Re: IR film at airport x-ray detectors

[Cameron Shaw <cameron@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 19 Mar 1997 19:51:14 GMT Richard Fung wrote:


> Hi all,
> 
> Could anyone in the group advise me whether or not I need to worry about
> having my film run through the x-ray metal detectors at the airports? I plan
> to bring IR film, regular C-41 and E-6 slide film and was planning to pack
> them with my other baggage rather than carry on 20 rolls of film. Do I need
> to worry about fogging or are the machines at the airport set low enough not
> to affect the film. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> 
>Hi,
I have not had problems with this, except in Russia where they insisted on 
putting film (Kodak EPP) through an old X-ray machine. The first lot was O.K but 
for the second bag the conveyor belt was stopped with the film in the middle of 
the machine owing to congestion of other passengers luggage resulting in a 
large dose of x-ray radiation.
I would suggest  not putting film through with the hold luggage as at some 
airports they use a higher intensity for scanning this luggage than hand 
luggage eg Gatwick U.K.
If you want to avoid x-ray inspection, clear plastic bags and a request for hand 
search sometimes works, or for hand luggage I've used a plastic coated lead 
foil-lined enclosure that still allows inspection but reduces the dose. However 
except for high speed emulsions I would anticipate no discenible image 
degradation.


Cameron.



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