Film not welcome at Empire State Building

[BrianShaw]

A month later... And you call me a douchbag? Ha ha ha.

 

[CMoore]

A few members have mentioned ASA numbers.
One said 400
and another said 800.
Is that a concern with x-Rays...do faster films have more problems with X-Rays.?
Thank You

 

[MattKing]

Is that a concern with x-Rays...do faster films have more problems with X-Rays.?

Yes, but most X-Ray machines used on the goods carried by the public are very low dose, and shouldn't fog film. Otherwise, they would be likely to harm those around them.

 

[StoneNYC]

I've run into this problem in DC as well while simply trying to visit a museum.

This was in 2010 with my Korachrome64 film,

I didn't go in.

Later, when going through TSA at the Key West airport they insisted on scanning the camera that had a partially used roll. The other rolls they were willing to hand inspect. But because the camera could "contain something" and not be opened, they insisted. That roll, and that role alone was damaged heavily by X-Rays, that's 64 ASA....

So this whole "everybody knows it's safe at 800" or "safe until 3200" is a load of crap.

Some scanners can be increased by the user if they suspect they see something and want to see further, or leave it for a long time while looking.

But of course they are told, because "everybody knows" and so they care no further than that and refuse to be open to the idea that they could be wrong. It's kind of like when someone propagates something on a forum that isn't true but it's repeated so many times that everyone believes it's cannon, without actually testing for themselves.

In this day and age, the truth is you either go along with it or not, it's annoying but that's life, like how cops yell at you for taking a "professional" picture with an SLR but allow cell phone shots, even if YOU know it's the same, they don't view things the same way.

Sorry this happened to you.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Fast films are going to be degraded by cosmic rays anyway. However, I have had multiple TSA X-ray scans of TMY400, for example, and measured the effect with a densitometer afterwards. No problem, not even to the fbf. But I usually carry even slower film anyway. Can't comment on international flights. Guards being jerks is mainly due to their lack of education about actual regulations. Some crowded spots have firm safety regulations
prohibiting tripods or selfie sticks. But one kind of handheld camera versus another? Ridiculous. As electronic devices, things like Smartphones should
inherently generate more suspicion than film cameras. In fact, the last time we went thru a TSA line we got held up by them almost tearing apart my
wife's laptop. We even had to file a damage claim. My entire pack load of medium format film gear went straight through without a second glance.
But most regulations require a Pro Photography permit imply use of models, assistants, lighting props, public disruption or liability logically necessitating a fee. Type of format has nothing to do with it. I've had exactly one ranger around here confront me over using an 8x10, and I POLITELY
and RESPECTFULLY pointed her to check official Park rules. She had simply never seen a view camera before. But just a couple weeks ago I had another ranger latch onto me so he could ask me all kinds of questions about setting up his own darkroom. Not the first time.

 

[StoneNYC]

I just ...can't... even... Hahahahhaa

 

[DREW WILEY]

If you need to be reminded of having the wrong attitude in the wrong place at the wrong time, go review the ending to Peter Fonda in Easy Rider.
If you don't ride a chopper, paint an American Flag on your camera bellows instead.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

What's all the fuss? I have to go through a metal scanner whenever I want to enter a county administration building here. Too many crazies walking the streets.

 

[R Paul]

Went up yesterday with the rb ,two lenses and a d***l jobbie in a Nova 35. Just dropped the bag on the tray and got it scanned fine,but after that ,they call the supervisor because I had something really big in the bag. So he comes over and asks me to open the bag and what I had inside. So I show him the rb and the digi, didn't even have to pull it out of the bag, and he was like no problem ,as long as it isn't a recording device. Everyone was very nice and pleasant, but I wondered what kind of recording device did they mean, maybe the big video cams. I dont remember seeing any there

rob

 

[gone]

Fonda was just tooling along on his motorcycle minding his own business when the redneck nuts in the pickup truck started giving him grief because of how he looked, not his attitude. Finally he flipped them off and they killed him and Hopper both, basically just because they could. His attitude wasn't the problem. It was a powerful ending, but a sort of stupid one that came out of left field in order to cement the 2 guys as the ultimate anti heroes. Corman was simply showing that events often spiral out of our control through no fault of our own, or what Dr John called being in the wrong place at the wrong time as you mentioned. It was also a powerful commentary of the pervasive knee jerk violence in America culture, something Corman played to the hilt in Death Race 2000. Sadly, that movie looks like real life these days.

Fonda had an American flag on his helmet, along w/ his long hair. He should have had the Stars and Bars traveling through those parts:] I grew up around people like those guys in the truck in that era, and was a long haired hippie in Mississippi. Trust me, the hair was enough to get you into all sorts of serious trouble at that time in the South, and often did. I was scared witless more than a few times, and quickly saw the wisdom of being a gun toting hippie in Mississippi.

When you go to any security check point in this country, and I often feel we're turning into a sort of West Bank mentality now, you are at the mercy of whatever fool happens to be up there w// their inflated authority after a bad night w/ the 'ol lady. You don't have to have a bad attitude for bad things to happen. Fortunately this is not the norm, now, but it's always a potentiality. In a police state, everyone is considered guilty until shown to be innocent.

 

[BMbikerider]

Society has gone mad because there are a lot of mad people about from many persuasions and backgrounds The security guy was almost certainly doing his job CORRECTLY! Would you like to be responsible for allowing an object through which may result in the deaths of hundreds of people. No I thought no!

I was in the British Armed forces in the 1970's and in Northern Ireland we came across many very ingenious devices that would pass a casual hand inspection but were in fact incendiary devices, not necessarily the same shape as, but about the size of a roll of film. In one incident several had been missed with security hand checks (pre-Xray days) and secreted in a ladies clothing department. (inside pockets of clothing hanging up on display.) The result was, as they had been timed to ignite after closing and no one was around to give the alarm the shop was partially gutted by fire. No I am firmly on the side of the security here and no he wasn't a 'Dick' as it has been said.

Having said that, I am off to Europe by Ferry next week and by all accounts they have tightened up security when taking vehicles on board. There have been stories of some of the security staff employed by the Border Agency who are are, shall we say to be polite, less than experienced. They are keen but nevertheless inexperienced and need to know the ins and out of a duck's bum and sometimes cannot get their minds around a situation which is out of the ordinary. But there again one does not know what their orders are, so you just have to go along with them and humour them to get through. Being good natured can get you out of many situations. I can see them having 'fun' packing and unpacking my motorcycle, loaded down with tent and 3 full luggage boxes plus my F6 and at least 10 cassettes of colour film (200 ISO) Oh happy days!

 

[Lionel1972]

Back in 2012, I visited the Statue of Liberty and went through the screening before getting in the boat from the New Jersey shore. As I proceded to put my camera bag through the X-ray machine, the operator asked me if I had any black and white film, because she said they were told that the machine was safe for color film but would "atomize" any black and white film! I said I had no problem getting all my films color and black and white through airport x-ray carry-on checks before, but she insisted that they were told color film were ok but black and white would be "atomized". I ended up getting back to the car to put my black and white film in the trunk (on a hot summer day) and decided to bring only my Rolleiflex with some Provia400X then went back through the operator and took a couple of nice color slides which turned out fine.

 

[BMbikerider]

As another anecdote before the fall of the Berlin Wall the Military staff who were stationed in Berlin (plus their families) had to travel along an Autobahn and stop at what was the East German Check point at Helmstedt. There every vehicle with the occupants still in it, was mass ex-rayed before being allowed to proceed to Berlin. It was bad enough when you were in a car, but think of the massive dose that you would have to take if you were in a bus! However I cannot recall any reported incidents of film being spoiled there.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... There have been stories of some of the security staff employed by the Border Agency who are are, shall we say to be polite, less than experienced. ...

... and over here we have this, a 95% failure rate:

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...s-us-airports-allowed-weapons-through-n367851

 

[480sparky]

Odds are, the guy didn't even know what 'film' is.

 

[Fujicaman1957]

Trust me, you run into more stupidity from security guards these days than ever before. I tried to take my tripod to the Stratosphere in Las Vegas and ran into: We'll take your pocket knife and keep it and you can't take a tripod with you either. I also ran into a moron security guard at Treasure Island as I was photographing the pirate battle. He felt that since I had a camera with a zoom lens and a Sunpak 622, I MUST be a pro and he kept hassling me and telling me I couldn't publish any pictures I took. I kept telling him they were for MY enjoyment and he still kept hassling me. Every time I have to deal with these morons, I know why I give Planned Parenthood money every year.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I've traveled to 27 countries, been around the world twice, never asked for a hand check, even at the Empire State Building. Sure, 100, 200 and 400 speed films, don't shoot much over that. Never a problem. Not worth getting all crazy over.

 

[BrianShaw]

It's not film but I once put a box of grade 2 enlarging paper through the X-ray machine at SFO. When developed I discovered it was a rare Ansel Adams image. On the return flight I did the same and got an Edward Weston.

 

[CMoore]

I've traveled to 27 countries, been around the world twice, never asked for a hand check, even at the Empire State Building. Sure, 100, 200 and 400 speed films, don't shoot much over that. Never a problem. Not worth getting all crazy over.

If it is OK to comment.....you have some Excellent Photos of SF. I lived and worked there for 20 years.....your shots really yanked me back into time and memories.
Thank You for that BTW.....

 

[Prest_400]

When you go to any security check point in this country, and I often feel we're turning into a sort of West Bank mentality now, you are at the mercy of whatever fool happens to be up there w// their inflated authority after a bad night w/ the 'ol lady. You don't have to have a bad attitude for bad things to happen. Fortunately this is not the norm, now, but it's always a potentiality. In a police state, everyone is considered guilty until shown to be innocent.

That's the US? I remember when I went for a 5 day holiday to NYC and arrived at the CBP. I went under ESTA and faced the interview.
You bet how nice it is to be interviewed so harshly at 3-4AM European time, after a long flight without sleep and waking up at 7AM the day before. Never felt so badly! I mentioned that I wanted to take pictures (of course, who does not!) and that I would meet someone for shooting. Jesus! I should not have said that, what a tense battery of questions the agent threw.

I did go up the Empire state but did not bother at all with X-rays. Infact, I do not bother anywhere with as the procedure itself without hand checks is enough bother. The fuji 6x9 is huge but on the Spanish railway scans did not raise any alarm, I have yet to bring it on a plane. I understand the problem with film comes from really powerful and CAT type scanners.

 

[AgX]

Trust me, you run into more stupidity from security guards these days than ever before. I tried to take my tripod to the Stratosphere in Las Vegas and ran into: We'll take your pocket knife and keep it and you can't take a tripod with you either. I also ran into a moron security guard at Treasure Island as I was photographing the pirate battle. He felt that since I had a camera with a zoom lens and a Sunpak 622, I MUST be a pro and he kept hassling me and telling me I couldn't publish any pictures I took. I kept telling him they were for MY enjoyment and he still kept hassling me. Every time I have to deal with these morons, I know why I give Planned Parenthood money every year.

Concerning the tripod, you likely never watched the movie "Peeping Tom"...

Concerning Treasure Island, I assume that to be a private property. Thus taking photographs can be prohibited at all by the owner. So why calling someone a moron?

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

If it is OK to comment.....you have some Excellent Photos of SF. I lived and worked there for 20 years.....your shots really yanked me back into time and memories.
Thank You for that BTW.....

Thank you sir.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

It's not film but I once put a box of grade 2 enlarging paper through the X-ray machine at SFO. When developed I discovered it was a rare Ansel Adams image. On the return flight I did the same and got an Edward Weston.

I'm going to have to try that.

 

[paul ron]

i doubt the xrays are a high level otherwise the guards would be wearing leaded clothes since they are being exposed all day, everyday. i also noticed none of them wear exposure badges. dont you think their unions would have steped in by now?

ill have to ask my nephew the radiologest about this.

 

[darkosaric]

how cops yell at you for taking a "professional" picture

Here in Hamburg on the main square (city hall) I see every weekend Asian tourists are making selfies with our Police. And police officers are smiling and having a good time .