At airport security why not keep film in pocket?

[owen_farmer]

I've read the posts about not putting film in checked bags, and that x-rays of

carry-ons is probably OK. When traveling I usually have no more than 5 35mm

cartriges, which I can easily put in my pockets. Is there anything wrong with

putting the film in my pockets and walking through the security detector,

which, I think, is a metal detector and not an x-ray. Thanks for any advice.

Owen

[curt wiler]

Well, you will set off the metal detector which will probably trigger a body search.

[Ed_Ingold]

Owen,

 

I think you should go through TSA security with your pockets bulging. Then write us about your experience.

 

If you had "read" anything in Photo.Net about film and carry-on X-Ray machines you would know there is no documented problem by anyone. You, on the other hand, have a spendid opportunity to provide an interesting new twist on this topic.

[wirehead]

The 35mm film canister is metal, which will set off the detector.

 

I've had good results so far by making sure that I had a roll of 3200 ASA film at all times and explaining that there's no #%!% way they aren't going to zap it given that the machines are only safe up to 800. The TSA policy documents say that they have to let Professional, Pushed, Pulled, High Speed, and a few other categories of film be hand searched.

 

I even managed to luck out in Peru where the only film that got zapped was the stuff I stupidly left in the camera bag. :(

[mdcarma]

Two words to consider, "Cavity search". They can. They have. They will.

[phil_jarrett]

A word of warning - although taking your film through airport security is absolutely fine, if you're going anywhere in a major city in the US and now most parts of Europe, only take the film you need for the day. I found this when I visited New York... the combined effect of x-ray scans from the airport, Conney Island, Empire State.... all the usual tourist spots, and the flight home again started to fog my film, only a little, but there was fog.

[lb-]

they x-ray at coney island?

[owen_farmer]

Thanks. I forgot that the film canister was metal.

Owen

[blowingsky]

I've been told repeated by TSA at Burbank, Los Angeles, JFK, O'Hare, Gatwick and Dublin (forget the airport name) that film over 800 ISO will be affected. I always tell them that I am rating my 400 ISO film at 800.

[roger_smith4]

I tried this. I set off the metal detector, they handchecked the film and I walked through again.

[stephen hazelton]

Just for fun, insert film canisters in body cavities. Won't the TSA people feel stupid when it's only a roll of film...

[rich815]

The main reason I would think is that they ask you to empty your pockets of anything metal into the trays to be x-ray'd.

 

"x-rays of carry-ons is probably OK."

 

X-rays of carry-ons IS ok for films 100-800. Hundreds of trips, hundreds of films, hundreds of no problems. Much odo about nothing.

[matt_neighbour___york__u.k]

I don't think there is enough metal to trigger the detector. I have done this with a few canisters, put them in my baggy pockets. Once I got a hand check, another time nothing at all. I have also INSISTED that officials hand-check the film, pointing at the red labelling on Fuji pro films where it says PROTECT FROM HEAT AND X-RAY. Doesn't always work though.

 

This is all in Europe.

[blowingsky]

I think scanning intensity differs from airport to airport. Something to keep in mind.

[michael_p6]

120 film doesn't trigger anything, 135 does. I tried it a couple of times by having 135 in one pocket, and 120 in the other ... "oops", forgot I had these in the pocket" and gave up the 135 first then went in the portal again : no beeps.

 

Only problem is of course if you have a camera already loaded...

[craig_shearman1]

they x-ray at coney island?

Can't speak to Coney Island but they do x-ray when you get on the Circle Line boat to go to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Here in Washington, DC, there is x-ray at the Capitol, every House and Senate office building, some if not all of the Smithsonian museusm and most (probably all) federal buildings. Same at the Vatican in Rome last summer. So going in and out of museums these days as a tourist you're going to get multiple passes and they do add up. Can you get through one or two passes with 400 for snapshots? Probably not a problem. But x-ray fogging is cumulative. Saying that X-rays don't affect the film and saying they don't affect it enough to notice are two different things.

[david_m]

"If you had "read" anything in Photo.Net about film and carry-on X-Ray machines you would know there is no documented problem by anyone."

 

The above is of course absolutely untrue. It's proven that x-rays damage film. Many, many peoople have had film ruined and it is well documented. The machines even have warnings posted right on them, that high-speed film WILL BE damaged. Even medium speed film can be damaged if it makes multiple passes through the machines.

[mike dixon]

<i>. Many, many peoople have had film ruined and it is well documented. The machines even have warnings posted right on them, that high-speed film WILL BE damaged. Even medium speed film can be damaged if it makes multiple passes through the machines.</i><P>

Could you direct us to where it's documented that many, many people have had film ruined by carry-on scanners?

[perttu_luukkanen1]

Should there be a correlation between fogging of a ISO 800 film after a few X-ray passes and ISO400 on 2 x more passes?

 

I'm asking this since It's pretty common for the average tourist from to take non-stop flight to New York, go through the usual (Empire State Building, Coney Island, Circle line, whatever) and fly back, possibly non-stop. This way the film gets X-rayed at least 4, possibly 7 times.

 

Who knows where they start to scan next these days but I can't imagine it's any use to explain to the guy at the X-ray machine that my film has been cooked a few times already.

 

Still probably not an issue with Provia 100F or so but I'd probably take a few rolls of UC400 with me and I'd hate to see them fogged.

[Aoresteen]

Mike,

 

Well Kodak thinks it's a problem:

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5202.shtml#SEC846

 

And I had film damage by xrays in Rome just after 9/11. But I didn't complain!

[mike dixon]

My question still stands: Can anyone direct us to where it's documented that many people have had their film ruined by <b>carry on scanners</b>?<P>

 

No one disputes that putting film in your checked bags can lead to damage. If you follow the link in the Kodak article and read the detailed information, it shows damage caused by scanners for <b>checked baggage</b>, and it advises people to put their film in their carry-on baggage.

[sprouty]

Sometimes getting a hand-scan can be more difficult than you think:

<P>

me: I'd like a hand-scan of some film please (film is loose in a clear zip-lock bag)

<P>

TSA woman: What kind of film do you have sir?

<P>

me: I have two rolls of ISO four hundred and three rolls of ISO thirty-two hundred.

<P>

TSA woman: All film under 800 will be fine in the scanner.

<P>

me: but I have three rolls of thirty-two hundred.

<P>

TSA woman: Yes sir and it will be fine in the scanner, you can set it on the belt

<P>

me: but you said all film under 800 will be fine, this is thirty-two hundred?

<P>

TSA: woman: Sir, place the film on the belt it will be fine

<P>

Moment of silence as we both try to figure out why the other is being stubborn and stupid.

<P>

light goes off in my head...

<P>

me: I'm sorry ma'am, this is actually three-<I>thousand</I>-two-hundred speed film

<P>

TSA woman: (obviously annoyed) well why didn't you say that in the first place?

<P>

me: Because thirty-two...actually never mind, my mistake.

[stanley_sizeler]

There is a current TSA bulletin on transporting film that says if your film has had five passes through a carryon X-ray scanner you can request (and receive)"hand inspection" (no xray) of your film. Transparent cannisters are always easier for the TSA screener to inspect, and it is faster to have the cannisters out of the boxes. I carry the regulation in my camera bag and occasionally must display it for the screeners. Just go to TSA , Transporting Film. Yes there was an exhaustive article in Pop Photography years ago saying up to five passes were OK for ISO 100.After that, fog. Another article on Xray machine calibration (yes, I am in that business)pointed out that US machines and those in the UK are frequently checked for radiation levels, those elsewhere are???. Any machine can overradiate, so if you cannot get hand inspection use the lead bag as I do in Europe.Sometimes they inspect contents, most time they do not(I have seen the sceen image, and it is just the dense bag outline, and who cares).

[wickedmartini]

Tips For Flying With Film

 

As a service to our film users, Fujifilm is sharing the following advisory issued by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. This information is excerpted from their web site.

WARNING: Equipment used for screening checked baggage will damage your undeveloped film.

You should remove all undeveloped film from your checked baggage and place it in your carry-on baggage.

At the passenger security checkpoint, you should remove the following types of film from your carry-on baggage and ask for a hand inspection:

� Film with an ASA/ISO 800 or higher

� Highly sensitive X-ray or scientific films

� Film of any speed which is subjected to X-ray surveillance more than 5 times (the effect of X-ray screening is cumulative)

� Film that is or will be underexposed

� Film that you intend to "push process"

� Sheet film

� Large format film

� Medical film

� Scientific film

� Motion picture film

� Professional grade film

 

You may request a hand-inspection of any undeveloped film.

The X-ray machine at the passenger security checkpoint will not affect undeveloped film under ASA/ISO 800. However, multiple X-ray inspections (more than 5 times) of the same roll of undeveloped film may cause damage.

 

The machines used to screen your checked baggage or carry-on baggage will not affect digital camera images or film that has already been processed, slides, photo compact discs, or picture discs.

 

Other Precautions:

� If you plan to request a hand inspection of your film, you should consider carrying your film in clear canisters, or taking the film out of solid colored canisters and putting it into clear plastic bags, to expedite the screening process.

� If you are going to be traveling through multiple X-ray examinations with the same rolls of undeveloped film, you may want to request a hand-inspection of your film. However, non-U.S. airports may not honor this request.

� If you plan to hand-carry undeveloped film on an airplane at an international airport, contact the airport security office at that airport to request a manual inspection.

� We recommend that you do not place your film in lead-lined bags since the lead bag will have to be hand-inspected. If you have concerns about the impact of the X-ray machine on your undeveloped film, you can request a hand inspection.

You may still consider bringing a lead-lined bag if you are traveling through airports in other countries as their policies may vary. Check with your airline or travel agent for more information on foreign airports.

[sarah_fabes]

Don't trust that the security people will know what they are talking about. I had 7 rolls of ASA400 film that went through 1 hand luggage scanner and the film has streaks and dots all over it (luckily, they were my brother's wedding pics and nothing important!). Some airports may have the scanner 'turned up' higher. Buy the film when you get there if possible!