I can take dwith me?

-- Don M (Maldos@home.com), January 31, 2002

Answers

How much shooting are you planning on doing? I went to Paris over New Year's, and took 30 rolls with me, out of cartoon, out of plastic container, and in heavy duty freezer bag, with was inside small Domke xray pouch. I probably could have fitted another 10-20 rolls packed this way, but you could always just get the larger Domke. I took several more freezer bags, one for the day's shooting, one for exposed film (which was marked exposed.) At night, I emptied the exposed rolls into another "exposed bag." Kept everything separated, and as compact as I could. Hope this helps.

-- Glenn Travis (leciaddict@hotmail.com), January 31, 2002.

In Paris you are only limited in the number of snapshots you may take of famous landmarks and points of interest. For example you are only allowed six shots of the Eiffel Tower; two of the Mona Lisa; three of Napoleon's tomb; etc. Check with the local gendarmes before shooting, or go to www.ivebeenhad.com. Your welcome.

Dennis

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

Should have been more specific. I'm going to Italy and will be gone about 3 weeks. Planning on taking 75-100 rolls of film but have been told that some authorities/countries have restrictions of the number of rolls which can be taken into the country. Any truth?

-- Don M (Maldos@home.com), January 31, 2002.

I'd check out the website that Dennis mentioned Don.Why would there be any limit?

-- Phill (philkneen@manx.net), January 31, 2002.

No, there are no limits except physical. Professionals commonly care hundreds of rolls with no problem.

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), January 31, 2002.

Italy has a restriction of maximum two cameras per person and ten rolls of film per camera. I am certain that France has a similar restriction. Most countries do, including countries in which a variety of film is fairly difficult to find, such as Morocco. Mexico has regulations like this.

On the other hand, I have never heard of it being enforced and have traveled to Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, and Mexico with large quantities of film. I think it would only be enforced if they wanted you for something else.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), January 31, 2002.

Phill: I suspect that at some (large) number of rolls of film you cease being a tourist/professional and become a film importer, in the eyes of customs officers, and run into some legal restrictions, especially if the country already HAS authorized Kodak/Fuji/etc. distributors.

Don: Call the nearest Italian consulate and ask for customs guidelines. Italy (and for that matter the EC) probably have a web page (for real) that list any restrictions.

Remember that you'll have to be able to take ALL your film as CARRY-ON luggage - odds are very high on an international flight that checked baggage will get the CTX X-Ray treatment - which WILL fog almost any film. That alone may physically limit you to 20-30 rolls.

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), January 31, 2002.

You don't have to call anyone. Click here for the Italian regulations. As I said above, it's true of most countries.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeff@spirer.com), January 31, 2002.

The restrictions on number of cameras and film brought into a country are designed to thwart those who are bringing it in to sell, retail or wholesale. Not that those governments give a hoot about their local businesses, it's just that they don't want to lose their import duty revenues. But I have travelled almost everywhere in creation, with as many as a half-dozen bodies and a dozen lenses and several hundred rolls of film. Take the cameras and film out of their cardboard boxes, no one will give you any grief. A more important issue is passing through customs when you return to the US, particularly if your equipment is new-looking. I travel with a list of my equipment, including serial #'s, which I have notarized before I leave the US. There is then no difficulty proving to customs that the equipment was already mine, and not bought while out of the country and subject to duty.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

Don: As mentionned above, you must carry all of your film and not pack it. Most European airport personnel will not hand search but will put it through the CTX machine. Since 9/11, the radiation doses have been maximized and your film will fry with or without an X-ray bag!!! I usually make arrangements to have my film developed in the host country by a reputable professional lab and enjoy the slides on the plane home...(8>))-- Albert Knapp MD

-- Albert Knapp MD (albertknappmd@mac.com), January 31, 2002.

I traveled to spain and france with over a hundred rolls of film and some leica stuff--nobody gave it a second glance. I did however have the film in plain view, out of the packages and in zip-lock bags. I registered all of my equipment with the US Customs office at the airport, which was kind of a joke really---I had the things listed on a third of a sheet of paper and the agent stamped it with their red-ink seal of approval on the bottom of the page, leaving me ample room, if I had been so inclinded, to add more things to the list before leaving Europe. I didn't do it though.

This was all pre-september 11th, and I avoided Xrays through the whole trip with hand-searching, except for once after a long argument with the guards , when I left Charles Degaulle Airport in Paris for home. I'll give them credit though, the film really didn't get fogged. Just keep in mind that xrays are cumulative--the more times it happens, the more likely it is to affect something. Try to pick an itinerary that affords the least visits to airports. As far as a limit on how many pics you can take of tourist sites, I hope their kidding, but just don't go pointing your camera at areas of national security concerns in said country.

-- Tom Nutter (tmnphotos@erols.com), January 31, 2002.

I was joking, of course, about the restrictions on the number of pics one can take, but I was unaware that there exist restrictions on the number of cameras and film one take bring into certain countries. It's this type of informative dialogue that makes me appreciate this forum. (I'm being serious now.) Thank you.

Dennis

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

...sorry about the typos; one day I'll learn to proof read.

-- Dennis Couvillion (couvilaw@aol.com), January 31, 2002.

As another example, Mexico officially allows you to bring 12 rolls. I took 14. Nobody counted them. I think it's just a loosely enforced provision in case someone thinks you are up to something.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 31, 2002.

Since 9/11 I've travelled by air a few times, and at most of the airports they have checked each one of my film rolls for explosive residues...The test involves wiping the object with a swab and then putting it under a UV light or something. Though the personnel did it cheerfully, it is time consuming, so you may want to consider this possibility before packing 2X as much film as you need, which is what I used to do.

-- Douglas Kinnear (douglas.kinnear@colostate.edu), January 31, 2002.

This might sound a bit oblique, but here goes: Twelve rolls of film fit perfectly into one of the metal containers designed to hold 100 feet of bulk film. These take up little space, are great to work out of, and the airport folks love them because they offer quick, easy, and visible access to all twelve rolls at a glance, making hand-checking a breeze. I first tried this on assignment in 1999 on the Tigray/Eritrea border during the conflict there. Security was really tight, but I had no problem passing eight of these containers around the X-ray machines with their lids off. Lifting eight lids is sure easier than popping 96 (8X12), and I suspect that the convenience of this, in the often tense and harried airport security environment, substantially improves my chances of maximizing my volume of film.

-- John Layton (john.layton@valley.net), January 31, 2002.

My (dumb) question: why would you want to take film to Italy when you can buy it there? Is it a lot more expensive in Italy?

-- Ray Moth (ray_moth@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

I would take 10 rolls with me, just to get me started... and then look for a shop that sells good film. Any major city in Europe will have some photo shop with good film supplies. I would also get it developed there... you know Europe did industrialize before the US (well at least Britain did)... they aren't some bush based societies. Also, the Euro is really weak right now, which makes buying stuff a bit better for Americans.

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), February 01, 2002.

Hey friends,

In Europe, we have water, electricity, petrol, gaz ... and you can also buy films for your cameras! Here in France, you can bring 10 cameras if you want, but don't call me to carry them! Before forgetting: we have also good wines to wish you welcome, excellent restaurants, so we never eat any tourists! Regards from a "sauvage" of France Alain

-- alain.besançon (alain.besancon@chu-dijon.fr), February 01, 2002.

Hello Don. From my experience ..take a moderate amount of film that you would estimate using .. then buy more film if you need it.Avoid high speed film if you can to reduce airport X ray damage. Regards.

-- Sheridan Zantis (albada60@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

Don,

as noted above in Italy we feed our cameras with real film, EVEN large format (could you believe?) AND slides. France is different, you'll just find Daguerreotypes. Seriously, if you planned to step in Milan drop me a line and I'll give you some references. Regards

-- Antonio Carrus (antoniocarrus@yahoo.it), February 01, 2002.

Hey Antonio,

You forgot something: your cameras don't use "films" but "pasta", and no problem to find them ;-) For Daguerotypes, you're true, but now (indeed it's very recent)you can find them in roll-daguerotypes of 8 views, an uncredible progress. By the way, we also have Internet, computers and ... phone. Sure, there's a great interest to visit us! Alain

-- alain.besançon (alain.besancon@chu-dijon.fr), February 01, 2002.

LOL! Sometimes I wonder how sad life would be without our cousins beyond the Alpes ;-)

-- Antonio Carrus (antoniocarrus@yahoo.it), February 01, 2002.

I am in the Frankfurt airport right now and have crossed 4 European borders in the last week with 3 cameras and 30 rolls of film with not a question asked. They are so concerned about my nail clippers and belt buckle I guess they do not worry about that.

Cheers

-- richard ilomaki (richardjx@hotmail.com), February 01, 2002.

With all due respect to our friends in Europe, there is one perfectly good reason to take your film with you: so you don't have to take time out of your schedule to go buy film. (Especially important in Italy as there is so much to see.)

-- Ron Buchanan (ronb@fusive.com), February 01, 2002.

I recently moved to Italy and brought with me about 125 rolls of film and four cameras. IF you get stopped at customs just tell them you're a pro and it should be fine. The authorities are quite reasonable here on stuff like that, as far as I have seen.

-- Dave Yoder (dave@daveyoder.com), February 01, 2002.

BTW, several years ago when we went to Italy, part of the package I bought included airport hotel transfers. We got of the plane in Rome and made our way to the baggage carousel were our driver was waiting. After grabbing our bags, he turned to us and said "Just follow me and don't stop." We walked 10 feet to the exit, past a couple of guys with machine guns, out into the sunlight, and 15 feet to the car. I've never been out of an airport so fast in my life, it was almost scary. So I wouldn't be too worried about Italian customs, even if they've tightened things up, I doubt they've gotten to the point where they're counting cameras or films.

-- Ron Buchanan (ronb@fusive.com), February 01, 2002.

I've traveled a lot internationally on newspaper assignments with all sorts of equipment and have never in 25 years been questioned about the amount of film I carried. Usually it amounted to 200 rolls, plus or minus. This included travel to the "difficult" places like the Middle East and Africa. I suggest you just try to travel light, take only what you need and don't worry about how many rolls of film you're carrying. I would strongly suggest you break everything down to film containers and place them in Ziplock bags. The only real rub you might run into are customs officials who think you might be selling the film. This looks less likely to them if you take your film out of the factory boxes. Don't hesitate to put film through the x-ray machine--you'll lose on that point. Again, I've NEVER had a problem with x-ray machines. Happy travels!

-- Larry Price (m6ttl@usa.net), February 01, 2002.

Unbeleivable! Last time i was in Europe,guess what? There are zillions of stores.... Buy as you need.Process at 1 hour places,that appear to be well run. No problems with x-rays,fanatical Swiss police,Nasty French Gendarmes, and Oh so polite,British security,that sit back and 'burn' your films in the name of security.Most places i came 3 hours before my flight,pre 9/11, and it made no difference... So go with the flow.Travel lite.Buy as you need.Process where You can...Happy holidays.

-- jason gold (leeu72@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

I have never heard of a limitation in Europe. I work for a Swiss Sunday paper and I travel usually with about 100 rolls of film in my bag. Never had any problems. And never had any problems with airport X-ray. Michael

-- Michael Wildi (michaelwildi@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.