Fast camera film 3200ASA X-ray and LHR
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Fast camera film 3200ASA X-ray and LHR
I am wanting to fly LHR AMS AMS LHR with BA. As it is a photographic trip, I would like to take some very fast B&W film with me, I use it at 6400ASA. The problem is that it will be fogged by X-ray exposure, even film safe.
Is there any chance that I could get it through LHR and AMS with out it being junked?
Is there any chance that I could get it through LHR and AMS with out it being junked?
Join Date: Jan 2001
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Radio ears
Your film will be safe. Do not put it in your hold baggage as the CT Scanners they use to inspect hold baggage will damage your film.
Your film will have to go through the x-ray at security regardless, hand inspection not an option.
check this site http://underwaterphotos.com/Filmsafe.htm
Your film will be safe. Do not put it in your hold baggage as the CT Scanners they use to inspect hold baggage will damage your film.
Your film will have to go through the x-ray at security regardless, hand inspection not an option.
check this site http://underwaterphotos.com/Filmsafe.htm
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Sorry airbuddie, but I have to disagree.
I nearly always carry a lot of film when travelling and have had various affects on various types/speeds of film.
What it boils down to is just how badly the film is affected. Since most 'holidaymakers' take snapshots on cheap 'branded' film with poor quality cameras, store the film in the wrong conditions and than dump it into any old highstreet lab to be processed, they are unlikely to notice any difference. The pictures will only be as bad as the weakest link in the chain, and in most cases that weak link is liable to be the tacky processing or 'free' film. For this reason the airport's claim that the x-ray machines are 'safe' is probably valid.
Anyone who is at all interested in serious photography and wants to achieve high quality results must take into account that x-ray machines DO affect film to varying degrees (the link above mentions 'discriminating viewers' and 'demanding scenes' - this probably includes all serious photographers). I have posted before an this subject, but I can't find the thread at the moment, so I'll summarise here:
Slow speed films are less affected. I'd not take anything faster than 200ASA through an airport scanner, if I were you.
Colour print film, even 100ASA, tends to pick up a 'greeny' colour cast (sometimes, but not always). This could be as a result of the lab, but it does seem to happen more often on 'travel' films than on ones that have been kept at home.
Black and white seems OK, but I have never had the guts to put a very fast one through, such as Ilford Delta 3200.
Slide film often looked a bit 'flat' - nothing I can put my finger on, but I was often unhappy with the results.
Radio ears, I'd buy your film in AMS if at all possible - this way it will only get scanned once. If you could have it developed over there too, that would be even better, although then you'll be taking risks with an unknown lab. I process and print my own B&W and would hate to trust it to a foreign lab in this way - I'd rather risk the fogging.
For what it's worth, I nearly always travel with loads of Fuji Velvia (50ASA transarency) and have never had problems, but I store it properly (in a refridgerator) and use and process it promptly. With holiday snaps, I take the risk like the next person.
The use of lead bags to protect the film is also mentioned in the report. I have never been able to get a definative answer as to if this is still allowed. Anybody have any real life experience?
Good luck. If you DO risk it, I'd be keen to see what happens to fast B&W film.
I nearly always carry a lot of film when travelling and have had various affects on various types/speeds of film.
What it boils down to is just how badly the film is affected. Since most 'holidaymakers' take snapshots on cheap 'branded' film with poor quality cameras, store the film in the wrong conditions and than dump it into any old highstreet lab to be processed, they are unlikely to notice any difference. The pictures will only be as bad as the weakest link in the chain, and in most cases that weak link is liable to be the tacky processing or 'free' film. For this reason the airport's claim that the x-ray machines are 'safe' is probably valid.
Anyone who is at all interested in serious photography and wants to achieve high quality results must take into account that x-ray machines DO affect film to varying degrees (the link above mentions 'discriminating viewers' and 'demanding scenes' - this probably includes all serious photographers). I have posted before an this subject, but I can't find the thread at the moment, so I'll summarise here:
Slow speed films are less affected. I'd not take anything faster than 200ASA through an airport scanner, if I were you.
Colour print film, even 100ASA, tends to pick up a 'greeny' colour cast (sometimes, but not always). This could be as a result of the lab, but it does seem to happen more often on 'travel' films than on ones that have been kept at home.
Black and white seems OK, but I have never had the guts to put a very fast one through, such as Ilford Delta 3200.
Slide film often looked a bit 'flat' - nothing I can put my finger on, but I was often unhappy with the results.
Radio ears, I'd buy your film in AMS if at all possible - this way it will only get scanned once. If you could have it developed over there too, that would be even better, although then you'll be taking risks with an unknown lab. I process and print my own B&W and would hate to trust it to a foreign lab in this way - I'd rather risk the fogging.
For what it's worth, I nearly always travel with loads of Fuji Velvia (50ASA transarency) and have never had problems, but I store it properly (in a refridgerator) and use and process it promptly. With holiday snaps, I take the risk like the next person.
The use of lead bags to protect the film is also mentioned in the report. I have never been able to get a definative answer as to if this is still allowed. Anybody have any real life experience?
Good luck. If you DO risk it, I'd be keen to see what happens to fast B&W film.
Last edited by knobbygb; 26th Oct 2002 at 10:29.
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Workarounds
I've found that on long trips with 10 or 20 scans, film does get affected also.
1) The only good workaround I've found that helps is kitchen foil. When you buy film take the film countainer out of the Plastic bag and wrap it in kitchin foil, with the glossy side out if there is a difference in textures. Then replace the wrapped film in the plastic container. I always also put a thin strip of paper as a tag locked under the cap.
When swapping film you lose the paper tab, which helps knowing unused from exposed film when in a hurry. When you swap films, remember to wrap the exposed film in the foil again, so how you fold and unfold the foil is also important if you want to be able to reuse it....
2) Always buy and have your film developed locally - but that doesn't always work out timewise, and can cost a great deal more in some places.
Enjoy...
1) The only good workaround I've found that helps is kitchen foil. When you buy film take the film countainer out of the Plastic bag and wrap it in kitchin foil, with the glossy side out if there is a difference in textures. Then replace the wrapped film in the plastic container. I always also put a thin strip of paper as a tag locked under the cap.
When swapping film you lose the paper tab, which helps knowing unused from exposed film when in a hurry. When you swap films, remember to wrap the exposed film in the foil again, so how you fold and unfold the foil is also important if you want to be able to reuse it....
2) Always buy and have your film developed locally - but that doesn't always work out timewise, and can cost a great deal more in some places.
Enjoy...
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Depending on how long you are staying in the UK you could buy the film over here when you arrive and then post the film to a lab in the UK for developing and get them to send the photo's back to AMS for you by post. Not the best response I know but it is a work round with very fast film.
Jessops could give you the location of their nearest shop to wherever your going and could probably get it processed for you too, or try London Camera Exchange
Jessops could give you the location of their nearest shop to wherever your going and could probably get it processed for you too, or try London Camera Exchange
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I don't know about LHR procedures, but in the States I have had film hand inspected. High speed Kodak film has an imprint stating 'Do Not XRay' which I showed to security.
XRay bags are not always helpful since many (if not all) scanners have an adjustment to the intensity which the operators will crank up until they can see what is inside the bag.
XRay bags are not always helpful since many (if not all) scanners have an adjustment to the intensity which the operators will crank up until they can see what is inside the bag.
