X-Ray damage or something else?

thefizz · Jul 17, 2024

The attached negative scan shows a thin curved line running along the full length of a roll of 120 Tri-X. It was scanned by x-ray on my outward flight and to avoid the possibility of encountering a CT scanner on my return flight, I instead sent it home by DHL, who informed me they only x-ray packages and do not use CT scanners. I travelled with 20 rolls of the same film and only two of them have this line. Any thoughts?

Don_ih · Jul 17, 2024

It looks close enough to images you find on the Kodak page - although that line is very very fine. It's rather difficult to see anything else (other than damage from the factory somehow) causing it. And it does have the look that, if it were spooled up, that line would be a "slice" (at and angle) through the film.

Ivo Stunga · Jul 17, 2024

One could determine the x-ray wavelength from this probably

Looks textbook irradiation to me.

koraks · Jul 17, 2024

Ivo Stunga said:
Looks textbook irradiation to me.

Absolutely; it's rare to see such a perfect example.

thefizz said:
they only x-ray packages

But what they didn't state was with what dose. It may have been more than your film preferred to have seen.

thefizz · Jul 17, 2024

koraks said:
But what they didn't state was with what dose. It may have been more than your film preferred to have seen.

Very true but how would only two rolls out of twenty be affected?

koraks · Jul 17, 2024

Chance.

sperera · Jul 17, 2024

Stupid question but what about new film that you buy.....thats shipped out all over the world by Kodak....surely that undergoes scans etc, whats the deal with that? meaning thats already +1 scan (at least) on your new, unused film? Ive never had an issue, but its made me think, with film as I always buy from BH Photo in the USA. Yes Ive answered my own question in practicality but I want to know of fresh, unsold film that Kodak sends out suffers from X-rays going to distributors?

koraks · Jul 17, 2024

That question is asked often and the only logical response is that Kodak et al. make agreements with carriers that allow their shipments to pass through without being subjected to fierce xrays. This likely involves specific measures w.r.t. packaging, labeling and probably alternative inspection methods.

There was a recent issue with heavily irradiated Kodak color film distributed to or through a Chinese channel. They didn't use any precautions/arrangements and the film got blasted into oblivion, which they found out only when customers started to complain.

Shipping film is tricky business, especially with the increase in the use of xray and CT imaging for security purposes (esp. to detect illegal drugs & weapons transports).

sperera · Jul 17, 2024

koraks said:
That question is asked often and the only logical response is that Kodak et al. make agreements with carriers that allow their shipments to pass through without being subjected to fierce xrays. This likely involves specific measures w.r.t. packaging, labeling and probably alternative inspection methods.

There was a recent issue with heavily irradiated Kodak color film distributed to or through a Chinese channel. They didn't use any precautions/arrangements and the film got blasted into oblivion, which they found out only when customers started to complain.

Shipping film is tricky business, especially with the increase in the use of xray and CT imaging for security purposes (esp. to detect illegal drugs & weapons transports).

very interesting Koraks thank you for this. Regardless of where in the world outside USA we are subject to this I guess. I assume Kodak ships to a main distributor in Europe and from there throughout the physical continent. My main worry is for motion picture film as I shoot 16mm and that has to go out from me via an airport normally with family/friend to take it for me to UK and in that case Cinelab London. That being said the hand luggage xray has not fogged any of my cans. As for photographic film no issues as I process my B/W and Colour negatives myself as we all do in here mostly.

koraks · Jul 17, 2024

Yes, your concern is imaginable and probably also justified. I share your experience that the regular carry-on scanners are overall safe for film, although I've one run into one exception to this rule. These rolls went through regular xray scanners in Italy (Pisa & Palermo). https://tinker.koraks.nl/photography/dont-look-down-getting-your-film-x-rayed-when-flying/ The damage was far less severe than in the example shown in this thread.

MattKing · Jul 17, 2024

Kodak Alaris distributes to local distributors, who in turn distribute to either retailers or even more local distributors.
Kodak Alaris and its customers cooperate with respect to these issues, but once the film is bought from Kodak Alaris .....

BrianShaw · Jul 17, 2024

There are established programs in the United States, at least, to minimize risk to sensitive shipments. "Trusted Shippers" and "Certified Cargo" are two such processes.

For goods shipped as cargo on commerical aircraft, see page 2:

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2022-01/privacy-pia-tsa019c-aircargosecurity-january2022.pdf

For other air cargo situations:

TSA announces expansion of Certified Cargo Screening Program for manufacturers and shippers | Transportation Security Administration

WASHINGTON —The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced changes to the C

www.tsa.gov

https://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/15224_fctsh_its_cargo_v3_508c.pdf

I'm not aware of what might be done for ground/sea shipment, but It wouldn't surpise me if there was an analogous process. And I certainly have no knowledge of the ROW programs, if any...

X-Ray damage or something else?

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