How does X-ray scan affect film and paper?

[firecracker]

I was reading another thread about the price increase of Ilford in North America, and I went to check its official Japanese importer/distributor, Chugai Photo's site to see if we are getting the same. But it turned out there's no notice about it. Fine.

However, in there I found two recall posts from last year about the damage(s) that occured during the Xray scan in the shipping. One is the MG RC paper, and the other one is HP5 in 120. Now these posts convince me that international shipping of Ilford products to Japan through Chugai is pretty chancy.

The link is in Japanese: http://www.chugai-photo.co.jp/

In thoese posts, they clearly mention about fogging caused by Xray.

Is this sort of thig a common occurrence in most other places? Is it because their shippment containers go through a different kind of Xray scan if that's the case? But how come us customers making small deliveries by using FedEx and/or UPS (like buying stuff from B&H or some other international sellers) is not so affected by the Xray scan that our packages go through?

Does anyone have a clue why they seem to differ?

 

[PeterB]

Does anyone have a clue why they seem to differ?

Great question Firecracker. I'd also like to know the answer, even though I don't live in Japan. Perhaps somebody could offer a suggestion?

Perhaps the Japanese postal system has really powerful X-ray machines.

regards
Peter

 

[firecracker]

Perhaps the Japanese postal system has really powerful X-ray machines./QUOTE]

That's a posibility. But also it the Xray scan causes the fog on photoraphic paper, this is pretty serious, and we'd better watch out for our shipping.

I thought the film is sensitive enough to get fogged, but not the paper...

 

[uraniumnitrate]

I was reading another thread about the price increase of Ilford in North America, and I went to check its official Japanese importer/distributor, Chugai Photo's site to see if we are getting the same. But it turned out there's no notice about it. Fine.

However, in there I found two recall posts from last year about the damage(s) that occured during the Xray scan in the shipping. One is the MG RC paper, and the other one is HP5 in 120. Now these posts convince me that international shipping of Ilford products to Japan through Chugai is pretty chancy.

The link is in Japanese: http://www.chugai-photo.co.jp/

In thoese posts, they clearly mention about fogging caused by Xray.

Is this sort of thig a common occurrence in most other places? Is it because their shippment containers go through a different kind of Xray scan if that's the case? But how come us customers making small deliveries by using FedEx and/or UPS (like buying stuff from B&H or some other international sellers) is not so affected by the Xray scan that our packages go through?

Does anyone have a clue why they seem to differ?

I have written some on this subject before and it seems that as security is tightened everywhere so therefore they are using high intensity X-rays.
In airports regular scanner low intensity X-ray is used which don’t affect your film however it can fog your film which manufactured to high ISO/ASA. Not those which are pushed to high ASA/ISO. It’s never hurt to ask for manual visitation!

But’ and it’s a warning never left your exposed or unexposed film in the cargo language because they are using high intensity X-rays which will ruin all of your films!

Now it had been custom nowadays that the posts using the same type of x-rays units because than they can increase visibility of the gods. And that they had kept in secret! Or should I say forgot to inform a public about it.

The thing is this! In the airport if the scanner can’t penetrate through the in something the security people would certainly ask to open you bag! It happened to my in the other day as I went through, its easier to say tried with my Tomiyama 6x24 camera. As they not recognized this they just asked me to show what it is! Got some questions and some smile while I was busy to explain what this was!
In the cargo stuff its not possible so on those x-rays they can increase intensity so they can penetrate through everything and this is the case with the post office too, mostly on international gods! I don’t believe that they do in domestic stuff but you never know what the future brings!

 

[David Brown]

Now it had been custom nowadays that the posts using the same type of x-rays units because than they can increase visibility of the gods. ... mostly on international gods!

Um, do you mean "goods"?

 

[firecracker]

I have written some on this subject before and it seems that as security is tightened everywhere so therefore they are using high intensity X-rays.
In airports regular scanner low intensity X-ray is used which don’t affect your film however it can fog your film which manufactured to high ISO/ASA. Not those which are pushed to high ASA/ISO. It’s never hurt to ask for manual visitation!

Thanks for your comment, but my original question was about the safety and unsafety of the official shipment of photographic materials by the manufacturer(Ilford in this case), AND WHY DOES THE PAPER GET AFFECTED BY THE XRAY SCAN? This is what I'm dying to know. I thought the papers were usually rather safe because they were not as sensitive as the films, meaning rated much lower in ISO numbers.

Yes, about the carry-on lugguage issues at the airports have been discussed and I think we know the current trends...

 

[nc5p]

I can't say about Japan but the US post office is experimenting with a device that is way more powerful than standard x-rays, for a different purpose. Back in 2001 there were tainted letters sent with anthrax, so the US gov. decides they need something to sanitize the mail. They came up with this machine that irradiates the mail with cobalt or similar radioactive material. So they not only destroy undeveloped film but also wipe flash memory. It leaves cd's a yellow tint, but usually they are still readable. Try getting a digital camera shipped through that, the operating code is stored on flash. I believe it's only being used in a few places, like congressional mail. I certainly hope it doesn't spread but with all the fear mongering about terrorism we probably know what will happen.

 

[kunihiko]

Though I doubt they would answer, you need to ask Chugai or Ilford how the particular shippment was done. They must know what happened.

When the shippment was by surface, every container get strong X-ray at the container yard. X-ray machines at ports have become stronger and storonger. I guess that containers which contain X-ray sensitive products should be noted to be treated differently. Some mistakes could happen there.
Or, if the shippment was small and done by LCL(LESS THAN CONTAINER LOAD), X-ray cann't be avoided. It must have been safer before, so they could have estimated it wrong.
X-ray machines at airports are smaller, because they don't have to X-ray whole huge steel container. There may be another story.

Everything is just my little quess, though.

Chugai and Ilford must have learned from that incident, anyway.

 

[uraniumnitrate]

Thanks for your comment, but my original question was about the safety and unsafety of the official shipment of photographic materials by the manufacturer(Ilford in this case), AND WHY DOES THE PAPER GET AFFECTED BY THE XRAY SCAN? This is what I'm dying to know. I thought the papers were usually rather safe because they were not as sensitive as the films, meaning rated much lower in ISO numbers.

Yes, about the carry-on lugguage issues at the airports have been discussed and I think we know the current trends...

Sorry I was a little bit tired last night!

I would try to answer you lather if I can why those materials get effected but for the shipment of paper is no difference from film as they are light sensitive materials too!

X-ray is a very low radiation so it might effect paper more than the film! But I got to look into this to be sure!. And as I told you it might get X-rayed for the simple reason the scenario of terrorists! The safest to send these things is FEDEX or UPS as they not x-ray anything! At least that’s what they are saying.