Regarding lead bags; I use them but I suspect that I'm protecting my paranoia more than my film. I once watched the x-ray monitor as my pack went through the airport screening; on the monitor was the faint outline of the lead bag and each clearly visible film cartridge inside. It appeared that the lead bag blocked no more than about 1-5% of the radiation. The pictures turned out fine!
When I flew home and back over spring break a few weeks ago, my 35mm bag went through the x-rays twice, and by and large my film came out fine. I had about 25 rolls, some color slide, the rest Tri-X. All the slide film and Tri-X I shot at EI 200 was fine, but the Tri-X I pushed to EI 1600 had the occasional weird banding that killed a few frames per roll. I haven't had to fly with sheet film yet, but when I do I'll just FedEx it.
"I have always been puzzled by the lead bag scheme. It seems to me that the moment they spotted that, they would stop everthing and tear it apart to see what was inside. Am I missing something here?" Not neccesarily - I went through Ottawa airport - our nations capitol, a couple of months or so after Sept 11 - politicians, miliatry and all sorts flying through all the time. Generally, at that time, the most rigorous security I came across in Canada at that time (DOn't want to be lax when your checking the Misnister of Transporations bags...). BUT, I put my camera bag through with two lead pouches full of film. Big black blobs show up on their screen. "Can I check your bag sir?". Security dweeb opens it up see the two "Filmguard" bags, go "Oh Film" Okay sir, thankyou. Puts them back in without opening them and go on my way....!
Tim A
You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn
www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog
Nathan, not to pick an argument, but my girlfriend came back from Mexico with a few rolls of Fuji NPC 160 ASA (35mm) and it definitely got fogged (bad). I know this wasn't an exposure problem, because the last ten shots on one of the rolls she didn't expose, yet when we got them back from the lab, there was still the tell-tale sign of a hazy yellowish line going through the middle of those prints. Prior to September 11th, I too had no problem with film under 400 being scanned. However, this recent experience makes me not so confident.
Pete.
Hand inspection is the US, and I'm sorry if this is a repeat, is done by swabbing the outside of the containers, and putting the swab in a machine that test for residue's. I went thru the Arizona airport with film in a clear plastic bag and they didn't open any of my containers. (120 and 35mm) Other airports may be different. I did get searched with a wand every time even tho I took precautions to keep metal off my body and put everything thru the scanner. Unfortunetly, my shoes had metal in them which I thought they didn't.
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