XRAY FOG ?

[jtk]

Theory and urban legend aside, has anyone ACTUALLY SEEN ANY film

fogged in travel?

 

Is this common? (I've not traveled much since 2002).

 

What countries/airports are KNOWN to be trouble?

 

Is it true that slow film is less succeptible to Xray fog than fast

film...doesn't seem sensible, since film speed relates to light...

[andy m.]

Never.

 

The larger silver halide crystals of fast film, I guess have a greater probability of being struck by light. Surely the same applies to X-rays.

[Craig_Cooper11664875449]

Well Ive taken film multiple times thru x-ray passes in every international airport in Asia, from Pakistan to Japan and everything in between over the last 8 years; and probably about 1/3 of the domestic airports in China. With film speeds from 100 ASA up to 3200 ASA and absolutely nuffin!

[Richard Williams]

Never in carry-on luggage. Checked luggage is a different story:

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

 

I haven't tested this and don't want to!

[doug_d]

I had a couple of rolls of 120 that picked up some strange fogging, in the highlights. I flew from Las Vegas to Vancouver a few years ago. The film was in the carry on and on board the plane. The highlight areas wound up with a light fog that were light enough that it created strange patterns in the sky. I don't have a scan, but may be able to provide one if people want.

 

D.

[Richard Williams]

Another link:

 

http://underwaterphotos.com/Filmsafe.htm

 

Also watch out for the high-intensity scanners that may be used for secondary scans (not in the main carry-on line) at some airports.

[johnny massey]

Don't forget radiation in the upper atmosphere.

[ben z]

I've never had any evidence of X-Ray fog and I've always let my film go through the carry-on machine, sometimes a half dozen times on one trip and who knows how many times total if some of that film came home unused and was taken on subsequent trips.

[richard c gilles]

I don't fly.

[dan_fromm1]

Yeah, Frank, you're just another featherless biped.

[john_brewton]

Why take chances? You travel all that way and hopefully get some shots that will make the trip memorable and your friends, neighbors (even clients) go "ooooh-ahhhhh". I always carry my film in an xray-proof container or pouch (in a carryon). There is no telling what they will be using in the future on checked baggage.

[pensacolaphoto]

I have just returned from an overseas tip, and my 100 ASA film was X-rayed over and over and over. I chose the low ASA film on purpose to reduce possibility of fogging. I could swear that on some photos there are slight signs of fogging, but overall, the results came back fine.

[steve_unsworth1]

Flown lots with film going through several scans. Never seen any evidence of fogging.

[gabrielma]

I have, only once. It wasn't mine, it was my sister's, and it was the ISO 800 rolls only. I suspect that it was fogged where she got it developed, but the difference between how she packed her film and mine is that I bury my film within my clothes; they say it doesn't help, but I've never had a problem.

[herve_laurent]

Hello

this subject was posted in a recent forum in the medium format category

please check

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DAR1

for more feedback on the matter

[albert knapp md]

several rolls of Fuji 400 were fogged out right after 9/11 at

Heathrow. The brits were edgy and I suspect they had the Xray

scanners on maximum. The result: fogged carry on film. since

then, most of my film has been hand inspected as I come early

and have a "token" role of ASA 1600 in each ziplock bag!

Albert

[richard c gilles]

Dan, some metal birds can't fly too well. On the bright side, sanity is very rare

[andrewlamb]

I got it, about 7 or 8 years ago, on 120 film on a trip to Key West from London.

It was like a long, wavy line that ran the length of the film. Luckily, I only got it

on a few rolls and none of the 35mm was affected.

[bill_thorlin]

Lots of "hearsay" but little ( if any ) "here see".

 

Travelled a lot and never had a problem with any film ( unexposed or exposed ) BUT it was always as carry on not checked luggage and never any above 800asa.

 

Have checked recently - twice in UK and once in Portugal and told that they would happily hand inspect if I had film of 1600asa or more. So you can avoid this risk if you want to.

 

Be early and be polite just to make things easier.

 

I think maybe if I took 1600asa or higher I would not only ask for a hand inspection but ( just to avoid any "possible" high altitude radiation problem ) I would put it into an x-ray safe bag after I was through the security check (double insurance).

[andy m.]

I reckon this thread is more hear-see then hearsay- For example, I have never had a problem, even when taking film through over 12 X-ray machines on a single trip.

 

Cheers, A

[andy m.]

Maybe it would be better if everyone had film X-rayed. How can a hand inspection reveal the contents of a film cannister?

[bill_thorlin]

Andy - I think you read my posting back to front. I was saying that there was lots of "hearsay" about it being a problem and little if any actual evidence.

 

What they are looking for basically ( as I understand it ) is explosives and they will take the roll/cartridge out of the canister/plastic lidded container and check it with their equipment ( cannot remember what it is called offhand) .

[watts]

<i>several rolls of Fuji 400 were fogged out right after 9/11 at Heathrow. The brits were

edgy and I suspect they had the Xray scanners on maximum.</i><br><br>

 

Isn't the idea that these X-ray scanners can be 'turned up to maximum' one of the urban

myths that the original poster was hoping to avoid. How do you know that the rolls in

question weren't fogged at the lab?

 

I'm with those who have travelled on numerous occasions in recent years and have yet to see

any evidence of fogging caused by putting film through the carry-on baggage scanners.

[jtk]

This thread may be representative, may indicate X-ray fogging isn't as big a problem as was once thought...

 

...this is, after all, a Leica Forum: most of us surely flew with film through international airports in the years after 9/11.

 

What's the purpose of "token" rolls of 1600 in various ziploc bags? A test for fogging, like a canary in the mine?

 

Idea: if fogging is feared, maybe it'd be helpful if all traveling film was pushed a stop to increase contrast...

[andy m.]

Sorry Bill, I realised that <i>after</i> I had posted.