Traveling to Europe with lots of film, what's the best strategy?

BrianShaw · Apr 25, 2014

David A. Goldfarb said:
As I understand it, the X-ray emissions are fixed, and the inspectors can only increase the gain of the sensor, so that is not an issue.
...

True, and it is more accurate that they adjust various imaging options based on their x-ray 'capture'. But what I can assure you as a possibility (probability) is that they can put your film through the machine a second time... but without the lead bag the second time.

RattyMouse · Apr 25, 2014

argyrotype said:
I bought my 120 b&w and color film in Italy, (Venice and Rome), had it developed there. MUCH less stress!!! You WILL have your film X-rayed at Heathrow-- coming and going, and the jerks at Heathrow are a major PITA,
they are obstinant and very annoying, self-important asses. Ask me how i really feel!!

Where did you develop your film in Rome and how fast was the turn around time?

Trask · Apr 25, 2014

I avoided Heathrow for about 15 years, then broke down and transited that airport in December 2012. Thank goodness I had upgraded my wife and I to business, which meant we only spent two hours getting through the morass of people. I mean no disrespect to the UK and its wonderful citizens, but I will again avoid Heathrow for another 15 years. FWIW, I found Munich to be a very efficient and friendly airport, unlike Frankfurt which seems to be on a never-ending refurb.

AgX · Apr 25, 2014

mexipike said:
If I can get the paperwork together and they will signi it to refund vat I'll be paying about the same as bh.

That won't work.
The bought items must be exported. Films you use inland are not exported. At least not in their original form. And that it is about.

At least that is the situation in Germany.

mexipike · Apr 25, 2014

Yeah, that makes sense.

mexipike · Apr 26, 2014

I just looked at bh to see how much I paid for delta 3200, I definitely paid $7.99 a roll and now they've jumped up to $8.99 a roll. This was literally yesterday to today! Weird

Rudeofus · Apr 26, 2014

Again, before anyone breaks into a collective panic, I would like to hear one credible report where film was visible fogged by airport X ray machines for carry on luggage.

About museums: Guards will gladly ignore all the happy snappers with their cheesy P&S cameras, happily flashing away at anything of interest. They will, however, throw hissy fits as soon as a big camera enters the picture. Be prepared to bring either a small, unobtrusive camera (no external flash), or expect guards who look and act like mummified fossils to suddenly come back to life and turn into furious defenders of their museums against evil RZ67 cameras.

giannisg2004 · Apr 26, 2014

mexipike said:
It seems the general consensus is that the film shields just encourage X-ray techs to increase the intensity.

Would such a bag at least get by museum and possibly train inspections?

They're a big scam.

I don't know why people are buying into that.

It's simple: the inspector either sees inside the bag (so your film gets the radiation), or he doesn't.
So what do you think will happen, if the inspector sees a big black blob on his screen, and no way to see inside?
He'll let it pass?

Of course not.
He'll open the bag, pour everything into a basket and scan scan it.

(Btw, they can't change the intensity of the machines. That would require a technician, and the controls are inside the machine -you need to open it up to access them- for safety reasons.
The inspector can change just the amplification of the signal.).

That said, I've never had an issue with carry-on scanners.
I've also never, ever seen anyone posting a single shot ruined by carry-on scanners, regardless of film or number of passes.

I've travelled with Delta 3200, pushed Tri-X (1600), pushed Provia 400X (1600), HP5+, etc., you name it.
4 passes minimum.
Never an issue.
No densitometry tests, but I couldn't discern the slightest difference, in prints an scans.

paul_c5x4 · Apr 26, 2014

Rudeofus said:
About museums: Guards will gladly ignore all the happy snappers with their cheesy P&S cameras, happily flashing away at anything of interest. They will, however, throw hissy fits as soon as a big camera enters the picture. Be prepared to bring either a small, unobtrusive camera (no external flash), or expect guards who look and act like mummified fossils to suddenly come back to life and turn into furious defenders of their museums against evil RZ67 cameras.

Short exchange overheard between a "happy snapper" and a "guard" seated within the Palazzo Ducale:

Guard: "No photos"
Tourist: "Why not"
Guard: "The paintings are copyright"
Me: <cough><splutter><snort>

The paintings in question were from the 16th and 17th centuries by the likes of Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese, and Bellini - Copyright would have expired hundreds of years ago, just as the artists had done.

AgX · Apr 26, 2014

No, it's not as simple as that.
A copyright on a work being expired does not mean one has a right to photograph it. The owner of a piece of art may restrict access and by this the chance to photograph it.

One reason may be to commercialize reproductions one self.

Whether this may apply to a happy snapper is of course the question. But at art exhibitions I meanwhile see masses of people taking systematically photographs of each and every work, framed as good as a handheld taking can get. I would not be surprised if some actually print it and hang it at their wall.

TheToadMen · Apr 26, 2014

If you're staying at some addresses you trust, just use mail order within Europe and pick up the film on arrival. http://macodirect.de is trustworthy and has an English version of its website.
When you need an address in Holland, just PM me.

Bert from Holland
http://thetoadmen.blogspot.nl

JoJo · Apr 27, 2014

MartinP said:
Forget about having film "hand-checked". In practical terms, it won't really happen at a public location. Your bag will be x-rayed at international transport hubs (air or train) and also many museums, hotels, or tourist-locations and occasionally even some shops or restaurants.

Come on! I don't know what category of hotel or restaurant you want to visit in Europe. My bag never was x-rayed in any shop, hotel or restaurant during my whole life.

MartinP said:
Edit: Note that the linked instructions for Heathrow do say that hand-checking might be possible, but you should to book in advance through a professional photographic organisation and then it is at the discretion of the staff. Make sure your travels are at low-traffic times of the day and with long changeovers. Book months in advance.

This all seems to be a UK problem. I don't know what idiots are working at the checkpoint at Heathrow. Naturally, all these thousands of film photographers would block air traffic completely, if all of them wanted hand checking.
In Germany and most other countries I never had problems with hand-checking my films.
Naturally you have to come at least 30 minutes earlier and hope if there is not a long row of people. This checking is 5 minutes: In a back room, they have a kind of "explosives and/or drug sniffing machine". They put 1 roll of film into it, wait for the result and that's it.

Joachim

mike c · Apr 27, 2014

I have a question about film being bought in the U.S. and taken to Europe to use and taken back to the U.S..Does one need a bill of sell from the US to prove it was purchased here? Don't want to be charged Vat tax.

Mike

AgX · Apr 27, 2014

You would have to pay VAT and custom fee on arrival in Europe. However bringing them in personally would give you an excepted quantity.
You only could get that money back back if the film is unused.

mike c · Apr 27, 2014

Agx, I'm a little unclear about this Vat thing. I'm going on vacation to Europe and bringing film with me that was purchased here (US) for the trip. Would there be a Europe tax on that when I come back with the film to the US. I'm thinking no because it is for personal use, but wonder if a receipt for the film is required to prove the film was indeed bought in the US.

Mike

AgX · Apr 27, 2014

The EU VAT-tax and custom fee is gained by EU customs on arrival in EU-Europe, even on things for personal use.

But the excepted quantity (value) of personal goods should be enough for the common traveller.

Anything you send apart (by parcel) will be taxed as common import good, thus not fall into your excepted quantity.

The main issue may be to decide what falls under the baggage (free anyway) and what under the excepted quantity of additional personal goods.

A lot a traveller should know can be found here:
http://ec.europa.eu/index_en.htm

jpmiller84 · Apr 27, 2014

Just a heads up when going through Munich security will go through every piece of gear that you have if it's film, open the body look on the lenses, check the action on the shutter. Probably thinking you have some James Bond gadget in the camera that can take down a plane. So just expect to be stuck in the security line for about ten minutes, I've been through there about four or five times and it happened to me every time.

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

mike c · Apr 27, 2014

Thanks Agx, guess I will find out when I get there.

Mike

removed account4 · Apr 27, 2014

bring all the film you want, and have it hand inspected.
thats what i do, high iso, low iso, sheets, rolls, paper even ..
just don't put it through with your luggage

mexipike · Apr 27, 2014

My plan so far is to just bring it all, request a hand inspection when I can and not sweat when I can't. As long as I can minimize the number of passes hopefully I'll be ok.

mike c · Apr 27, 2014

Okay,got it.

mexipike · Apr 29, 2014

One more idea I have is to check with British Airways about getting a hand check.
From heathrows site about film:
We also advise that special arrangements can be made for photographers carrying professional film (ISO 800 and above) by prior arrangement with their airline or airport.

It's a long shot but so far british airways customer service has been helpful to me.

MartinP · Apr 29, 2014

JoJo said:
Come on! I don't know what category of hotel or restaurant you want to visit in Europe. My bag never was x-rayed in any shop, hotel or restaurant during my whole life.

This all seems to be a UK problem. I don't know what idiots are working at the checkpoint at Heathrow. Naturally, all these thousands of film photographers would block air traffic completely, if all of them wanted hand checking.
In Germany and most other countries I never had problems with hand-checking my films.
Naturally you have to come at least 30 minutes earlier and hope if there is not a long row of people. This checking is 5 minutes: In a back room, they have a kind of "explosives and/or drug sniffing machine". They put 1 roll of film into it, wait for the result and that's it.

Joachim

Lucky you. I've been instructed to x-ray hand-baggage, cameras and film at Weese and at Dusseldorf airports - these are the only airports I have ever used in Germany. Same for Heathrow, Gatwick and Speke in UK and assorted holiday airports in Spain and Turkey. The hotels and restaurants I have visited with security gates have been in France, Italy, and Egypt (which is outside this thread of course). That was some ten years ago, but recently I have changed jobs and become poorer...

JoJo · Apr 30, 2014

I normally don't eat in top restaurants or stay in 5-star hotels. Maybe that's the reason.
But there could be such checks in countries where they have problems with terrorism at tourist places.
I would aks the guys checking it by hand, even if there is an x-ray machine. They are mostly too lazy to do it, that's it.
Most important is: Smile, be friendly, take enough time, explain what you want in a friendly but exactly way.
If they are not cooperative in any way, call for the boss. If the boss is not cooperative in any way, call for the boss of the boss.
In most cases (if the whole procedure took enough time and trouble for them) they let you pass.

Joachim

mexipike · May 3, 2014

I talked to British Airways and they said they will note on my ticket that I will be traveling with film. I don't really know what good that will do me.

Traveling to Europe with lots of film, what's the best strategy?

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