X-Rays and the intrepid international traveler

[mooge]

what's wrong with putting it in a plastic bag and asking them not to scan it? why would they refuse it- I remember last time I flew we saw the signs on the scanners saying not to put film through. I'm planning on bringing some ASA 200 slides this summah to Singapore, I don't want to pay $150 to get 'em processed and then find out that they're fogged- I won't be amused.

oho, I'd love to go to Finland sometime...

 

[Praxis Unitas]

I had some fogging on a trip to Damascus... lost a few frames or ISO 400 (Infra Red). Other than that, I've had no problems with the hand-carried lead bag.

 

[Praxis Unitas]

I don't want to pay $150 to get 'em processed and then find out that they're fogged- I won't be amused.

To me, the time and energy I spend taking each shot is infinitely more valuable than the processing. I'd be upset about the money, too, but think of all the work you pour into your photos! That's the real tragedy.

 

[LKSC]

I'm planning on bringing some ASA 200 slides this summah to Singapore, I don't want to pay $150 to get 'em processed and then find out that they're fogged- I won't be amused.

FWIW, the security handlers at Changi Airport in Singapore have never refused hand inspection when I asked for it.

 

[Olsen]

FWIW, the security handlers at Changi Airport in Singapore have never refused hand inspection when I asked for it.

That's true. It is over here in Europe they don't allow anything going passed the scanner. But also over here you can meet better or worse informed security personell.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Film production is carried out in fairly few factories worldwide.

When a bulk delivery of film goes from the factory to an overseas distributor isn't that shipment x-rayed as it's accepted at the airport or seaport?

 

[dfoo]

I've never had a problem asking for a hand inspection flying into China, the US or Canada.

 

[bmattock]

Film production is carried out in fairly few factories worldwide.

When a bulk delivery of film goes from the factory to an overseas distributor isn't that shipment x-rayed as it's accepted at the airport or seaport?

Possibly. The US DoHS won't say what percentage of incoming goods get x-rayed, but it is estimated by some to be on the order of a few percent. Shippers are supposed to 'self-certify' that their incoming goods are safe.

Likewise, the TSA does not (even after being ordered to do so by Congress) scan every item sent as cargo on US passenger planes, but relies on 'self-certification' by those doing the shipping.

This has been my major complaint about the TSA. It makes little sense to force people to take off their shoes and belts and do the TSA Shuffle, when the belly of the plane is full of boxes full of God-Knows-What because the TSA can't be arsed to inspect it. A fence around 3/4 of your property won't keep anything in or out, so there is no such thing as 'partial security' One either has it or one does not - and we do not.

 

[sepiareverb]

I Fed-Ex my film ahead if possible and then home. Fed-Ex has special labels and handling of photosensitive stuff, ask at the counter for the appropriate stickers. I have had x-ray damage on HP5+, and just had a student run films he shot in Egypt- some Delta 400 and HP5 both had the same minor fogging. He went through many airports and got a few hand inspections, but the films were scanned multiple times (I can't recall the exact number he said).

Fogging is pretty hit or miss, and the fogging (in my experience) isn't always even. I ran a roll of HP5 that never left the plastic can and got scanned 6 times- there was definite fogging at the end- around the plastic spool in the center of the cassette. But I've had students travel overseas and have no fogging after more scans on the same film. I suspect that the position the film is in as it gets scanned is part of the equation.

An interesting test would be metal factory loads vs plastic bulk loads.

 

[rxmd]

It is over here in Europe they don't allow anything going passed the scanner.

In general I used to have about a 50/50 success rate on getting film past the X-ray scanner, Europe or elsewhere. This year I stopped bothering, as even on those 50% where the film was scanned there was no quality loss. This includes scanners on provincial airports in former Soviet republics. EDIT: It also includes plastic bulk loads.

The only film I've ever had damaged was one that passed through a checked-in baggage scanner several times because I had a large industrial flashlight in there. I would be hesitant to send anything to a baggage scanner.

 

[Olsen]

I Fed-Ex my film ahead if possible and then home. Fed-Ex has special labels and handling of photosensitive stuff, ask at the counter for the appropriate stickers.

Hum. Smart!

Fogging is pretty hit or miss, and the fogging (in my experience) isn't always even.

Indeed, and this is what fools us into hoping that 'it will all go fine'. Nor is educated and understandable security officers always at hand. At my trip to Singapore: Showing them my 120 film made them all suspicious.

 

[Turtle]

A percentage of checked baggage is scanned normally, so it may or may not be subjected to high doses. If your hold bags are scanned they will likely be ruined. Always carry on your film and fear not (in my experience). I have had no damage that I can genuinely attribute to X-Rays. I try for hand searches and if i fail, at least I have reduced the number of scans. No probs with Fuji 1600 having half a dozen scans.

If you check in bags with film, you are playing the lottery - don't!

 

[Olsen]

...Or go digital...

 

[bmattock]

...Or go digital...

Put a digital camera in your bag and say goodbye to it. It won't be damaged, it will be stolen.

As to film in checked luggage (and carryon luggage):

http://www.i3a.org/advocacy/itip/

The facts are available to those who prefer them to speculation and guesses by well-meaning people.

 

[Gumby]

Indeed, and this is what fools us into hoping that 'it will all go fine'. Nor is educated and understandable security officers always at hand. At my trip to Singapore: Showing them my 120 film made them all suspicious.

Please use the singular "I" in the future... and speak for yourself, not others. In Singapore it was possible something about you, your appearance, your mannerisms, or the way you presented your 120 film to the screeners that made them suspicious, not the film itself. 🙄

 

[Olsen]

Please use the singular "I" in the future... and speak for yourself, not others. In Singapore it was possible something about you, your appearance, your mannerisms, or the way you presented your 120 film to the screeners that made them suspicious, not the film itself. 🙄

The film, carried in hand luggage was first scanned at Gardermoen, Oslo and Chiphol, Amsterdam. At neither place was I allowed to carry film passed the scanner. Leaving Changi was no problem, I was allowed to carry the film I had in my hand luggage passed the scanner.

Yes, sure. It must be something with my 'mannerism', as you say, that caught the attention of the security folks. - Actually, at Gardermoen, Oslo, nothing goes passed the scanner, regardless if it is 120 film or just any sort of mannerism.

 

[Gumby]

Airport security is like many other things where the threat changes and knowledge about sources/methods can be exploited in a negative manner: fickle and unpredictable.

The one thing airport security attempts to do is appease to the best of their ability the airlines they affect and the countries they protect. Neither really wants to make tourists, business people, etc. angry and upset by inconveniencing them more than "necessary". That includes doing all they can do to avoid destroying film. Coddling peoples mistaken beliefs based on rumor and/or unsubstantiated internet stories isn't something that can be reasonably expected.

It is nice that sometimes our desires to not have our film x-rayed is honored... isn't it. I'm thankful for those few experiences rather than grumpy about the other times when I'm asked to send the film through the machine.

 

[icebear]

My way:
I put all film (135-36, in plastic container only) in a zip-lock bag and this goes into a Domke film shield bag. I take this out of the carry-on bag, open my photo bag so that they can easily see everything. Sometimes after the scan the do a hand inspection of the Domke bag, take a look and say OK, have a nice flight. [so far: US/Canada/Carribean/Europe/China]
Works for me 😀.

 

[Rob-F]

We have returned, and I'm finally done processing all my film (25 rolls, including Tri-X and Delta 400). I'm happy to report there is no X-Ray damage visible on any of the negatives. I have only printed about a dozen shots so far; but so far, all is well.

The first time I let the film go through the X-Ray, it was in my carryon tote bag, which was so full of stuff that they ran it back and forth a couple of times trying to figure out what they were seeing. After that, here's what I did: I put all my ISO 400 films in a large ziplock bag, and laid it right on the conveyor belt, making sure they saw it. Now that they knew what they were X-raying, it zipped right through with minimum exposure. As I noted no damage after seven exposures, I think this may be a worthwhile practice.

This thread turned out to be pretty lively. Thanks to everyone who responded!

 

[Leigh Youdale]

Well, that's all good.
Basically I now travel with ISO 100 or 400 film - don't risk anything higher. ALWAYS in my carry-on luggage - NEVER checked in baggage.
Take film out of the containers, put in plastic ziplok. Offer bag to security. Sometimes they'll take every film out and shake it, sometimes they'll just look at it and hand it back, sometimes they'll look at it and tell you it has to go through the X-Ray.
DON'T put it in a lead-lined bag as it shows up as an indecipherable shape and the operator just keep backing it up and passing it through again trying to guess what it is - then they ask you to empty your bags for them to check visually anyway.

(I once had a very interesting discussion in India about the images my set of harmonicas showed on the screen - they were convinced they were sticks of explosive!)

Now all of this presupposes one thing - that there is no security scare current. Three years ago at Heathrow I had three weeks worth of HP5+ ruined when we were only allowed to carry a small plastic bag on board and everything else had to be checked. When I developed the film after arriving home there were stripes and fogging on them all - including the remaining unexposed film. I've been a bit paranoid about it ever since! To the extent that in two weeks I'm going to Europe again for a visit and I have with me the contact details for several photo labs where I can send my film for developing (only) if such a situation arises again. The processed films can then be mailed to me back home.
By the way, the regulations in Australia state that security MUST do a hand inspection if requested. Not all operatives or even their supervisors know this so I carry a copy of the relevant part of the regulations with me and the contact details of the senior government official who confirmed this and sent me the regulations. Works every time!
Not without some face-pulling however! 🙂