Any Special Tips For Mailing E6 / C41 Film?

[billemac]

Since I'm losing the only E6 Lab in my neck of the woods, Reno, NV, I am very interested in any "Special Mailing Tips" you can offer. The woman at the local lab said I should be careful mailing unexposed film in the warmer months. Does that also go for film that has been processed? It looks like I may be using Cali-color or Calypso.

I thought I would use a small styrofoam cooler, like the one we receive meds in, using the same ice packs or something like that. Is this overkill or am I on the right track.

Thanks in advance,

Billy Joe..

[Ben Hopson]

Billy Joe, I don't know about the shipping experiences of others when it comes to E6 film, but I have had no problems shipping to Calypso using just plain boxes. I have used FedX, UPS and Priority Mail with no color shifting or damage to the film. I can see where there might be a problem if the film were to sit in the hot sun in a parked truck for days, but that has not been the case when I have shipped film. It will be interesting to see what others have to say on this topic.

Ben

[John Curran]

I've had no problems mailing E6 in the original film boxes. You could consider express mail if you don't mind spending the $. I worry more about buying new film from B&H as the film is shipped cross-country (NY-LA) but still no problems yet.

Also, got to plug my favorite lab, A&I in L.A. (aandi.com)

Best regards

John

[adrian tyler]

it won't do you any harm to put a "do not x-ray" sticker on the package.

[roteague]

I use Calypso exclusively from Hawaii. There is no place left in the islands, that I am aware of that processed E6, for what I can get from Calypso; their quality and service is first rate.

[EdWorkman]

Put your address sticker on each roll of film, in case the package explodes, etc

[windpointphoto]

it won't do you any harm to put a "do not x-ray" sticker on the package.

Yeah, then they'll just open it up to look at it.

[adrian tyler]

Yeah, then they'll just open it up to look at it.

yeah, well it's not like it'll all be loose sheets in there.

the sticker i put is "filmsafe x-ray only".

badger graphic and other pros put "do no x-ray".

robert white ship a *lot* of film and put nothing.

i didnt' either till i got a fed-ex box full of film with a big "x-ray inspected" sticker on it, the film was ok but it did bring home the realisation that al least between uk and spain packages are routinly x-rayd, albeit with filmsafe devices.

[windpointphoto]

yeah, well it's not like it'll all be loose sheets in there.

the sticker i put is "filmsafe x-ray only".

badger graphic and other pros put "do no x-ray".

robert white ship a *lot* of film and put nothing.

i didnt' either till i got a fed-ex box full of film with a big "x-ray inspected" sticker on it, the film was ok but it did bring home the realisation that al least between uk and spain packages are routinly x-rayd, albeit with filmsafe devices.

My point is, at this time in history does anyone really think that any inspector is going to look at that sticker and say "Oh, don't check this package for a bomb cause Len says it's film. It's ok to take his word for it"? Another point is that there's way too much worry about film and heat. As I've said before on this forum, I worked in a camera store in the 80's. All film from Ilford, Fuji and Kodak came via UPS in the summer and winter and was in the truck for days before we got it. You guys do know where Ilford film is made right? And how it gets to the US distributors? Never a problem. But if you're that concerned make and send a test exposure. Of course then you'd have the answer to that issue and have to worry about something else.

[JPlomley]

Any idea if film is X-rayed if shipped from Canada to the U.S. Or is this just a concern for international shipping? I'm assuming that film shipped within the U.S. is not X-rayed.