Airport x-ray machines....

[crazee4mickey]

I haven't flown for awhile and am wondering will it affect my memory cards, 35mm and video camera 8mm tapes
If anyone knows can you please share tips?
TIA

 

[safetymom]

It will not affect your memory cards but it may affect your film. The effects of x rays are cumulative so it is better to use caution and ask for a hand inspection. When the rolls are exposed get them developed before you fly home or use pre paid mailers.

I would err on the side of caution. You don't want to lose your images.

 

[bicker]

How about miniDV? Should they, at least, be carried on, to avoid the high EM from the checked-luggage scanners?

 

[safetymom]

I am not aware of any problems but for things like that I always keep them with me. That way I don't have to worry if the luggage is lost or delayed.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

My rule of thumb is to carry everything that is of high value such as miniDV, film/digital shots, etc. The XRay only affects 35mm film. The power is not strong enough to ruin memory cards and/or videotapes.

 

[WillCAD]

Magnetic media and electronic devices are perfectly safe from x-ray exposure in the airport. Only photographic film will be damaged by x-ray exposure.

However, as Kelly said, it's a good idea to carry on valuable items like cameras, laptops, PDAs, etc., because checked luggage usually flies in more ways than one - the luggage handlers like to play football with suitcases as they put them on the plane.

Checked bags are also stacked, so your suitcase could have hundreds of pounds of other stuff on top of it. Crunch! There goes the camcorder.

Luggage compartments on many airplanes also may not be pressurized or heated, so your luggage might get very cold during the flight, which can cause condensation when you descend to warmer air, and as we all know, moisture is deadly to electronics.

So pack your electronics, memory cards, and film in carry-on luggage.

 

[handicap18]

X-ray machines will only affect film that is 1600 ISO. That was always the case when I was traveling a lot and traveling with my camera. Though when we went to Disney last month they had me take my film camera out and turn it on so they could look though it to make sure it worked and wasn't some sort of weapon.

It also did not affect my digital camera's compact flash nor my video tape.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I beg to differ. Even on ISO400, if you run through your film twice you'll see the "foggy" quality in your dark shots (shots with lots of black/dark colours). It's more apparent on the ISO800 and extremely apparent on ISO1600.

 

[handicap18]

Not as many people use 400 and even those that do chances of running though the xray machine twice is slim. But your point is taken.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I hope I don't sound b!tchy but people tend to run their film through Xray twice. Once going to their destination, and once again on their way back. At least I am, because I don't trust any other photo finishing company other than The Lounge (a pro finishing company used by Fuji for their own large-scale prints).

 

[safetymom]

handicap18, I don't know about you but my images are very important to me. If there is a chance something can happen to them I am very careful.

Thankfully I have gone totally digital but a lot of people haven't. Once those priceless images are gone you can't get them back. I know many professional photographers that take great pains to protect those rolls of film.

 

[handicap18]

I agree. I'm just basically saying that with all the times I've gone though airports over the last 14 years (probably 300 times) in about 30 different airports I've never experienced a problem. I've also never had my luggage lost. So I guess I really should say,,,, your results may vary.

 

[Geoff_M]

I agree, it's possible to have film as low as 400 speed fogged with lower dose airport x-ray equipment. Industry trade organizations have conducted field and lab tests of film and airport x-ray equipment and have recommended that film never be in "checked" luggage and hand inspections should be requested for carried on film that's 400 ISO or higher: Link

If you want to see how film fares when checked and used with the stronger airport equipment used for checked luggage, see this Kodak Link

 

[WillCAD]

Lots of people drink and drive without killing anyone. That doesn't mean it's safe to drink and drive.

Lots of people let their film get x-rayed and it doesn't fog enough for them to notice. That doesn't mean the film is not fogged at all.

You cannot change the laws of physics, Jim - X-rays expose film, just like light does. More x-rays - either from more trips through the machine or from longer periods in the machine - mean more exposure. And higher speed film requires less light - or x-rays - to expose it, which is why the myth has circulated that x-rays can't harm lower-speed film. It's not true; it just takes more x-rays to make the damage visible in 100ISO than in 400ISO, but the damage is always there.

On the last 3 or 4 trips I have taken, my camera bag has been in the machine for several minutes, way longer than in the pre-9/11 days, because the TSA screeners are looking more carefully at all the bags as they go through. My bag is in the x-ray field while the guy is looking at the bag in front of mine, and then while he's looking at mine, and then while he's looking at the bag behind mine. That adds up to a lot of x-ray exposure.

Since I have gone completely digital these days, I don't have to worry about it any more, but I still tell people in no uncertain terms - DO NOT LET YOUR FILM GET X-RAYED, EVER! As the Governator once said in a movie, "This is a BIG mistake!"

 

[handicap18]

Comparing drinking and driving to 35mm film being exposed in an x-ray machine is a little over the top in my opinion.

However, I will bow to the facts presented. I will also state that on my last trip though airport security they had me take my camera out of its bag so they could hand inspect it. It did have film in it. I did not ask for the hand inspection. They say they require it to make sure its not a weapon.

Since all bags and even shoes now have to go through the x-ray machine what do you do with your rolls of film. Do you keep them in your pockets and put them in the little bowl they let you put your change in? I don't mean to sound funny or sound like a wise guy, I've never had a situation come up where I don't want my actual rolls of film to go through the x-ray. How does security handle it? What if you had 10 rolls of film? Will they accept that its film and not run it through the x-ray?

I don't see that happening to me as I have a dSLR now and the 1GB card can hold well over 500 images. I'm just curious how others have handled it.

 

[safetymom]

You put your film in a ziplock bag and hand it to a TSA agent.

 

[Geoff_M]

Since all bags and even shoes now have to go through the x-ray machine what do you do with your rolls of film. Do you keep them in your pockets and put them in the little bowl they let you put your change in? I don't mean to sound funny or sound like a wise guy, I've never had a situation come up where I don't want my actual rolls of film to go through the x-ray. How does security handle it? What if you had 10 rolls of film? Will they accept that its film and not run it through the x-ray?

Here's the answer straight from the horse's mouth:

- If you plan to request a hand inspection of your film, you should consider carrying your film in clear canisters, or taking the film out of solid colored canisters and putting it into clear plastic bags, to expedite the screening process.
- If you are going to be traveling through multiple X-ray examinations with the same rolls of undeveloped film, you may want to request a hand-inspection of your film. However, non-U.S. airports may not honor this request.
- If you plan to hand-carry undeveloped film on an airplane at an international airport, contact the airport security office at that airport to request a manual inspection.
- Consider having your exposed film processed locally before passing through airport security on your return trip.
- We recommend that you do not place your film in lead-lined bags since the lead bag will have to be hand-inspected. If you have concerns about the impact of the X-ray machine on your undeveloped film, you can request a hand inspection.
- You may still consider bringing a lead-lined bag if you are traveling through airports in other countries as their policies may vary. Check with your airline or travel agent for more information on foreign airports.

TSA Link

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Comparing drinking and driving to 35mm film being exposed in an x-ray machine is a little over the top in my opinion.

No it's not because we're not talking about the level of dangers, but the level of generalization you've made.

How does security handle it? What if you had 10 rolls of film? Will they accept that its film and not run it through the x-ray?.

They hand inspect them one by one. As per TSA guideline, it is your right to ask for hand inspection.

I don't see that happening to me as I have a dSLR now and the 1GB card can hold well over 500 images. I'm just curious how others have handled it.

Clearly, not to put you down, image quality is number 2 and image quantity is number 1 in your priority. There is no way you can fit 500 images on a 1 Gb if you're using a dSLR and wanting to maintain the quality. The maximum you'll get is about 250 shots to retain all the details and color rendition.

 

[WillCAD]

Comparing drinking and driving to 35mm film being exposed in an x-ray machine is a little over the top in my opinion.

I'm sorry, I certainly didn't mean to imply that losing one's life in an alcohol related car crash was the same as losing all of your vacation photos because you let them get x-rayed. I simply meant that the potential consequences, relative to the actions, are far too severe in either case to make the risks remotely palatable.

However, I will bow to the facts presented. I will also state that on my last trip though airport security they had me take my camera out of its bag so they could hand inspect it. It did have film in it. I did not ask for the hand inspection. They say they require it to make sure its not a weapon.

Although I have never had to take my camera out of the bag, I am not surprised to hear that it happens. I have also heard of people being made to turn on devices like laptops, PDAs, cell phones, etc. to prove that they are real. It seems to be one of those things that varies randomly from airport to airport and month to month.

Since all bags and even shoes now have to go through the x-ray machine what do you do with your rolls of film. Do you keep them in your pockets and put them in the little bowl they let you put your change in? I don't mean to sound funny or sound like a wise guy, I've never had a situation come up where I don't want my actual rolls of film to go through the x-ray. How does security handle it? What if you had 10 rolls of film? Will they accept that its film and not run it through the x-ray?

Completely reasonable questions, all! Safetymom, Geoff, and Kelly all gave you precisely the correct answers, but I am going to refer you to my own web page on the subject for further details on how to get film through the airport safely:
http://willcad.org/image_film_tips.html

I don't see that happening to me as I have a dSLR now and the 1GB card can hold well over 500 images. I'm just curious how others have handled it.

I'm in the same boat, having recently switched to all-digital photography. Fortunately, digital cameras and media are not affected by the x-ray scanners, so the entire issue is a moot point to me as well as to you. But there are still plenty of people out there who shoot film, and they should know the risks presented by airport x-ray scanners.

I think these days a very common scenario is those with digital cameras picking up a disposable or two while on vacation. After all, if you are swimming at Typhoon Lagoon or Castaway Cay and want a waterproof camera, you can't find a better deal than the Kodak waterproof disposables, which are less than $10 and take reasonably good pics underwater (within certain limited situations, of course). And when you pick up a few of these disposable, you might decide to wait till you get home to have them processed, and wind up flying home with the disposables - and their undeveloped film - in your luggage.

 

[handicap18]

Thank you all for clearing up the process of taking rolls of film though airport security. I like the idea of the plastic baggy. I'll try to remember that if anyone asks. In the past I never really put a lot of emphasis on that part of it as I never used anything over 400 speed (even then it was mostly 100 & 200) when I went on vacation or FAM trips in the past. Most of the traveling I did was back in the 90's before the internet was the great reference sourse it is today. I always knew about the 1600 speed having issues, but that was all I knew. My apologies for any misinformation I may have had. It certainly wasn't to misdirect anyone. Its only what I knew at the time and what I experienced.

I have a lot of great pictures from my travels that I'm very proud of and I never noticed any ill effects from going through airport security.