Domke Film shield bags

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Does anyone know where i can find the Domke Film Shield Bags or any other type of xray film shield bag? what are peoples views on transporting large amounts of film when traveling by plane? I'm thinking here of visitng countries where certain types of film is hard to buy locally.

-- Simon Larbalestier (larby@simon-larbalestier.co.uk), December 14, 2001

Answers

My experience when carrying a lead bag is that they create more suspicion than they're worth (esp. nowadays), might as well ask for a hand check from the start ('cause that's what you'll get, at best).

How large is large amount? If less than a brick, here's my suggestion:
I'd remove all of my film from all of it's packaging (paper box, and plastic canister) and put it in a transparent plastic bag (e.g., a Ziplock). If you can get a hand check, it'll speed the process and show an attempt at co-operation on your part. If you can't get a hand check, it'll make no difference as all of the packaging is transparent to the X-rays anyway. If you want/need the plastic containers, carry them in a seperate bag and send them through the scanner.

-- Ron Buchanan (ronb@fusive.com), December 14, 2001.


I carry all my film in a standard old ratty FilmShield bag, in my carryon luggage. When I get to an inspection checkpoint, I have the bag out and request a hand inspect. It is often not honored, particularly nowadays, so then the FilmShield bag goes through the xray machine by itself ... the operators are aware that it is film, etc.

I've only seen one or two rolls of film with any evidence of xray damage and both of those were rolls that happened to still be in the camera when it went through an inspection machine. That's out of several hundred rolls of film and over 300,000 miles of air travel in the past 4 years.

-- Godfrey (ramarren@bayarea.net), December 14, 2001.


Simon, I do a combination of what Ron and Godfrey do; i.e. put film out of their packaging in a Zip-Lock bag which goes into the FilmShield bag. I travel a lot and have only occassionally had to show the contents. It seems to be a lot easier than fooling around with hand inspections of clear bags. It's been my experience that some countries ( Belgium, U.K. and Finland come to mind) won't hand inspect at all. Hope this helps

-- George L. Doolittle (geodoolitt@aol.com), December 14, 2001.

Yeah, I wouldn't bother getting one. I've had a lead bag for a couple of years now and never use it. I always use the ziplock bag plan. Though it doesn't work much recently. Glad I'm 90% digital.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), December 14, 2001.

Simon,

As other folks have noted, I carry my film in a clear plastic bag. Checked luggage is subject to random X-Ray via a very high-powered device. In fact, while travelling to Chicago from Denver this past weekend, I was a "winner" in the random search lottery where one's luggage is subjected to potent X-Ray inspection, with the possibility of a discretionary hand inspection.

At the queue for the X-Ray inspection, United Airlines had much signage visible warning passengers to remove film and cameras from checked baggage. The United agents were also telling each passenger to do the same.

As far as hand inspection is concerned at the security checkpoints, I generally only request hand-inspection of film if it will be zapped more than two times since the effects of X-Ray exposure are cumulative. I have not had any fogging of 100 or 400 speed film.

Finally, I make sure that there is no film in the camera in case the security agent wants to open the camera, which I had happen (only once) while travelling in Europe a few years ago.

-Nick

-- Nicholas Wybolt (nwybolt@earthlink.net), December 14, 2001.



All my Fuji and Kodak film nowadays has translucent plastic cannisters, which I bind together in rows of 4 or 5 with clear packing tape, with the lids facing alternate directions so the cannisters fit together more closely. I then place them in a large clear ziplock bag and bind with rubber bands. That way they stay flat like a book instead of having a huge round bagful of film. The 4 or 5-cannister "clips" are handy for pockets, too. I put all my film through carry-on X-rays, sometimes 4-5 times on one journey and maybe 4-5 times on a second journey if I've got film left over from the last one, and have never had anything fogged. I would not suggest removing the film from the cannisters, as grit can get into the felt lips and scratch the film.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), December 14, 2001.

No one has mentioned it yet so...

Never put film into your checked luggage. The newest X-ray machines for checked luggage use first a low power scan to check luggage. Anything suspicious, such as little nondescript metal cannisters, are subject to a high intensity blast that will toast ALL film. If you pack your film in a enough lead shield bags to block the high intensity scan then you will be pulled off the plane and asked to open your bags while a bunch of nervous security types with guns are standing a respectful distance back.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), December 14, 2001.


Here in the states, major photo retailers like B&H & chain camera stores like Ritz Camera sell lead film bags--I'm sure the situation must be similar in the UK. As others have noted, do not put any undeveloped film in checked baggage, which can be zapped by high-power CAT-scan-type X-ray machines. For carry-on, I usually put all my film canisters (no boxes) in clear zip-loc freezer bags that then go into the lead bags. I find this approach to be better than constantly asking for hand inspections (which you are only really entitled to in the U.S., & even here, they often refuse out of ignorance, spite, etc.). Perhaps as a testament to the continuing incompetence of airport security, my lead bags have rarely caught the attention of the examiners even though anyone can clearly see over their shoulders as a big black square appears inside the outlines of my carry-on on their video screens (also, in my experience in the U.S., examiners do *not* have the capability of "turning up" the power on the X-ray machines to see through carry-on bags). Then again, if you're only shooting the lower speed films, e.g., 50 to 400 ASA, you'll probably be OK @ most international airports.

-- Chris Chen (furcafe@cris.com), December 15, 2001.

thanks for all the answers it makes interesting reading - the reason i asked is that i often travel with around 200 films of 120 and 35mm and such bulk is never handinspected despite asking! I've used large lead lined bags but they end up weighing than the camera gear. So far no fogging despite about 20 flights with all the film for my last trip. Simon

-- Simon Larbalestier (larby@simon-larbalestier.co.uk), December 17, 2001.

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