pierre_cantin Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 I will travel soon . I got some x-ray bag . I am planning to put my film in this bag and inside the plane intead to go with me in plane . Do you believe it will be ok I will put my camara in pelican boxe .Anyway we have insurance when they lost your luggage Let me know Thank's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 I don't think x-ray bags are worth a damn today. If the technician sees your x-ray bag on his scope, it just looks like something he needs to see into. He turns up the 'watts' on his machine until he can see through it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnmarkpainter Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Think about it.....if they see a couple of lead bags that they can't see inside of, they will just pull out your suitcase. As for Pelican cases...you can't lock them (they have to be able to search your bag). Someone from TSA will be OPENING YOUR CAMERA CASE and repacking it while you are aren't around. Do you really want that? jmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom leoni Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 All Transport Security personnel I've talked to (at least in the US) advise against checking in photographic equipment--especially film. You are better off getting a clear plastic bag and placing your film (out of the canisters) in there as a carry-on item. Once you make it past security screening, you can replace your film in the canisters. As for cameras, it's a matter of personal preference, but I'd rather take them with me on the plane. Hope this helps. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBaker Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 What you can take into the cabin depends on where you are flying from and to. At present, if you are flying from the UK you will have to go through security from land side to air side carrying only a clear see-through bag containing only necessary documents, a small wallet with credit cards, etc and door keys if they are not electronic. Baby food can be included if tasted in front of the security people. Definitely no cameras or film or any other liquids. However, once air side you can buy most things in duty free and take them on the plane, provided you are not travelling to the US. The US has imposed extra restrictions including taking no liquids or gels (toothpaste). I'm not sure what happens if you buy cameras and film in duty free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albert knapp md Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Don't wate your time with the Xray bags. The CT scans used by TSA and other similar agencies worldwide will burn right through your bags... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stwrtertbsratbs5 Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 A friend of mine used a lead bag when she hand carried her gear to France. Her HP5 developed oddly - it looked reticulated, which I've seen when people don't controltemperture during development. But I've seen her work, and all of her chemicals are kept at 68 F +/- 1F. So much for xrays being fine for slow films! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billc1 Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Someone had a good idea to ship your film back to USA using Fedex or whatever carrier. I was wondering, don't they have xray scanners on their cargo planes or do they ship that cargo underneath the passanger planes? Makes you wonder? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blakley Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Fedex and UPS don't do anything to cargo which would damage film. If they did, B&H wouldn't be able to ship your film order to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt_chamberlain Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Todd Peach, please don't continue propogating this rumor of "turning up the power" on airport x-ray machines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F. Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 <<<I don't think x-ray bags are worth a damn today. If the technician sees your x-ray bag on his scope, it just looks like something he needs to see into. He turns up the 'watts' on his machine until he can see through it.>>> Several forumers have told us that the X-Ray machines are not adjustable. They sound like they know what they are talking about. I have accidently left a roll of Ilford Delta 3200, which has a true ISO around 1000, in my carry-on bag. The same roll went through a second time on the return flight (St. Louis ---> Houston; Houston ---> St. Louis. There was no effect on the film at all. Rolls of HP-5 & Tri-X, were also X-Ray'd--no problem. On my flight to Los Angeles and back, I used my heavy lead bag. The attendant must have asked me something, because I remember telling her my film was in a lead bag in my carry-on. She nodded, and the bag went right through, no problems, and the film (Tri-X, FP-4, HP-5, Velvia) was fine. Obviously the lead attenuates the level of exposure. They can still see well enough, but the risk to the film is further reduced. When the TSA workers say that films under 1000 will be OK, I think they know what they are talking about. In my experience, Delta 3200 treated as 1600 was still fine. Some forumers have reported that X-Rays on overseas flights are stronger. Probably, we need to consider whether we are traveling domestic or international when we evaluate the safety of the film. I think that if my wife and I were leaving for France tomorrow, I would take films up to ISO 400. If I needed anything faster, I would buy it there. And I would have exposed film processed before the return flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 because of my work, i go thru security checkpoints at airports on an almost daily basis, so here goes my 2 cents : 1- no, they can not pump up the power on the carry-on x-ray checks. 2- i use a lead bag to carry film and camera body when loaded. most of the time, they want to see what is inside the bag, and run one of those explosives test. 3-recently, in chicago ohare i requested one of those test trying to skip the x-rays on about 50 rolls of film. they would not do it. it was either x-rays or opening each box and canister to run individual explosives tests. i wrote the tsa and they confirmed this was the correct procedure. 4-when in doubt, i ask the tsa or check their web site. they always come with an answer after a few days. 5- never,ever argue with security personal. they are pretty much like your wife. you can never win, and in case you are right, you lose too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david j.lee Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 and Pierre, there is no lead bag in the market that will protect your film from the high power x-ray units they use for checked baggage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samir Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 During my last travel I asked an agent operating the x-ray machine whether he could boost the x-ray to see through lead bags (I just had one). He told me they can't, that usually they see enough through lead bags. Sometimes, some lead boxes do not allow them to see what is in it, and in that cases they just ask to open your bag. This was a Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_r._fulton_jr. Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 The problem right now is flying into, out of, or thru the UK. I don't know how you can fly thru there with film. You can't carry it on the plane and you can't put it in checked luggage. The X-rays they use for checked luggage is lethal to film. So you do NOT want to check it. Going thru UK you can't carry it on board. Assuming you're <I>not</I> going thru UK then you should carry it on board with you. Do not worry about the security machine they have at the boarding area. Just throw your film in and relax. I've run thousands and thousands of rolls thru those machines as have other photographers and I've never seen one bit of damage. One summer I kept a roll of asa800 color neg film in a bag that always go thru those machines. It went thru at least a dozen times with no damage at all. I use to travel with Tmax 3200 and it ran thru machines from Hong Kong to Italy to USA with no ill effects. Just relax about it. As I said, above, if you are going thru UK then you have problems. You'll have to buy on location and either have it processed on location or ship it home. BTW, I pack cameras in Pelican cases and they work great. The one question I cannot answer is about theft from checked baggage. I don't understand why if our airports are so 'security' conscious and all employees are checked out, why theft from checked baggage exists at all. It should be a non-issue but it is. No answer on that since you can't lock your checked baggage. Traveling hasn't always been easy, but as photographers we just have to adapt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill_schneider1 Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 >> I don't understand why if our airports are so 'security' conscious and all employees are checked out, why theft from checked baggage exists at all. And I wonder when a "reverse theft" will occur in which something dangerous is added to a traveler's bag going into the cargo hold... Dangerous times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 <I>I don't understand why if our airports are so 'security' conscious and all employees are checked out, why theft from checked baggage exists at all.</I><P> Seems simple to me. It's because there is no perfection. And that a baggage handler without a criminal record does not guarantee (s)he is not a thief. Thieves come from all walks and economic strata of life. www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_brewton Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 I have never had a problem with film carried in an x-ray proof bag. I fly frequently and carry my Leica everywhere. But, maybe not anymore? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F. Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 It seems to me there's a tunnel between England and France, isn't that so? Why would it not make sense, then, to fly in and out of France and take the tunnel to London? I'm not sure what is available, but perhaps there is a train through the tunnel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen_w. Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 Not a bad idea, Rob. The Eurostar goes through the Chunnel, from $140 one way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
todd peach seattle, washi Posted August 12, 2006 Share Posted August 12, 2006 My bad, Matt. I've been propagating this rumor for 25 years..... Live and learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanessa_whyte Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 <p>John R. Fulton Jr., I don't know why you said that about the UK. I live and work in the UK. I travel in and out of the UK and all over Europe and I have never had a problem with any unprocessed negative up to 800ASA. I also don't know why you think we can't carry film in our carry-on baggage, that is not true and there is no UK rule about that. Our only major difference in security procedures is the amount of liquids and gels we are permitted to take into the cabin with us.<br>Rob F, all luggage is X-rayed when traveling by train through the Channel Tunnel, but this has also never caused me problems to my film.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alec_myers Posted January 11, 2010 Share Posted January 11, 2010 <p>Vanessa,<br> John R. Fulton wrote his post three and a half years ago when security restrictions following the liquid explosives plot were in place: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_transatlantic_aircraft_plot</p> <p>Security procedures change from time to time, sometimes temporarily. For instance, on my return from Canada (through the US) this week travellers were forbidden from taking carry-on cabin baggage <strong>at all</strong>, with certain small exceptions (laptop bags, cameras etc.). Nobody knows how long this restriction will be in place. </p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
di-yena Posted January 12, 2010 Share Posted January 12, 2010 <p>The restriction for no carry on baggage at all is for flights into the US (due to the christmas incident). I flew from Canada to the UK around the same time and could take on hand baggage as normal with just the restrictions on liquids and gels.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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