Re: [Leica] Airport X-RAY report

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

All I really know is that I had 200 rolls of film with me for three weeks
in Europe, in September, and I planned ahead so that I could get all
airports to hand inspect my film. Actually, we went through x-ray checks in
SFO, JFK, London, and Amsterdam. Amsterdam was the toughest. The
information I have is what I got through the ASMP Bulletin, Kodak info &
www site, the BJP (British Journal of Photography), etc. The x-ray people
will say "it won't affect anything below ISO 1600" but if you run ISO 1000
through twice, seems like there could be a problem. X-ray is additive so of
course if you go through many airports and through many x-ray machines, you
are going to have a problem. Use one gallon zip lock (yellow & blue make
green) bags, take the film out if the canisters (I happen to have several
hundred old completely clear Fuji canisters that I put all of my film into)
and make sure you pack a few rolls of ISO 1600 (or higher) film toward the
bottom of each bag, so it would be impractical to dig them out. Pack the
film flat in the bag, fold the top over tightly and tape it so it is tight
and holds the film flat (like a book). This makes it super easy for them to
see the film. Leave the tongue out of the cartridge. Don't rewind used film
all the way in. Mark the tongue with a sharpie so you don't double expose
the roll.

Jim


At 02:10 PM 10/24/98 -0400, you wrote:
>In a message dated 10/24/98 1:08:02 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jim@brick.org
>writes:
>
>> although the carry-on x-ray machines don't
>>  seem to bother film under ISO 1000.
>
>Jim,
>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
>