shipping film

[Kurt M.]

Hi all,
in my excitement about someone coming to visit me in Europe, so of course, I went crazy buying film (sheet and roll film)...turns out, that one should not put film into the checked baggage, and the film may be too much to carry on.
So, my question is, how safe is it to send film via UPS/USPS/Fedex?
i know that BHphoto sends film and other stuff internationally, maybe they have an arrangement that their boxes are NOT xrayed?
anyone have some experience with shipping film?
thanks

Kurt

[eddie]

i ship it all over the world. no problem.

[Kurt M.]

Hi Eddie, do you take any precautions, or none at all?
the film I plan to ship is either iso 25 to 400 (most b/w)

thanks for the comforting news!

[Joanna Carter]

How do you think Fuji film, made in Japan, gets to the US, the UK and Europe?

[Patrick Dixon]

They use diplomatic bags and it passes through customs without checks or x-ray.

[eddie]

Hi Eddie, do you take any precautions, or none at all?
the film I plan to ship is either iso 25 to 400 (most b/w)

thanks for the comforting news!

i just ship it. i have send exposed film to my lab in thailand, they process it scan it and send it back. no worries i have done this with several hundred rolls of 120.

i have shipping various film up to 800 asa color and 1600 B&W to and from many placing in SE Asia, europe, china, peru, USA and canada. never had a problem.

i even had some in my checked bags on 4 different flights adn they came out fine (do not risk it. they may have not x rayed my bag. it happened for various reasons)
eddie

[David Woods]

I receive film from overseas all the time, never had an issue, if B&H or Bagder or any other seller thought there would be a claim, I am sure they would not sell.
David

[ki6mf]

checked baggage is x rayed by the strongest X Ray machines hand carry with a request for hand inspection is the best solution other than purchase film locally. if you shoot B&W and use Ilford you have been able to contact them in the past and arrange for shipment to a retail outlet at your destination. In the USA/Canada buy locally and if possible ship via ground transportation well in advance.

[rguinter]

I ship my film ahead of time by UPS ground transportation whenever possible. But I have not shipped internationally. I have purchased film from sellers in Europe and they ship to me with "Photography Film. Do Not X-ray" stickers on the package. So far no problems with this method either.

When travelling by airline I carry-on film and ask for hand inspection. So far only Toronto airport has refused. In that case I put it all in a separate plastic container and send it through the x-ray. So far no problems with that either. I do not put the film in with my MF and LF cameras. These items attract a lot of attention and get extended x-ray by the operator.

So far I've been lucky and no damages. Bob G.

[rguinter]

P.S. Once a film has gone through the security x-ray scanner once, I do not take it again on subsequent flights. I mark the package x-rayed, put it back in my refrigerator, and then use it only for local work. So I have not had any film x-rayed more than once. Bob G.