X-ray machines and Superia Reala

Any problems taking Superia Reala ASA 100 through hand-luggage X-ray

machines at airports? I've never ever had a problem taking other

films through multiple times (7 or 8 screenings on my last trip), but

I noticed a sign in red on the Reala box saying one should avoid X-

rays. Reala 100 isn't any more susceptible to X-rays than any other

make at ASA 100, is it?

no, it will be fine

nope, no problems, if you carry some 800 or 1000+ speed film you might be able to request a "hand check" by the security. I can usually get by that if i'm carrying a large bag of film and say "it has lots of different speeds from 50 to 1600" or something like that...but be sure you have some 1600 in there. if you are flying out of the country you'll be fine on your way out, on the way back they'll probably scan it though and won't even consider hand checking it. but with 100 asa you shouldn't have any problems.

 

Josh

X-Ray damage can be cumulative, anyone ever ran film through a few international stops, 6 or so? Sounds like a dumb question, but I always ask for a hand inspection and it's a pain in the balls. Traveling to much, American Airlines chicken is starting to taste ok...

All the above answers are good. However, you might like to go onto the film manufacturers� web sites to see what they say.

 

Agfa says that you should not put any sort of undeveloped photographic material in checked baggage. Kodak also says that any film that is rated at ISO 1000 or higher, or will be processed to achieve ISO 1000 or higher, should be segregated from your other hand baggage (which might mean unloading the camera), and offered for manual inspection. Apparently, you can do this in the US, because you have the right. You might have a problem at a foreign airport.

 

But, me being me, I was not convinced. So I ran some trials at Southampton Airport, with the kind assistance of the Chief Security Officer. I had several films that I shot at ISO 3200, and processed at that speed. They were run through the hand baggage X-ray machine twice (once for outbound, once for the return). I had no sign of fogging whatsoever, even though I had processed all the films down to the fog level. Obviously, the Chief Security Officer was happy to hear of the result.

 

One thing that did interest me was that the X-ray machine was so sensitive that it could see straight through a lead bag. I was, of course, on the �security staff� side of the machine, so I could see.

 

The Chief Security Officer did tell me that the radiation level from the X-ray machine was far less than the cosmic radiation that you will get inside the cabin of an aircraft at 30,000 ft. So, as a precaution, I would suggest that you get some lead bags to carry you film in when you are in the aircraft. It sounds like a good tip.

 

Another tip � perhaps you should buy a roll of Ilford Delta 3200, and keep the carton with your other films (sod the film itself � it is not the best film at that sort of speed, being polite to Ilford). However, the carton has written on it �DO NOT X-RAY�, in eight languages.

 

Finally, if you want to make sure that your film will not get X-rayed, how about this. Buy some plastic re-loadable cassettes (they cost as much each as a film), and re-spool all your films into them. You then put them in your pockets to go through the airport�s metal detector. Providing that you have absolutely no other metal on you (belt buckles, penknives, etc.), you should get straight through. Do not forget to put them back into your lead bag before the �plane takes off.

Any film up to ISO 1600 (ex. push-processed films) won't be harmed by airport hand luggage/carry-on X-rays.