Traveling film

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And Now......For the daily question........ :) do I need to protect my film, if I am flying with it from a place none other than an airport??

Nauman

-- Nauman Saghir (nsaghir@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000

Answers

As far as I know, only high speed films are really sensitive to X-ray machines. Best bet is to carry the film separately and ask to have it hand checked.

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), December 15, 2000.

DO NOT put any film into checked baggage. The new film scanners can fog ISO200 film in a single pass.

Scanners for hand carried baggage are normally safe to ISO1600, but are some are only safe to ISO 400.

In the US and Canada you have the right to have your film hand inspected (not run through the scanner). In other countries you may or may not get a hand inspection, and you do not have a right to this service.

When traveling I use a Sima Super Shield film bag. This sometimes triggers a hand inspection, but I have not had any fogged film. But I have also had film in a camera go through several scanner passes and not have any fog either (ISO 400).

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), December 16, 2000.


There is no evidence that the x-ray at the gate will harm film. I have confirmed this in my travelswhere I have pushed film to 6500 with no prolbems. Most of what you hear about x-rays is pure conjecture, except for the checked baggage, which will damage the film.

-- Chris Gillis (chris@photogenica.net), December 17, 2000.

Response to Traveling Film -Not Just Rumor

It was stated previously that it is false that X-Ray machines will harm negatives below 1600. As much is not the case. X-Ray machines CAN impose "waves" on your negatives (below 1600), which produces a soft-glow or diffused look. While this won't always happen, it's honestly not worth the chance.

This past November, I was on a trip to Florida. On the way home, the airport security attendant refused to hand-inspect my camera bag and only after a verbal argument, would he hand-inspect my film.

The little man ranted on and on about how his X-Ray machine was safe up to 1600iso. He waved manuals and documentation, but sadly, the Plus-X pan [iso 125] film that was still in my camera came back quite fuzzy.

Folks, if you can get by the x-ray machine, then do. It's not worth ruining your film to make *their* job easier.

-- Kelly K. Neisen (purpleky@qwest.net), December 31, 2000.


Kelly,

I would look to other causes than the Xray machine. The problem is with the carry on machines, if they are putting out enough Xrays to harm slower speed films, they are harming the workers. And they do have to be tested on a regular basis to protect the workers. The things just aren't shielded enough for that high an output.

In the US you have the RIGHT to have film and cameras hand inspected. But of course, you have to have enough time to argue. If you have the time, ask for the supervisor.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), January 01, 2001.



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