[Leica] Airport X-ray Test

["Paul Schiemer" <schiemer@magicnet.net>]

Interesting test performed by the British Journal of Photography.

I did a test here locally, at one of the busiest airports in the World,
using my unexposed film.
I ran a roll through, as it sat in my bag on the conveyor belt.
Just one pass, in one end and out the other.

Later that afternoon I processed both that roll and an unexposed roll from
the same batch Pro Pack; in the same tub, using exactly the same developer
and chemistry times.
The X-rayed roll tested 'darker' with a photographic densitometer than the
'normal' roll.  By darker I mean it was 'fogged'.  By a certain percentage
point that I've now forgotten (enough, as I remember, to equal about a half
stop exposure).

I didn't test all films, just my main film (the one I use all the time).
Wasn't sponsored by any company or publication, just had a need to know.
Mostly because I'd heard both sides of the argument; it does and it doesn't
affect film.  I'd also read some reports that vacillated between the two
poles.  Best way to know, for shure, was to test it personally.

Last year I was forced, almost at gunpoint, to run a small bag of film
through an X-ray machine in a fourth world country.  That batch was smoked
(by at least two stops!).  Lucky for me I had a bunch of good stock stashed
in a duffel going through baggage check (where they don't bother X-raying!)

I won't let my film (either exposed or unexposed) go through the X-ray
machines.  I carry a purple Crown Royal bag with draw string (have as many
as four to choose from, different sizes), hang that on the side of my camera
bag- hand it over for hand checking as I go through the metal detector-
never a problem, they're more than happy to comply.
And anyway, I get to enjoy the Crown Royal in the process of acquiring the
bags.  It's a good trade off.