flying to boston.. with film

[Anthony Martinez]

So, being new to the whole film thing I've never flown with film before. My camera bag will have my Mamiya C3 and my Canon 5DMK2 in it - along with 4 rolls of Fujicolor 400H and 4 rolls of Ilford HP5+. When it comes time to feed the X-ray machine should I do anything special or just send it on through?

[TheRandomPhotographer]

Originally Posted by Anthony Martinez

So, being new to the whole film thing I've never flown with film before. My camera bag will have my Mamiya C3 and my Canon 5DMK2 in it - along with 4 rolls of Fujicolor 400H and 4 rolls of Ilford HP5+. When it comes time to feed the X-ray machine should I do anything special or just send it on through?

You will be perfectly fine....in the past i traveled due to TDY with the air force and with my current company and my film was unharmed. If it makes you feel better you could ask the TSA(though they may say no) to pass scanning the rolls

[J Eddington]

Scanning is fine, but they will "hand check" your film if you ask.

[henrysamson]

Just make sure you DON'T check it, hand carry it. The checked baggage gets film ruining doses of xrays.

Janice is correct, they will hand check if asked.

[Anthony Martinez]

Thanks

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by TheRandomPhotographer

You will be perfectly fine....in the past i traveled due to TDY with the air force and with my current company and my film was unharmed. If it makes you feel better you could ask the TSA(though they may say no) to pass scanning the rolls

I was TDY once to Drum, but I think we still flew a charter out of LAA @ Benning. I can't remember if the M4 was with me or not. I'll probably just leave the rolls in the camera bag and send it through. Also, from one veteran to another - enjoy the day.

[venchka]

Anything over 400 should be hand checked. The machines can fog film like Delta 3200.

[venchka]

From another Vet to you all-Have a great day!

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

You may be able to find one of those film x-ray bags to put it in, supposed to block airport x-rays, but I bet that will cause them to make you open your bag and show them the bag with what is in it.

[wclavey]

...or crank the exposure higher to see through it!

Actually, I don't know if that's possible, but that was something people always said... I usually travel with just ASA 100 film so I don't worry much unless I am going to be back & forth through multiple machines with it. I've flown out of both Houston airports in the past month and they both had signs that said they would hand check camera bags on request.

[KJ Smith]

X-Rays will fog all film.

It is a cumulative thing.

The more times you go through, the more it adds up.

It does affect faster films first.


Take all of your film out of the boxes. Put it in a clear zip lock bag.

Keep it with you and ask for a hand inspection.

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by venchka

From another Vet to you all-Have a great day!

Hope you had a good one as well. I took a Statics exam today so... yeah. At least I'm finishing the day by enjoying a Saint Arnold Divine Reserve 10 and some steak right? Plus packing for my Boston flight in the morning.

Originally Posted by KJ Smith

X-Rays will fog all film.

It is a cumulative thing.

The more times you go through, the more it adds up.

It does affect faster films first.


Take all of your film out of the boxes. Put it in a clear zip lock bag.

Keep it with you and ask for a hand inspection.

WILCO.

[Anthony Martinez]

TSA was happy to hand check the film at IAH. They were also happy to follow that up with a full body search. Apparently the first machine said my film was positive for explosives. Almost made me late for my flight, but I managed to make it just on time to board with my section.

[Ralph Merlino]

KJ Smith is right on all counts. Take his advice.

[Anthony Martinez]

Originally Posted by Ralph Merlino

KJ Smith is right on all counts. Take his advice.

I did. I also got treated to the full body search, but that's probably more because I'm a skinny brown male with a beard.