travelling with sheet film

wbryant · May 3, 2005

yes, another traveling with film x-ray question.

Are there any other special considerations for travelling with 4x5 sheet film with regards to x-rays and hand inspection. it will be 25 to 100 speed, and I would like a hand inspection, but don't want them opening the boxes...

Any suggestions?

Thanks, Will

Loose Gravel · May 3, 2005

Let them xray it as carry on. You can't trust them to hand inspect it. They don't know what it is or that it is light sensitive. In England they xray everything. Never had any problems with multiple xrays and HP5+. My friends report the same.

In the US, sometimes they will do a wipe test, but not always. They just like to see inside boxes and big film..."what is that?"

YMMV

Other option is to mail it ahead.

waynecrider · May 3, 2005

I'd just let it pass thru. The problem seems to be hand inspections of boxed film as i've read quite a few threads concerning this. I would believe that if the film is foiled and unopened, you could probably pass a hand inspection, but if there's a problem with the inspectors, or if the film has been opened, just put it on the belt and be done with it. If you need to insure images, post it back home.

Jorge · May 3, 2005

Where are you going? If in the US I bet there is an APUG member that would be willing to receive film from by fedex or UPS and hold it till you get there. I think this is your best bet. I have had mixed success with x ray, sometimes nothing happened, sometimes it got fogged. If I was you I would do it this way and ask for help from the members.

wbryant · May 3, 2005

Jorge said:
Where are you going? If in the US I bet there is an APUG member that would be willing to receive film from by fedex or UPS and hold it till you get there. I think this is your best bet. I have had mixed success with x ray, sometimes nothing happened, sometimes it got fogged. If I was you I would do it this way and ask for help from the members.

I had thought of that, but I am going to Costa Rica. I will more than likely let it go through the machine. Thanks all for your quick responses,

Will

mark · May 3, 2005

This is what I was told about flying in the US: as long as the box is new and the factory tape is not broken they can hand inspect. If the box is opened let it go through the x-ray because they will give you grief, or have an APUG member take delivery for you.

BradS · May 3, 2005

mark said:
This is what I was told about flying in the US: as long as the box is new and the factory tape is not broken they can hand inspect.

I do not think that is the case anymore. They seem to want to open all of the factory sealed boxes and do the bomb siniff-swap test. I would definitely NOT ask for sheet film to be hand inspected. Either let it go through the carry-on machine or ship it Fed-Ex.

Incidently, I have two rolls of Delta-3200 that went through the carry-on machine in London and again in the Federal Dept. of Agriculture inspection upon re-arrival in the US. I've posted (there was a url link here which no longer exists) in the Technical Gallery so you can see for yourself what to expect....

david b · May 3, 2005

I have a friend who went to Peru and they nuked, I mean x-rayed his 5x7 TRI-X film and some of it did fog.

photobackpacker · May 3, 2005

waynecrider said:
I would believe that if the film is foiled and unopened, you could probably pass a hand inspection,

With Kodak Tmax, the foil is a moisture seal - it is not totally light tight. I discovered this the hard way and ended up edge fogging 25 sheets.

The next time you are going to throw an empty foil packet away, hold it up to the light and check. With Tmax (and I suspect all Kodak) the heat sealed seams allows light to be transmitted.

BradS · May 3, 2005

blaughn said:
With Kodak Tmax, the foil is a moisture seal - it is not totally light tight.

...and from the few boxes of Ilford FP-4 that I've seen, they don't even seal the inner packet.

travelling with sheet film

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