We are leaving for France on Thursday. Usually I put my films in a led bags and nobody ever asked me to remove them or show them a content of those bags. Can anyone explain how they work? If there is no way for an x-ray to see what is there how things will change now? I don't mine to be search or remove any items from my led bag or any other carry-on items but I would like to be ready. Any personal experience lately? How to get back my films back safely to the U.S. if we are not going to stay in any place long enough to check out quality of the place where we want to live our films for development.

I used to use a lead bag as it did protect the film from the screening. However they caution to never use that at least in your checked luggage as the hi-power screening can also penetrate the bag and worse ;yet, perhaps ruin the film. The higher speed of film, like 800 and over CAN get fogged from x-ray (however have not had it happen). And I no longer use the lead bag as whenever I did, they always would ask to see inside the bag anyway, even though I said what it was (and this was in the good times) so now I just take the film through up to an including speed of 400 and no effects. Otherwise just a delay in opening up the lead bag. Hope this will be of some help.

I applaud what Mary Jayne complained about, i.e., that security would always check what was inside her lead bag. The point of using the lead bags is the the xray would NOT penetrate the bag and affect the film! Therefore, the security guard wouldn't know what was inside the bag. It used to puzzle me that of all the times I've used the lead bags, only once did a security guard check it! In hindsight, I wish they had searched it every time. It would have meant that security was better!

Howard are you going still use your led bags? I have the same feelings about my bags not being checked and not only in the U.S. but in many airports in Europe, Central and South Americas and Africa. Not even once!

Hi <BR> <BR>Yes, it always puzzled me that they would let these things go by - the whole point of security is to KNOW what is in your bags... <BR> <BR>it would seem quicker and easier to keep the film out, in some sort of bag, show it to them without putting it through the x-ray, then stuffing it into your carryon. <BR> <BR>but then again, my trip back on Monday the 17th did not ruin my film - it was carryon, but still went through the scanner.

I carry my film in plastic see-through zip-lock lunch bags so security can see exactly what it is-just film. Security will frequently look through the camera's view finder to make certain it is an operating camera and not an explosive within a look alike camera box.

Just returned from Italy carrying a lead-lined bag for my film. Everytime I went through security they stopped me and wanted to see what was in the bag. I opened it and showed them that there was only film inside. Then they ran my carryon back through without the lead-lined bag in it. No problem - they did the exact same thing on our way out of the country before the attacks.

Jim, yes I definitely plan to still use the lead-lined bags...now, more than ever! <BR>A couple tips: <BR>1. Take you film out of the plastic canisters. First of all, if they check your bag, they'll probably make you open every canister. Second, you can get more film in a bag without the canisters! <BR>2. Don't put film in your camera until after you go through the final security checkpoint. In that way, you don't have to worry about any xray damage to film in the camera, and you can just leave it in your bag at the checkpoints.