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How do you travel with film? + colour film recommendation


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Hey!

 

I'm visiting Italy soon. I'd love to take M6 with 35/1.4 with me but I'm worried about going through the airport gates with film (both new when going to Italy and "shoot" when coming back). I've heard it can get damaged. Can it? Do you have any advice on it? How do you travel with film?

 

And one more question if I may. I was shooting only B&W before. But in Italy, I'd love it in colour. Could you suggest a film for me? I need something simple, something resistant to my exposure setting errors, and something with a great retro / film / Italian / summer / Call me by your name (movie) vibe :)

 

Thank you!

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You should be fine with today's x-rays, but because I shoot a lot of expired film, I opt to pack it into a Domke lead/filmguard bag.  I take that bag out out and place it in the tray separately and when it goes through the x-ray machine they pull it aside and swab it so the film is safe through the whole process.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Domke-711-12B-Medium-Filmguard-Black/dp/B00009USZ7/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531075834&sr=8-1&keywords=Domke+lead

Edited by Hello
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Do not put film in your checked baggage but carry on only.  The Xray machines for checked baggage are many, many times as powerful as the ones used for carry on.  Most security checkpoints here in the US will do hand inspections if asked so take your film out of the boxes and put in clear baggies in your carry on.  TSA claims as long as ISO is below 800, film can go through scanners used for carry on.  I have never had a problem.

 

I would suggest a color negative film.  My favorite is Ektar 100 but it has very saturated and bold colors.  Or you might pick up a few rolls of ISO 400 color negative film to match the ISO of your b&w film, assuming TriX or HP5.  

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I used to ask for the hand inspection and then it started to turn into a problem so that's why I shifted to the lead bag. No more issues as I don't bring it up and just let their procedures dictate a proper inspection.

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I use a Domke bag, but many times film has gone through the scanners either in the cameras or unprotected with no issues whatsoever. Maximum ISO on my travels is 400. I like to relax about it all and just enjoy the trip.

 

I have often used Ektar 100 for colour (and Tri-X for B&W) in Italy, for example:

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/205842-i-like-filmopen-thread/page-2574?do=findComment&comment=3546732

Edited by 105012
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Last time I was in Italy I looked around Bologna and Florence for anyone who sold film and anyone who could develop and print it.  I saw listings on Google for one shop in each city, but I couldn't find either when I looked for them with my imperfect knowledge of street addresses.

 

Ironically, I didn't actually bring a film camera with me on that last trip.  On my first trip to Italy I shot two rolls in my old Minox 35GT that I'd used reliably for 30 years only to have the electronic shutter fail in downtown Bologna.  (My company HQ is outside of Bologna near the airport.)  I wasted one and a half rolls on that trip before I realized that the shutter was not closing.  I didn't take a film camera on the next trip because it almost felt like taking a film camera might jinx all my photography on that trip... silly of me.  But I was still curious if I could find film locally, or develop film locally.

 

Oh, the greatest irony is that a couple of shops in Florence on the edge of Piazza del Duomo have Kodak signs from the old days, but they didn't actually stock Kodak film, or any film, anymore.

 

Scott

Edited by skucera
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If you will be in Venice I have a referee that could help you with films, development and print in reasonable time. They are still selling and printing films, color and BW.

 

X-ray; no problems at all carrying rolls in your personal bag

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Last time I was in Italy I looked around Bologna and Florence for anyone who sold film and anyone who could develop and print it.  I saw listings on Google for one shop in each city, but I couldn't find either when I looked for them with my imperfect knowledge of street addresses.

 

Ironically, I didn't actually bring a film camera with me on that last trip.  On my first trip to Italy I shot two rolls in my old Minox 35GT that I'd used reliably for 30 years only to have the electronic shutter fail in downtown Bologna.  (My company HQ is outside of Bologna near the airport.)  I wasted one and a half rolls on that trip before I realized that the shutter was not closing.  I didn't take a film camera on the next trip because it almost felt like taking a film camera might jinx all my photography on that trip... silly of me.  But I was still curious if I could find film locally, or develop film locally.

 

Oh, the greatest irony is that a couple of shops in Florence on the edge of Piazza del Duomo have Kodak signs from the old days, but they didn't actually stock Kodak film, or any film, anymore.

 

Scott

 

I was in Italy last month and purchased film in Florence and Bologna; Kodak Color Plus 200, Portra 400 and Tri-X. There is a great little camera shop not far from the Duomo in Florence that sells film and also does processing, Ottica Bongi. They also had a decent selection of used film equipment, a nice M7, some MF gear, a couple Leica R lenses ... I don't believe the shop I visited in Bologna processed film, it was much smaller and had limited film stocks on hand.

 

Off topic, I also visited Leica stores in Torino, Bologna and Florence, had a look at their used gear, small galleries, and enjoyed some good conversation with the employees. 

 

On my 2 week trip, I shot 28 rolls with an M6, 17 B&W and 11 color, a mixture of Portra 160&400, Ektar, Color plus 200, Tri-X and T-Max 100. I brought all exposed rolls back to the US in my carry on bag without any protective pouches, and without incident. 

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Following up, I liked Bongi so much I took a picture of it! This is probably Portra 160 if I had to guess ...

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Hey!

 

I'm visiting Italy soon. I'd love to take M6 with 35/1.4 with me but I'm worried about going through the airport gates with film (both new when going to Italy and "shoot" when coming back). I've heard it can get damaged. Can it? Do you have any advice on it? How do you travel with film?

 

And one more question if I may. I was shooting only B&W before. But in Italy, I'd love it in colour. Could you suggest a film for me? I need something simple, something resistant to my exposure setting errors, and something with a great retro / film / Italian / summer / Call me by your name (movie) vibe :)

 

Thank you!

 

Don't worry about taking film with you. The airport hand luggage scanners are safe for numerous passes of film, so no need to ask for hand inspections of you bags or to use lead bags (which will probably cause you to be pulled aside whilst they check what it is you're carrying!).

 

Do keep you camera/film in your hand luggage with you at all times.

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Film choice first: Kodak Portra 160. Rate at 80 or 100 and have at it. I also use Portra 400, rated at 200. Take both.

 

As for airport precautions, as many have said already, stick the film in your carry on and put through the security scanners as usual. No lead bags, no special film bags, no need for hand examinations, nothing. For convenience I take all my films out of the cardboard boxes, but leave in plastic film containers, and drop them all into zip-lock bags, separated by type and film speed. Done.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

J :)

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Last month I traveled to Spain from USA with HP5 400 film in hand luggage and it was ok (although I did notice extra graininess after development but it could be the local lab. They are inconsistent). What surprised me was how many times film does go through the scanner even for the most direct flight I could take. It was scanned 4 times from start of the trip to back home. I didn't use all my film therefore the leftover film is already scanned 4 times. If I make another trip with them then it will be 8 scans at minimum. Not sure what is the max number of scans after that film is at risk. Certainly this is an issue if your itinerary is complex with multiple air routes.

 

Has anyone tried just carrying film in cargo pants pocket? It is not metallic therefore it should be ok!

Edited by jmahto
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I use the Domke 711-12B Medium Filmguard Bag, carry it as handluggage and my camera's aren't loaded during outward or return x-ray check. 

 

Because of the pastel color landscape i would suggest Kodak Portra 160 or CineStill 50D (you’ll need to shoot CineStill 50D with lots of light or a lens that opens up really wide).

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Don't worry about taking film with you. The airport hand luggage scanners are safe for numerous passes of film, so no need to ask for hand inspections of you bags or to use lead bags (which will probably cause you to be pulled aside whilst they check what it is you're carrying!).

 

Do keep you camera/film in your hand luggage with you at all times.

 

 

I don't know anything about the newest scanners but in the "old days" (pre-2000) I was always told that background radiation from the sky during the flight was much more harsh than scanners. Therefore to carry leadbags to put your films in after security made sense.

 

Pre 9/11 I had several fights with security on hand inspection. That stopped that day as negotiation strengths had moved far away from me.

 

Today I trust the scanners and only bring films on planes on one trip (return). Newer several. Just in case.

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Surprising one thing I never see discussed on the forum is the affect cosmic radiation has on digital sensors.  I have been told that super expensive digital cinematic cameras are always shipped by sea to protect them from increased radiation encountered at 30000 feet.  I guess the cosmic radiation can take out pixels.

 

Have traveled with film for years and years.  I don't think I have ever had it fog due to airport security scanners.  I usually shoot ISO 100 and 400.  And had a lead lined bag but it just causes security personnel to increase the Xray intensity so clear plastic in carry on bag and ask for hand inspection if worried about it.

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