Film Developing
 

I am going to try to buy all my film in Italy and have it developed before I leave there to come back to the States. Does anyone have any idea how much I am going to have to pay for 24 exp. 35mm film? Is there such a thing as l-hour developing? Overnight is fine when we are staying somewhere for 3-4 nights. BTW - we will be mostly in small Tuscan and Umbrian towns as well as Venice for 4 days.

Over the long run, it is actually going to be a lot cheaper if you buy the film in the US (assuming you live in the US), buying a lead-shielded bag to hold the film, and then having the film developed when you return home from your vacation. Is long as you are using film with an ASA of 400 or less, you won't have any problems with the x-ray machines at the airports. You can buy a lead-shielded bag at any good camera store or online. The one I have cost about $20 and holds 35 rolls of film.<BR><BR>Buying film on vacation can be extremely expensive when you're buying it in the tourist areas. You could always search out a Tesco (Europe's equivalent of Walmart), but from my experience film is always cheaper at home, and especially when it is on sale.

Just returned from Germany and Italy. We bought one roll of 24 print ASA 400 because we ran out. It cost us $5.80 Euro. This was in Germany. We had checked many places in Italy and found it very expensive. The best option was a 3 pack, 1-36 prints and 2-24 print rolls were about $15-16 Euro.<BR><BR>We developed one roll of 36 prints in Germany at a one-hour developing shop. It cost us about $10 USD.<BR><BR>I would recommend bringing your film from home. Just be sure to bring your developed rolls on the plane, not in your checked baggage and you'll be fine. Dee

Correction to previous post: that's your exposed film that you should carry on the plane. Dee

Hi Kathy. I ran out of the print film I was using (Kodak 200) by the time we got to Vernazza this past April so I had to buy two additional rolls there. Just checked my Visa bill and two rolls of 36 exposure were 12.40 euros ($11.55 at the exchange rate back then), so about $6 each, which isn't too bad.<BR><BR>But why not buy it ahead of time in the U.S.? Are you worried about X-rays damaging it? I brought a lot of rolls of 200, they all went through carry-on X-rays in a lead-lined bag (my requests for hand-checking were always turned down) four or five times total and I had no problems whatsoever with how the photos turned out. (For what it's worth, same with my slide film too; no problems.)

Kathy, have you considered taking a digital camera? We found it so much more convenient that traditional 35mm gear. If you get a decent size memory card, you can fit your whole trip on it and don't have to worry about film vs. no film.<BR>Just a thought.

I too believed the often-repeated mantra that film of 400 ASA or less will not be damaged by carry-on X-rays until a few weeks ago when I went on deliberately let an unexposed roll of Kodak 400 MAX film go through airport security X-rays a total of two times, and then shot the film. The resulting pictures were diffusely washed out with weird color tones (they looked exactly like the examples of X-ray damage depicted on the Kodak web site [www.kodak.com]. <BR> <BR>This was a scary wake-up call, as we like to take a lot of pictures on vacation and have yet to see digital camera photos which match the quality of prints taken with a good 35mm camera. <BR><BR>We have considered the option of buying the film and developing the pictures in Europe, but the expense is a serious draw-back. Also the problem of finding one-hour developing outside of the big cities and tourist areas.<BR><BR>I am now undertaking a series of experiments with 200 ASA film, lead-lined bags, multiple X-ray exposures, but it will be a while before I have answers as we don't fly very often. <BR><BR>I would love to hear about anyone's experiences with the lead-lined bags (including brand names and where to buy)

xx, no argument about the superiority of 35mm prints, but for me it came down to lugging around my SLR and film vs. having a pocket-sized digital. I missed some shots, sure, but probably got some I wouldn't have otherwise because I took my camera everywhere we went. It's a tradeoff, though, you're correct.

Sorry to hear about that, xxx. <BR><BR>I have to admit that I was a bit nervous about something happening to my film, due to X-rays, on our recent trip, especially since I was planning to take a lot of photos, both prints and slides. <BR><BR>So I asked two professional photo shops here in Seattle about it. Both of them told me that as long as the film was lower speed (mine was 200) that I could have up to about six passes through *carry-on* X-ray machines without any negative effect. In fact, people at both places told me that felt that a lead-lined bag wasn't even necessary for my film speed, at less than six passes, but I bought one anyway, my one concession to doubt. <BR><BR>As for what happened to your film, hard to say. Based on what I was told at these two pro shops, it certainly should have been fine. Perhaps 400 is actually quite more vulnerable than 200? Perhaps carry-on X-ray machines differ in the intensity of their X-rays? Was your film old? If so, perhaps that might have an effect. <BR><BR>By the way, the bag I bought was a Domke "Filmguard", large size for around $20. It was extra weight to carry around of course, but worth it for the additional piece of mind.

As far as airport security, here's my experience. If I ask for a camera or film to be hand-checked, I'm almost always turned down.<BR><BR>HOWEVER, if I have the camera and film in a leaded bag, airport security always respected that little bag and won't make the camera and film go through the x-ray "naked." <BR><BR>So, I put my carry-on on the conveyor belt to be X-rayed. Obviously, the big black blob on the screen raises eyebrows immediately. I simply calmly say that I have a camera and film in there that needs to be protected. Then, the carry-on is opened, the rest of the contents are once again X-rayed, but the camera and film canisters are hand-checked.<BR><BR>My next trip is to Russia at the end of August. It will be absolutely imperative that the film does not go through the x-ray machine machine because I will have gone through numerous x-rays before I reach my final destination. Not only that, but the x-ray machines in Russia (I've been told) are MUCH stronger than those in western Europe and the US.<BR><BR>Jennifer

Not that much of a tradeoff with a good digital any more unless you are doing posters. Just carry on your film and bring it home to be developed. It is not going to be hurt.

Has anyone had any experience with 800 film?

I have taken hundreds of rolls of 35 mm film to Europe. (10 to 40 rolls on over 20 trips) Speeds from 25 to 1600. I usually only put film over 800 in a lead bag and have never had a roll damaged. <BR><BR>When I go to Russia or some eastern European countries I put all the film in lead bags.<BR><BR>If you stick to 400 or slower you will not have a problem unless you are passing through scanners more than 8 or 10 times. The main thing is to NEVER place unprocessed film in checked bags. <BR><BR>as for xxx's problem - any number of things could have damaged his film -- high temperatures being a major possibility.

I can certainly attest to the fact that ASA 400 film indeed MAY be quite vulnerable to carry-on X-ray screening equipment. I had 2 Kodak rolls badly fogged out after a couple passes each at JFK and ZRH, hence ruining(!!) some of my best memories of X'mas in Switzerland, but another roll of ASA 100 film that I carried on along with the rest was unaffected. <BR><BR>So you might just want to play safe.

Here is an interesting story on the exray situation and exposed/unexposed film.<BR><BR>We just returned from a trip to Europe. We took 18 rolls of Fuji 400 35mm with us. We actually shot 15 rolls and sold three rolls to another American.<BR> <BR>One night, after just returning, I awoke in a cold sweat-------during the entire trip, the film had been in our CHECKED luggage!!!!!!! Arrrrrgggggghhhhhh! Apparently I had been brain dead. <BR><BR>Anyway, a day later, I picked up the first five rolls I had taken to be developed. NO PROBLEM! Nor any problems with the remaining rolls. I also contacted the American I had sold the three rolls to and told what had happened, he reported no problems.<BR><BR>Maybe I was just lucky, but I will NEVER put film in the checked luggage again.<BR><BR>Dick

On a recent trip, from Canada through US to Russia, I carried film in a lead bag, variety of film with speeds from 100 to 800, slides and prints. At one of the checks security noticed that some of the films looked different, much darker than the others. They put them through a couple of times more and then did a hand inspection, I almost had to pull the film out to convince them that it was all film. Anyone else ever have the problem? I think the film eventually was xrayed a dozen or so times. After develping the colours did not seem as sharp - I never used the 800. I am now switching to digital for travel.

Back to the original question-<BR>I have bought film (both name brand & generic) & had it developed & printed in both the US & Europe and it's cheaper in the US. There is 1-hr and overnight developing all over Europe but again, it's cheaper in the US. Smaller towns probably won't have the <BR>faster services.

I have done both things you are asking about. I chose to develop my negatives while in Switzerland rather than X-ray my exposed film, although of course this was after it was X-rayed on the way there. I didn't get prints, since they were super expensive, but once developed, the negs are safe. The cost of the "process-only" service was nearly identical to that in the US ($3/roll at a photo store). On a recent trip to Paris, I decided to buy my B/W 120 format film in Paris. I got on Kodak's French website and found a pro dealer in a convenient neighborhood, emailed them in broken French to make sure they had what I needed, and bought it when I got there. The cost was slightly higher than here (+15% or so). I let it get X-rayed on the way home, and there were no problems. My main goal with both trips was to minimize the number of X-ray passes. <BR>Also, it never hurts to ask for a hand inspection of film. I always do so, even if I have &lt;200 speed, and up until 9/11, I was almost always granted one, at least in USA. Europeans don't cut any slack, it seems. Since 9/11, I have been on 5 plane trips, and only on the most recent one was I granted a hand inspection on both ends. I was happy. I guess either the security people are letting their guard down slightly, or the new government bureau is finally informing their people that the FAA regulations do require hand inspections of high-speed film on request.<BR>Good luck.

Has anyone experienced or even heard of airport security/customs scanning film even tho they're requested not to? (Planning Italy w/800 ASA in lead bags) <BR><BR>

Federal law REQUIRES hand inspection of any film canisters if requested, but good luck with that. Maybe half the time the request is complied with. And when they hand inspect, that seems to become an excuse to check my shoes, belt, etc. And yes, I asked very nicely. So, if you're willing to get the full inspection treatment, try asking for hand inspection. Xrays are set at different levels, and with several passes through the machines you never know what the result will be until you get your prints back.