Airport X-Ray scan damage, your experience true or false ?

RobC · Sep 11, 2015

Since we have another x-ray damage topic running at:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I thought I'd run a poll on it, so here it is...

Note I put the date since 911 2001 so if you've had problems prior to that don't vote or pick last option if you haven't had scans done.

BrianShaw · Sep 11, 2015

Never... ever.

Sirius Glass · Sep 11, 2015

BrianShaw said:
Never... ever.

Wot he done did sed.

antmar · Sep 11, 2015

I passed my films many times through x-ray machines in airports and never had a damage. I usually try to have my films hand checked and most of the times the security personnel accepts it without much resistance.
But my films were damaged when they passed from the x-ray machine in the Vatican City in Rome in 2010. I know this, because only the films that I had with me that day were damaged, the films that were left in the hotel came out undamaged.
Lost a lot of beautiful images at that trip.

Richard S. (rich815) · Sep 11, 2015

Never, and I put film through carry-on scanners throughout Europe (including Hungary), much of Asia (including Cambodia, and many domestic airports within China), Mexico, and many, many "Western" countries, like U.S., Canada, Australia, NZ, etc.

Vaughn · Sep 11, 2015

My only x-ray damage was by NZ customs -- 35mm color slide film mailed to me in NZ from USA -- sender did not write on the package, "Do Not X-ray -- film!". (Mid 1980s)

bdial · Sep 11, 2015

Never.
Only domestic flights since 01, but plenty of them.
Multiple scans and multiple formats, no issues.

wiltw · Sep 11, 2015

Multiple carry-on Security scans of same film (<=ISO 400) on same trip, travel thru close to 30 different international countries, never a problem.

winger · Sep 11, 2015

I'm 99% sure none of my film has been damaged by carry-on scanners. This includes USA, Heathrow, and Costa Rica.

BUT, I did get damage because of the scanner at the entrance to one of the castles in England. I am sure that was where it happened because my bag got stuck and was being scanned the whole time and the film I bought after that happened was fine, as was all the 100 ASA film.

RobC · Sep 11, 2015

I just set the scanner alarm off coming out of morrisons supermarket
First time that's ever happened. Twas some batteries that did it. I think the checkout girl forgot to do whatever they need to do to stop it from happening.

mooseontheloose · Sep 11, 2015

I travel a lot internationally and have had film scanned in excess of 15 times or more (not just airport scanners, but scanners at museums and other places) and they all came back just fine. This includes film at high speeds (1600 and above), although most films were 400 ISO or lower.

Saganich · Sep 11, 2015

Never by carry-on that I could tell for black n white. Once in luggage scanner for color film that was still in the old point n shoot camera. They likely zoomed in on that for a continuous scan.

Bill Burk · Sep 11, 2015

I always get my film hand inspected, I plan ahead and have the film organized and I give it to the TSA operator at just the right time with a friendly "I'd like this hand inspected, please". And when they swab the box or open it I don't get upset or anything. After all, before it's exposed it's just film.

One time they had me sitting with my shoes off waiting for the operator to finish as my son started to get away from me. That was the only time I became a little uncomfortable with the process... when they started to separate me from someone I really cared about.

ozphoto · Sep 12, 2015

I have never personally had any problems with x-raying hand luggage, and would *never* put film not checked luggage luggage, ever.

I did however vote on "Yes I have had damage to film in checked in luggage scans" I managed a semi-pro lab, and have seen first hand the awful affect it has on someone's European holiday snaps. Took me a little while to work it out, but it suddenly became really clear when I made out the hair dryer silhouette on one of the images.

They were devastated; the second lot they dropped off (out of their hand luggage) was fine - only a few rolls, but the lack of any "shadowing" was evident and they were extremely thankful, they hadn't put all of the film into their checked luggage.

Moral of the story - hand luggage is fine (even multiple scans) but checked luggage - don't even go there unless you want some eerie effects on your films.

RobC · Sep 12, 2015

Bump

The more people that vote, the more informative the result will be (if such a thing is possible).

So keep on voting people, your vote counts

Sirius Glass · Sep 12, 2015

RobC said:
Bump

The more people that vote, the more informative the result will be (if such a thing is possible).

So keep on voting people, your vote counts

Rob is right so "Vote early and vote often!"

BradS · Sep 12, 2015

The first category in the poll is ambiguous...are we to assume you're talking about the machines used on carry-on bags only? or all x-ray machines used at the airport - including those used on checked bags?

RobC · Sep 12, 2015

BradS said:
The first category in the poll is ambiguous...are we to assume you're talking about the machines used on carry-on bags only? or all x-ray machines used at the airport - including those used on checked bags?

Reading all of the options may give you a clue.

Pioneer · Sep 12, 2015

The Good Lord knows that I have lugged a lot of film through the airport x-ray scanners without never noticing any problem. Thank goodness that phase of my life is now past.

Doremus Scudder · Sep 14, 2015

I've posted here and elsewhere before about my experiences. I travel back and forth to Europe and inside of Europe regularly. I carry B&W film, usually 320TXP and TMY. I've had some go through scanners six or eight times before being processed. Never a problem.

I just arrived back at my home in Vienna from Oregon about an hour ago (trying to stay awake to minimize the jet lag...). This trip was the best ever in terms of number of scans; exactly 0! I had the film hand inspected in Eugene (a couple of sealed boxes of 4x5 sheets and two boxes of undeveloped negatives from the summer - my Eugene darkroom is not up and running quite yet). The TSA guy swabbed all of them. Then, when changing planes in Seattle and later in Frankfurt, I didn't have to leave the secure areas.

As an aside, I often travel inside of Europe with loaded 4x5 filmholders. They always go through the hand-luggage scanner (removed from the bag first) and never a problem. The security staff are sometimes unsure of what the filmholders are, but learning how to say "This is undeveloped film, open only in total darkness" in a few languages has seemed to work so far.

Best,

Doremus

removed account4 · Sep 14, 2015

i wasn't going ot ad my 2¢ because i too have posted my personal experiences in other threads
on this very subject over the years, but i have never had a problem with xrays or baggage/carry on scanners ( on boats or planes )
i have travelled back and forth to europe ( landed in paris, basel, frankfurt heathrow domestic flights to florida, boston,
PVD, newark and quebec ..
even post subway bombers when heathrow had scanners set up what seems like every 30 feet ...
i've brought iso 25 - 800 color ( chrome + c41 ) as well as b/w ( sheets, 135, 120 )...
i've even had a suitcase of exposed film go through in my belly of the plane luggage, no problems ..
maybe it was all luck? i don't know, i've asked for hand inspect over the years for carry on,
they sniffed the film, looked at it, asked what it was ( if they didn't know what film was ) or in europe
they just stuck it through the scanner pointing to the sign that says it is safe for even high speed film.
in the past when i have suggested i had no bad personal experiences the the harshness of a people was put on me and i was called all sorts of names ..

it is good to see others have had similar experiences with scanners and that ilford now says everything but extremely high speed film is OK through airport scanners
didn't PE say, that the atmospheric radiation ( ? ) from flying in a plane does more damage to film than the scanners ..

BradS · Sep 14, 2015

RobC said:
Reading all of the options may give you a clue.

Gee Thanks. Not sure what I did to deserve this snarky reply. I was being sincere. I did read all of the poll categories and it is ambiguous.

RobC · Sep 14, 2015

BradS said:
Gee Thanks. Not sure what I did to deserve this snarky reply. I was being sincere. I did read all of the poll categories and it is ambiguous.

Out of 41 voters you're the only one who seems to have difficulty understanding. I can't help you with that.

BradS · Sep 14, 2015

RobC said:
Out of 41 voters you're the only one who seems to have difficulty understanding. I can't help you with that.

Yes, I am a little thick. That's established. Can you please elaborate on the first category? Does the first category include X-Ray damage by the machines used for checked baggage. Or, is the first poll category confined to carry on baggage only?

BradS · Sep 14, 2015

Here's the situation:

The first category does not specify which x-ray machines. I assume therefore, that the first category contemplates damage to film by any x-ray machine used at any airport.

I have had film damaged by the machines used to scan checked bags but have never had film damaged by the machined used to inspect carry-on bags.

So there is no category that fits my experience.

Airport X-Ray scan damage, your experience true or false ?

Airport x-ray scan damage since 911 2001

Nope I never had or noticed damage from airport X-Ray scans

Yes I have had damage to film in carry on scans

Yes I have had damage to film in checked in luggage scans

No I never have my films x-ray scanned

RobC

BrianShaw

Sirius Glass

antmar

Richard S. (rich815)

Vaughn

bdial

wiltw

winger

RobC

mooseontheloose

Saganich

Bill Burk

ozphoto

RobC

Sirius Glass

BradS

RobC

Pioneer

Doremus Scudder

removed account4

BradS

RobC

BradS

BradS

Airport X-Ray scan damage, your experience true or false ?

Airport x-ray scan damage since 911 2001

Nope I never had or noticed damage from airport X-Ray scans

Yes I have had damage to film in carry on scans

Yes I have had damage to film in checked in luggage scans

No I never have my films x-ray scanned

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