Film and airport x-ray machines?

[Matt5791]

Delta was fine still?

It's worth noting that in Les McLean's book, he says he likes Delta 3200 because you can take it through as many carry on x-ray machines as you want.

Matt

[mrtoml]

Well I had X ray damage on Delta 3200 last summer:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/5...ta-3200-a.html

So did this guy:

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/5...tern-film.html

I think 99% of airport machines are safe, but there are still exceptions.

[bighilt]

Thank you all for your informative responses. I guess it's pretty much a case of taking your chances putting your film through the scanner if you can't get it hand-examined (also risky). It seems machines in Europe and the USA will not cause any problems but that may not be the case in Africa. In some countries there are reports of ancient x-ray machines still with very high levels of radiation. I don't know if anyone here has tried asking a security official in a tin-pot banana republic to do something other than he or she usually does -- it's an exercise in futility!

[climbabout]

I can concur with what Sandy and others have said. I used to always ask for hand inspection, but after polling this forum and others, I just send my film through the scanner(carry on only). Film goes in 1 bag, cameras in another. Doing it the first time was the hardest, but I have now made several trips with fp4+ and tmax 400 - up to 4 passes through the carry on xray machines with no harmful effects. I process in pyrocat hd (known for giving maximum or greater film speed) - and have processed up to n+3 - absolutely no problems. The hassle of hand inspection is just not worth it. I recently travelled with a close friend who asked for and got a hand inspection and personally witnessed the inspector open a box of film on him. Luckily he only took the top cover off the box, but he very nearly ruined 5 days worth of shooting. Traveling is enough of a hassle, not needing to ask for hand inspection makes it a little more tolerable.
Tim

[Shangheye]

I have carried on Delta 400 film (120 size and 35mm) that was rated as ISO1600 through a total of 8 Film scans in a row. Never had a problem. DO NOT CHECK IT IN....otherwise, I am yet to have a problem. Also carried various other films in very large quantities through similar numbers of scans. I do alot of travelling on business, and though I was worried at first, and I still minimse the film quanities...I have no event of a fogged film. Kal

[hoffy]

Howdy,

Just another quick question about film and carry on scanners. Do people use the lead bags anymore? 12 years ago when I did quite a bit of travelling, I used to extensively use a lead bag for all my films and never ever got asked to open it. It was never a problem.

Do people still use these? Do you get hassled? Is it worth the hassle?

Also, for 35mm users, do you leave film in the camera while going through the check in scanners?

Cheers

[Poisson Du Jour]

Travelling back and forth to Christchurch NZ, I run the gumut of Customs and just plonk the camera bag and camera case (camera loaded) into the X-Ray machine and be done with it; remember there's a queue of harried, tired, impatient or irritable fellow passengers behind you and "another delay" while a photographer argues about film and X-rays or "hand inspections" etc. is not only tedious, but also rude, and Customs view it dimly. For the record, I have never experienced any adverse affect on film (ISO 50 to 400) and suggest that fellow photographers not get too uptight about X-Rays (with the exception to never put any film in the main hold luggage, which is subject to much stronger X-Ray screening). Though we may get the colliwobbles when we spy an X-Ray machine, making a scene, however well-intentioned, will just as easily raise the ire of Customs who have enough troubles to worry about.

[Excalibur2]

***Certainly all film with ASA below 800 is fine for repeated scanning in carry on baggage.**

Fuji 1600asa colour film passed thru European Xrays machines for hand luggage ok....there and back. Well put it this way if it did effect the film I haven't noticed it.

[mrtoml]

This film was X-Ray damaged within Europe last year (It's Delta 3200):



The whole roll had a black wavy line right through the whole roll. Happened to more than one roll in the bag, but not all rolls. This was caused by the carry-on check in machine.

[Shangheye]

This film was X-Ray damaged within Europe last year (It's Delta 3200):



The whole roll had a black wavy line right through the whole roll. Happened to more than one roll in the bag, but not all rolls. This was caused by the carry-on check in machine.

Very interesting. Why would the x-ray machine cause a wavy line and not fog the whole film? Rgds, Kal