Travelling with Sheets vs ReadyLoads/Quickloads

[ljb0904]

Quickloads, TSA might insist your film won't be harmed, but tell them it's $5/sheet, and they won't give you any trouble. Ok, I stretch the truth on the cost a bit :-D

[Kirk Gittings]

Since having fogged film on a trip to Chicago last year, I never fly with it anymore but have it Fedexed to and from my destination. As a professional, I simply cannot take the risk anymore. Despite the claims, according to a friend of mine who works for FedEX, they do not xray anything.

[naturephoto1]

I had DHL send my Fuji QL film to and from Portland Oregon via ground with no incident in May (but I was sending a lot of film as well as backpacking equipment, tripod, etc in a Coleman cooler).

Rich

[Daniel Geiger]

10 boxes of QLs attracted the attention of Swiss security in Zurich. I think they were wondering what all the stacks of metal clips were. ASAIK, QLs are not sold in Switzerland, so they had never seen that. Once they saw the green boxes, no more problem. Otherwise, have taken them to Hawaii with no problems.

[JPlomley]

Kirk,

What was the ISO of your film? I've never had this problem in the past with 50 and 100 speed emulsions.

[ifer]

i thought carry on xray is film safe till 3200 ISO?
dont scare me like this guys

[keithwms]

Last time I went through, which was a week ago, the dividing line was ISO 400, not 3200. I was asked if I had any film faster than 400. I sent hp5+ through and there was no ill effect.

Anyway you can ask for hand inspection of any film, just tell them that it is going to be push processed and/or that you will be going through multiple inspection points. If you go through several inspections then even ISO 100 film may be at risk- hard to say. No harm in playing it super-safe.

I also fedex stuff to the location if I can. In the most recent case I had a bunch of sheet film to take and it was slow enough that I thought it wasn't worth the bother.

[JPlomley]

O.K. So received an email yesterday from Jeff at Badger Graphics (really surprised he checks email on a Sunday) and no more RVP-50 in Quickloads. Apparently they are back-ordered. So I checked B&H, and they do not even list RVP-50 (4x5) on their website...this is odd, because a month ago they did. In fact they still list it for 8x10 (special order only). Guess that means I am now forced to carry film holders, which means I will have to have the film processed in the US (I'm not going to risk a box opening at carry-on security). Any recommendations for processors?

[eddie]

i get hand checks when i ask. no problems. for many years they just swab the outside with a cloth and test it in a machine. done. no openings or anything.

i am in SLC now returning to NY tomorrow. on the way out i got my 800asa and 1600 asa hand checked as well as my camera that was loaded with 800asa. they were happy to oblige. i sent my 8x10, holders and some film insured by the USPS to general PO to myself and it works great. i carried my loaded 4x5 on with me and just let them x ray it...no problems. i guess i got good airline karma. i fly routinly to asia and domestically with many formats and films and have no problems (well one asshole Vietnamese x rayer.....)

have fun. when and where are you going?

eddie

[JPlomley]

Cheers for that feedback Eddie. My wife and I are headed to Zion NP in Utah.