Re: Film Inspections

[David Riecks <riecks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Theo:

I'm not sure where you had this happen, but it the US the exposure is set
for most x-ray machines for carryon's. The operator can adjust the contrast
and density setting of the image, but this is just "fiddling" with the
image, no additional stepped up exposure is made.

In the US you are guaranteed a hand check if you ask for it. See this URL
for the whole text:
http://www.faa.gov/avr/AFS/FARS/far-108.txt

For other countries, especially UK (heathrow) and Germany (Frankfurt) it can
be next to impossible to expect the same treatment. X-rays are a cumulative
process, so while one ZAP might not generate a noticable fog level, multiple
passes might. The best advice is to do everything possible to avoid any
x-ray zaps, or at least keep them to a minimum. Higher speed films generally
are affected more than slower speed films.

In the US they have released a new breed of X-ray scanner for CHECKED
baggage. The CTX-5000 will scan your luggage (NOT CARRY-ON's) and if it
see's anything "suspicious" or fitting the profile of a gun, explosive, etc
it begins a CAT-SCAN like multiple X-ray guaranteed to put a fog level on
your film if not turn it completely exposed.

David

At 10:08 AM 8/28/98 -0700, you wrote:
>I had to throw my two cents (I don't know what that is in Guilders...) in
>about film inspections.  I have found that as long as the film box is
>sealed, most places will pass it through hand inspection.  And the
>suggestion made earlier about showing credientials is very correct!  It's
>helped me several times.  There is one notorious and noteable exception,
>however:  London's Heath-Rowe Airport.  They will NOT hand inspect ANYTHING.
>Plan on having your film, whether in the box or just in the plastic
>containter, sent through the x-ray machine. Coming back from Egypt I calmly
>showed my National Press Photographers Association, American Society of
>Media Photographers, and even my wire service press ID, and I might as well
>have been talking to robots on an assembly line.  And forget about those
>x-ray proof lead bags.  The minute the machine operator sees anything that's
>opaque (like the lead bag) their suspicion is immediately aroused.  Then one
>of two things happens: 1) they jack up the exposure (usually on checked
>baggage inspection), or 2) they ask you to take the film out of the bag, and
>then send the film through the machine anyway.
>
>TTFN,
>Theo
David Riecks                    *       riecks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
701 W. Washington St            *                 or
Champaign, IL 61820             *       riecks@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx       
ph/fax 217-239-FOTO (3686)      *        Midwest/Chicago ASMP   
          http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/riecks            

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End of Infrared-Digest V0 #756
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