dedlaw

I recognize that I'm behind the times, but my digital camera is a few years old and has bad shutter lag, so I'm thinking of taking my SLR film camera to Europe. I pack film in a lead bag and in the past if they wanted to look at it I asked for a hand inspection -- they grumbled but did so. How do things work these days, on either side of the Atlantic?

AisleSeat

Invest in a new digital camera.

stokebailey

No, really. We want to know, too.

rkkwan

Should be no different from your earlier experience.

dedlaw

Thanks rkkwan. As to aisleseat, I'd love to, but that means a new camera body (over $1,000) and a new very wide zoom lens to adjust for the lousy 1.6 conversion factor for all but the priciest digital SLR's. Don't think I'm up for buying a new digital point and shoot, because that's many hundreds to get something with any suitable level of control.

Cowboy1968

X-ray scanners are labelled "film safe" in Europe. This means that films up to 1600 ASA can go through the scanner (without the lead bag) without damage. Most photographers use 200-400 ASA for everyday purposes, so this would be even less a problem.
X-ray scanners in the US seem to be safe for films up to 400 ASA.

If you bought most films you need in Europe, you would have 50% less problems to think about.

hetismij

You could buy your film in Europe, and have it developed there too - still plenty of places offering one hour development. Then you take the negs home and have them printed properly buy a good company.
If you want to take film with you then
it does not need to be in a lead pouch unless it is a very fast film, or you are packing it in a checked bag. Certainly in Europe if you are worried about the x-rays you can ask for the security people to check the films manually. They may have a grumble but who cares? It's their job!
Btw the 1.6 conversion factor has it's advantages, and if you buy a camera with it's kit lens it gives you a reasonable quality widish angle lens (depending on the make of camera of course - some kit lenses are real stinkers). Sigma do a brilliant linearecter wide angle - 10mm-20mm, it costs about €400 here so will be about the same in the USD, as camera equipment is more expensive in Europe.

xyz123

What's film? <g>

halfpint

And ON THAT NOTE, having been a professional photographer for over 50 years and used to have to tote around a 4 x 5 Press camera, flash bulbs, film holders, exposure meter, when I think of it, UGH! However we had to have a brain on our shoulders also what with exposure, depth of field,focusing etc so NOW I see those ape men on the television and I think EVEN THEY could take a prize winning photo with today's even P and S cameras as all you have to do is turn them on, aim, shoot as they expose, focus and all and THEN if you don't like the results, put it on the computer and CHANGE IT. Wow, talk about creativity. However I will admit, I have joined them and it is fun and much easier on the brain and muscles. Have a good one. Halfpint.

traveller1959

On some journeys, my 100 or 200 ISO films have been x-rayed 10+ times without lead bag and never anything happened.

xyz123

Actually, I remember those days too with my first SLR, the Konica T3...boy was I impressed with its ability to have me set the shutter and it figure out the proper aperture and changing lenses...and my first 35-70 zoom lens (and the 400 lens) and then ISO 1600 film (despite the grain)..and then my flash wow...I even still have many of those pictures.

So I went out a few years ago and bought a relatively inexpensive digital camera (about $150 US)..I can zoom 12x..I can set the camera to a fast ISO exposure (or let it decide)...I can give a setting that I want as fast a shutter speed as possible (even though I can't really choose it)...upon arrival home, insert the memory card into my memory card reader and into the computer and voila I have my picutres...can print them (or send the ones I want printed out)....I can discard the ones I don't like..I can fix the ones that are a bit under or overexposed...and none of these things require rocket science.

And then I take out a zip drive, store forever the ones I want, and three or five years down the line, they will not have faded, I can pull them up at the touch of a button and you know what...the pictures are far sharper and better than those from years ago...and then with my phone..I have very similar abilities which I can use to immediately send a picture home to one of my friends or a short video clip (oh yeah, I forgot to mention the ability to make video clips with most of these "cheap" digital cameras too).

We really do live in an age of enlightenment.

dedlaw

Wow, a simple question about x-rays (which I still think are iffy) turned into a paen to the digital age. I still feel that film produces an image quality that is warmer, but I agree that digital is pretty much there AND much more convenient in many respects. As to the P and S, it still isn't the same level of control or optics. Of course, I have to ask myself who I think I am -- a traveler capturing memories of a trip, or a great artist who needs all that special stuff.

In the end, I've purchased some film (better than I'll find in Europe without a hunt), and I know someday I'll end up with a better digital camera. But for now, this way way less expensive. And for those who abandoned film years ago, you should know that any developer will now provide a CD with all the images along with prints, so I can still store the things easily enough.

hetismij

dedlaw, I still my old film camera, as well my digital SLR. For somethings (black and white in particular) film is just so much better. And i agree absolutely There is no comparison between a DSLR and a P&S. My husband has a good 12x zoom P&S digi, I have an older Pentax DSLR, and anyone can see the difference in quality between the two. Even my husband, who wants to take over my old DSLR when I upgrade soon.
Have a great holiday, don't worry too much about the film. You can as I said always get them developed in Europe before heading home so they are only x-rayed once.

Michael

Outside the U.S. you cannot count on a hand check, but you can force it by simply keeping your film in the lead-lined bag. Take the film out of its canister, otherwise some checker will undoubtedly take it out and pass the film through the X-Ray machine (that happened to me), thus negating the idea of putting the film in the bag in the first place. It is said that the X-Ray is cumulative and that film cannot go through more than 5 checks without risking fogging.

LindaBrinck

I have had ASA 200 film ruined by airport xray machines. I think the power of these machines varies greatly. I have had requests for hand checks refused.

Like others on this post, I say get a digital and don't take a chance. You don't need to spend a $1K. FOr $500, I'd get a Nikon D4 SLR0. FOr $300, I'd get a Nikon 5100 Point and Shoot. It will pay for itself with what you save in film and bad shots that are printed.

Photos can last a lifetime. Why chance it?

Fra_Diavolo

Yes, the Canon XT, XTi and the latest, I think XSi are well under a thousand dollars too (not to mention the 30D). There's also a new image stabilized EF-S "kit lens" which has gotten very good reviews. It's 17 - 55 mm I think, which should handle most of your wide angle needs.

I think film still has its place, but as Ansel Adams predicted, the electronic image was the next technological advance in photography. I'm even starting to use it for B&W -- you can get good results if you're careful about your printer, inks and paper, and photoshop.

Robespierre

I've never encountered X-ray issues by buying and developing film (mostly Agfa) in the destination country. As long as this works, I'll keep my OM-1 and lenses in service.

Oh - I also carry a digital P&S for snapshots.

rkkwan

Sigma and Tokina has various ultra-wide starting at 10-12mm (~16-19mm 35mm equivalent) for about $500.

Canon's own excellent EF-S 10-22 is about $650.