One thing to keep in mind if you are mailing film, especially internationally, is that it will get x-rayed by customs leaving the country and by customs entering the destination country and might get x-rayed a few more times domestically so you are better off just letting it pass once through airport security. You can try putting a "don't x-ray" sticker on it but unless you're Kodak or B&H shipping pallets of film its unlikely they will take time to inspect your package. I travel often and from my experience I've never had airport security refuse a hand check in the US and Asia, but in Europe and South America i've been denied probably about 95% of the time. If i see they have regular old x-ray machine then i just let my film pass through the machine, i've never had any issues, but if its a ct-scanner then i'll try to get a hand check, especially if im traveling with 120 film.
I've actually either had my film shipped ahead of time or depending where i'm going purchase it when i get there- same with processing- again based on where i'm going.
1) Use lower iso film (50 or 100) 2) Use a lead lined bag or mini-case(Hama Film Safe-X is for 4 35mm rolls or 2 120 rolls but I can fit 2 120 rolls+1 35mm roll in each) 3) Do not bother with asking for hand checks, if they cannot see through the bag they will do a hand check
In many airports, if they cannot see through bag they will first crank the power of X-Ray machine even more, fogging your film even more. What's the point of a bag in this case?
@@Capumaraca enjoy your sub-mediocore snapshots getting ruined by an airport agent with attitude as bad as yours, while I effortlessly glide through security every single time
Good advice. One item you touched on was the camera itself. I got into the habit of keeping the cameras unloaded and in my personal item bag. I figure let them scan those so they see I do have cameras. I tried a lined bag once but that seemed to cause more confusion than it was worth.
I always have film in my camera. They just wipe it with some sort of swab and hand it back to you. Never been an issue for me! Although some times it does take extra long lol
In the usa they have hand checked my film 9/10 times. One time at incheon, korea it was soooo busy that they scanned my film. That being said the film was fine, i didnt notice any fog at all.
i just traveled with film a few weeks ago. I had a 50 and 400 iso with me. I photographed these two films during my vacation and didn't want to risk them being altered because of the Xray. When I arrived at security I asked for a hand check but was immediately told that I couldn't do that and that the films had to go through the Xray scan. After a few words we finally agreed that I didn't have to put my already photographed films through the Xray, but they still wanted to scan my packaged, still fresh Ektar 100 film. With this compromise, I let them do it - after all, it's iso 100 anyway, which shouldn't really be a problem.
Sadly I had the unfortunate experience of having agents who had no idea what that was [insisted that "batteries" were OK to be scanned]. Even after explaining what film was, the supervisor came and insisted it is safe and OK and tossed it into the Xray without me saying ok. Thankfully only 2 out of 6 of my film was ruined.
@@icefox7022 Dude i was hot!! and sadly so was she.. but no matter. I didn't want to get locked up. It was my first trip out of the country on my own. I did manage to catch it that's when i was told not to reach for it. One month later (when i returned) i saw her on her last day she found another job. She did say she was sorry.
The timing on this video is impeccable! Ill be traveling next month. Thanks man!
One thing to keep in mind if you are mailing film, especially internationally, is that it will get x-rayed by customs leaving the country and by customs entering the destination country and might get x-rayed a few more times domestically so you are better off just letting it pass once through airport security.
You can try putting a "don't x-ray" sticker on it but unless you're Kodak or B&H shipping pallets of film its unlikely they will take time to inspect your package.
I travel often and from my experience I've never had airport security refuse a hand check in the US and Asia, but in Europe and South America i've been denied probably about 95% of the time.
If i see they have regular old x-ray machine then i just let my film pass through the machine, i've never had any issues, but if its a ct-scanner then i'll try to get a hand check, especially if im traveling with 120 film.
I've actually either had my film shipped ahead of time or depending where i'm going purchase it when i get there- same with processing- again based on where i'm going.
1) Use lower iso film (50 or 100)
2) Use a lead lined bag or mini-case(Hama Film Safe-X is for 4 35mm rolls or 2 120 rolls but I can fit 2 120 rolls+1 35mm roll in each)
3) Do not bother with asking for hand checks, if they cannot see through the bag they will do a hand check
In many airports, if they cannot see through bag they will first crank the power of X-Ray machine even more, fogging your film even more. What's the point of a bag in this case?
@@philipputkin8236 that seems to be repeated over and over, yet to see anyone actually confirm it
asking is not hard. if that's a bother to you maybe stay home
@@Capumaraca enjoy your sub-mediocore snapshots getting ruined by an airport agent with attitude as bad as yours, while I effortlessly glide through security every single time
Thanks fo the tutorial I'm going to italy in a week and i was worried thanks!
Have great time!
Perfect timing for this thanks
Found this video sitting at my gate lol.
Metal Fingers is our dad now!
Good advice. One item you touched on was the camera itself. I got into the habit of keeping the cameras unloaded and in my personal item bag. I figure let them scan those so they see I do have cameras. I tried a lined bag once but that seemed to cause more confusion than it was worth.
I always have film in my camera. They just wipe it with some sort of swab and hand it back to you. Never been an issue for me! Although some times it does take extra long lol
In the usa they have hand checked my film 9/10 times. One time at incheon, korea it was soooo busy that they scanned my film. That being said the film was fine, i didnt notice any fog at all.
i just traveled with film a few weeks ago. I had a 50 and 400 iso with me. I photographed these two films during my vacation and didn't want to risk them being altered because of the Xray.
When I arrived at security I asked for a hand check but was immediately told that I couldn't do that and that the films had to go through the Xray scan. After a few words we finally agreed that I didn't have to put my already photographed films through the Xray, but they still wanted to scan my packaged, still fresh Ektar 100 film. With this compromise, I let them do it - after all, it's iso 100 anyway, which shouldn't really be a problem.
Was it a big City? Normally bigger cities with busier AP's and bigger attitudes. As stated above i try to ship whenever possible.
@@gewglesux yeah it was Palma de Mallorca and tbh it was really busy at that day. But still happy to made a deal and not to scan it through the xray 😅
@@tim_meyer Great News!! I'm happy that it worked out!
Sadly I had the unfortunate experience of having agents who had no idea what that was [insisted that "batteries" were OK to be scanned]. Even after explaining what film was, the supervisor came and insisted it is safe and OK and tossed it into the Xray without me saying ok. Thankfully only 2 out of 6 of my film was ruined.
That's a problem too... the TSA'S NOT knowing what they're doing.
LOL some guys just scanned 3/4 of a years work with CT....
TSA dude having a bad day? I had a TSA chick almost drop my Nikon 70/200 I reached for it and was told "don't reach "
i'd get very mad, not gonna lie
@@icefox7022 Dude i was hot!! and sadly so was she.. but no matter. I didn't want to get locked up. It was my first trip out of the country on my own. I did manage to catch it that's when i was told not to reach for it. One month later (when i returned) i saw her on her last day she found another job. She did say she was sorry.
Yeah. I rather go by train.
Even as slow and limited as train service is in the US, I'd rather take the train.