Durability of slide film while travelling

[lotuseaters]

Hi, I�ve thoroughly searched the photo.net archives and the web, but

can�t seem to find any useful information regarding the subject of

film durability. Seeing there�s a vast amount of collective

experience at hand here, I�m hoping someone might be able to help a

first time poster. Soon I�ll be embarking on a trip across Asia,

lasting eight months. I�m all 35mm transparencies (consumer Fuji and

Kodak) and would really like to have my processing done at home.

 

What I�d like to know is, for how long exposed films can actually be

carried around without processing and without showing any significant

shifts in colour afterwards. Other than shielding the material from

excessive heat and trying to avoid too many x-ray machines, what

other factors play a role here? What�s the max amount of time people

here have safely lugged around their exposed slide films before

handing them to the lab? Any input will be much appreciated. Cheers

[alex_lofquist]

I have dragged slide film through the jungles of South America, the ghats of India, the savannahs of East Africa, and the islands of the South Pacific. Often the films were not developed for several months and I have never knowingly had troubles caused by the environment. I am careful to avoid X-ray exposure whenever possible.

[angus_wong2]

If you're looking for personal exprience and/or opinion, I just have this to contribute: film runs the risk of being screwed every time a person crosses borders (i.e., airport checks / x-rays, etc.) despite all manner of protection. I double bag with X-ray bags (thick smaller x-ray bag, and then put inside a thinner, larger x-ray bag) and often keep them in the canisters just in case my backpack gets wet/submerged but sometimes have to remove the canisters when I run out of space. I would just stay away from direct heat or too much cold. Buried in the middle of the backpack often works. Since it's exposed film you are not likely to need to dig it out too often. Carry two (doubled or not) x-ray bags; one for middle-of-pack storage and one to dump film into when you're changing rolls on the road. Depending on your method of travel you can opt to put those x-ray bags inside watertight bags/containers as well. I've seen backpacks fall into rivers or otherwise get wet when people cross planks, or have their luggage hauled around by handlers, not to mention general rainy weather or Thailand's water festivals (in the summer I think).

[angus_wong2]

What I forgot to add was that because of the risk every time one crosses borders, I would have the slide film developed whenever I'm in a DECENT city with decent E6 capability. Say, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo, etc. I just would really hate to have a roll or more ruined. If it was a fairly short trip I wouldn't bother but if I were doing many countries I would not like to worry about the big stash of undeveloped film in my backpack. That's just me.

[ranong]

hey, this time i am with angus! i have been traveling throughout SE asia for the last 5 years. usually 6-8 months per year. i always get my stuff processed and printed overseas (120 and 135 formats). WAY cheap, same machines, great results for a fraction of the price. myanmar, bkk and HCMC have many good e6 labs around. i have used many different ones over the years and of the 300-400 roles i have shot NONE have been lost to X rays or mishandlings by the labs! (oh!!! wait a girl fogger a role of black and white 120 in HCMC, but that is because they have to handle it, the e6 and c41 is done by a machine. so i lost 1 role)

 

as for how long you can actually carry it around for.....i am not sure. please let us know if you find out. have fun.

 

eddie

[lotuseaters]

Well, I would like to have my processing done as I go along, but I'll be travelling Iran and the Stans before going to China. So, by the time I have arrived in Hong Kong or Shanghai, the films and I will have been on the road for at least about 5 months.

[nevilleb]

What you need to really do is to try and get the roll developed asap after it has been exposed. Its the time lag between exposure and processing that really makes a difference , imho.<br><br>

 

<a href="http://www.nevillebulsara.com">Neville Bulsara</a><br>

Travel and documentary photography

[neil_lupin]

poeple worry too much about this. Keep it cool and dry and get it hand inspected at airports - keep films in clear plastic bag without plastic cases to make life easy and allow plenty of time. Or hey, split em up, DHL them home in small batches and have someone get them done for you at your usual lab. If I travel again I'll probably be on digital but if I took slide for a long time, I'd DHL home small batches very often and set up an account with a lab so that when I got home everything was ready waiting for me to see.

[arindam_das3]

<p>

<b>I</b> shot a couple of rolls of Fuji Velvia in October and did not send them to lab untill January. Results: Awful. I will never ever do that again. The film got slower and everything became sepia.

</p>

<p>

<b>I</b> have travelled a lot with slide film across borders. Never taken any special means of protecting them from (hand-baggage) X-Ray. Never regretted that.

</p>

<p>

<b>F</b>inally although I have not travelled much to Asia but I live in India and the quality of work you get from E6 labs in Calcutta or Delhi comparable if not better than anywhere in US or Europe.

</p>

[roger_hicks1]

Dear Tom,

 

Weeks shouldn't be a problem: I've been doing this for 20+ years (see www.rogerandfrances.com). More than 2-3 months and it's iffy; more than about 6 months and you'll need to be lucky, but you probably will be. A lot depends on (a) how careful you've been and (b) how critical you are.

 

I prefer to get stuff processed locally if there's a reliable lab, and only hang on to it if there aren't. This applies in rural just-about-anywhere, including the USA.

 

Cheers,

 

Roger

[angus_wong2]

"I shot a couple of rolls of Fuji Velvia in October and did not send them to lab untill January. Results: Awful. I will never ever do that again. The film got slower and everything became sepia."

 

Wow, Arindam, that's pretty scary stuff. Do you think if you kept them in the fridge it would have helped? I know this is probably an academic question but I'm wondering if it should be some kind of habit for us photos to do, to throw film into the fridge the minute we get home just in case we forget to develop promptly?

[david-m]

Every couple of years I take 6 months off and travel around with my cameras, Provia and a

bicycle. I can honestly say that even though there should be a problem, I can see no

difference in the film I shot in January in Patagonia and the film I shot in Bolivia in July. All

carried in my bag (through 30 degrees plus and 20 degrees below), and all developed back

home. And I like to thnk I am pretty particular about quality.

 

Good luck

 

David