Film exposed in hand inspection

[rguinter]

I used to carry a dark bag and try to get hand inspection, but it just confused everyone. I now normally put my exposed and unexposed film in a lead-lined bag and put it in my carry-on (never put any film in checked baggage! I ruined a whole trip's worth with that mistake). I have always expected that the lead bag would raise eyebrows passing through the scanner, but only once out of about twenty times have I been asked to take out the bag. In that case I let them scan the film boxes. I have used the bag in US, European and Asian airports with no problem. Not sure if they still sell them, but I bought two at a local thrift shop last time I was in the US.

My experience has been different. I've travelled perhaps fifty times with a backpack of MF/LF cameras and film. I have been asked to open my backpack every time except one.

So what I always do is put less sensitive films in a separate gray plastic tub with keys combs, cell phones, and other easily identified devices/items. That way the technician does not spend a lot of time with the stuff under the beam x-raying the film to death.

And I ask for hand inspection on certain unopened roll films that I perceive to be more x-ray sensitive.

So far no problems. Bob G.

[rdenney]

My experience has been different. I've travelled perhaps fifty times with a backpack of MF/LF cameras and film. I have been asked to open my backpack every time except one.

So what I always do is put less sensitive films in a separate gray plastic tub with keys combs, cell phones, and other easily identified devices/items. That way the technician does not spend a lot of time with the stuff under the beam x-raying the film to death.

And I ask for hand inspection on certain unopened roll films that I perceive to be more x-ray sensitive.

So far no problems. Bob G.

First off, I don't think the X-ray is on when the technician halts the belt to review images more carefully. There is a red light on the top of the machine that shows when the X-ray is on, as a safety device probably required by OSHA.

Nor do I think they increase the intensity to punch through opaque objects. They do reportedly do that with checked bags, but those are in more fully enclosed machines that are safer for the operators. If they can't see something sufficiently in the regular security line, they inspect it by hand.

I traveled just last week with a backpack full of Pentax 6x7 stuff, and was not required to open the pack either at Dulles, Portland, or Spokane. That surprised me, actually, especially at the smaller airports, which are usually more picky. I got no indication that the pack received any special consideration. I was carrying only Velvia 50 and I didn't worry about exposure.

Rick "adding some data points" Denney

[BrianShaw]

surprised me, actually, especially at the smaller airports, which are usually more picky. I got no indication that the pack received any special consideration.

A couple of years ago my bag, with Hasselblad, got LOTS of special consideration at a small airport -- Redding, CA. The TSA guy looked at the xray machine screen, called over his friend, pointed and whispered, then pulled my bag aside for "special inspection". The guys asked if I had a Mamiya in the bag. When I said it was a Hasselblad they asked if they could visually inspect it since they have never handled a Hasselblad. I actually had a fairly good time giving them a chance to handle the camera. They admitted that their inspection was from a photographic curiousity perspective, not from an airline security perspective. Generally, though, I've found TSA to be quite disinterested in the cameras I send under their Xray machine.

[Frank Doering]

This is what the damage looks like. It's pretty much the same for one box of 34 sheets; the other box is less severe because it was packed more tightly.