Film and airport x-ray machines?

Howdy,

Just another quick question about film and carry on scanners. Do people use the lead bags anymore? 12 years ago when I did quite a bit of travelling, I used to extensively use a lead bag for all my films and never ever got asked to open it. It was never a problem.

Do people still use these? Do you get hassled? Is it worth the hassle?

Also, for 35mm users, do you leave film in the camera while going through the check in scanners?

Cheers

Travelling back and forth to Christchurch NZ, I run the gumut of Customs and just plonk the camera bag and camera case (camera loaded) into the X-Ray machine and be done with it; remember there's a queue of harried, tired, impatient or irritable fellow passengers behind you and "another delay" while a photographer argues about film and X-rays or "hand inspections" etc. is not only tedious, but also rude, and Customs view it dimly. For the record, I have never experienced any adverse affect on film (ISO 50 to 400) and suggest that fellow photographers not get too uptight about X-Rays (with the exception to never put any film in the main hold luggage, which is subject to much stronger X-Ray screening). Though we may get the colliwobbles when we spy an X-Ray machine, making a scene, however well-intentioned, will just as easily raise the ire of Customs who have enough troubles to worry about.

***Certainly all film with ASA below 800 is fine for repeated scanning in carry on baggage.**

Fuji 1600asa colour film passed thru European Xrays machines for hand luggage ok....there and back. Well put it this way if it did effect the film I haven't noticed it.

This film was X-Ray damaged within Europe last year (It's Delta 3200):



The whole roll had a black wavy line right through the whole roll. Happened to more than one roll in the bag, but not all rolls. This was caused by the carry-on check in machine.

mrtoml said:

This film was X-Ray damaged within Europe last year (It's Delta 3200):

The whole roll had a black wavy line right through the whole roll. Happened to more than one roll in the bag, but not all rolls. This was caused by the carry-on check in machine.

Click to expand...

Very interesting. Why would the x-ray machine cause a wavy line and not fog the whole film? Rgds, Kal

Shangheye said:

Very interesting. Why would the x-ray machine cause a wavy line and not fog the whole film? Rgds, Kal

Click to expand...

It's the way they scan, usually only items/areas of dubious interest get a more intensive scan, this can be when items are lying on top of each other.

I fly quite frequently and never have problems with my films, but 400ISO are the fastest I use.

Last year while travelling light, just a backpack, I was forced to put it in the hold and forgot the 5x4 film was in it. When I got to the UK I just tossed the packet aside assuming it would have been fogged. I was testing some old APX100 last month and stuck a sheet of the "fogged" film in the tank as and was amazed to find it was OK. I gave some of the film to an APUG member to practise using a 5x4 and his negs were perfect

Ian

Shangheye said:

Very interesting. Why would the x-ray machine cause a wavy line and not fog the whole film? Rgds, Kal

Click to expand...

Look at the other thread mentioned further up. There was a detailed discussion about this. It's the way the operator of the x-ray machine can focus in on a particular part of your luggage.

Cheers, Mark.