Taking LF Sheet film through the airports....

[ryan_mcintosh]

I am leaving the country in a few weeks to go photographing, and was

wondering what would be the best way to take film there? I am

shooting 4x5 and 8x10 200asa film. I could take all the film in

there boxes...but I am afraid they will want to open them up to see

whats inside. Or I could take the film loaded in the film holders.

 

Any suggestions would be a help. Thanks

 

Ryan McIntosh

www.RyanMcIntosh.net

[bruce_watson1]

Ship the film FedEx, UPS, DHL, whatever to where you are going.

 

The last time I went through an airport with a box of film (Feb 2005), I had this nice long talk with a TSA agent. I explained that it was photograpic film and that exposure to light would ruin it. I showed her that the factory seals were still intact. She agreed to a hand inspection.

 

I lost sight of her and my film as they pushed and pulled me through their system. At the end of the line she brought my film back. I flipped over and found one seal broken.

 

I tossed the film back in my carry-on and bought more on location (lucky me to find it). Shipped it and the film I bought on location back home by UPS. I then ran a sheet from that box with exposed film from other boxes - that sheet was fogged on the edges. Add another USD 50.00 to the trip :-(

 

Moral of the story - don't let TSA touch your film. Ship it another way.

[ronald_moravec1]

Buy when you get there or ship it ahead. Process there or ship back the same way. Test one sheet reguardless of how it got there or where you bought it and send some thru as a test for the location processing that is expendable.

 

Lots of pros are going digital to stop the hassle. This is becoming a major pain and I just use my car.

 

Whatever you do, don`t put it in packed luggage in the airplane hold. Carry on is the only way to take it with you.

[gregory_martin]

My experience has been just the opposite. I have only had good success with the TSA and I have had nothing but problems with shipping film. I have had to politely insist on a hand check and have allways (10-12 times) been granted one, particularly when I explain that it's large format. Shipping should be easy, but my luck hasn't held. I shipped two boxes of film to Canada just to make sure one made it. Both got held up in customs (it was my fault) and basically vacationed up there for about two months until Customs returned them to me. I have also sent film to my hotel in the US and had some problems getting someone to go down to the mail room and retrieve it.

 

My thinking is now to always bring some film with me. That way I know that I have at least some

[michael_briggs2]

<p>You shouldn't have any problem with the inspectors insisting on opening your film boxes or holders. -- an x-ray should prove to them that the boxes don't contain weapons, etc. They can also use the "sniffer" machine to verify that the boxes don't contain explosives. A few passes through the scanners for your carry-on baggage won't harm your film. When I have traveled, the inspecctors have never wanted to open a film box or holder. I suggest taping your boxes shut, or not opening the factory seal.</p>

 

<p>Now, asking for your film not to be x-rayed will likely be strongly resisted, despite your right in the USA to avoid x-raying of your film. See the TSA's statement on film at <a href="http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1035.xml">http://www.tsa.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1035.xml</a>.

Of course, the TSA rules are only applicable in the US.</p>

 

<p>Never put your film in your checked baggage because some scanners used for checked baggage will ruin undeveloped film. In a very few airports these CAT-type scanners are also used on a selective basis for a second x-raying of carrry-on baggage, so be aware. The most common brand is InVision, and the machines are required to have signs instructing you to remove your film.</p>

 

<p>Since the TSA took over screening, I have found the inspectors to be more professional and it easier to transport LF photography equipment. The only thing thing I have to remember is to remove my small toolkit and place it in my checked baggage. Strangely, small screw drivers and hex (allen) wrenches are considered dangerous.</p>

 

<p>Recent discussions of this topic: <i>Airport scanners and sheet film?</i> at <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00ATeY">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00ATeY</a> and <i>4x5 film and airport security</i> at <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00B0Jh">http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00B0Jh</a>.</p>

[sanders_mcnew]

My experience has been mixed. At JFK and LaGuardia, both in New York City, I ask for hand checks and they whiz me through. Loaded film holders and boxes of film with broken seals don't faze them. In other airports, I've had very different experiences. At Dallas/Ft. Worth, for example, TSA will not let you bypass the scanners with film in holders or opened boxes of film, no matter how you try to pitch it. Their reaction is, We don't know what's in the box or the holders and we cannot take your word for it.

 

All that said, I've come to appreciate that one or two passes through a modern luggage scanner doesn't harm the film I use -- Bergger sheet film, which claims a 200 ASA rating. So, as long as the folks at LGA and JFK keep hand-checking my film on my outbound legs, I don't worry about putting the exposed frames through the scanners on the trip home.

 

Sanders McNew

 

www.mcnew.net

[carsten_benni]

Few weeks ago I posted here a similar question:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AsVY.

 

I asked for a hand check at JFK and they accepted. I found a guy who is a photohobbyst

and I went crazy to answer his questions about digital cameras and objectives and I knew

nothing about these things but I just smiled politely and answered vaguely. He just passed

a sort of explosive sniffer and he asked me to open a seal (I had several boxes of 4x5 film

sheets) and I agreed, also because were new boxes so the film were protected by the

inside envelope.

 

Then also depends by the film ISO, if it 160 as mine, no problem, Xrays don't fog it.

With higher ISO it is dangerous.

I repeat once again:do not put you film in your checked luggage.

 

I am not sure is better to have them shipped with FedEx, UPS... because they for sure use

Xrays to check what they are going to carry, so save your money.

 

Carsten

[beepy]

I tape my boxes shut, and pass it through the carry-on X-ray. I started taping them shut

after an incident in Dulles Washington Airport where the inspector on a bag check started

opening the film box (I was momentarily distracted as I was grabbing all my other

belongings).

<p>

Duct tape is your friend. Unopened factory sealed boxes are best for as long as possible.

<p>

Tape Quickload boxes shut also if you don't want curious inspectors pulling apart the

holders to see what they are.

[Aoresteen]

For USA Airports: Call the local TSA rep a week before you leave and ask about it. My converstaions with the TSA is that they are supposed to hand inspect sheet film and they will not open it. Get the persons name, arrive an extra 45 minutes early and insist on speaking with the manager if they want to open the box or holders.

 

Ask the TSA rep who is the manager on duty for your flight time. When you ask for "Mr. Jones, the TSA manager" that will get you further that asking for just anyone.

 

Once out of the USA you are on your own.

[robert_ley]

Just got back from a 10 day trip to Peurto Rico. Shipped all my film and holders by FedEx. No problem and as a matter of fact, the film almost beat me back to the states. It arrived the day after my return.

With FedEx, you can ship to a local FedEx at your destination and pick it up on arrival. This saves all the hassles of lugging film and holders through the airport and any chance that you will be inspected, harassed, or x-rayed.

[hugh_jaramillo]

Ryan,

 

My experience when you go leave the country with film is not only do you have to worry about the TSA guys but also the local guys at your arrival point, and normally that means at least a few inspections.

 

The main problen here is that most people at the airports don't even know what large format film is, since the standard is the 35mm cartridge, many times i had to explain people what my medium format film was.

 

My advice for what is worth is, that if you have to hand carried the film take one sheet from the box or an old negative and taked with you so the official can have something to relate to what it is on the box, most official are glad to help but you have to prove that the stuff actually exist.

 

Hugh

[john_shriver]

The air freight services do not X-ray the items they ship. Whether they ship them in their own planes, or on commercial passenger planes. This is a safety problem, but then the TSA is all about appearances, anyways.

[brian_ellis16]

I don't think the x ray machines for carry-on luggage hurt anything. I used to do all the things mentioned here at one time or another. Shipping by Fed Ex was a particular pain. Then Ron Rosenstock, who goes back and forth from the U.S. to Ireland six or seven times a year, said he just lets the film go through the carry-on xray and hasn't had a problem with his film. I started doing the same and haven't had a problem either, using T Max 100 and Ilford HP5+. I think the worry about carry-on xrays for low and medium speed film is unnecessary. But FWIW when I used to ask for a hand inspection I was always able to get one without opening anything.

[ken_hughes4]

"The air freight services do not X-ray the items they ship. Whether they ship them in their own planes, or on commercial passenger planes. This is a safety problem, but then the TSA is all about appearances, anyways."

 

 

this is not, repeat, not what the postal service at the airport told me. They said that everything gets xrayed.

[ken_hughes4]

Last time I flew with 4x5 film I took two boxes and put them in my back pockets, nothing metal to worry about and I was also picked to get the extra security check. I thought it was all over when the guard started to ask if there was anything left in my pockets, but he stipulated "metal objects" and I was saved...got through fine.

[dave_moeller]

Last year I took a trip to Europe that involved passing my carry-on bag through x-ray machines seven times. None of my film, both 100 and 400 speed, was any worse for the experience.

[streetlevel]

hand inspection of readyloads and quickloads have worked for me... I can open the box

and the foil, and they seem satisfied with that...never had them try to pry open a packet. It

does help that they scream kodak and fuji on each one...

 

Any time I fly with LF, it's always readyloads for just this reason.

[lars ake vinberg]

In Europe and Australia, forget about hand inspection (and be prepared to have anything beyond the carryon weight limit checked in at the gate).

 

I shipped some film to Australia using USPS EMS service, no problem.

 

For carry-on I put my film boxes in lead bags and run them through X-ray. Never a problem, but the fastest speed I use is ISO 100. The lead bag also protects against some the increased radiation at high altitude - some people say that this radiation is much more harmful for film than the carryon x-ray, although I have not been able to verify this statement. Plus, my padded lead bag looks kinda cool.

 

I have gone through the manual inspection procedure in the U.S. a few times - it is an enormous hassle, takes forever, is not worth the hassle.

[andy_shand1]

buy a pair of baggy trousers with multiple pockets

 

make sure that you have no metal on you

 

stuff pockets with sealed envelopes or roll film ..even in the foil

 

walk through with a smile

 

anyone who lets lead lined bags through without xraying the contents is very very lax by post 911 standards.

[michael_briggs2]

<p><i>"anyone who lets lead lined bags through without xraying the contents is very very lax by post 911 standards."</i> The operator of the x-ray machine can normally see the contents through the lead bag -- I have seen rolls of 35 mm film visible on the monitor despite the lead bag. The lead bag does absorb most of the x-rays and will reduce the exposure of the film.</p>

 

<p>The other advantage of using lead bags is it makes it much easier to get a hand inspection. Frequently, if you ask for a hand inspection of your film they will strongly resist, even though this is supposed to be an option. If you send your film through in a lead bag, frequently they will decide to do a hand inspection of the contents.</p>

 

<p>As Ake says, the lead bag will also help reduce the exposure from cosmic rays during the flight. The cosmic ray flux is higher at high altitudes, and at high latitudes.</p>

 

<p>The metal foil in Kodak film envelopes for sheet film is detected by some metal detectors. Ilford uses plastic bags.</p>

[andy_shand1]

well ive been in and out of about 5 asian and 4 us cities in the last 3 months and they all want to empty out my lead bag contents to put them through again...fortunately its not holding film because its on my person. You can often see the xray tv screen quite easily and my lead bag is a black solid square that always causes questions...i suppose like anything else you get different degrees of lead lining...mine is pretty good in that respect.

[andy_shand1]

metal foil around film seems not to send of metal alarms in three main us airports/ hong kong and a whole bunch of other international airports in recent months...however heathrow seemed to have their metal detector so high that my fillings were probably setting it off so the film jackets may well set it off too....its a crap shoot out there.