travel + film: how many rolls ?

[raytoei@gmail.com]

here's a question.... how do you transport film while travelling ?

let's say it's a two week photo holiday, shooting 2 rolls a day, roughly translates to 28 rolls for the entire trip. Since film is getting scarce, i presume I must lug the film around rather than buying it off the host country.

Anyone tried carrying 30-50 rolls on a trip before ?

here are some options:

a. buy color film when i travel, it is cheap and easier to get than b&w. develop and scan in b&w back home.

b. buy bulk roll and roll it while on travel, ala HCB. Security may open up the can if they do not understand the device.

c. bring lots of rolls. keep to one format. just bring lots of it. Be prepared to answer questions on why so many rolls.

i have a crazy idea to visit the middle-east and take lots of pictures.

a somewhat related question, do i start mailing back the negatives when i have access to fedex or post office. or should i bring back everything in bulk.

anyone with experience to share ?

raytoei

 

[goo0h]

I took 30 rolls with me when I went to Peru last spring. I got a Think Tank "Sling-o-Matic 10", so I could quickly switch from carrying my gear on my back, to having it in front of me. I took all the rolls out of the plastic containers and put them all into clear plastic zip-lock bags. The bag also contained two rangefinder cameras, 3 lenses, and a metz shoe-mount flash.

Since I'd be going through a number of airports, I asked for hand inspection. I had one guy in Lima joke with me that he wouldn't inspect it, but then he did, and told me not to worry.

Sure, the bag was a bit heavy, but on my back it wasn't too bad at all, and I was carrying it all day going all over the place.

When I was staying with friends in Lima, I used my Bare Bones Bag (handy to pack because it doesn't take up any bulk), and then only took one camera, a lens or two, and the film I wanted for that outing.

When I got back to the stakes, I had Precision Camera scan my 20 rools of color film (Ektar 100), and was thrilled with the results. Sure, it was an investment, but I was glad I did it.

 

[Snowbuzz]

I carried 30 rolls of 120 film on my last trip (UK). I put the film into a zip-lock bag and stuffed that into my carry-on. Security didn't even blink. I processed the b&w myself when I got back home and I sent the chromes to the US for processing. I know folks have sophisticated plans like mailing stuff out to be processed while on a trip, but I just chuck exposed film in the bag and forget about it until I get home. I guess you'll get lots of ideas. Just enjoy the trip!

Oh, btw, just take the film out of the boxes.

 

[Chris C]

I'm another in the 30 rolls camp. I had 30 rolls of 120 last year when I went to Thailand and Myanmar. Took it all out of the boxes, packed it neatly into a ziplock bag and was surprised just how small it packed down to. Then just took it in my carry on bag and didn't bother asking for hand inspection anywhere after getting turned down everywhere I asked on a previous trip to Nepal. Then I'd just take out ~5 rolls every day and leave the rest in my room. Packed it all away again and developed the lot when I got home.

I'd never bother trying to source film while traveling, unless maybe if it was an extended trip but then I'd try to research places beforehand. I've never seen anything other than basic supermarket colour that's who knows how many years old in most of the places I've been to. Either take it all with you, go digital or organise a place to have another batch sent to (might be worth staying in a nicer place for that sort of arrangement).

 

[Tim Gray]

I routinely travel with 15-20 rolls of film. I can't imagine 30 would be that much more difficult if you have the room for it. I usually budget 2-3 rolls/day depending on what I think I'll be doing. Then I add another 5 🙂

 

[Bingley]

I took a little over 30 rolls on our 3 week trip to Scandinavia and England in July, and purchased another 10 rolls or so while traveling. About 40% b&w. I carried the rolls in zip-lock plastic bags, in my carry-on luggage, although there was one mishap in which I forgot to take the film out before checking a bag on a flight between Stockholm and Oslo. That incident led to a thread here, perhpas the first thread ever posted at 28,000 feet (Norwegian Airlines has wifi on some of its flights). Fortunately, my bag does not appear to have been subjected to the high powered x-rays, as the film was OK. If you travel light, you should be able to manage 30-40 rolls in a carry on bag or knapsack.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I took 25 rolls of 120 transparency film on my trip to New Mexico last month. Should have taken twice that. I ended up buying 15 more, which was every single roll of 120 slide film in the state of NM...yes I went to EVERY camera store (there are only good camera shops in Santa Fe and Albuquerque). I would have shot more if I could have found more. Don't skimp...take a LOT.

 

[fixbones]

I took 40 rolls of film on a trip to Egypt then Cambodia.
I just put them all in zip locks. One for exposed film and the other for unexposed.
No hassle at all

 

[jonmanjiro]

I took 80 rolls of 35mm film with me on a recent trip to Europe. I used Fujifilm hard cases that fit 10 rolls each to shrink it down in size. I ended up shooting just over half of it and giving some away, but it was reassuring to know I had it. On the left is what 80 rolls looks like in the Fujifilm hard cases and on the right is what 80 rolls looks like still in the box.

 

[Snowbuzz]

^^ Holy gawd, man!

 

[Tim Gray]

Those Fuji boxes are cool. Where'd you get them?

I should say that when I budget 2-3 rolls/day, that's usually for trips when I travel for work. If I was just on vacation and thought I'd have more of a chance to shoot, I'd probably pack more.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I got the Fuji boxes at the local Yodobashi Camera store. I think they may have been discontinued recently but Dirk at Japanexposures still might be able to find some.

http://www.japanexposures.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=22&products_id=202

http://kenshukan.net/john/archives/2009/04/23/this-has-to-do-with-something-photo-related-review-12/

 

[photokalia]

I've always put my film in my carry-on bag. I just put everything into a plastic bag (max was 30-40 rolls) and went through hand-carry x-ray and everything. So far so good, and I've never been questioned about it.

 

[Vincent.G]

With regards to mailing back your negatives, always number your film canisters. Mail the even number rolls in one batch and odd numbers rolls in another batch. That leaves you at least with some pictures of each day of the trip.

 

[irq506]

Ive done this a few times, so I know it works; take the films on their own- no box no plastic cannister, and dump the whole lot into a zip-loc bag and suck the air out of it and roll it into a shape that best fits in your carry on or camera bag, and when you are at the airport just pull the bag out at the detectors and 50% of the time they will hand inspect it, when they say no, just dont argue because anything slower than 400 will make it through about 8-12 scans of a detector before fogging.. 800 or faster becomes a problem at around scan 4 or 5. In the US typically they are cool about hand checking.

 

[Freakscene]

I took 200 rolls to Africa in 2009 and regularly travel with 25-50. I have 30 rolls with me right now in Kobe, Japan.

I empty everything out of the boxes and tubs and put the bare rolls in two thick, sealable ziplock bags. I keep 20 rolls worth of hard cases with me for storage while shooting.

The biggest problem is that film is rare enough now that when travelling by air it attracts attention. I have been swabbed about a dozen times since I left Australia 3 weeks ago. But I actually do arrive with 2 hours to spare like the airlines suggest and it hasn't caused any serious inconvenience so far.

Marty

 

[Lauffray]

I took 20 rolls to the US this year, and I'm now travelling with 30 rolls in Europe.
Like someone mentioned, they're cool with hand checking in the US. Just have them in a separate bag, ready for them to check. Keep them in the carry-on.

Some good tips on transport though, I usually keep everything in their boxes and lug them around as is, I especially like the tip on mailing even and odd numbered rolls separately.

 

[thegman]

Last trip I took 35 rolls, shot maybe 25. It's a pain, especially as you've got to keep them in hand luggage, not checked luggage, but not the end of the world.

I've had hand check, but now I don't bother, and I've never had a problem with x-rays.

 

[a10101100]

I brought about 30-35 rolls of color 35mm for my 2.5 week trip to China.. Same as most I packed them and ziploc and just told the customs guy that I have film.. So they did a hand inspection for me.. That was during the World Expo and they needed to scan everything at every major building in Shanghai.. Where I was at and that was quite a hassle but still.. All turn out fine.. I was also advised you can just buy an xray bag and chuck everything inside.. And just ignore it..

 

[Vobluda]

And one of those boxes with Astia 100, which was left in Europe, went to Croatia for last two weeks🙂
I can highly recommend those boxes if you can get them.

Cheers once more to Jon!

I took 80 rolls of 35mm film with me on a recent trip to Europe. I used Fujifilm hard cases that fit 10 rolls each to shrink it down in size. I ended up shooting just over half of it and giving some away, but it was reassuring to know I had it. On the left is what 80 rolls looks like in the Fujifilm hard cases and on the right is what 80 rolls looks like still in the box.