Your typical airline procedures?

Hi guys. I'm very new in the realm of large format, just shot my first six or seven negs today with a borrowed speed graphic. It's really fun I love spending a lot of time thinking about composition and setting up the shot. Anyway, I'm flying back to school in a month, and I have to bring this film back with me to process it. What's the best way to transport it? It's just ten sheets of Ektar 100 by the way. I'm assuming I'll be best removing the film from the holders and putting them all back in the box. Should I just ship the box through USPS? Or should I put it in my carry-on? Does it really matter? Thanks, I know 4x5 film behaves the same way as any other size of film, but I don't want some airport security officer opening my box and exposing it all either, ya know? What's the safest economical way to transport this stuff?

I always put all my film in carry-on, as the check-in luggage x-ray machines WILL ruin film. I've gone on trips with up to six passes through carry-on x-ray machines, and film no faster than TXP320, and haven't had any problems yet. Last year I brought 40 sheets of exposed Ektar 100 home from Europe to Australia and they were all fine - all were back in the box and sealed up with sticky tape, with an "exposed film" label (as well as info about how many sheets, and so forth)! Security at Munich were interested in my camera backpack's padding, but not really the camera or the film...

Marc!

Carry-on is your safest bet!

I would suggest using plenty of tape to seal the box - If security decide to open the box once it comes through the machine, the tape will slow them down and give you valuable seconds to stop them. Or you could try asking for a hand inspection and explain the risks of exposing the contents to light.

I keep seeing folks talk about this. Many airport inspectors recognize 135 canisters. (Trust me. Some do not.)

Fewer recognize 120 rolls, but there is always an older person around who knows what it is.

But most have never seen sheet film. I wonder if it makes sense to leave an "example" processed sheet in the outer box to give them some clue what is inside the light tight enclosure.

I have never had a problem with requesting hand checking of 120 film rolls except in Paris. I have also never had a problem with film fog as a result of carry-on x-ray albeit it was 400 ISO film. I remove the film from the boxes and the wrapper a place it in ziplock bags and then in a nylon mesh bag. Sheet film was approved by hand check sealed in the vinyl factory bags -- but maybe I got lucky. I suppose carrying a changing bag to permit a hand check might work but placing a few sheets in light-proof tightly sealed bags should suffice for most. I guess if there is too much concern stick them in your pockets.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

For 120 stick them in my pockets is exactly what I do.



The reels are plastic, so the metal detector doesn\'t get them. And there\'s no x-ray.



But stick them in your pockets before you get in the line. I got a thorough search because a guy saw me take several rolls of film out of my computer bag and shove them in my pants pockets at the conveyor. Plus I had to send them through the x-ray anyway.

Great, thanks for the replies guys!