Air travel with 8x10 sheet film as carry-on... Request for tips!

[Lida315]

I am traveling abroad with 8x10 view camera and new TXP film (factory packaged 10/sheets/box about 20 boxes) to Eastern Europe with 3+ changes in aircraft each way. I am concerned about x-rays damaging the film vs. requesting a hand-search, which may ultimately lead to security personnel opening a box of film. I will have lots of carry-on gear to keep track of during security screenings. If I opt for film going through carry-on X-ray, is there a better way of doing this so that less damage is done? I read in the Kodak info that changing the direction the film is oriented for each x-ray pass could be helpful.

I am considering opening the factory sealed boxes of 10 sheets each and repacking into old 50 sheet boxes to consolidate the film into a smaller space. This would make it easier to carry-on the film & gear. Is there a down side to doing this? If the film is densely packed, will the x-ray needed/used be more intense? If film is packed in a foil-coated envelope, does this mean the x-ray strength will be turned up?

I read the general info on this forum regarding air travel with LF gear from 2001, and from this I now understand that most people are NOT experiencing problems from multiple carry-on x-rays of sheet film with ISOs as high as 400. Is there anyone with more recent experience who can confirm this, please?

Any tips that may be pertinent to air travel with sheet film and LF gear would be highly appreciated.

Many thanks... (this is my first post to LF Forum)

[Andrew O'Neill]

If you can get away with hand inspection great. If not, don't worry so much about it. Just let your film go through the carry on xray. I've put film through several times with no apparent damage.

[Steven Tribe]

Cabin baggage is the way I do it.
Buy a cheap (recycled) soft type that just is within the maximum for the air carrier. Sheets of air cell to control the film holders and camera.
Film doesn't seem to influenced - even with multiple scans. Tell the operator what is inside before he/she scans - it saves multiple passes. Be prepared to show what is inside - it is the metal parts that attract attention.
Total weight limit (if there is one) is usually around 10 kilos.
The Kodak advice brings back memories of the Catholic Church's (this nothing to do with religion, dear moderators!) advice about how not to get pregnant.

[Robert Hall]

Don't worry about baggage scans. Going to mainland china then to India, I had at least 6 scans on film with not a mark on them.

I just let them go though, told them what they were, they never wanted to open the box.

Not so when I asked for hand checks.

[IanG]

Make sure your film is package seperately to anything with metal, put it in your carry on baggage but at the scanner take it out & have it go through on its own. That's a tip I was given a few years ago. In practice I always place my films in large pockets in a coat but that's always 5x4 & 120 - 10x8's too large for that.

Ian

[jeroldharter]

Don't worry about the xray scanners.

For Kodak TMY2, I put two envelopes of 10 sheets in each box. It fits snugly without problem and halves the bu
K of the film boxes.

The largest size of the LL Bean canvas beach bag hold 8x10 boxes so that you can line up 2 rows of 4-5 boxes, e.g. Up to 100 sheets, with room on top for miscellaneous lightweight stuff. It will fit in the overhead. On a small plane, you might have to remove some of the film boxes from the large bag to make it fit. I pack a smaller, very lightweight bag inside the large bag just in case.

[SergeiR]

According to signs in Dallas Love Field airport with film below 800 you don't really have to worry with carry-on scans. I travel regularly with film both in US and internationally , and i never seen anything that breaks this ( i typically go with 25/100/400). But i do not shoot infrared.

[ignatiusjk]

Tip number one. Don't do it. Put holders in your luggage.

[mcfactor]

Be careful about putting 400 iso film through the x-ray machines multiple times. I took a bunch of 8x10 film with me to guatemala and let it go through the x-ray machines about 6 times total. The black and white seemed to have higher than normal base fog (it was ilford hp5) but ok in general, but the color film (kodak 400) was obviously affected. Most airports are more curious about the camera than worried about the film. The next time I went through the airport with my 8x10 i asked them to hand check it and they had no problems, they swabbed all the items to test for explosive residue, but did not open the film. I also think that if the film is factory sealed they will be less inclined to open it. Just be friendly and explain what is in the bags, nearly all airport security has seen sheet film, and if you calmly explain what is it, will not open it.

[SergeiR]

Tip number one. Don't do it. Put holders in your luggage.

X-ray machines for luggage are a weeeeeee bit more powerful than ones for carry-on.

[olwick]

X-ray machines for luggage are a weeeeeee bit more powerful than ones for carry-on.

That's an understatement. They're significantly more powerful, plus you risk the chance of someone opening your luggage without you being around to supervise (not to mention stolen) or the boxes opened and then put back. Always, always, carry-on.

[Doremus Scudder]

I think SergeiR was suggesting to check empty filmholders and carry the sheet film in boxes in your carry-on baggage. With 8x10, that would give you a lot more flexibility; more holders and more film possible. Do pack the changing tent, though.

I travel regularly in the US, from the US to Europe and within Europe carrying film. I like to carry sealed boxes, but with the rather impractical packaging of 8x10 film, I would likely consolidate a bit. Recently, inside Europe, I packed a carry-on with 20 loaded filmholders and a 50-sheet box of 4x5 Tri-X. It went through 6 or 7 scans, two of those scans after exposure, with no problems. I did have to show the Italian airport security how a filmholder works. I had an empty and a scrap sheet of film for demonstration purposes.

Usually though, I just carry the film in boxes. You can ask for a hand scan in the US and maybe get it, but it's much more unlikely in Europe. I have outfitted a small rolling suitcase with foam inserts to pack holders and my camera (when I carry them; these days I have cameras and holders on both continents). I always carry on lenses and meter, but have had no problem checking the less fragile stuff, even filters in their cases make it just fine with a wrap or two of bubble wrap.

Just to repeat: Do not put film in checked luggage, it will be ruined. Always carry it on.

Best,

Doremus

[SergeiR]

Well to be completely honest - last time i wanted to shove some 4x5 Efke to shoot in Russia, i carried some in luggage (4-5 boxes.. i had 4 in carry-on, and some camera gear and laptops), and it survived. But it was desperate measure and i knew that i can get away with it for 25/50 iso , and there was no other option (getting sheet film while in Russia is MAJOR pita, unless you in Moscow). Now i got stash, so every time i am just adding one box or so, when go there.

Best way to transport is to have them in boxes, imho, and if you really feel like not going through x-ray - you can ask for hand inspection. Unless security folks are complete ... umm.. well, you know, they will be ok with it and will never pick on camera equipment , and will be asking polite questions. There is always possibility to meet some twits, but they are few.

Most of camera gear in luggage is just taking some serious risks , specially if you travel internationally. I had things stolen from my luggage in Amsterdam's Kasthrup in stopover. Had bags ripped apart while loading on recieving transporter in Houston's IAH.. & etc. So if you can cram up stuff in carry on - always do it. If you need extra space for two more boxes of film - wear denim jacket and shove them into pockets :)

(PS:. speaking of pockets - keep thinking about buying some gear from this guy.. for travel.. http://www.scottevest.com/ )

[Scott Davis]

If you must, put the empty holders in your suitcase, and carry just the film on the plane. I can speak from personal experience- do NOT send film of any speed through checked luggage. The scanners will absolutely fog it. As to infrared in airport scanners, I took some Kodak HIE (far more sensitive than any current infrared film) with me to Cambodia(!!!). I did the hand-check thing in DC, New York, Amsterdam. I got to Singapore, and the security guy there just didn't get it, so I had to send it through. It then went through again in Siem Reap, back in Singapore, Amsterdam, and New York. No fog. And it wasn't in any special case or lead bag or anything else.

[Lida315]

So Scott, when you request the "hand check" how do you ensure that the film boxes are not opened up? Also, how does this work in Europe?

[Scott Davis]

Frankly, I've given up on the hand-check. I'd much rather have it go through the carry-on scanner than have some idiot try to open a box of film to see what's in it. I can think of two ways to avoid getting boxes opened when hand-checking. #1 - be vigilant during the hand check, and if possible, tape a very simple note ("small words") to the outside of the box in the local language if traveling somewhere that you don't speak the language explaining that it is film and will be ruined if opened. #2 - make sure to open your outside box with a razorblade to minimize the appearance of having been opened. Open your inner package with scissors so it folds closed neatly, again minimizing the appearance of having been tampered with. When you are done with the box, tape it shut NEATLY so that it appears factory sealed.

I was bringing back sheet film from a trip to Argentina, and fortunately had double-bagged it. Some nosy dingbat at the gate was checking bags, and tried to open one of my boxes. She didn't ask before starting to open the box, so I lunged at her, screaming "PELICULA!!!!!" (Film in Spanish). Poor dear almost fainted I think. But she stopped inspecting it and let me get on with boarding. Thus the importance of the vigilance and the knowledge of the local language.

[Doremus Scudder]

I don't think you are going to get a hand-inspection anywhere except the US and maybe Canada. Keep in mind, the FAA does not make rules that apply internationally... nor the TSA.

If you are outside the US, just take your film box(es) out of your carry-on, put them in a bin so that they are easily identifiable as film and let them go through the scanner.

Best,

Doremus