Hey - Don't Touch my Junk !!

[lilmsmaggie]

I realize that this question has been probably asked upteen times but, hey gotta ask.

I will be traveling from California to a LF workshop. Trouble is, I only have one day of travel to reach my destination in New Mexico. I've never flown (not me) with a film camera, let alone a LF camera AND sheet film.

Other than this advisory from the TSA:

"The equipment used to screen checked baggage will damage undeveloped film. Pack your undeveloped film in your carry-on bag. High speed and specialty film should be hand inspected at the security checkpoint. To facilitate hand-inspection, remove your undeveloped film from the canister and pack in a clear plastic bag."

Uh, sheetfilm no have' um canisters :confused:

Any other:

Advice
Suggestions
Cautions

I would drive but as I mentioned, I only have one day of travel time. It would take me 18 hrs. one-way, so it looks like I'll be paying a visit to ye honorable TSA guardians. :eek:

[D. Bryant]

I realize that this question has been probably asked upteen times but, hey gotta ask.

I will be traveling from California to a LF workshop. Trouble is, I only have one day of travel to reach my destination in New Mexico. I've never flown (not me) with a film camera, let alone a LF camera AND sheet film.

Other than this advisory from the TSA:

"The equipment used to screen checked baggage will damage undeveloped film. Pack your undeveloped film in your carry-on bag. High speed and specialty film should be hand inspected at the security checkpoint. To facilitate hand-inspection, remove your undeveloped film from the canister and pack in a clear plastic bag."

Uh, sheetfilm no have' um canisters :confused:

Any other:

Advice
Suggestions
Cautions

I would drive but as I mentioned, I only have one day of travel time. It would take me 18 hrs. one-way, so it looks like I'll be paying a visit to ye honorable TSA guardians. :eek:

Ship your film seperately via FedEx or a UPS store. THey can hold your package or your workshop host maybe able to accomidate you.

Most of the time they will simply X-ray the film if it is included in your carry on equipment bag.

I seem to look suspicious so I always get singled out for a personal inspection by TSA. They may want to open your equipment bag and look through lenses. It all depends on what airport your depart and arrive at. I assume you are travelling from L.A. to ABQ so you will probably have no trouble.

Unfortunately our government looks for weapons not terrorists. It's all a bunch of BS.

Good luck,

Don Bryant

[Richard Wasserman]

I have flown with all kinds of film cameras, including LF, many times in the US and have never had a problem of any kind. The most the TSA inspectors have ever done is a quick swab looking for explosives. Usually I either have a chat about how I am still using film, or there is no comment from them at all, and I go on my merry way. Maybe I'm just lucky? I hear about people having problems, but I have never experienced any. As a matter of fact I have actually found the TSA personnel to be fairly friendly.

[MumbleyJoe]

I've flown with Large Format film several times.

At this point I just allow them to x-ray my film with my carry-on, typically once on the way out and once again on the way home. A handful of that low-dose x-ray seems to have no noticeable effect, and I think it's best just not to worry about it. I'm shooting ISO 125 and lower film, with anything higher YMMV.

I also send all of my film through in its own separate bin, to ensure they only want to take a look at it once. I don't send it through with my camera gear out of concern that they might want to re-scan all of that again for a second angle. That way my film only gets xray once going through the scanner.

Typically I send the film through first, though the last time (in Las Vegas) they were a bit confused by what they were looking at (they weren't worried, but asked more out of curiousity), then as the conveyor belt moved they sort went "ahh, and THIS is the camera equipment". They suggested putting the camera equipment through first, because then they'd know they were looking at film.

Anyway, my suggestion is just to let it get scanned with carry-on luggage, and minimize exposure. You'll be fine.

[lilmsmaggie]

I assume you are travelling from L.A. to ABQ so you will probably have no trouble.

Yes, I'll be connecting between either LA, or Dallas/Ft. Worth. Haven't made any flight reservations yet.


Unfortunately our government looks for weapons not terrorists. It's all a bunch of BS.

That and terrorists disguised as small children, like the 15 month old boy in St. Louis, Missouri, where TSA officials confiscated his box of Play-Doh.

Or sex toys suspected to be IED's :eek:

[Michael Gordon]

It's no big deal. Sheet film is "Specialty Film" and is subject to your request for hand-inspection. Carry the TSA's own guidelines (http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/editorial_1035.shtm) with you and furnish them if necessary.

When they ask you if your view camera is a "Hasselblad", just say yes and carry on ;)

[William Whitaker]

Ship in advance as Don suggested and just avoid the TSA headache.

[tgtaylor]

I have flown out of SFO several times with film and always demanded, and got, hand inspection. Be aware, though, that demanding hand inspection always resulted in a more thorough personal inspection so off comes your shoes, etc.

For roll film they may go so far as applying some chemical on a piece of cotton and swab the outside of the plastic covering to see if there are explosive chemicals inside. For sheet film I recommend that you make sure that the inside light tight packaging is well taped so that it can't be readily opened.

Expect the full treatment and arrive early. Once, when on a backpacking trip to Chile, I arrived at the airport at close to the last minute to board my 6am flight to LA to catch the Air Chile flight. Displayed in a case in the terminal were several items that were banned from flights and one of those was my MSR international stove - it had a big red X on a card in front of it. Well that got me pulled out of line with 2 TSA agents demanding to see the stove which, naturally, was at the bottom of my top loader. So there I was in this crowded terminal with the contents of my backpack spilled out on the floor - drawers, socks, pants - you name it - with passengers stepping all over and TSA taking turns sniffing the stove. When that was settled - no fumes so they ok'd the stove and my pack for the fuselage, then I hit the TSA on-board inspection. Demanding hand inspection for the film meant off with the shoes and the whole 9 yards. Meanwhile all the passengers had left the area and i was the only one still in the inspection area. Once that was finished I put my shoes on, gathered my belongings and ran to the boarding station with the airline calling my name out on the loudspeaker. I was the last one to board.

But wait, it didn't end there. While the plane was taxing to the runway I realized that I didn't have my keys - the SOB's at TSA have them! That meant calling TSA at SFO from a pay phone outside the secure zone at LAX. The two TSA's were separate and the LA one said they couldn't contact those at SFO and I would have to use the pay phone which meant that I would have to go through LA security to re-board. SFO TSA did have the keys and I arranged for someone to pick them up from them. I believe they only keep unclaimed stuff for 30 days before discarding and I was on a 30 day trip.

So allow yourself plenty of time!

Thomas

[MumbleyJoe]

I've really never found TSA a hassle, at least with regard to my film. I haven't requested a hand-inspection either for fear of them opening a box of film.

The last time I also carried a film box and film holder that they COULD mess with (with old film) if they wanted to understand what they were looking at.

[patrickjames]

As Thomas said, make sure you have everything with you when you leave. Once (ca. 2002) they didn't return my id at one of the search stations and that made for a fun rest of the trip let me tell you! Ever try to board a plane without any id?

[Frank Petronio]

Domestic USA travel is fine, just let your film get zapped. It's not like they make any ISO 3200 sheet film lol.

[Curt]

Could you have Per bring it if he is driving? You might send it to Ronnie Layden or his gallery in Santa Fe.

Curt

[lilmsmaggie]

Could you have Per bring it if he is driving? You might send it to Ronnie Layden or his gallery in Santa Fe.

Curt

Hi Curt,

Actually, Per did offer to do just that. I'm still considering my options. I may decide to take a MF camera instead of my 4x5 rig.

I'm now preoccupied with paying for the trip if I fly. One thing is for sure. It's gonna be one hellava expensive two weeks :D

[EdWorkman]

I flew out of LA in 2004. One might characterize those times as MORE paranoid, or maybe less institutionalized paranoia. I had a BIG bag of MF gear, many rolls of film , and it was a 13 hour flight [if that registered to anybody as lots of fuel after take-off, wink wink nudge nudge]. i had the film in clear freezer bags and was cordially received by the hand searchers. Details as per what tgtaylor said above.
I've flown one domestic round trip since then, sans cameras, and my mother's saying of "wear clean underwear you might get hit by a bus" is now "wear clean underwear for TSA"

[Rick Russell]

I've flown out of LAX numerous times with my LF camera and film, to both domestic and foreign destinations. At times I've asked for a hand check, but recently I simply send my backpack of LF camera, film, lenses, etc. through carry on x-ray. My most recent trip (two weeks ago) was through Burbank airport, which utilizes the same procedures as LAX. Flying out of Burbank (to Spokane) they put my backpack through the machine twice, and swabbed my bag, I assume for explosives. On my return trip from Spokane the same bag, with the same contents, went through without a hitch.

Rick Russell

[BetterSense]

I don't worry about xray damage as I have flown with lots of high speed film and never had any trouble even with multiple xrays. I DO seriously worry about the TSA personnel opening my sheet film boxes so I avoid flying with sheet film, and ship it instead for peace of mind, unless the boxes are factory-new and still sealed.

[wclavey]

Laptop... remember to pick up the laptop... I connected through Frankfurt at about 4:00 AM on a halfway around the world jaunt from Korea to Houston, stopping in several countries in Asia and Europe along the way. To say I was dead tired would be understating it. Singled out for the full, dump everything out and we'll go through it a piece at a time search, I walked away, half asleep, without my laptop... I did not realize it until I landed in Dulles and thought my bag was very light... The people at work were not too pleased, but I did remember to collect my full TLR kit. It was actually pretty easy to get back...

[jnantz]

what he said ..


Domestic USA travel is fine, just let your film get zapped. It's not like they make any ISO 3200 sheet film lol.


i have flown with sheet film and nothing happened even to my film that was iso800 and scanned maybe 10 times total

enjoy your travels !
john

[Louie Powell]

I'm sure that there have been a few instances where TSA inspections have gone too far, but I've never had a problem carrying either roll film or sheet film.

My practice with sheet film is to have it in a box that is clearly labeled "Film - Open in TOTAL DARKNESS". And to make sure that someone doesn't inadvertently open the box before reading the label, I tape the box closed. The boxes I use are standard three-part film boxes that I have prepared by applying a coat of clear shipping tape so that the blue tape doesn't actually adhere to any the outer paper covering of the box.

I've used this approach on a number of trips between upstate NY and California, and I've never had a single instance where TSA has challenged the process or wanted to open a box. However, just in case, I do carry a changing bag in the same carry-on so that I'm prepared if they want to check further.

I also take along several empty boxes to use in bringing home exposed film - also labeled and sealed with tape. I typically have a few loaded holders with me - the only precaution there is to make sure that the little latch is turned so that the darkslides can't come out without making a conscious effort.

Get to the airport early and give TSA a chance to do their job (it's an important job). And don't worry about the inspection - instead, worry about the airline screwing up your connection, losing your luggage, or deciding to charge an additional 'fee' at the last moment. Those are far more likely problems.

[lilmsmaggie]

I'm sure that there have been a few instances where TSA inspections have gone too far

Yes, and IMHO this is one of them:

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/06/26/florida.tsa.incident/index.html?hpt=us_c2

[Ari]

Their puny scanners can't hurt your film.
I put the same batch (+/- 200 sheets) of film through scanners eight times in a 2-month span last summer; not a single sheet was damaged or looked awry, except those ruined by my own incompetence.