Re: [photo-3d] Re: Airport X-rays

[Oliver Dean <3d-image@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Vincent!

Vincent Chan wrote:
> The first few frames of each roll were burnt out, printed to some > funny yellow/orange by the photofinisher.  The boundary is quite
> delineated, ie. half the picture is fine, other half is orange.  I
> guess the X-rays only effect the first few layers of film in the
> cassette.

I did a lot of surfing recently on this topic, so I can't remember the
exact URL, but in a document by Eastman Kodak, they described the
symptoms of x-ray contamination as being streaks throughout the film. 

The symptoms you describe, the orange color in particular, sound as
though the first exposures on the roll were fogged by not advancing the
film (with the back closed) two full exposures before taking pictures,
or by not rewinding the film fully before opening the back to remove an
exposed film, or by inadvertently opening the back slightly after the
film has been loaded initially, but before it finally has been rewound.
You might want to check your parents' loading and unloading procedures
for the camera.
 
The orange color is often a typical symptom of fogging in a vertical
streak caused by a light leak at the place where the camera back closes
at the latch -- this is what is called "Stereo Realist Disease" and can
be fixed by a variety of methods (see P3D archives or Dr. T's book on
the Stereo Realist).
 
Another possibility is that the film processor did some sloppy handling
and fogged the film, but it's rare for even the worst processing labs to
make that severe an error. 

> Makes me wonder, given the weight of the Realist, if it has any
> lead plates in it.  Perhaps it may be safer to carry your film in
> 50 Realists!!!

No auch luck -- the weight is due to ordinary metal castings.  But if
you put 50 Realists in a bag with all the film bunched in the middle
surrounded by the Realists 5 deep, it might help. :>)

It's much easier, in the US at least, to request hand inspection of the
film (put it in a plastic bag to make it easier to check).  You can cite
FAA regulations, Section 108.17 ("Use of X-ray systems"), at the end of
paragraph (e): Regarding carry-on luggage it states, "If requested by
passengers, their photographic equipment and film packages shall be
inspected without exposure to an x-ray system." 

Cordially,
Oliver Dean

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