Negative Film and X-Rays

[romain_j.]

<p>Hello,<br />I leave on a trip with my Toyo 45 Field et 100 shots negative film (in their original box).<br>

I'd like to know the precautions to protect my film against X-rays at the airport (baggage check).<br />Thank you for your advice,<br>

Romain</p>

[lilly_w]

<p>Scanning/security precautions vary by country. The rule of thumb: do not put undeveloped film in checked baggage. Take undeveloped film as carry-on. Request a hand-inspection. Whether they oblige is another thing. An initial carry-on scan won't fog film though repeated scanning has a cumulative effect and will eventually fog.</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>For most countries, your flight will expose the film to more ionizing radiation than the carry-on baggage X-ray screening. There's just more cosmic rays at 5 miles up. So the modest additional exposure of that screening is not relevant.<br>

There is a measurable affect of the X-ray screening, but it is not photographically significant.<br>

As for film in checked baggage, you might as well throw it out at the destination. It will be toasted.</p>

[rob_tucher3]

<p>I travel a lot domestically with large format and these days you will not get a hand inspection anywhere in the US that I've been to, even with factory sealed boxes. It will go through the x-ray machine. And it will damage film. I had the clear imprint of a key exposed into my film after passing through. It was a test and I sent a box through with a key inside and on top. I will not chance it and FedEx the film there and back, or I process there and carry it back. Or buy it there if possible, but that's risky unless you prepay and ask for it to be held.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>This raises the question of how would security hand inspect large format film without opening the box? With 35mm you can take the cartridges out of the boxes and out of the plastic cans and see that it's a roll of film, though there is still no guarantee what might have been put inside the cartridge. Roll film is similar. But since you can't take sheet film out of the box without exposing it, how does the inspector know the that the box is full of film and not full of explosives, chemicals, etc.?</p>

[Tony Evans]

<p>There is no travel-with-me-solution. At my last effort, hand inspection was absolutely refused. (Despite TSA saying you are entitled to it).<br>

You are completely at the mercy of the particular officer and some of them (both men & women) appear to be permanently on their period.<br>

Buy it there.<br>

Process it there.<br>

Mail the negs.</p>

 

[romain_j.]

<p>To conclude, the best solution anyway is to develop locally in the country where you are. A solution not always easy.</p>

[jodys]

<p>Checked baggage, lead film bag. Sometimes get a note saying my bag has been opened, but I usually put a tripod and some other photo-related gear in the luggage as well, I've never had film completely ruined.</p>

[drew bedo]

<p>I had a factory sealed box of Tri-X hand inspected ay Houston's Bush Interconental Apt (IAH). They opened the box and cut the end off both internal envelops in daylight! </p>

[gerard_bynre]

<p>I've had sheet film hand inspected at US airports (JFK and Logan) regularly over the past few years. No real problems. But elsewhere (in Europe) it's impossible to avoid the X-ray.<br>

If you decide to take film with you, forget checked luggage as said above. Carry on, and if it needs to go through the X-ray scanner, make sure to take it out of your hand luggage before putting it through the scanner. I've had several experiences where security want to rescan my carry-on for whatever reason (weird dis-assembled large format camera parts maybe?), and I've asked them not to re-scan the film in in the bag, always without success. Isolating the film will at least protect it against multiple scans.<br>

I've never ever used Fedex for sending unprocessed film, and I've always wondered how can one be certain it won't be scanned like conventional checked luggage, and thus ruined. Anybody know the answer?</p>

<p> </p>

[rashed_s]

<p>Many been saying that the modern airports x-rays are harmless to films.<br>

Prior to go on my second photographic trip to Sri Lanka and there it is not really recommended to expose your film the x-rays machines, my American brother Jim DeTour brought me with him while visiting me 2 film bags and those where enough and good to protect my films.<br>

These bags are available with all b&h, adorama and many other camera on line shops.</p>