I have had 100asa 8x10 sheet film completely ruined a few times from the airport Xrays. The last time was when I passed through the LAX airport only 2 times. The film had visible scanning bars (about 5) acrost the whole length of the film in the dirrection that the film when into the scanner.
After this happened and ruined my whole trips film, I've never had them scan it again.
Personally, I hand check everything when travelling in the US, just in case. I use a lot of Tri-X 320, but you never know which roll may get pushed to 3200 or 6400. It takes the fun out of shooting when you're constantly wondering if the film you're shooting is any good.
- CJ
Steve, yes, they'll open every foil wrapper of 120 film.
I make things really easy for the inspectors. Before I leave for the airport, I remove all my film from boxes, wrappers, and cannisters and put everything in a single plastic bag (large format film excepted -- I mail that to my destination.) That way they can see everything and it's a lot less work for them. The result is that I've never had anyone give me a hard time about doing a hand-check.
When they do occasionally ask me if any of the film is high-speed, I tell them that it is ALL high speed because it may be push-processed.
- CJ
Steve, yes, they'll open every foil wrapper of 120 film.
I make things really easy for the inspectors. Before I leave for the airport, I remove all my film from boxes, wrappers, and cannisters and put everything in a single plastic bag (large format film excepted -- I mail that to my destination.) That way they can see everything and it's a lot less work for them. The result is that I've never had anyone give me a hard time about doing a hand-check.
When they do occasionally ask me if any of the film is high-speed, I tell them that it is ALL high speed because it may be push-processed.
- CJ
And then I had something to do to kill time waiting to board by re-inserting each roll into its plastic case.
Oh, they will put each roll back in its plastic case but before they opened the plastic case the film was in a hermitically sealed atmosphere. Once they open the case the surrounding gases disperse and the film is no longer in the manufacture's environment. Now the film is being exposed to smog and humidity. Who know what the local smog will do to the emulsion - say if you are near a factory that puts acid fumes in the air! If you later refrigerate the film the trapped humidity can condense on the film emulsion or on the film back. If the moisture does not evaporate it can affect the imaging - even if it does not leave water stains behind.
Stever
Oh, they will put each roll back in its plastic case but before they opened the plastic case the film was in a hermitically sealed atmosphere. Once they open the case the surrounding gases disperse and the film is no longer in the manufacture's environment. Now the film is being exposed to smog and humidity. Who know what the local smog will do to the emulsion - say if you are near a factory that puts acid fumes in the air! If you later refrigerate the film the trapped humidity can condense on the film emulsion or on the film back. If the moisture does not evaporate it can affect the imaging - even if it does not leave water stains behind.
Stever
Oh, they will put each roll back in its plastic case but before they opened the plastic case the film was in a hermitically sealed atmosphere. Once they open the case the surrounding gases disperse and the film is no longer in the manufacture's environment. Now the film is being exposed to smog and humidity. Who know what the local smog will do to the emulsion - say if you are near a factory that puts acid fumes in the air! If you later refrigerate the film the trapped humidity can condense on the film emulsion or on the film back. If the moisture does not evaporate it can affect the imaging - even if it does not leave water stains behind.
Stever
I'm really doubtful that the final production procedure before they put the little cap on top is to blow a puff of special gases into the case. And since the caps are "snap ons" they are not hermetically sealed to begin with.
You may well be right; but what other possible explanation could you suggest?As for previous post about frames on interior fogged, I am sure that 'focus of Xrays on the interior of the camera' would not be an issue. There is no DOF issue with X Ray machines that I know of. Everything seems to be in sharp focus or at least they are with the ones we use here.
Actually, the TSA guys ARE supposed to open the zip-loc bag and individually inspect the film. Most use a swab sort of thing to test them. Some TSA guys are certainly more dedicated than others, though, so nothing surprises me anymore.
- CJ
Originally Posted by Stever
Oh, they will put each roll back in its plastic case but before they opened the plastic case the film was in a hermitically sealed atmosphere. Once they open the case the surrounding gases disperse and the film is no longer in the manufacture's environment. Now the film is being exposed to smog and humidity. Who know what the local smog will do to the emulsion - say if you are near a factory that puts acid fumes in the air!
Stever
Good grief.
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