[Leica] OT: medium format film and airport security

[firkin at ncable.net.au (Alastair Firkin)]

On 18/02/2007, at 18:23, Nathan Wajsman wrote:

> Next month I am going for a week to Val d'Isere. Because I need to  
> travel light, taking the DSLR outfit is out of the question, so  
> instead I will be taking the Ricoh GRD and the Bronica rangefinder  
> outfit--it all fits in the Domke 803 shoulder bag.
>
> I will be flying from Amsterdam to Geneva. I have never before  
> flown carrying medium format film, but I remember reading somewhere  
> that it is more prone to fogging from the hand luggage x-rays  
> because the film is not enclosed in a metal canister, as is the  
> case with 35mm film. I have flown with 35mm on many occasions,  
> including Neopan 1600, and have never seen any sign of fogging,  
> even after 4-6 passes through x-ray machines. The MF film I will be  
> taking will be no faster than 400. Should I be taking any special  
> precautions other than the obvious one of not putting the film in  
> checked baggage?

Roll film does not seem to be much more sensitive, but I too have  
worried. I would do one of 2 things: if you don't have too much film,  
wear baggy trousers and carry the film in your pocket: it does not  
have the metal cannister, so it also does not set off metal  
detectors. With the paranoia of security however, I now carry it in a  
double lead bag.

Cheers

alastair