 Stephen |
X-Ray Machine vs. Lead Bag - Who Will Win? I recently purchased a lead bag to protect my film from the x-ray machine at the airport. My question is Are these worthwhile? Do they really work? Is it true airports can turn up the x-ray machine? Where can I get a copy of the FAA regulations saying I can get a hand search? Thanks again!
|
|
|
|
||
|
John A. Lind |
If you are traveling outside the U.S. you are subject to the country's regulations that apply where the airport is located. The FAA regs only apply to U.S. airports. I've never used lead bags for air travel and never had a problem with fogging from x-ray because I use slow films. X-ray fogging can be a problem with some very high speed films. However, I always put film in a carry-on bag, _not_ checked baggage. X-ray systems for checked baggage at some airports are much stronger than for carry-on. Some systems will continue increasing x-ray until it sees through _everything_ inside the bag. You can ask for hand inspection, but don't expect a lot of cooperation from those doing it. Whatever happens don't lose your cool. Maintaining calm and being very polite gets much better results . . . and can keep you from being hauled off by the guards. -- John
|
|
|
|
||
|
Jeff S. Kennedy |
And don't forget that these guys are famous for their sense of humor. They love it when you kid with them about having a bomb in your lead bag. Try it. Its a riot! ;-)))
|
|
|
|
||
|
Stephen |
I will be using 200 ISO and slower. Do you recommend that I forget the idea of using the lead bag totally?
|
|
|
|
||
|
John A. Lind |
Yes. ISO 200 and slower should go through carry-on x-Ray machines multiple times without a problem. I store it in a see-through (zip-lock) food storage bag. The heavy duty freezer types hold up fairly well. Lead bags and wrappings cause questions, attract attention and raise suspicions. In airports with the more modern machines, they can (and will) bore a hole through the bag with the x-ray machine if they want to. Most of the guards I've encountered know little about x-ray and film . . . and some of them simply do not care. Again, _don't_ carry film in your checked bags . . . always in a carry-on. Jeff's right about the "humorless" part. At the top of that list are U.S. Customs and U.S. INS officers; the other guards aren't far behind them. -- John
|
|
|
|
||
|
Stephen |
I am happy to say none of my film suffered x-ray fogging. I just sent it through the machine in Chicago's airport and Sweden. Everything came out fine. I think it depends on how many times you send it through the machine, or how fast of film you are using. The fastest film I had was ISO 100.
|
|
|
|
||
|
Elaine S. Robbins |
I brought a whole pile of ISO 800 film to Ukraine w/me (by way of NYC and Budapest). I took it out of the canisters and put in a clear plastic bag, and for the most part had no problem getting it hand searched. I had to be a little insistent sometimes (they'll insist that the machine is safe for film, and you just have to say, "Oh, but this is very fast film" or some such). Be polite, and don't act like they know nothing. One might be a photographer too. On the other hand, on other trips I've taken I think 200 speed film and its gone through multiple xray machines and had no noticable fogging. X-rays are cumulative. From what I've read, most airport hand baggage xrays aren't strong enough to fog even 800 speed film in one dose (at least in new airports. Older places might be diff.), but if it goes through the machine 6 times (not unusual) it'll affect it. So if the guards are particularly stubborn in one airport and make you put it through, not all hope is lost. --Elaine
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bunny Snow |
As many people recommended, I removed the plastic cases from 35 mm film and slipped the rolls into sandwich bags, filling the bag. I politely asked if my film could be hand checked, and had no problem in the USA or in Costa Rica. However, Eastern Europe was another story. In Bucharest, Romania, I was told either the film goes through the x-ray or you do not go. My film, mostly 400 ISO and less, had been through the machines nearly a half dozen times and I really did not want to chance it again, but I had NO CHOICE! Fortunately, it suffered no consequences, at least not at the sizes enlargements were made. But, this is another good reason for going digital.
|
|
|
|
||
|
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here
Report this Thread |
||