XRAY: What is the truth? Does it affect the films?

[froyd]

I have had ISO400 film scanned at least 12 times in a single trip with no visible effect at all.

12 times??? Must have been one heck of a trip!

 

[Deklari]

Kodak has Technical Information Bulletin:

[FONT=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]https://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml[/FONT]

 

[Huss]

In the US they are going to introduce new '3D' xray machines in the carry-on section i.e. not checked luggage.
Does not sound promising for film.

 

[x-ray]

The name I use here, x-ray, is because I work in x-rays to create images of flowers and objects. X-ray exposure is just like light in that every little bit of exposure no matter how small adds up and adds up to make one larger exposure that will e entually fog your film. 100 ISO just takes more than 40" ISO but every light sensitive product is sensitive to x-rays or for that matter any ionizing form of radiation.

The truth, yes x- rays create fog on your film. With ISO 100 a few passes may not produce enough fog to create a problem but the damage is done and given more exposure eventually it will damage your film.

I posted images from my 400 Neopan that went through two scans going and coming from Florence Italy from the US. My Neopan was in my carry on bag with some Acros 100. I'm certain my problem occurred in Paris on my return trip when security couldn't figure out what my F2 was. Security ran my bag back and forth through the x-ray machine several times. When I got back home I ran two rolls of my Neopan and found distinct shadows, wavy lines, created by a heavy exposure to x-rays creating a shadow of the cassette cap along the roll. There was absolutely no question the pattern was created by the x-ray system

If I want to shoot film when traveling by commercial air, I now take digital or ship my film to my location or have it drop shipped to my hotel and ship it back home by FedEx.

 

[Deklari]

If I want to shoot film when traveling by commercial air, I now take digital or ship my film to my location or have it drop shipped to my hotel and ship it back home by FedEx.

Does FedEx (or any other) X-Rays a packages to check for illegal items?
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[x-ray]

Does FedEx (or any other) X-Rays a packages to check for illegal items?
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You'd need to ask FedEx, ups direct.

 

[Deklari]

You'd need to ask FedEx, ups direct.

USPS: "Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine"

Shipping also could be a problem for film.

 

[x-ray]

USPS: "Some of the mail that is sent through the United States Postal Service will pass through an X-Ray machine"

Shipping also could be a problem for film.

I know packages can be marked so that the postal service won't X-ray them. I was in the post office one day when a lab was shipping living specimens and the clerk marked them "Do not x-ray".

With all the film I've had shipped from dealers I've never had an issue. I'm guessing it must be a rare event but your local postmaster could answer the question.

 

[sepiareverb]

Fed-Ex will be very careful with film if you tell them what you are shipping. They have a label for this (I cannot for the life of me remember what it says - photosensitive materials perhaps?). Shipping film to and from my destination is also my preferred method.

I use motion picture film labels when sending my film to the lab via USPS.

http://www.filmtools.com/filmtools-t217-do-not-x-ray-adhesive-label-tape.html