X-ray scanning can ruin films and they need cold storage

[rajdeep_rai]

<p>I am new to film photography. Just bought Mamiya RZ so I'm raring to go out and shoot BUT am not able to find 120 slide film of my choice (<br>

FUJICHROME Velvia 100) in New Delhi, India. I am trying to locate retailers outside Delhi in India but am yet to find one. So I decided to make online order (ebay or other websites) until I found that x-ray scanning can ruin films and they need cold storage. So my questions are:<br>

1. Can I order online and not be bothered with x-ray scanning spoiling my film?<br>

2. How critical is storing films in cold storage? (It takes week, 10 days or more for items to get delivered in India from outside country.)<br>

3. Do all professional photographers cold store their films? (I mean when they are globe trotting or in outdoor shoot.)<br>

I thank you all in advance for your helpful input :)<br>

　<br>

Thanks,<br>

Rajdeep</p>

[johncox]

<p>First let me say I buy my films online and have never had problems with X-Rays.<br>

On the heat issue, generally going a few months in temperate conditions is fine for most films. Not long ago you could buy slide film from supermarkets and department store shelves that was months old.<br>

I wouldn't worry about this unless you buy in bulk and plan to stretch your film out over long warm periods.</p>

[david_henderson]

<p>I don't believe film is produced in every country its sold in. Therefore it is likely that large volumes of film are subject to air transport before it gets to a dealer. I have personally had film shipped from US to UK and from east coast to west in the USA without issues. My only hesitation is that I don't know the practices of the airlines you/your vendors would use, so I'd suggest a small quantity to start with until you ascertain its OK. Also I'm a bit surprised you can't find Velvia 50. Have you contacted Fuji's film division and asked for in-<em>ndia stockists.</em></p>

<p><em>I've travelled in fairly hot countries for several weeks at a time with no problem. I would store in a fridge (or freezer) at home for months at a time.</em></p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>Rajdeep, it will probably be impossible to buy Fuji slide film in Delhi. Jindal Photo handle Fuji film sales in India, and I understand that they do only C-41. There too, 35mm only. Buying on-line from outside India is your best bet. In the 1970s I lost film to airport X-rays, but today there is little or no danger. In the past two years, friends have brought in film for me from abroad and some has come by post. In the matter of temperature, today's films are immensely hardy compared with what we used half a century ago. Much film is not even refrigerated: it stays good at room temperature. However, you should not carry more film than you need in a dark bag in Delhi's summer heat.</p>

[steve_mareno1]

<p>1- Yes, it should not be an issue at all<br /> 2- Not at all<br /> 3- No need</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>While X-raying packages itself is cheap, paying a human to LOOK at the X-ray and see if it's suspicious is expensive, so it's generally not done. Especially when the shipping origin isn't a "failed state" like Somalia. If you're shipping from 7dayshop, or B&H, it's not going to get X-rayed.<br>

No comment on what the "tax man" is going to extract from you in import duties -- still a very protected economy in India.<br>

Certainly, I would refrigerate film after receipt in a warm climate like India. But I wouldn't worry about heat in shipping.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I have bought film online and X-ray has never been an issue, though only here in the U.S. As long as you buy from a major dealer like B&H, this is an issue they are aware of and would deal with (if there's anything to deal with). Film you buy at a local camera store, at least here in the U.S., typically has gotten there through ordinary shipping services such as United Parcel Service, not in any special x-ray free, refrigerated truck.<br />As for refrigerating film once I get it, I have not done that since the days of Vericolor II Professional, which was the standard for weddings in the 70s and 80s and Kodak said to refrigerate it until just before use. Modern films generally don't need refrigeration unless you've bought a huge batch and are putting it away to store for a couple of years or more. In that case, freeze it. </p>

[mpo]

<p>Hi Rajdeep, I have the same concerns about buying bulk film on-line and storing it for future use without knowing if it has been damaged by X-ray during transport. My solution was to buy a single roll of high sensitivity film along with the bulk film so they are shipped together. When I receive the shipment, I use the sample roll for non important photographs or just develop it without exposing it and look for traces of mishandling. This way I would be able to detect if the film was damaged during transport (X-rays, temperature). Never had a problem so far.</p>

 

[carl_neilson]

<p>Hi Rajdeep, I live in a warm climate too (northern Australia), so I face similar heat problems.</p>

<p>X-Rays: I've travelled around the world with film a few times, with the same rolls of film being passed through x-ray machines at airports multiple times during my travels. I've never seen any ill effects. The fastest film I've done this with is 400iso (the faster the film speed, the more vulnerable it is to x-rays).</p>

<p>Cold storage: It's not critical for a surprising lenth of time. I would definitely not worry about the film being at room temperature during its delivery to you.</p>

<p>Cold storage on a shoot: I would advise against this. If you are in a warm climate and you take film out of a cooler and load it in your camera straight away you risk condendation forming on the film. What I do is let it thaw or warm up overnight while still in its canister (35mm) or sealed wrapper (120) so it is at ambient temperature to load up for my shoot the next day. If you don't take it out of the freezer/refrigerator the night before then at least give the film as long as possible to warm up before you unseal it.</p>

<p> </p>

[rajdeep_rai]

<p>Thank you all for your response. Having confessed I am new to film photography.... am looking forward to trouble you guys more with my queries in coming days. Thanks again! :)</p>