Carrying film on international trip

[jifjif]

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I used to carry a lead bag to keep my film but I had a lot of hassle going to security (they opened up every film box and container).

 

I thought about sending rolls of films ahead but I wasn't sure if it would get there in time.

 

How have you traveled with unexposed film?

 

I wish I could buy film there but I really don't want to pay 5 times what it's worth.

[jplomley]

I unpackage all my film and put it in Ziploc bags. I mix Neopan 1600 in with my 400 and 100 ISO speed films so that I can insist on a hand inspection. 90% of the time security complies and they appreciate the fact all the film is visible. Usually they do not even bother to open the Ziploc

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[jaapv]

Don't send film through the mail intercontinentally! The X-ray inspections of mail are of a far higher dosage than those used for hand-luggage. You can be confident that most, if not all airports, except the most remote places (but those one usually reaches by Илью́шин only ) use completely film-safe equipment. Lead bags are useless. Security will normally kick up the X-ray intensity until they can see what is inside, dosing your film much higher.

Edited September 15, 2010 by jaapv

[earleygallery]

^ this.

 

Also to say, I've yet to experience a problem with film being x rayed (hand luggage) when travelling.

[Nicoleica]

I use those little grey 'film-safe' boxes that hold up to 4 films. (Sans boxes & containers of course.) There are several brands, but the ones I use are by Hama. (B&H advertise them at $12.95 each. But have no stock at this time. Amazon UK has 1 available for £1.99)

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Edited September 15, 2010 by Nicoleica
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[ndjambrose]

....How have you traveled with unexposed film?...

 

All film removed from outer packaging and placed in a clear plastic zip lock bag. Fits easily into my camera bag which goes with me as hand-luggage. Never had a problem with x-ray damage, even with high speed film and going through multiple scanners. I've taken several hundred rolls through airports with zero damage.

[aesop]

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...anyone been "safely" through CDG lately? Or is it simply down to the cut of my jib?

[digbyhp]

Clear Ziplock bag, no packaging, hand luggage. No dramas with damage to film. No dramas with inspection, but have never needed to have them inspected. Used to use lead bag years ago, but found out they were unnecessary.

[menos I M6]

Prior to a trip, I always buy a bulk of film new from the shop and pack the complete package (brick or unopened, sealed single packages) WITH a purchase receipt in zip lock bags in a separate small bag, that can be easily fully opened and scrutinized by the security personal.

 

I always demand a hand checking - always friendly, but very persistently, explaining, that I shoot my Tri-X always at speeds of ISO1600 and above, showing the meter setting of my camera @ ISO3200.

 

The most difficult personal so far was on several occasions Turkish security personal in Istanbul on international transfer flights. You have to be so persistent, denying x-ray to fully stopping the running order of their security procedures, involving as many security individuals as possible.

 

This way, sooner or later, they will give in and do a hand checking with chemical check for explosives and possible drugs with a dog. All airport security checks, I have seen from Europe, UK, and Asia do have the equipment, to do hand checks and explosive checks.

 

On my last journey, I went Shanghai - Istanbul - Duesseldorf - Paris - Duesseldorf - Berlin - Istanbul - Shanghai.

Every stop demanded security checks. I had a Leica M6 and M7 - both loaded with film.

I brought from Shanghai 20 rolls of Tri-X - unopened, sealed, freshly bought packages.

I had to open totally about 5 of these rolls for deep scrutinizing. At all stops has been carried out a chemical test for explosives. On one occasion has been taken a drug dog into play. Only on one occasion (Istanbul) has been denied a hand check. After persistently demanding such check (in friendly manners of course) and asking for the superior personnel for taking over the procedure, to not clog up the terminal has been carried out a hand checking.

 

Mostly friendly, helpful behavior (asking the personal upfront, to open cameras, packages, bags, helping them, to do the job) and nice small talk about weather, film cameras vs digital and the busy day relaxes any tension and keeps you get through pretty quick.

 

I would fly with film without any angst everywhere. It is just the way, you handle people - and yes, you have to live with opening up all rolls. Joking around, being friendly always helps to shorten the procedures.

 

I would never use any lead bags or other gadgets, to "protect" film from x-ray.

If ever a forceful security person denies completely a hand check, I feel, the film won't turn into dust, but would bare one x-ray.

[cheewai_m6]

i just returned from a 3 month trip carrying 50 rolls of film. i went through hand-carry xray over 10 times and the film had absolutely no problem. i've developed them already and there are no problems. check-in luggage doesn't go through 'xray' like hand luggage, it's a different type of scanning and i hear that will definitely ruin film.

 

film i had was kodak cn400, fuji superier 100, 200 and 400. so it's all c41. not sure how pro film would go.

 

as for people saying that the xray operator guy 'turn the xray up', that is total bull crap. the operator can't actually change 'dosage' of xray. dosage being a made-up term by people who don't know what they're on about.

 

there's an article on flickr somewhere written by an xray operator, he put a roll of kodak gold or something through the xray over 100 times and it didn't nothing to the film.

[italy74]

Mmmm..

 

I have to fly to Ethiopia soon... I think I might stick with the transparent Ziplock bag; probably it's even better not having the camera loaded (just in case they insist to open it). If we don't have anything to hide, why showing ourselves as possible terrorist suspects ? However, to reply to the op, it would be nice to see if someone had real damage after the X-ray check and show affected negs... any experience ?

[NZDavid]

Never a problem with films up to 400 ISO, even on multiple passes of a dozen times or more. As others have said, always take film in hand luggage, never check it in because it will be zapped by a far more powerful X-ray machine. Third-world X-ray machines may be dodgier. Those "film safe" boxes,as with the lead bags of old, sound like a good idea -- but if the security people can't see what's on the screen they just crank up the power some more.

[jaapv]

Mmmm..

 

I have to fly to Ethiopia soon... I think I might stick with the transparent Ziplock bag; probably it's even better not having the camera loaded (just in case they insist to open it). If we don't have anything to hide, why showing ourselves as possible terrorist suspects ? However, to reply to the op, it would be nice to see if someone had real damage after the X-ray check and show affected negs... any experience ?

 

 

You'll find that Bole airport is a very modern international airport. No chance of film damage. People are quite laid back - because of the smaller scale of international air traffic in Africa there is very little of the terrorist hysteria we see in Europe and the USA.

[rob_x2004]

they just crank up the power some more.

 

Im not really sure they can David. Digital advances on the file display, similar to curves and contrast once the xray is made. "If" they can turn things up I doubt it is to damage country.

[rob_x2004]

.... it's a different type of scanning and i hear that will definitely ruin film..

 

I dont think that really happens either. Ive had stuff go through five or six hold Xrays then couriered stuff home, then some that went further, all in the hold and not a problem. That was Aus Bangkok Laos Laos domestic Laos Bangkok China Mongolia China Bangkok Aus.

 

 

Ohh hang on a sec, there was that image that would have front covered national geographic bu the x rays turned black and white into colour, the horizon shifted the subject changed focus degraded and it went from award winning image of President Kennedy meeting Elvis on the Deck of Queen Mary in Southafrica, to an image of my goldfish. Bloody X rays.

[jaapv]

Im not really sure they can David. Digital advances on the file display, similar to curves and contrast once the xray is made. "If" they can turn things up I doubt it is to damage country.

Oh yes, they can. They have settings for kilovoltage and amperage that can increase the penetrating power of the scan- digitally controlled of course

[noah_addis]

I've traveled all over the world with both film and digital. You're right about bringing your film with you. In many places (especially outside of major cities in Europe), it may be hard to find the film you want, it may be expensive and it's a hassle to spend a half of a day finding it, unless you're on a very long trip and have time to spare. As an example on my last trip to Peru I took 100 rolls of 120 (Portra 160nc and 400nc). Even if I could have found it in Lima, the cost would have been very high.

 

I remove my film from the box (I usually buy 5 or 20-roll propacks) but leave it in the plastic/foil wrapper. I put the rolls in large 1.5 gallon ziplog bags, and I arrange it flat as in the photo above. This lets the security agents see the contents very clearly. I may switch to 220 for travel to lighten the load a bit.

 

I always request a hand-check. In the US the TSA website says you have that right, and I've never been denied. If they balk when I first ask, I explain, politely, that I'm a pro photographer and that this is my livelihood. It helps to arrive early so you're not in a rush. I also occasionally throw a few rolls of 800 speed film in each bag, and/or tell them I'm going to push process the film. The TSA website says that push processed film should be hand-checked. I don't know if the average TSA agent knows what that means, but they go along with it. Lately they seem to look at me funny at first, they seem surprised to see film anymore and they sort of laugh it off as a curiosity. They look over the bags, then swab them with their explosive detector, then hand it over.

 

Overseas I've had mixed results with getting hand-checks. In Istanbul and Peru I've been denied. But in both cases my film turned out fine. I try to minimize the exposure, which is cumulative, by getting hand checks whenever possible, avoiding checkpoints whenever possible (by NOT leaving the secured area during stops, etc.). I also try to fly direct from the US. If I change planes here I know I can get the hand check. Since most of my trips are single-destination trips, my film usually gets exposed once at the most. And if unused rolls get x-rayed, I'll use them at home instead of bringing them on another trip.

 

I have a roll of Portra 400 that's been x-rayed twice, I'm planning to carry it on a few more trips then get it processed as an experiment.

 

At least in the US, I've been told by a screener that the idea that the security agents can turn up the x-ray is a myth. However if they see your lead bag as a large metal mass they will almost certainly pull it aside and either hand-check or run the film through again without the bag. In my experience it's better to just be honest and ask for the hand-check from the beginning. I may be mistaken, but I believe the TSA website specifically recommends NOT using lead bags.

 

If I were going on a multi-destination trip outside of the US, I would bring my domke lead bags, but I wouldn't use them until after I left the US.

[rob_x2004]

Oh yes, they can.

 

By how much. The last time I asked they were still quoting sixteen safe passes and meaning eighty non effect on 800 iso on flat out for the machine at Christchurch. That was five years ago I guess but I see no Caution Hazard Radiation signs nor operators in lead gowns appearing at airports. I'll ask again next time as long as its out of earshot of the other half who is in the rontgen buisness and would be seriously embarrassed by stupid questions and wont even talk to me on the subject anymore.

I grew up with flouride in the water and havent got pregnant either:rolleyes:.

[Jaybob]

I can only speak to US travel. Let me start by saying, I'm not a giant fan of the security process to start with. If there's a "do-not-fly list" there should be a "fly list". I'm also not a fan of scanning in general, those "see DIRECTLY through your clothes" millimeter wave and backscatter machines violate my and YOUR civil rights. OPT OUT! In the dozen to 15 times I've travelled through US airports this year, toting film, I have run into only one remarkably overzealous power hungry supervisor who belligerently refused a hand check. Strangely enough, this entire conversation took place while I was standing RIGHT NEXT to that sign that says while the machine is safe for film speeds up to 800, I can still request a hand check. Even though my film was Plus-X and TMax 100 and 400, the speed of my film was never discussed. I was holding the clear ziplock up as I talked to her. She stated that since CNN video cameramen run their video tapes through and dont complain that I shouldn't either. (Correct me if I'm wrong, my BASIC understanding of x-ray machines is that they emit LIGHT, albeit on a different spectrum, something magnetic videotape would be impervious to, but unexposed film is NOT. when you compound this with the lack of actual tape in many video cameras, well you can see that I was dealing with someone who in addition to being unreasonable was not very smart) She then stated that unless it was "professional" film then she wouldn't do it. I showed her the Kodak film canisters that say "Professional" right on the side. After that, she turned and walked away from me. I actually said to this woman as she was leaving, "I've been a professional phototgrapher 15 years, I'm not sure how long have you've been a security guard, because it's obvious that you have NO idea what you're doing..." I was BEYOND pissed. The line was building up behind me, shoeless people clutching their laptops were looking at ME, like I was a problem or, worse yet, a security issue. The other agents were looking around, not wanting to cross this supervisor. Eventually, someone above the woman's pay grade was summoned, and I made my flight. It was a frickin' NIGHTMARE. Unless you thrive on stress, I would not recommend the tact of challenging unreasonable agents.

 

This is from the airport security agency with the initial T.S. website

Film. Undeveloped film should go in your carry-on bag. You will able to declare film that is faster than 800-speed to a transportation security officer for physical inspection to avoid being X-rayed.

 

I have since abandoned the clear ziplock method and gone back to carrying lead film bags, no 400 speed or above film, and running the film bags as close as possible to the camera bodies and lenses on the conveyor belt. You know what? They can TOTALLY see through that lead bag. I've seen the screen, and the film canisters are completely visible. What usually follows is either no conversation and I'm on my way to the plane, OR because the film bag is close to the camera bodies and lenses I get, "What do you have in here? A film bag?" OR "Bag Check!", to which I respond "I've got a film bag in there." Sometimes they visually inspect it, or swab it, but they've never re-run the film through the scanning machine out of it's lead bag.

 

There's always the possibilty that you will run into someone in a bad mood, or someone stupid, or someone on a power trip. Compound that with a language barrier...

 

I'd go lead bags near your lenses and bodies and plenty of 100 speed film.

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[rob_x2004]

...The line was building up behind me, shoeless people clutching their laptops were looking at ME, like I was a problem