Re: [Leica] CTX5000-What would you do??

[chucko@siteconnect.com (Chuck Albertson)]

Jeff---
    The CTX5000 will fry film at just about any speed, but is only used for
*checked* baggage only. It's not a good idea to carry film in checked
baggage anyway -- you never know what sort of radioactive isotopes are
riding in cargo, and they can always lose your bags. ISO400 films seem to go
through the x-ray machines for carry-on baggage without many problems, and
I've even had rolls of TMZ (EI3200) survive multiple trips through the
carry-on x-ray with no adverse effects. But those were at fairly modern
airports (SeaTac, LAX, London Heathrow, Sydney, etc.), and you should always
ask for a hand-check instead of sending it through the machine. In the
States, you get a hand-check on request (FAA regs), overseas it's variable
and changes
all the time. London used to be very good about looking at your film, but on
the last few trips have firmly told me that everything goes through the
machine. (The security folks at the Belfast airport, whom I wouldn't accuse
of being paranoid if they demanded it be x-rayed, have been more than happy
to hand-check my film -- go figure.) Be polite, but persistent, and that
might do it.

    Taking film out of the cans and carrying it in plastic bags
is one method people use to facilitate a hand inspection; I use squarish
Tupperware containers that hold 16 rolls apiece (I bought a half-dozen of
them from my then-secretary, who was selling the stuff on the side, and
they've lasted nearly ten years).
    Stick to the film you're used to shooting, and don't count on buying
film overseas. It's likely to cost more, and the quality may not be what
you're used to.

Chuck Albertson
Seattle, Wash.

- -----Original Message-----
From: Jeff S <segawa@netone.com>
To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Saturday, May 09, 1998 2:08 PM
Subject: [Leica] CTX5000-What would you do??


>All this talk about the new x-ray machines has me spooked about what film
to
>carry on an upcoming trip! I had been thinking of taking a few hundred feet
>of Tmax, but talk is, that transparency film might fare better due to lower
>silver content. Unfortunately, I am travelling through a few airports on
>this trip, including Denver, San Francisco, Honolulu, Narita, plus a few in
>mainland China. Anyone gotten 400-speed print film through these places
okay
>lately in the recent past? In a real pinch, might it make sense to purchase
>film in Beijing, and have it processed to my specs before leaving Hong
Kong?
>
>