his night clothes, he sat on his bed and assembled two large Kodak film cans, each distinctly marked “Exposed” and “Unexposed”, a black cloth zippered bag, a dozen or more film cassettes, a pair of scissors and a roll of black plastic tape. He arranged them neatly on his bed and asked me not to disturb him or talk to him for an hour, but just to watch what he does and if I have any questions he will answer me later.
He unzipped the black bag and placed inside it the two Kodak film cans, the cassettes, the scissors and the plastic tape, and zipped it shut. This black day-light loading bag had two tight 'armholes', into which you inserted your hands in order to load light sensitive film. He pushed his two hands through the elastic armholes of the bag and began the long ritual of unloading that day’s exposed film from the cassettes and rolling it loosely into the empty film can marked ‘Exposed'. After that, rolling new film from the Kodak can, he wound it inside the cassettes for the next day’s shooting. During this long process he was whispering numbers in French."
KenR
Well-known
Traveled to Peru and Turkey in recent years with about 40 rolls of B&W film which I carried on with me. I don't ask for hand inspection and had no trouble with fogging. I took 5 rolls with me each day and left the rest in the hotel room - who's going to steal film?
I returned from a trip to California a few weeks ago and used MF - 40 rolls in my carry on. Even to my unprofessional eye, the parallel rolls of cylindrical objects that I saw on the x-ray scanner looks suspicious and so I was not surprised when the bag was pulled aside for a special test. The inside of the bag was swabbed with a special cloth about an inch across, which was then put into a small machine. Needless to say the test (for explosives?) was negative and I was able to get on the airplane. Once there i again left most of the film in my hotel room and took about 5 rolls with me each day. I am still processing - about 3 rolls to go!
I returned from a trip to California a few weeks ago and used MF - 40 rolls in my carry on. Even to my unprofessional eye, the parallel rolls of cylindrical objects that I saw on the x-ray scanner looks suspicious and so I was not surprised when the bag was pulled aside for a special test. The inside of the bag was swabbed with a special cloth about an inch across, which was then put into a small machine. Needless to say the test (for explosives?) was negative and I was able to get on the airplane. Once there i again left most of the film in my hotel room and took about 5 rolls with me each day. I am still processing - about 3 rolls to go!
jpa66
Jan as in "Jan and Dean"
I usually take at least 50 rolls of film when I travel to Europe. It's no problem putting it in your luggage. I tend to follow Tom A's method of placing the film in plastic zip-lock bags. I never worry about x-rays ( always bring it through carry-on ) - it's not worth the hassle ( and I've been hassled enough times, believe me ).
Bring as much as you can. It's better to bring too much than not enough.
Bring as much as you can. It's better to bring too much than not enough.
andredossantos
Well-known
Estimate the maximum amount of rolls you'll shoot per day, multiply that number times the amount of days you'll be traveling, then add another 20 rolls on top of that.
I usually bring about 50 rolls of film (about 3/4 120 and 1/4 35mm) for a weeklong trip. I put it all rubberbanded together in groups, without plastic/cardboard containers, in a large clear ziplock bag. This makes it easier to get through airports and such.
It's a pain, but for me, I feel like on trips I need to shoot a lot of medium format film and so the hassle is worth it.
I usually bring about 50 rolls of film (about 3/4 120 and 1/4 35mm) for a weeklong trip. I put it all rubberbanded together in groups, without plastic/cardboard containers, in a large clear ziplock bag. This makes it easier to get through airports and such.
It's a pain, but for me, I feel like on trips I need to shoot a lot of medium format film and so the hassle is worth it.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
My method is to also only bring one emulsion. That way I never have the wrong one. (others think differently)
Most importantly, pack twice as much film as you think you can possibly shoot. Nothing impacts your photography worse than you worrying if you should take the shot or not because you might need to ration film. You don't have to be in the situation like Chris where he used all the 120 slide film in New Mexico. Even a trip to B&H if you are in NYC can be a PITA.
One more vote for the zip loc bags for carrying film.
And, carry a fresh zip loc bag big enough to hold your camera. That and a 99 cent disposable poncho will insure it does not rain.
Sureño
Established
I usually travel with slides, B&W and colour film rolls and I put them into a squared tupperware plastic box that measures exactly 15 120 film rolls.
I also have a dark bag for the exposed film.
I also have a dark bag for the exposed film.
kokoshawnuff
Alex
I just went on a two night trip and brought 16 rolls thinking it would be way more than necessary, but the last roll was in my camera when flying back home. Next time I'll bring more and probably limit it to two emulsions
