Don't be a fool like me

cafeharrar said:

Has anyone had success with the lead-lined film bags? I thought about getting one for my last trip, but figured that security would just open it anyways when it came up on the x-ray, possibly generating suspicion that would cause more trouble than its worth.

- Justin

Click to expand...

I have used a lead-lined back to carry film inside my carry-on bag. I usually take the film out for hand inspection. But if I "forget" I figure it's safer inside the bag.

Remember, the bag will "show up" in the x-ray and prompt the inspector to want you to open it - so it will get hand inspected anyway.

BTW: as per what I learned in a similar thread a while ago - provided they're not foil-wrapped - you can just put 120 film rolls in your pocket and they will not set off the alarm as there is no metal involved. Works great for exposed rolls.

sorry to hear this has happened to you.

i must be very lucky. i always get a hand inspection when i ask. i am in SLC from NY now. i have carried 2 boxes of 8x10 film on the plane with no problems. i sent it through the x ray machine. i also sent 12 loaded 4x5 film holders through the x ray machine. i asked that they hand inspect my 800 and 1600 ASA films and my camera that was loaded with 800ASA. they obliged on both accounts.

i also have send my LF cameras, film and film holders by the USPS insured and they arrived perfectly. i usually send them to myself at the general post office at the town i am going to. works like a dream!

eddie

The OP's film was damaged in checked baggage. Not through carry on. That seems to keep getting lost, so I'm just putting it back in.

I remember a post on PN or LF where a LF traveler was trying to convince an Asian inspector not to open the boxes, telling him that it was photographic film. I remember the quote like it was yesterday: "Film not square! Film round!"

Good luck all.

Cheers,

Steve

Steve Hamley said:

I remember a post on PN or LF where a LF traveler was trying to convince an Asian inspector not to open the boxes, telling him that it was photographic film. I remember the quote like it was yesterday: "Film not square! Film round!"

Good luck all.

Cheers,

Steve

Click to expand...

This is the kind of situation where you just have to weigh your options which are:

1) See your film get trashed.

2) Decide the hell with it, miss you flight (even if there isn't another for six weeks) and run to the nearest FedEx/DHL/UPS or whatever outlet you can find and ship it!

Steve Hamley said:

"Film not square! Film round!"

Click to expand...

See? Now I knew there was a reason why there aren't a lot of Asians shooting LF! And I always thought the BIG equipment was too heavy for us little dudes.

Regards, Art.

I recently flew from SNA to SEA, I had 14 rolls of film with me, almost all of it well expired, and I asked for a hand inspection at the airport, and they did so with no concerns, was my first positive experience with the TSA, all the film had some images on it too, that came out.

As recently as two years ago, I was getting 'random' extra inspection, every time I flew.

JBrunner said:

Fed Ex randomly scans cargo with the big scanners. If your film is in a scanned shipment, it will be zapped. I have first hand experience with this. Carry on is the safest.

Click to expand...

Which brings up a question-what about unexposed film from sellers? Do retailers always use ground shipping?
And from what I've heard, sounds plausible, carriers sometimes put ground shipments in planes if they have the room and it saves having to use another truck.

I had no problem getting film hand inspected at Chicago O'Hare, tho that does nothing for the OPs issue of having his checked film opened. That sucks giant donkey balls =/ On a positive note, you could write a catchey song about it and become a youtube sensation like the "United Breaks Guitars" song haha

When shipping, isnt there some kind of tape or something that says "photographic material, do not x-ray" or something? I kinda remember seeing it before, or some pre-labled packages just for film...

This is an old thread to resurrect- but the problem has certainly not gone away - it has got worse than ever.

A while back I requested a hand inspection of some 120 roll film. I had it in one of those metallised bags that is supposed to help protect it from X-rays. Don't know if it does... but it certainly didn't in this case, as the security guard insisted I remove the rolls from the bag and sent each one through the X-ray machine one by one...

I protested... but got a very tetchy 'it's a very low dose and it doesn't effect films see the "which?" report' reply, which he'd obviously repeated so many times he sounded like a speaking parking ticket machine.

I tried to explain the which report was about 35mm film in metal cans - some of my film was Delta 3200 and Infrared, now thanks to them in paper backing only. I would have had more luck trying to convince my cat. He can't speak English, but at least he does me the courtesy of listening for a few seconds...

My advice: If possible, don't fly. Apart from the X-ray issue, the queues, the security, the crap food, the queues, the extortionate prices at the car parks, the queues, the delays, the queues.

Did I mention the queues?

Personally I'll do anything to avoid flying these days. Not much option if you have thousands of miles of terrain to cross in a short time - but amazing how much dead time wasted in airports can be put to good use eating up a good few hundred miles by car, train, coach or ferry with a lot less stress and frustration...

Sorry about that Steve. But those of us on larger continents have no option. I'm going to a reunion in Chicago in a few weeks, I live in Tucson. It's about a 2 day drive....I'm flying of course.

What a royal pain air travel has become!

I flew recently with a bunch of 120 and 35mm film and while the postings at the airport were saying that I could have it hand checked, the TSA had me put it through the X-Ray. Their argument was that unless it is above ISO 800 you have to put them through the machine. After shooting 15 rolls or so I sent them to the lab before flying back. The film is not back from the lab as of yet but I should find out soon if it got damaged. The highest ISO was some Tri-X 400 rolls.

BW Maximus said:

What a royal pain air travel has become!

I flew recently with a bunch of 120 and 35mm film and while the postings at the airport were saying that I could have it hand checked, the TSA had me put it through the X-Ray. Their argument was that unless it is above ISO 800 you have to put them through the machine. After shooting 15 rolls or so I sent them to the lab before flying back. The film is not back from the lab as of yet but I should find out soon if it got damaged. The highest ISO was some Tri-X 400 rolls.

Click to expand...

Tell them politely that you will be shooting the film at 800 and 1600 ISO. They will inspect it.

Seve