Have you had any issues with the airport xrays and film up to 400 ASA?
Have you had any issues with the airport xrays and film up to 400 ASA?
YES, I had two boxes of HP5+ 8x10 (at 100 bucks each) ruined by X-Ray. When returning home the San Francisco International I insisted that they hand check it, but they would not. They would ONLY run it through the X-Ray machine. Luckly I had shipped my exposed film back home with UPS and it was fine. DO NOT TRUST THE X-RAY MACHINES!!!!
Paul Ward
First real camera: Nikon F2, gift from gandfather (1980), still have and use it.
Wista m45 4x5
Calumet Green Monster
Agfa 8x10 Field Camera
“A big negative is really a positive…”
I bought one of those xray bags when on a trip to toronto (APUG convention a few years ago). the canadians were gracious and polite and hand checked everything. On the way home, it wasn't as nice, but i think the xray bag helped. can't really remember that far back.
I've run 400-speed 35mm, roll film, and 4x5 through U.S. carry-on scanner at DFW, Columbus International, and Charlotte with no problems. FWIW.
Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.
--A=B by Petkovšek et. al.
I think this is something that everyone worries about, but few people actually have an issue with. I've traveled with (ISO 400 or less) film and have never had an issue with X-rays, even being scanned multiple times on a trip. If the lines aren't busy I will ask for a hand inspection; I haven't been denied so far. As others have said, make sure it is in your carry-on, and not checked, luggage.
I had HIE go through the (carry-on) X-ray machine in Cambodia with no problems, and have never had a problem when traveling domestically. I did forget once and left a few sheets of film in film holders that I packed in my checked baggage. Several of those sheets did have issues.
I traveled from Canada to Eastern Europe a couple months ago with Portra 160, and Provia 100f. When in Canada they were understanding and swabbed the film instead of x-ray, other countries weren’t as understanding and didn’t have the swabbing machine. I think the film went through 3-5 carry on x-rays of varying vintages with no issues (other than my own subpar exposures haha).
This topic has been beaten to death on all film forums. General consensus is to keep film in carry on, don't worry for anything less than 800 ISO and less than 4-6 scans. Try when you can to get it swabbed instead of scanned, but they aren't always accommodating. There is the TSA document for film inspection floating around this site too which might be helpful if you are up against a stubborn agent and particularly nervous about the film.
Maybe a bit of a silly question, but I'll take the risk: what about x-ray film going through those scanners? It is sometimes advised as a cheap alternative for regular film. ...
Stefan
Stefan, X-ray film is not particularly sensitive to X-rays (any more than any other film). In radiography it is used in a cassette that a fluorescent layer that glows under X-ray illumination, so the film is exposed by the green or blue light from the fluor.
i.e. X-ray film should have no more trouble going through an airport X-ray machine than any other film of comparable sensitivity.
Good luck
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