Flying with film.....how to protect it?
 

I heard that the new heavy duty screening equipment the airports are now using can damage film. Anyone have advice on how to protect it? Thanks.....

Simple - keep it all in your carry-on luggage and ask for hand inspection. This applies to unexposed AND exposed film. In the past, films of 400 ISO or lower speeds could go through X-Ray inspection equipment with no damage although repeated exposure could pose a risk (e.g. on a trip with multiple legs by air). No telling what the case is with the new regulations and equipment - I wouldn't take the risk - carry it on.

The airlines are adamant that the carryon screening equipment will not harm film up ASA800. Most screeners I have seen send the film through the machine. But do not pack it--the screening for checked luggage is much stronger. I have read on many boards that people are putting their film inlead bags and it is often going through without comment.

Do a search on this, there was a very good thread a few weeks ago that covered this subject very well.

I've tried to use the search feature on this forum dozens of times. I have NEVER had success with it! I've also posted this fact and have not gotten a satisfactory answer. (Although plenty of others agree that the seach does not work!)

I brought film with me on both flights last week(coming & going), that would be going through two sets of x-rays -and the photos came out fine.

Saw this aryicle from Newsday yesterday. Hope this helps.<BR>Unfortunately, with the new higher security at U.S. airports, security screeners are demanding that all film and cameras be put through X-ray machines. Prior to Sept. 11, most airport security screeners would allow film and cameras to bypass the machines and be hand-checked. A Newsday photo editor reports that his wife, a professional photographer, passed through four airports in recent weeks and had all of her equipment X-rayed and then hand-checked, with screeners looking through each camera. Kodak spokesman Jim Blamphin in Rochester offers this advice to travelers: Under no circumstances should you pack unprocessed film in luggage intended to be checked. "Luggage passed through the high-intensity scanners now in use at many airports will damage unprocessed film," Blamphin says. "This includes film that is inside a camera, single-use cameras and film roles that have been exposed but not yet processed." Kodak's warning also applies to film packed in a lead-lined bag and then packed in checked luggage, which can actually increase the damage, the company says. Meanwhile, carry-on items containing film, such as purses or briefcases, can be safely passed through the X-ray conveyor belts at standard security checkpoints leading into the gate areas. These very low-intensity scanners will not harm unexposed film, even if passed through six or seven times. High-speed film, such as ASA 1000, can be safely passed through three or four times without risk.<BR>

Seems to me I read somewhere, that the x-rays have a cumulative affect on film.<BR><BR>If film goes through once or twice is not a big deal,,,but if you it goes through a number of time, you could have problems. <BR><BR>I think lead bags are overrated. When I tried to use them, secruity needs to hand inspect because they can't see what is in the bag using x-rays.<BR><BR>Unfortunatley, not all security guards are receptive to hand inspection.