X-Rays of your checked baggage

[marriedmarylander]

Is it only film you took pics with that can be damaged by the xray machines? What about film that has not been used?

 

[behappy]

Do not pack 'undeveloped' film in your checked baggage. Whether it is exposed or not, the xray's will damage the film.

 

[Miller1412]

You can buy bags from a camera store that will protect your film. I don't think they are too expensive.

 

[dbenlee]

If you use the bags bought from the camera stores that protect your undeveloped film, be prepared to find that your checked luggage has been opened to determine the contents of the bags. The have lead in them that keeps the x-ray from penetrating the bag (thats what keeps the undeveloped film from being exposed or "fogged"). Anything that is of an unknown or questionable nature in checked baggage will cause airport security to open the bag to ascertain any possible threat. It might be better to carry any undeveloped film in your carry on and have it hand checked.

 

[TSR6]

my parents film got foggy because of the x-rays...

looks like a fuzzy tv image... like the channels you werent supposed to get back in "the day" - before they went to digital.

 

[WillCAD]

NEVER pack film in checked bags! Don't even try those lead bags from the camera store - the x-ray machines used on checked bags today are far more powerful than in years past, thanks to the events of 9/11/01, and they will damage your film even through those lead bags.

However, you can safely travel with your film - just follow the steps in my web page on the subject:
http://www.willcad.org/image_film_tips.html

 

[safetymom]

Hand your film to a screener. You could wait to buy film until you get to Orlando and then use prepaid mailers to send them off for developing.

 

[DrmWvr1299]

When we went in Feb. I had 11 rolls of film. I took them out of the containers and put all of them in a baggie. I had a variation of 400-800 speed. I handed the film over to the security checker and he checked all the rolls by hand and then handed the baggie back to me. On the way home I had forgotten to take one of the rolls out of my purse and it went through the scanner. Thanks goodness it was not damaged. The security person at MCO told me they are looking for gun powder residue. He also told me a funny story of a woman that came through with film and the substance they wipe the film with turned colors immediately. They had to pull her out of the line for further review and found that she had powder residue all over her shirt. To make a long story short, she had been close to the fire works at MK the night before and didn't change shirts and some of the powder that fell from the sky was on her.

 

[Nora94]

Only film that is 800 speed or higher will be damaged. If you are an underwater photographer, you should not have it go through the xray, otherwise it's all urban legend and lies.

Under 800 speed is FINE if xrayed.

Nora

 

[safetymom]

That is not what the pros say at the many seminars I have attended. The effects are cumilative.

 

[nataliesdaddy]

Is it only film you took pics with that can be damaged by the xray machines? What about film that has not been used?

unused film you should carry on - it should be ok for a couple pass throughs the xray machine for carry on. However the baggage xray will fry your film if it scans it even just once. Developed rolls of film are already developed so they are no problem.

 

[WillCAD]

Only film that is 800 speed or higher will be damaged. If you are an underwater photographer, you should not have it go through the xray, otherwise it's all urban legend and lies.

Under 800 speed is FINE if xrayed.

Nora

Not quite the whole truth Nora.

Film of 400 speed or slower requires roughly 4 passes through a carry-on x-ray scanner to become fogged. Film of 800 speed or faster can be damaged by a single pass through the carry-on x-ray scanner. These estimates vary slightly depending on the make and formulation of the film, how old it is, how it has been stored, and most importanly, the make and model of the x-ray scanner (not all put out exactly the same amount of x-ray energy).

Film of ANY speed WILL BE COMPLETELY RUINED by even ONE pass through the checked bag scanners. The checked bag scanners are much more powerful than those used on carry-ons and WILL RUIN ANY SPEED FILM with just one pass.

Please read through my page on the subject before you pack up your film for travel:
http://www.willcad.org/image_film_tips.html

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Developed rolls of film are already developed so they are no problem.

Developed rolls of film are, of course, negatives and photograhs printed on photographic paper.

Baggage x-rays will damage film -- regardless if it is unused or has been used in a camera. There is no need to pack your film in your checked luggage.

Before the advent of digital photography I regularly used ISO 800 film and the security staff at airports in both Canada and the United States were prepared to hand check the film to save it from the x-rays. I have also used the lead bags, but have experienced delays as the security staff are immediately suspicious of anything they cannot see through. (NB: this also includes cans of maple syrup!)

 

[Nora94]

Not quite the whole truth Nora.

Film of 400 speed or slower requires roughly 4 passes through a carry-on x-ray scanner to become fogged. Film of 800 speed or faster can be damaged by a single pass through the carry-on x-ray scanner. These estimates vary slightly depending on the make and formulation of the film, how old it is, how it has been stored, and most importanly, the make and model of the x-ray scanner (not all put out exactly the same amount of x-ray energy).

Film of ANY speed WILL BE COMPLETELY RUINED by even ONE pass through the checked bag scanners. The checked bag scanners are much more powerful than those used on carry-ons and WILL RUIN ANY SPEED FILM with just one pass.

Please read through my page on the subject before you pack up your film for travel:
http://www.willcad.org/image_film_tips.html

Amazingly all 10 rolls of my 400 speed film made it home safe and sound, being checked on teh way to Florida and back too. Plus a disposable underwater camara too. And film in the camara too. So, 12 rolls worth of pictures, all perfectly ok upon developing. Went in my checked baggage both ways. Except the film in the camara, that was in my carry on.

And astonishingly, this was not the first time. Every trip it's the same, undamaged film.

The sign IN THE AIRPORT said what I said...

Nora

 

[safetymom]

You were lucky. I wouldn't take a chance and have all my images ruined. A little precaution goes a long way.