Re: [Leica] Airport X-RAY report

[nbwatson@juno.com (N. B. Watson)]

Glad to hear that a seasoned, respected pro like Rowell also does as I
had suggested and pass the film bag through on its own rather than have
it stopped and zapped with the camera holdall.  BTW I think Galen would
take umbrage with the probably unintentionally condescending statement
"even though he uses Nikon gear he takes terrific pictures".  As an
adventure photographer and aplinist, Galen's two main criteria for
choosing gear are features which enhance his ability to realise his
pre-invisioned images, and portability (size and weight).  I'm sure he
would be the first to acknowledge he'd switch to Leica (reflex-- he has
said that the inability to use split ND filters effectively and not
seeing through the lens preclude him from working comfortably with a
rangefinder) instantly if they met both those criteria better than Nikon,
which he has often criticised for making him choose between technology
and light weight.  His "Modular Fanny Pack" (sold by Photoflex in the US)
is a dream bag.  Rowell is a thinking-man's photographer.

Regards,
Nigel
On Sat, 24 Oct 1998 15:32:43 -0800 "Khoffberg" <khoffberg@email.msn.com>
writes:
>I just spent a weekend with Galen Rowell at his workshop.  Even though 
>he
>uses Nikon gear, he takes terrific pictures and is a wonderful host 
>and
>teacher.  He has his own stories to tell about security check points
>involving guns and more, made all the more astounding as the worst one
>occurred in Norway which you might otherwise fantasize as being, well,
>different.  In that particular case he jumped on the belt after his 
>film.
>The locals held him against a wall at gun point at which point he went 
>gonzo
>on them yelling something about being a guest of their government 
>(true
>statement) and demanding names, badge numbers, and supervisors.  
>Everyone
>got real friendly in a hurry.
>
>His practical advice is to wait until the bags ahead of you have gone
>through and then put the film through (in clear bags etc.) so that the
>operator won't have any reason to stop the conveyor because they don't
>recognize some metal blob in your kit.
>
>FWIW, I've managed hand inspection lately at SFO and throughout 
>Australia
>without difficulty.
>
>Cheers
>Kevin Hoffberg
>(925) 942-2772
>Visit our website at www.inseon.com
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>[mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us] On Behalf Of Ted 
>Grant
>Sent:	Saturday, October 24, 1998 2:39 PM
>To:	leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject:	Re: [Leica] Airport X-RAY report
>
>Francois wrote:
>
>>Do you know if a film has gone through a couple of times in the hand
>luggage
>>X-Ray machine it would bother the emulsion?  ie. You go once through 
>the
>>security as you leave (film unexposed) and once again on your way 
>back
>(film
>>exposed.>>>>>
>
>
>Francois,
>I've had film go through hand baggage scanner's three or four times 
>before
>I've reached my final destination and never seen any fogging etc. I'm 
>not
>going to say it isn't possible, however, it has been my good fortune 
>to
>escape any fogging from carry-on bag scanners.
>
>Sometimes if I'm really dragging my butt with patients as a tight 
>wire, I
>don't even blink when arriving at the scanner, I just place the bag on 
>the
>belt, say a couple of Hail Mary's and send it on it's way.  Besides 
>having
>to deal with the usual dim wits that guard our airplane wouldn't know 
>a
>bomb from a piggy bank! Not all of them!
>
>For example!  My assistant Sandy and I just had an interesting case of
>bungling brilliance by a "bright savior of frequent flyers" on our 
>return
>from the Leica Cape Cod seminar.
>
>I took the clear plastic container (18 rolls) of film out of my 
>equipment
>bag and handed it for inspection, then placed the camera bag upright 
>on the
>belt.
>
>The "MORON" flipped the bag on it's side like a sack of coal and 
>pushed it
>into the scanner. Then threw the film container in after it, even 
>though he
>could see it was just film! So much for hand inspection!
>
>As happens sometimes, my bionic ears beeped the machine as I walked 
>through
>and I had to go through a couple of times to ensure my safety!
>
>Sandy, having taken her exposed film out of her bag, leaving her brand 
>new
>M6 and 35 1,4 aspherical lens inside followed me. She was some upset
>because the "MORON" had thrown her film in for scanning. But there was 
>a
>delay in her bag and jacket coming through and we waited while the 
>scanning
>screen operator went to the front of the scanner and appeared to be in
>heavy duty discussion with the "MORON"  Returning to his position, 
>Sandy's
>camera bag appeared shortly.
>
>Now we get to the interesting part to illustrate, that whenever you 
>put
>your bag on the scanner belt, stand there and watch what happens, even 
>if
>you hold up the line!!
>
>We get into the air, she opens her bag to get out her new "M6 toy" and 
>it
>wont work!!!  She can't rewind the film and the lens has become 
>extremely
>stiff and binding.
>
>Now without being able to find an eye witness here is what happened:
>
>The "MORON" in flipping the camera bag on its side some how dumped the
>camera out onto the floor.....that was why the scanner operator was 
>having
>the heated discussion and the delay of her bag coming through......  
>Nobody
>said anything!!
>
>When we arrived home I managed to get the film out of the camera, but 
>it
>was a hell of a job, what I didn't notice was the impact marking on 
>the
>base plate for one and I couldn't figure out why the rewind crank was
>binding along with the lens.
>
>So now we have a brand new M6 that has "just gone hay wire" for no 
>apparent
>reason whatsoever. Sandy with 4 days before leaving on a 3 week 
>assignment
>in Korea is just frantic, not to say how she was feeling about buying 
>her
>very first Leica!
>
>Good folks at Leica, KINDERMANN (Canada) and the good guys in New 
>Jersey
>worked out some fast arrangements. We shipped the camera overnight to
>Toronto. The next morning we are given the horrible news, " This 
>camera has
>suffered major impact and it shows on the base plate along with the 
>rewind
>crank shaft bent!!"
>
>"Did she drop it?"  Absolutely no way not in a million years, then we 
>put
>things together and figured out exactly what happened... the ever 
>diligent
>security guy had dropped it on the floor and never said a word.......!
>Neither one of them!
>
>So a tough lesson learned about the Knights who guard our security in 
>the
>air!
>
>And yes, in time for the assignment departure and a test roll, she 
>received
>a  replaced rewind crankshaft in the M6 and it completely checked out 
>&
>returned with a brand new lens!!! The original had to be sent back to
>Germany!
>
>So without question Leica, when they can, look after their equipment 
>owners!
>
>Latest report from Sandy in Korea? She's doing just fine for a first 
>time
>ever overseas assignment and the camera is working fine! She's anxious 
>to
>get home and film souped! More later next week.
>
>So be careful out there when you get on airplanes!!!!!!!!!!!
>
>ted
>
>
>
>
>

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