Int'l Travel - Hand check & unwrapped or Xray wrapped?

[mary_wong]

Sorry, I've searched the forums and after all I've read, I'm somewhat more

confused. In the past, I've been fairly successful with getting a hand-check for

my film. But, they did unwrap all my 120/220. I didn't realize that after it's

been unwrapped, it can't go back in the freezer. Oops... I have some rolls in

there. Can anyone tell me what happens?

 

So here's my question. What's the lesser of the 2 evils? Take all the 120/220

film out of the protective wrappers, put in a ziplock and try for a handcheck.

OR Just leave the rolls in the wrappers and let it go through the carry on xray

machines?

 

I'm traveling to Italy and flying through Paris (a friend told me we'll go

through security once again there, for sure in transit to the U.S. and possibly

in transit to Italy), so I'm banking on 4 xray passes. I'm bring ISO 400 Kodak

Portra VC and Fuji Neopan.

 

I also have a lead bag that I can bring for the European airports. I've used

them in the past with success, but am always a bit conflicted as to whether or

not they do again good.

 

Thanks!

[frankfitz]

I have always allowed both Fuji and Kodak film to be scanned by the carry on machines. NEVER put film in the hold as the x rays they use will fry it!

When the operator see's a lead item in a bag, they simply cranked up the power of the machine to see what is inside. Self defeating.

I travelled from UK to New York (1 x ray), New York to Arizona (2 x rays) and back. I had no problems at all the film was processed ok. However, it was ISO 50 & ISO 64/100 film. You might have problems with 400 speed film.

If you buy the film fresh, simply leave it in the packets, take the receipt as proof of where and when it was purchased.

I have had the experience of a security person searching all my kit twice and demanding I unroll the film! However, the supervisor was a reasonable human being.

Hope this is of some help, have a good trip.

[frankfitz]

I have always allowed both Fuji and Kodak film to be scanned by the carry on machines. NEVER put film in the hold as the x rays they use will fry it!

When the operator see's a lead item in a bag, they simply cranked up the power of the machine to see what is inside. Self defeating.

I travelled from UK to New York (1 x ray), New York to Arizona (2 x rays) and back. I had no problems at all the film was processed ok. However, it was ISO 50 & ISO 64/100 film. You might have problems with 400 speed film.

If you buy the film fresh, simply leave it in the packets, take the receipt as proof of where and when it was purchased.

I have had the experience of a security person searching all my kit twice and demanding I unroll the film! However, the supervisor was a reasonable human being.

Hope this is of some help, have a good trip.

[frankfitz]

OOPS!

[shambrick007]

Just me, but for 400 ISO, I've never had any problems with any carry on bag x-rays where ever I've traveled in Europe or Asia - no "x-ray bags", no hand checks --> all just fine.

[derek_stanton2]

I put all film in a lead bag, AND request hand-inspection. Most of the film is in closed

wrappers, but some is loose, either because inspectors opened packages or because i

previously have opened them. I haven't had inspectors ask to open sealed 120/220 foil

packages, though. Maybe once, soon after 9/11, but not recently.

 

My suggestion is to take plastic 35mm canisters and sealed 120/220 rolls out of their

cardboard boxes and put them all in a clear plastic bag. And request hand-inspection.

They may open a few of each, but then you should shoot them first, and re-refrigerate

whatever they don't open. With plastic 35mm cannisters, though, you may need to

mark/separate the opened ones so you don't get condensation inside later (is this a

problem?) I can't imagine anyone insisting they open every roll, unless you don't take that

much with you. And, if you don't take that much, you should probably shoot it all while

away and/or not worry about not refrigerating the rest.

 

And, as mentioned above, take it all with you as carry-on. Not in checked luggage.

[mary_wong]

Yeah, they opened my 120/220 foil packages back in 2004. I think the inspector was about 1/2 way through when someone told her not to bother. That was shortly after the formation of the TSA though. (With 35mm, I've been told by the TSA that they prefer them out of the canisters.)

 

I was debating whether or not to open the foil packages in advance to help with the hand inspection process...

[dougmiles]

A year ago, Seattle to Honolulu, I had 25 rolls of 220 Fuji NPZ800 in a 1-qt ziploc bag and requested hand inspection. The two inspection ladies opened every foil film pouch to see the actual film, and put the rolls back in the pouches. This took a while, and (gritting my teeth) I thanked the ladies for their diligence.

 

Last October, Seattle/Dallas/Orlando, then through security again there and on to Puerto Rico, I took all the film rolls (35mm this time) out of the plastic containers so they were "bare" in the 1-qt ziploc and asked for hand inspection. The inspectors could see easily what was inside, didn't even open the ziploc, and it went a whole lot faster.

 

I don't think the lead-lined bags are any use these days, since they've got to see what's inside somehow.

[inspiration point studio]

I went to Europe last year and used lead lined bags. In Germany, you have to go through the x-ray twice, once at the main security check point, and the second time right at the gate. In all cases, my lead lined bag was packed standing vertically in the bag. They never opened the lead lined bags. In many cases in the US, they seldom inspect the lead lined bags, even if they inspect it, they do the chemical swap thing for explosive and never opened the film wrapper. I never use the zip lock bag/hand inspection routine any more, the lead lined bag is a better approach. Also it is true that the x ray machine almost never ruin the film, but we cannot afford even a single incident, can we? With more and more people using digital camera, the machines may get out of spec over time without anyone noticing it, until your film comes along.

[stuart_richardson]

You'll be fine. ISO 400 negative film will not be harmed, and frankly, even if there was the

tiniest base fog, you would print right through it. If you were bringing a bunch of delta

3200 or Provia 400 to shoot at 1600, I would say get a hand check, but for ISO 400 print

film and 4 passes, you should be fine. For comparison, I have some old 220 E6 ISO 100

film that I keep bringing back and forth to Iceland...it expired in 2005 and has seen at

least 10 x ray passes in different parts of Europe and Asia. So far, no problems at all. I

consider it an ongoing case study...I used to be really worried about x-ray contamination,

but after I went to a bunch of places where I had no choice but to submit to the machine, I

realized that it does not really affect low ISO films very much. That said, when I have a

critical job I do not use that film...no sense tempting the Fates. <P>The best course of

action is to just ask for a hand check (if you have less than 25 rolls...otherwise you will just

annoy everyone involved), and if they say no, graciously submit the film for the machine.

Just don't check the film! That is a totally different story.

[Craig_Cooper11664875449]

Again, I never worry about hand check these days. I might ask for 1600 and above but I'm not that fussed about it. Just to add to the anecdotal list ...recently had a roll of Delta 400 (most of it while in the camera) pass through 16x with xray machines in 7 countries in Asia then LA, SF and Vegas in the States ...all without any noticeable problem!

[william_tuovinen]

I once was diligent in asking and most often received hand inspections(I usually travel with

at least 4 rolls of delta 3200, 15 kilo camera bag as a carry on but too lazy to travel with

one of my many tripods). But after one trip going through the U.S., Australia, and New

Zealand where I was repeatedly denied inspection before I could replace or process my

films I just gave up for the rest of it. In the end I counted 11 inspections(this includes the

3200, which I never for some dumb reason had processed while abroad) where the film

had been x-rayed(lots of airports, and often late to the point where I could make the flight

or quibble with security and customs). On my return home, when I dropped my film off

rather sullenly to my local lab I had expected to see some fogging even on the last rolls of

Velvia 50 I bought while in Aus. To my surprise I could find no such fogging on any rolls,

even after close examination on my lightbox comparing against old films which I had

never travelled with. Instead of wierd wave patterns, ghostly lines, and fogging like I found

on examples Kodak has on their website of x-rayed film, I had beautiful(well maybe for

my photos at least) clear negatives and slides, which I subsequently printed with out

trouble. Now I don't worry about my film, even after repeated exposures(when I pack last

minute I often leave a huge bundle of wires and chargers in one corner of the bag when I

throw things in, which requires them to give it multiple passes with some suspicious

looks). Now I have more time to worry about things like GSR, cavity searches, visas, and

whether they've tracked down my current alias to add to that persona non grata list. So

really on the film issue I would be more concerned with whether or not I have well stored,

current film, and keep it in the wrapper (to keep the reactions of the film to the environment to a minimum). Even to that extent you should read about the conditions

many war photographers processed film in the field under, then compare to their results.

[michael_dimarzio]

I found an old roll of 3200 in my travel box. It had been from Angola, Texas, Hawaii, even Ohio, maybe a trip or two to Tampa.

 

Guess what? It was fine, that's ISO 3200, x-rayed at least 12 times. I cringed at the airport in Yekaterinburg Russia bringing in telecom equipment when they insisted they X-Ray my camera pack. Watching it go through an industrial Soviet era machine...My 120 film was fine. Pics in my portfolio.

 

I'm much more worried that my pooch Nyx will suffer Spontaneous Dog Combustion then X-Rays.

 

The conventional wisdom is hand check above 800. Other then taht, after 80,000 air miles in 2007, I can't agree with much else that was posted. Leave the lead bag at home, it's a waste. I carried one, dead weight, useless.

[mary_wong]

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. I understand there's always a chance of something going wrong... of course there's always a chance that the best photo lab in town will botch your processing too. We can only control so much. :)

[danielheller]

Based on statements by two different inspectors at two different X-Ray machine locations I have passed through during my recent travel overseas, the X-Ray machines do not affect film below 800 ASA. I will be soon developing my own films from the trip!!!

[debejyo]

Given that there are so many incidents, I'd also want to share my experience. I travel to India once a year. No lead bags. Security people prefer the rolls un-sealed. I have all my films opened. I keep them in a zip lock and refrigerate (also in freezer sometimes) them, but with a silica gel. Its important to have silica gel. I have kept the rolls in that condition for years and have not noticed any problem. Just try and keep calm and request a hand-check, be polite and so far I have not have anyone deny me hand-check. Also, please ensure to allow the zip lock and the films to come to room temperature before opening them.

 

Have a nice trip.

[mary_wong]

Thanks Debjyo, that's very helpful. I knew there was a reason I always save those sillica gel packs!

[matthew_newhook]

I just traveled through the US, and the inspectors hand-checked my 120 film with no issues. They did not open the foil wrap, although they did take the film from the box.