Any problems with large format film at airport security?

[andrew_herrick]

Hi all,

 

I am about to fly US domestic to take large format pictures in Colorado and

Utah. I have several boxes of 8x10 and 4x5 film. Does anyone know if the TSA

has any problems with this? I know liquids are out but is some zealous guard

going to want to open my boxes of film?

 

I may choose to fed-ex the film to myself. Does anyone know if film is x-rayed

when it is sent by courier? It is 400 ASA film

 

Thanks a lot,

 

Andrew

[bruce_watson1]

I lost one box of 5x4 factory sealed Tri-X three years ago to idiot TSA personnel. Since then I try not to fly, and if I fly I send the film outside of TSA's sphere of influence. Both FedEx and UPS work fine. I try to send to a friend or business I trust when I can, but you can also send your package to a specific FedEx or UPS store to await for your pickup if you want.

[ronald_moravec1]

TSA has all the power and lack the brains on the level we must deal with. Trying to explain things will get you arrested or detained so you miss the flight.

 

Ship it ahead, one batch UPS, one Fed Ex. Try to process a trial sheet before you start.

 

Photographers are getting the short end of the stick.

[mb81]

I carry on all of my 8x10 film. For a while, I would have TSA hand check my film bag, and a lot of the time they would just wipe the boxes down with that bomb detecting stuff, but on occasion, they would be pain in the asses and demand the boxes open. For this I carry an Extra Large changing bag. After they check the boxes, make sure that you recheck them before taking them out of the bag, due to the fact that they may not have put the boxes back together correctly.

 

More often than not, these days, they want to check the boxes, so I just have them go through the X-Rays by security. I have never had a problem with fogging. The Security area X-Ray machines are not very powerful. DO NOT send your film with your under the plane luggage because thoses X-Rays will fry your film.

 

FED EX does not do any X-Raying, but when sending a lot of film, it can get a bit expensive.

[johnmarkpainter]

Problem is that they don't understand what it is.

 

What I have seen and also heard several times is that they might walk off with your boxes

and come back with the seals broken.

 

If you send it through the carry-on X-Ray then they shouldn't need to open the boxes.

[ranong]

a friend just flew last weeke with film the TSA monkey did not understand roll filma and wanted to open them. she sent it throughthe machine instead of letting the samsonite gorilla play with them. no fog.

 

eddie

[mona_chrome]

I ship film Fed ex all the time and they don't x-ray, so the film is always fine. TSA opens all

of the 120 film, every roll, before the latest changes. With 4x5 I have had them go to a black

room to look, but it is not worth the hassle--just ship it to your hotel. On the other hand,

for personal work, I have just let the film go thru the security x-ray domestically and never

had an issue--not the baggage x-ray, that will ruin it.

[mark_l3]

why not put the film in your back pockets? it's not detected by metal detectors. I've done it before and even was chosen to be searched. I almost had to give the film up when he said,"do you have anything else on your person that is .....made of metal? no, I said, thankful that he specified in that way.

[rui_alves_da_silva]

Hello,

I never flight in US, but I've experienced some troubles in France and Portugal with some papers, not with films, neither 135 or sheet film. So I asked them how they proceed with film industry, and they said me that they contact the airport before for inspection. So The better way is to phone them and ask them for the better procedure, keep a good record of everyone you talked so if you have a problem. I got back my money of every sheet of paper. You can ask here for a visual inspection, some countrys dosen't do. So contact the airport security services, try to know the model, and even try to phone the company that sell the scans. Or send the films by post.

Regards,

Rui

[nikon grrl. . .]

Hey there, Andrew. I am by no means an expert, but I have traveled with a batch of 400

asa sheet film. Looking back, i think it would have been a lot easier to just let it go

through the x-ray machine than make an isue of it at security. you see, the guy looked at

the box, ignored me, and i heard him say under his breath, "is this paper?" and started to

open the box. i had to go through hell, as if going through security isn't horrible enough.

the people at tsa don't seem to know anything about film, much less security (sorry, just

my opinion). why is this? i don't know. but really, i think as long as you're not using

super fast asa, like everyone else says, let it go through the conveyor. wouldn't you do

that with roll film as well? good luck and have fun!