Travel, lead x-ray bag?

S

Skinny McGee

Guest
I just bought 2 of the kinda plasticy x-ray bags for my tour. I am planning on double bagging my film with them.. In hopes to protect some of the film that I will be shooting a high push rate.. Does any one have any experience with this?
 
Skinny McGee said:
I just bought 2 of the kinda plasticy x-ray bags for my tour. I am planning on double bagging my film with them.. In hopes to protect some of the film that I will be shooting a high push rate.. Does any one have any experience with this?
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Yes, it is a bad idea to use them at all. I presume you are going to go through US airport security, yes? The TSA opens and inspects anything they cannot 'see' through with their x-ray scanning devices. And by 'inspect' I mean they run it through on the conveyor belt by itself - several times if you tick them off. And they are ticked off by things they can't see through.

And if you are talking about checked luggage - don't. Undeveloped film that goes through airport security inside checked luggage is ruined and that's the end of it.

You can *request* hand scans of your high-speed film. That does not mean that they will do it. Every airport is different, and every TSA agent has a different level of intellect, generally the one-eyebrow sort.

You can get more information at www.tsa.gov. I am no fan of the TSA (can't you tell) but it is best to follow their rules when they post them online for everyone to see.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Hey, I think my answer might have sounded kind of sniffy. Sorry!

It is just that with summer coming, we're going to see that question posted a lot. I don't know why they still sell the lead-lined bags, they're of no use anymore. Here is the TSA's link on that:

http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=090005198004a860

I tend to get touchy on that one - because sooner or later, someone will pipe up about how he always checks his film in with his baggage and never had a problem, or she has never had a problem wth the TSA doing a hand-inspection when asked, or they claim that they use the lead-lined bags all the time without consequence. Gets my blood up because I flew 125,000 miles a year for seven gol-durned years until last year, through 911 and post-911 and dang it, I have a pretty good idea of how the TSA operates. Bunch of thugs and crooks, the lot of 'em, and they'll make your life pretty interesting if you tick them off and it is EASY to tick them off. OK, that's my rant. Use the lead-lined bag if you want to.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Ditto Bill's reply. I have made numerous trips within US and overseas since 9/11. Put your films minus cannisters in a clear plastic bag and request hand inspection. Most TSA inspectors will comply; not many will refuse and very few x- rays to worry about. Overseas, there seem to be more refusals for hand inspections. However I've not had a problem with evencumulative x-rays of 400 ASA film. Good luck
 
Exactly the same as the others said. The lead bags are a waste of time. Clear bags are better and increase your chance of a hand search. With carry-on I've not had problems even with multiple scans of Delta 3200: Heathrow, Goa, Bombay, Goa (again), Persian Gulf.

Cheers,

Roger (www.rogerandfrances.com)
 
I've used them in the past with no problem (US pre9/11, Europe Post 9/11) but I'm about to head off this weekend for 5 weeks in Europe and I don’t think I'll bother with the bag any more, I think if films were getting toasted you would hear about it big time. I'll be carrying 400 & 800 colour print, some of it may get scanned about eight times.

Just out of interest ...I've only had my bag stopped three times in maybe 20+ airport transits... once in the US pre9/11, they wanted to see what it was, they read the label on the bag and gave it back to me, I asked if the wanted me to open it for them and they said “no thanks” :rolleyes: .... once in France post 9/11 getting on the eurostar train to the UK I was asked to show the bag and its contents, (Inside I had the film in a clear ziplock bag with white fuji see thru canisters) they held up the inner bag for a look and said fine and off I go with no further scans :) .... Coming back home to Australia (post 9/11 and who are normally the most uptight airport/customs people I've come across) I see my bag draws a few people at the monitor and I get asked if they can check my bag, I'm like "sure" and then they go and check the wrong backpack :confused: after a few minutes of fruitless searching and the guys face going a little red he said "that fine you can carry on", I would have helped if he asked but after just under 20hrs in cattle class I wasn’t feeling very generous :D

In most of the world I could go either way with using a lead bag but I wouldn't in the US at all .. It's not worth the grief IMO

EDIT: Worth mentioning, film must go in your carry-on bag !! Any that go in you checked suitcases will be tosted with or without a lead bag !!
 
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