Film in airport X-ray machines

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ProSimex

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Just took a trip to Cuba and back to Canada, my film and cameras were in my carry on. After I put my bag through the x-ray machine in Montreal he security guards told me not to do that, oh well. Arriving in Cuba the guards couldn't have cared less about my film and camera when they X-rayed it. When we left they were X-rayed again.

So naturally of course all my film was ruined and I'm a full convert to digital?

Nah, film was fine, I never did any digital imaging in Cuba.

Why all the fear and lead lined bags?

Film was rollei rpx100 by the way.
 
Wow good guys in Montreal.

Most of my films get x-rayed once of twice. It depends on the airport itself. Really sad to say that some countries who don't know better wouldn't care less and force you to x-ray your bag.

I always ask people to hand check my bag. Only Hong Kong did that for me. Good guys in Hong Kong too (especially when I had Natura 3200 with me).

ISO 100 film is ok. I think it's when you start putting 800 and above through the scanners that it may affect it (although I had friends do that and they said it's fine).

But I realise most of them will say "it's safe, it's safe", but the thing you should always do is try to not get it scanned so much. The lesser the better anyway. Or get it developed before you leave if possible. I might do that next time.
 
A TSA supervisor told me that the newer machines are supposedly safe for several passes with 800 and below film. I recently took a roll of Cinestill 800t two ways via air and it showed no fog, streaks, or whatever.

What does concern me are the times when your bag goes through the scanner and the agent can't identify something. He/she will rock the belt back and forth (I assume with tbe beam on), then maybe call over a supervisor or cohort, and they sit there and point and rock the belt back and forth and nod at each other and I assume my film is getting a continuous soaking.
 
These days any film ISO 800 or under is pretty much safe for a few scans, the scanners are not going to fog it. Above 800 it gets a bit iffy.

Most films I wouldn't worry about, but if you've got some Delta 3200 that needs a one stop push, then you're likely to have issues.
 
Don't bother with the lead lined bags.
The TSA screeners told me a long time ago that when they encounter those, they just turn the power up on the beam, so that it will penetrate the bag.
 
I have travelled all over the world sometimes with my film scanned more than 10 times with no issues.
 
Robert Lai said:
Don't bother with the lead lined bags.
The TSA screeners told me a long time ago that when they encounter those, they just turn the power up on the beam, so that it will penetrate the bag.
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They were having you on - they can't crank the power on the x-rays. If they can't see what's in the bag, they're supposed to open it.

A new worry is that TSA is trialing a CT scanner for carry-on bags at one checkpoint at PHX, later to expand to BOS. CT scanners are what they use for checked bags, and they *will* fry film. Be sure to ask.
 
Thank you. I am in Phoenix at the moment and flying back to Atlanta next month with 40+ rolls. I asked for a hand check in Atlanta, which was no issue, on the way out here.
 
Corran said:
Thank you. I am in Phoenix at the moment and flying back to Atlanta next month with 40+ rolls. I asked for a hand check in Atlanta, which was no issue, on the way out here.
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In the US, you have a right to a hand inspection of your film under FAA regs. Just be polite (but firm) about it.
 
On a recent trip to Vietnam, I had no problems getting hand inspection in Toronto, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City )on both internal and international flights) Had my film in a clear plastic sandwich bag.

Going back in time, to October-November 2001, I had film go through the X-ray machines, up to 400iso as I recall, and there were no problems with the film. It wasn't a time to get into arguments, or even discussions, about security.
 
I had my film inspected by hand - you can do this. The process involves taking each roll out of its plastic can and waving the explosive chem test wand under each leader. One-by-one, it takes a bit of time. Even though I was in the pre-check line and there were gobs or unassigned workers in the non- precheck line, they cannot "cross the streams" and test and clear you through. This means if you're travelling out with a lot of film, you need to allow a longer lead time. I waited almost 15 minutes for someone qualified to run the test.

NOT recommended. Stay with under ISO 800 film and even the TSA folks know to tell you that's okay. Needless to say, I ddin't bother on the way back and won't go there again unless for some unfathomable reason I'm unfortunate enough to run a trip with 10 connecting flights. Yes, I have a lead bag but all that does is mean they'll pull the stuff out and hand check it or bombard it with stronger rays.

Best solution? Have your films shipped to your hotel directly and mail it back, OR don't worry about it.
 
andrewnelles said:
These days any film ISO 800 or under is pretty much safe for a few scans, the scanners are not going to fog it. Above 800 it gets a bit iffy.

Most films I wouldn't worry about, but if you've got some Delta 3200 that needs a one stop push, then you're likely to have issues.
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That's pretty much what the TSA site says: https://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/cib_results.aspx?search=camera%20film.

They also suggest five scans as a safe guideline.

In the last sentence of the first paragraph, it sounds like they are suggesting to leave the film in the vendor's boxes. I can't imagine that would work very well.

John
 
sara said:
ISO 100 film is ok. I think it's when you start putting 800 and above through the scanners that it may affect it (although I had friends do that and they said it's fine).
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Sara, That was always the info I received back in the day. The higher iso films are, of course, more sensitive to all radiation, including x-ray. And exposed film is more sensitive to outside influences than un-exposed film.
 
ProSimex said:
Here's a question, has anyone ever had film ruined this way? First hand experience I mean.
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Only time I had film ruined is when I put my film loaded camera on my check in luggage on Oakland Airport. Not a smart thing to do.


Edit.- It was Kentmere 100 if I remember correctly

Regards



Marcelo
 
I still use a small-ish lead lined bag for trips to China. They have x-ray scanners at bus terminals, subway stations, and train stations and with the long lines of people and terse security guards they can't be bothered to hand check film, so they'll often refuse hand check. They don't check the X-ray machines rigoriously either, so a lead-lined bag is fine.

For extra security on sensitive film, I carry them in a ziploc bag inside my jacket pocket or liner pocket and go through the metal detector without a hitch (for medium format esp), or carry my cameras out with me through the metal detector (they might ask me to snap a photo wasting a frame). Of course this won't work for airports where they rigoriously examine contents, but for tourist amusement parks / museums / subways / bus / train terminals this is the only way to avoid getting 5-10 scans on a roll.
 
Going to copenhagen from london gatwick I was refused a hand check on the basis that I had no proof that any of my film was over 800 asa (I had two rolls of bulk loaded P3200) they sent it through. Coming back they did it no questions asked.
 
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