I won't be bringing back film thru Airport

[RosieRosie]

I purchased two small padded envelopes and will mail the finished film back to the house prior to the end of our vacation. This way it won't get damaged by any x-ray machine at the airport. I will stamp prior to our leaving.

 

[nativetxn]

That's a really good idea.

 

[MosMom]

I thought the x-ray machines don't damage film?

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by MosMom
I thought the x-ray machines don't damage film?

Yes, they will. They will (can) fog film that has not been developed. Kodak and others suggest not checking film in your luggage some of the new scanning equipment WILL fog your film.

But you still CAN carry it on, and the carry on xray machines aren't powerful enough to damage anything but really really high speed film - film that you normally don't take vacation photos with.

I only have one problem with mailing your film back. What if the package gets lost? You no longer have any vacation photos. I would rather carry them on the plane and ask the guards to hand scan the bag. It takes no longer and you never have to trust your film to the USPS.

 

[Kallison]

I've been using Clark color labs mailers for 20 years and they have never lost a roll. They give you little id stickers for your film.

HOWEVER -- I still don't trust them with my DISNEY pictures!! I always bring them home and do the one hour on-site developing.

 

[Kama89]

We just recently returned from a trip where my husband took 23 rolls of high speed (800 and 1600 speed) film. They hand checked it all without any trouble. When having it hand checked, the man did tell my husband, that the machines scanning the checked baggage will damage almost any speed film.

 

[Meriweather]

Gee.....Kim and where did you go?

We used to use Clark for many years.....and still would if we used film.
In general we had good luck considering all the film they handled for us......but they did lose a couple rolls over the years.
DS graduation was one

 

[Kama89]

Gee.....Kim and where did you go?

Uhhhh..... the mountains?

 

[MosMom]

But you still CAN carry it on, and the carry on xray machines aren't powerful enough to damage anything but really really high speed film - film that you normally don't take vacation photos with

Yeah, I had meant the x-rays through security. We just always put it in our carry on.

 

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by Kama89
We just recently returned from a trip where my husband took 23 rolls of high speed (800 and 1600 speed) film. They hand checked it all without any trouble. When having it hand checked, the man did tell my husband, that the machines scanning the checked baggage will damage almost any speed film.

How did you get them to do that?!?!?! (I'm impressed!) We asked them to please hand check (May 01) and were told absolutely not, that it wouldn't damage the film & they got downright nasty!

We'd had a similar situation (without the nasty, just firm refusal) in Aug 99, too. Considering this was before 9/11 I'm surprised that they'll make exceptions.

 

[Dan Murphy]

If I were still using film rather than digital, I would carry on the plane. I always hated mailing away, though do not recall any loses over the years. Another reason for digital.

 

[ByTheSea]

thanks for the reminder. We used to always put our film in our checked luggage to avoid X-rays and will remember to carry it on from now on.

I travel frequently through a variety of airports.. most have signs up at check in that indicate whether or not they will hand check some films (and what speed films need to be hand-checked) Many airports have "upgraded" the equipment they use for passenger screening and I have noticed more than suggest hand-checking film than before.

 

[MarkRG]

I don't use a lot of film anymore. On our last trip we did bring a waterproof camera. It went in the carry on both ways(Ohare and Orlando int'l) and all the film came out perfectly.

But I would ask 2 relevent questions:

With the proliferation of 'normal' stores near the parks couldn't anyone just buy the film there and take it to a 1 hr lab there and get it developed? Then you'd have nothing to worry about. There has to be at least one pro photo shop nearby by now.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would NOT mail in flim. We did that once on our first trip to Hawaii, and lost all our pictures except for the ones left in the camera which DID go through security. That was years ago though. We only use digital now, so I don't worry about it.

 

[TRAPPED-PARENT]

At Christmas, we flew out to Las Vegas. I purchased the 200 speed film out there and brought the exposed film back in my carry-on. It went through the security x-ray machines and was fine.

I've heard it's just the higher speed film that you get in trouble with.

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by piratesmate
How did you get them to do that?!?!?! (I'm impressed!) We asked them to please hand check (May 01) and were told absolutely not, that it wouldn't damage the film & they got downright nasty!

We'd had a similar situation (without the nasty, just firm refusal) in Aug 99, too. Considering this was before 9/11 I'm surprised that they'll make exceptions.

I'm sure there's more from the Homeland Security Organization that runs security now, but I found this reference:

Note: This document contains FAR Part 108 including Amendment 108-17 as published in the Federal Register on September 24, 1998.
PART 108 — AIRPLANE OPERATOR SECURITY
Sec. 108.17 Use of X-ray systems.
(e) No certificate holder may use an X-ray system to inspect carry-on or checked articles unless a sign is posted in a conspicuous place at the screening station and on the X-ray system which notifies passengers that such items are being inspected by an X-ray and advises them to remove all X-ray, scientific, and high-speed film from carry-on and checked articles before inspection. This sign shall also advise passengers that they may request that an inspection be made of their photographic equipment and film packages without exposure to an X-ray system. If the X-ray system exposes any carry-on or checked articles to more than 1 milliroentgen during the inspection, the certificate holder shall post a sign which advises passengers to remove film of all kinds from their articles before inspection. If requested by passengers, their photographic equipment and film packages shall be inspected without exposure to an X-ray system.

Of course, if you have your film all ready in a bag set aside, it makes a big difference. The definition of 'high speed' is what is the key. If you had (or "thought" you had) a roll of 800 speed that would constitute high enough speed.

 

[Kama89]

How did you get them to do that?!?!?! (I'm impressed!) We asked them to please hand check (May 01) and were told absolutely not, that it wouldn't damage the film & they got downright nasty!

I'm not sure piratesmate. They didn't seem to mind at all. Once we told them it was high speed film, they didn't hesitate. The fact that it was 800 and 1600 speed film was most likely what made the difference. The poor man stood there for nearly 20 min. carefully checking every one of the 23 rolls. I'm not sure what it is they use, but with each roll, he would take a small round cloth from a dispenser and run it over the container. Anyone happen to know what that cloth is?

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by Kama89
Anyone happen to know what that cloth is?

He was checking for bomb residue. No matter how much you clean it up, if you've had those canisters anywhere near explosives, it will leave a residue. So he probably wiped each one and then put it into a machiine that 'sniffs' the cloth for bomb residue fumes. Maybe you just didn't see him do that final check??

They do this on laptops all the time.

 

[Kama89]

Thank you Jeff. No I didn't see him put it in any sort of machine, but then again, wasn't right there with him when he did the check... my husband was.

 

[Curly Q]

I thought the USPS had x-ray machines also. Wouldn't they distroy the film? We had 800 film in Nov. and put it in our carry-on. It was fine.