MCO X-Ray Machines, Can they harm film?

[Leeds Utd Fan]

I know it is too late to be asking this question, but I will anyway. On your return to the UK where are you supposed to keep used films from still camera's?

The reason I ask is because we had our films returned today from our November trip, and they were blank, and had an explanation note saying" camera not working / film damaged etc, but as the films were from two different cameras I wondered whether the x-ray machine at MCO might have caused it [they were in hand luggage].

Although dissapointing, I had taken lots on the digital camera and we are going back in February, so not the end of the world.

Any thoughts, as this is the first time this has ever happened to us, also if the machines can do that it is a warning to others.

Chris

 

[Goofyish]

Usually the hand baggage XRay machines don't harm film. The XRay machines that are used to XRay hold baggage are a lot more powerful and will fog films if they ae in your cases. (All hold baggage is now XRayed).

To be on the safe side you can always ask for your cameras and films to be checked by hand rather than putting them through the machines.

 

[SimonY]

We had all our spare films in our suitcase on the way out and as unprocessed but exposed on the way back. We had our cameras in our hand luggage. On the way out they were X-rayed several times including 1 for the Dept. of Agriculture.

Result - all films fine, both those in hold luggage and those in the cameras in our hand luggage. No fogging and some 600 (yes sadly 600) pictures.

I did find a place to buy reasonably cheap films as well:

Mailshots

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

It is preferably to keep film in hand luggage, although I've often put exposed film into suitcases and not had any problems. I did read an article once about 'fogging' films by x-rays, and it looks just like fog! You get an uneven effect over the film which seems as if you took the picture through a thick, swirling fog.

If your films were completely blank I would say that there is another problem rather than x-rays, although it is odd if two different cameras were used. I wonder if there is some new hi-tech scanning device used at airports these days...

Regards

Rob

 

[eileen groome]

We had a letter from Virgin with our tickets telling us that due to new X-ray machines films should not be packed in checked luggage and that they should not go through the hand luggage X-ray more than 5 times.

 

[WDWfan uk]

...... just to agree with previous posts, we had a guest in Transatlantic Chat who works for airport security in USA, and he advised us that you should carry your film in your hand luggage as all checked in luggage is now being screened as Tim says.

 

[Leeds Utd Fan]

It appears it was not the x-ray machine it was the camera. Today the film from my camera arrived in perfect condition, we thought as they were sent together they came back at the same time, but we were wrong.

The funny thing was there were only 2 or three pictures of Orlando but plenty of pictures of my old car and Niagera falls lol