Film/Security?

[buzzlady]

When I pack my film in my carry on bag, should I remove the canisters from the sealed package or just leave it in the package. Would airport security want to open the sealed packages?

 

[corky805]

I am a scrapbooker who takes lots of pics and this has been discussed alot within the scrappin' community.....

Here's my take on it after much discussion:

Carry it in a clear ziploc bag out of the canisters and ask them very nicely to please hand check it.

They may tell you it's ok to send through the regular thing.......in some cases IT IS NOT!

If you make it as easy on them as possible by having canisters open and see-through bag and ask nicely they shouldn't give a problem.

Good Luck

 

[sistertrip]

How about video cameras and security. Are they okay in a carry-on bag? Can they go through the carry-on machine thing?

 

[Magix]

Originally posted by buzzlady
When I pack my film in my carry on bag, should I remove the canisters from the sealed package or just leave it in the package. Would airport security want to open the sealed packages?

If you're going through US/Canada carry-on x-ray machines, you'll be fine as long as your film is less than 1600 iso. Only very fast films are damaged by the carry-on x-ray. You do have the right to request a hand-check, if you'd prefer, but be prepared for a bit of a delay. Most of the federal security screeners should be able to handle this request, but you may still run across some problems here and there. Keeping the film out of the canister, in a clear bag, as suggested by corky805, is probably the best way to carry it - however, you could also place it in a lead-lined film bag (made specifically for protecting film from x-rays) if you'd like. They'll just want to hand check it after it goes through the x-ray. Really, there's not much to worry about when flying with film. Just don't EVER put it in your checked luggage.

I should think video tape would be okay also, but you might want to take a look around the internet for more info.

 

[LKS]

I just completed some extensive European travel and had lots of film along. In the US, everyone was happy to hand inspect my film. I had it out of the cannisters in a medium sized ziplock. In Atlanta, the inspector took out each roll of film, wiped it with a fabric disk and then placed the disk in a machine after wiping each roll. I guess they were testing for explosives? I had a lot, so it took a while and I was just lucky no one ahead of me had so much.

The inspector reminded me to never put any film in checked luggage any more, and told me that it was no problem to help me out. I was told that hand luggage x-rays were OK for film 800 speed or less, not 1600.

In Europe, everywhere you go, they will x-ray your film. I was concerned about the cumulative effects of all this x-raying (airports, Eurostar, Louvre and a few other tourist sites - yikes.) My pictures turned out just fine. So, either the cumulative effects are not that bad, or I saved mine by only taking the roll in my camera plus one spare with me as I went sight seeing, and getting hand-inspections whenever I could.

Video cameras and digital cameras are different technology, and I think they are OK for x-rays.

 

[honeymo78]

If you aren't going to have your film hand checked do you still need to take it out of the canisters????

 

[EEyorelover22]

They would not hand check my film going or coming back and all our film went through the carry-on x-ray machines going and coming back. It was 400 speed and all my pictures turned out. Our digital video tapes were fine too and went through the carry-on x-ray machines.

 

[LKS]

Honeymo78,

Even if you are getting it hand-checked it doesn't HAVE to be out of the cannisters. It would just take a lot longer to check if they have to open every cannister, and the inspector might be more likely to object. If you are leaving it in your carry-on, the cannisters are just fine.

I have read, but don't know if it's true, that in the US your film must be hand-inspected if you request it. Overseas, this provision does not exist. If I were just flying down to WDW and back, I don't think I'd bother to get the hand check. My film was scanned much more than that and my pics were absolutely fine.

 

[Ven]

I'm part-time photographer. No matter what your film speed is....DO NOT let them xray it. No matter what they say about a certain speed being safe. Just don't. Yes, it could ruin your film...period.

 

[honeymo78]

Okay, I'm film clueless. Is the damage done to film that has been used or unused? I plan on bringing some of my film mailers from snapfish with me so I can send them out before I come home. Therefore, the only used film left will be in my camera, if any. The rest would be unused.

Thanks.

 

[Geoff_M]

Here it is straight from the horse's mouths at Kodak: http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

Kodak states that the risk of film being fogged in carry-on scanners in the US is very small, but they recommend that you hand check all film as a precaution. The screeners are required by federal law to hand check your film if you request it.

Here's the federal regulations that cover hand checks: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrhtml_00/Title_49/49cfr1544_00.html Click on link to 1544.211 see paragraph (e)

I should think video tape would be okay also, but you might want to take a look around the internet for more info.

Convential camera film uses light sensitive grains in the film's layers to record the image. However, these silver halide molecules are ALSO sensitive to the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (visable light also belongs to this spectrum). This is why X-rays fog film. It's sorta like opening the back of your camera after the film has been loaded. Magnetic media like video tapes are NOT affected by X-rays since they use magnetism to record the images and not light/X-ray sensitive molecules. Digital media like CDs and digital camera/MP3 player media cards are also perfectly safe.

Is the damage done to film that has been used or unused?

The film can be fogged at any time before it's processed. Film can be ruined if you pull it out of the container before or after you've used it in a camera. X-rays can effectively do the same thing.

So, either the cumulative effects are not that bad, or I saved mine by only taking the roll in my camera plus one spare with me as I went sight seeing, and getting hand-inspections whenever I could.

I believe the Kodak link above addresses the cumlative issue and offers examples.

 

[sistertrip]

How about mailing the film to the hotel and back home again? Has anyone tried this? Would it get to be pretty expensive?

 

[Geoff_M]

I know that on the reservation confirmation sheet WDW sends you they list the mailing address of the resort where you will be staying and ask you to NOT use it before your check-in date. They don't want to have to hold packages for yet-to-arrive guests. There's storage space issues and liability issues if the package is lost or stolen while it awaits your arrival, etc. This isn't to say that the resort would refuse to accept a parcel in advance, it just that they clearly and understandably discourage it.

I also would never mail my exposed film due to the risk of loss in the postal/UPS/FedEx/etc. system. Once I use my film, it never leaves my possession. FedEx may offer to replace the lost rolls, but the images that were on the originial rolls are lost forever.

Hand checking film in the US is a legal right granted by Federal law. It's simple, and painless. To expidite things, remove the film from the boxes and place the film and canisters in a clear Ziplock bag. If you're still worried, I'd suggest going digital and then you can run the whole kit-n-kaboodle through the scanner with no worries.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by honeymo78
Okay, I'm film clueless. Is the damage done to film that has been used or unused? I plan on bringing some of my film mailers from snapfish with me so I can send them out before I come home. Therefore, the only used film left will be in my camera, if any. The rest would be unused.

Thanks.

Used or unused, it can be damaged.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by Geoff_M
Here it is straight from the horse's mouths at Kodak: http://www.kodak.com/cluster/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

Kodak states that the risk of film being fogged in carry-on scanners in the US is very small, but they recommend that you hand check all film as a precaution. The screeners are required by federal law to hand check your film if you request it.

Here's the federal regulations that cover hand checks: http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfrhtml_00/Title_49/49cfr1544_00.html Click on link to 1544.211 see paragraph (e)

Convential camera film uses light sensitive grains in the film's layers to record the image. However, these silver halide molecules are ALSO sensitive to the X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (visable light also belongs to this spectrum). This is why X-rays fog film. It's sorta like opening the back of your camera after the film has been loaded. Magnetic media like video tapes are NOT affected by X-rays since they use magnetism to record the images and not light/X-ray sensitive molecules. Digital media like CDs and digital camera/MP3 player media cards are also perfectly safe.

The film can be fogged at any time before it's processed. Film can be ruined if you pull it out of the container before or after you've used it in a camera. X-rays can effectively do the same thing.

I believe the Kodak link above addresses the cumlative issue and offers examples.

also, the faster the film, the more silver it has, hence the increased risk of damage to faster film.
Lead lined bags are nice, but, they will boost the power if they cannot see through them.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by sistertrip
How about mailing the film to the hotel and back home again? Has anyone tried this? Would it get to be pretty expensive?

The scanners used by the USPS are stronger than the airport.

 

[Geoff_M]

Lead lined bags are nice, but, they will boost the power if they cannot see through them.

I believe the variable power "smart" scanners are primarily used on checked baggage. However, using the lead pouches in carry-ons will probably result in the bag being pulled aside for manual inspection so they can see what's in the "black hole" on their screen. Which kind of defeats the idea of not asking of a hand check to start with.

The scanners used by the USPS are stronger than the airport.

True, however I think the USPS stopped irradiating mail on a regular basis once the anthrax mailings stopped.

 

[jeankeri]

How about disposable cameras? Would you put those in the carry-on and ask that they be hand inspected, or use the lead bag?