Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 09:44 AM 2/17/99 -0700, you wrote: >Greetings, > > I shall be traveling to France for a 7-week stay with my family, in >April. The plan is to ship ahead my 4X5 field camera to an address in Paris, >and to carry on my M6, lenses, and other 35mm equipment and unexposed film. > With no experience and a head full of rumors and tall tales regarding >U.S. and French Customs, airport X-ray machines and carry-on size and weight >limitations, I could use some heads-up advice from the LUG. > I had planned to register my serial-numbered equipment with U.S. >Customs, and I have ideas about how to avoid airport x-rays, but anything that >comes to mind from the well-traveled and well-prepared LUGers would be much >appreciated. The best way to ship equipment, how much film is allowed, is the >U.S. serial number registration useful for French customs, and hosts of other >questions come to mind. > Thanks, in advance, from an inveterate list-lurker. > >-Gary S. Colby Hi, Gary - I have registered my equipment with customs and carried serial numbers, but have never needed to show any of that. I take the film out of the boxes and canisters and put it (usually 200-300 rolls) in zip-lock bags in an easily accessible roll-on. I take the film out at the x-ray machine and ask politely to have it passed around. 9 times out of 10 they will do it with no problem. If they refuse, I have in my roll-on lead-lined bags that I slip the bags of film into and put through the machine. I carry several small Tupperware containers that will hold six rolls each to put in my pockets when I get where I'm going to protect the film. All of my cameras and lenses fit in a small LowePro backpack. Carry-on size varies according to airline, but the smallest I've seen is 14"x22"x8". Airports and airlines are a hassle but it's worth it! I'm sure you'll have a great time and come back with unforgettable pictures. (See you soon!) Leically, Tina Tina Manley, ASMP http://www.photogs.com/manley/index.html http://www.pomegranates.com/frame/manley/index.html