Air travel with 120 film

[jstraw]

Dead Link Removed

Thanks!

 

[MAGNAchrom]

I would not worry as long as the film is in carry on baggage. Do not pack it with checked luggage.

I have passed a bag of film through 30+ x-ray scanners over the course of 6 months in countries including Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador without problems.

The only advise I can give you: pack the film in a lead-lined pouch and be SURE to place it by itself in its own tray to go through the x-ray. I have never had anyone ask to open the pouch when it is placed in tis own tray by itself. However, when film is placed inside of a bag, then 100% of the time they ask to either re-xray it or hand inspect it. Never fails.

Lesson: take the film out of your bag

 

[Shmoo]

Where in Europe are you going to be?

Cheers,

R.

Vienna & Salzburg, Austria...sooooooo excited!!!

S

 

[copake_ham]

You can learn stuff here - that's for sure.

I'd never heard of Sander's approach but as soon as I read it the "duh, of course" light turned on!

Thanks for the tip - I'm heading back to NYC from Tucson in a couple of days with some exposed rolls of 120/220 and will give it a try.

As to the OP - I've always asked to have film hand-inspected when I carry it on board. However, if I have an address at my destination (like b/w NY and Tucson - where I have houses in both places) I send the film ahead inside an x-ray pouch via US Priority Mail. I don't think the USPS x-rays the mail - but since I have the pouch - why not use it?

 

[Rolleiflexible]

I'd never heard of Sander's approach but as soon as I read it the "duh, of course" light turned on!

I know that feeling, George. I had exactly the same sensation when someone else passed the tip to me.

Sanders

 

[Roger Hicks]

Vienna & Salzburg, Austria...sooooooo excited!!!

S

Have fun! I've only ever ridden a motorcycle through Vienna (at which point it's much like any other large city -- I didn't see any of the good bits, only traffic) but I spent a little more time in Salzburg which is very pretty.

Cheers,

R.

 

[john_s]

As far as lead-lined bags are concerned: I read somewhere that if the operator can't see through the bag, the intensity of the x-ray in increased until he/she can. That would be enough to be worse than ordinary carry-on x-raying, because it would have to give an image through the lead. I have observed operators at carry-on x-ray stations back up an item to have a longer look. Maybe they increase the x-ray power at the same time.

I'm in Australia and am going to France, Spain and England soon. I have found that requests for manual inspection have failed. So I'll just put the rolls in a clear zip-lock bag and hope that it's all ok. My reasoning is that the easier you make it for them, the less they'll have to torture it.

And if they wreck the films, I'll just go digital. NO SORRY, JUST JOKING!

 

[P C Headland]

As far as lead-lined bags are concerned: I read somewhere that if the operator can't see through the bag, the intensity of the x-ray in increased until he/she can. That would be enough to be worse than ordinary carry-on x-raying, because it would have to give an image through the lead. I have observed operators at carry-on x-ray stations back up an item to have a longer look. Maybe they increase the x-ray power at the same time....

They cannot increase the x-ray intensity, all they can do is play with the contrast / gain on screen. The x-ray intensity is fixed. If they can't see in the back, you'll be asked to open it for inspection, and they may then just put your film through again.

Don't worry, just put the films through the hand-baggage scanner. I've travelled quite a bit, and never had a problem. ISO 400 film that has had 10 to 20 trips through the scanner while in my Minox 35 showed no ill effects. I've not noticed any effect on TriX 400 (120) exposed at 1000, and that has also been through the biosecurity scanners here in NZ.

 

[eddym]

The only advise I can give you: pack the film in a lead-lined pouch and be SURE to place it by itself in its own tray to go through the x-ray. I have never had anyone ask to open the pouch when it is placed in tis own tray by itself. However, when film is placed inside of a bag, then 100% of the time they ask to either re-xray it or hand inspect it. Never fails.

Lesson: take the film out of your bag

I'm sorry, but I'm not following this. Are you saying to pack the film in a lead bag, but then take the film OUT of the lead bag when it goes through the xray machine? If so, then what is the point of the lead bag?

 

[gr82bart]

I don't waste my time, or the inspectors time with hand inspection. It just isn't worth the effort, since hand x-ray machines cause no damage at all.

Ditto. Too much worrying over nothing.

Regards, Art.

 

[copake_ham]

I know that feeling, George. I had exactly the same sensation when someone else passed the tip to me.

Sanders

Just to follow up - last night I slipped 2 exposed rolls of 120 and one of 220 into my pocket and walked through the airport magnetron. Just as Sanders predicted - no alarm was set off. As he notes - there's no metal there.

 

[MattKing]

Just to follow up - last night I slipped 2 exposed rolls of 120 and one of 220 into my pocket and walked through the airport magnetron. Just as Sanders predicted - no alarm was set off. As he notes - there's no metal there.

George:

Just don't try this with 616/116 spools .

Can anybody remember whether 620 used to be on metal spools?

Matt

 

[David Brown]

Can anybody remember whether 620 used to be on metal spools?

Yes.

 

[Sirius Glass]

620 used metal spools.

Steve

 

[Gabe Racz]

Ditto. Too much worrying over nothing.

Regards, Art.

I also always send my film (ASA 400 and below) through in a carry-on bag and have never had it fogged by the x-ray machine. Even when they ran the bag through multiple times.

But on a recent trip I had my checked luggage searched by hand (TSA tag on it) and they appear to have forgotten to put my changing bag back in the suitcase. A nastygram to TSA will follow. I don't expect to recover my $40 (it was a big 'un).

 

[bdial]

...As far as lead-lined bags are concerned: I read somewhere that if the operator can't see through the bag...

The only time I tried using a lead lined bag, the camera case went into the machine, and the operator stopped the conveyer for probably 45 seconds to study things. Based on this, the lead bag seemed counter-productive to me.
This was quite a while ago, now they'd probably pull it and do a hand check.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I used a lead bag many many years ago for a six week trip to Europe. Before the trip was over, the corners and folds of the bag began to have cracks in the lead.

Therefore I have concluded that the lead bags are a WOMBAT.



What, you may ask is a WOMBAT?

Aren't you glad you asked?​

WOMBAT = Waste Of Money, Brains, and Time​

Yet another candidate for the LOAA.

Steve​

 

[bjorke]

Now come on.

First, you're telling us lead bags are a waste of time.

Next you'll be telling us that chiropractors can't cure cancer.

sheez

 

[Helen B]

I'm more concerned about having to take my tin foil hat off while I go through the metal detector. If only someone could invent a non-metallic hat for protection against alien mind control beams.

 

[gr82bart]

Just to follow up - last night I slipped 2 exposed rolls of 120 and one of 220 into my pocket and walked through the airport magnetron. Just as Sanders predicted - no alarm was set off. As he notes - there's no metal there.

Aw George! Why'd ya even bring this up? You know what's going to happen now with some of these APUGers ... I can just see it now. The threads will go on and on - started by pissed APUGers because they couldn't go through with pockets bulging with sheets/rolls of film. Oiy.

Regards, Art. (Put it through the friggin x-ray machine people! )

 

[Roger Hicks]

I'm more concerned about having to take my tin foil hat off while I go through the metal detector. If only someone could invent a non-metallic hat for protection against alien mind control beams.

Dear Helen,

Try folding a copy of the Daily Torygraph or Grauniad, depending on your political views....

(For American readers and other aliens. The Daily Telegraph is the standard right-wing newspaper in the UK, and the Guardian or Guradian is the left-wnig newsaper, famous fout it typograpgical eccenticity).

Cheers,

R.

 

[Nick Zentena]

I'm more concerned about having to take my tin foil hat off while I go through the metal detector. If only someone could invent a non-metallic hat for protection against alien mind control beams.

http://www.drinkstuff.com/productimg/6119.jpg

I've been told that works but the red colour attracts too much attention

 

[genecrumpler]

120 Film and Xrays

I just came back from France. I asked for a hand inspection of my 120 film at Paris. The guy got his supervisor and I discussed it with him. His position was that any thing below 1600 would not be harmed. I put it through the hand carry on machine when the supervisor said that a policeman would have to be called. The French don't much like Americans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Aw George! Why'd ya even bring this up? You know what's going to happen now with some of these APUGers ... I can just see it now. The threads will go on and on - started by pissed APUGers because they couldn't go through with pockets bulging with sheets/rolls of film. Oiy.

Regards, Art. (Put it through the friggin x-ray machine people! )

Anyone else remember that scene from The Matrix, where he opens his coat at the metal detector and it's stocked with tons of guns?

 

[Roger Hicks]

The French don't much like Americans!

Not true. Parisians are rude to EVERYONE -- they are the French equivalent of a certain type of New Yorker -- and most French don't like aggressive, know-nothing supporters of certain American shibboleths such as McDo and the war in Iraq. Support either with a good argument and the French will even tolerate that; pull 'my country, right or wrong' and you're asking for trouble. Otherwise the French are very fond of Americans: my wife (born in upstate New York, moved to California at 18) has had absolutely no problems outside Paris, and very few there.

I'm not accusing you of any of the above; I'm just trying to redress the balance for other Americans considering a trip to France.

Cheers,

R.