H guys, I'll be flying to Vietnam tomorrow and bringing both my 5D (purists don't stone me yet) and my R3-A. Going to load up with a brick of Tri-X too, which I most definitely won't be checking in. Just wondering (cos most modern film is supposedly x-ray safe) how you guys handle your film when traveling and how you handle nosy security personnel (who may not understand film is light sensitive :/ ). Any tips and pointers?
Film And Travelling
- Thread starter calebk
- Start date
virtualme78
Senior Member
calebk said:
Travel every week through at least 2 scanners, film is fine. From Europe to India and china. Mostly tri x. Haven't heard of ruined film due to xray in many years. Err on the safe side on high iso film though, film like delta 3200 or anything higher than 800 iso, request for hand inspection. Not as unusual as people claim, even in India they don't even bat an eyelid when I ask for one. It's like pretty normal. That's if I hand carry the film.
For last couple of years, I put my film in a couple of empty golf ball boxes and check everything though as well so I can safely vouch that the bag scanners also don't affect film.
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theRenaissance
Senior Member
I flew to hanoi last year loaded with alot of 200/400 films and its safe. You can just put them in a transparent ziploc bag, if you wanna play safe just put them into a lead bag (got it from my dad during his film days)
As for the security issue, so far I have yet to meet any anal personnel, cant help you with that. Anyway enjoy shooting! Vietnam is a heaven for street and documentary photography!:thumbsup:
Thanks dan, you're a great help as always, with your real life experiences. I look forward to shooting a mix of analog and digital in Vietnam.
Thanks mate! So I've heard it's a nice place for street photography too.
jonmanjiro
New Member
The x-ray machines used for carry-on baggage are safe, but I would certainly not trust the x-ray machines used to examine checked-in baggage. They are much stronger.
The simple solution is to carry your film with you instead of putting it in your checked-in baggage.
The simple solution is to carry your film with you instead of putting it in your checked-in baggage.
Royale With Cheese
Senior Member
I just got back from Hanoi in Dec.
Honestly, if you film is in your hand luggage with your camera in it, they wouldnt even bother to question you. Generally la....
I had 30 rolls of film in a ziploc bag in my A&A bag with 2 cameras, no questions asked, just in & out from the xray machine the other side. Machine in Hanoi didnt state film safe but hell, everything turned out fine when I got back & developed 11 rolls of film in a 7day trip.
Have fun shooting in Vietnam, its a great place with cheap beer & cheap good food :thumbsup:
Honestly, if you film is in your hand luggage with your camera in it, they wouldnt even bother to question you. Generally la....
I had 30 rolls of film in a ziploc bag in my A&A bag with 2 cameras, no questions asked, just in & out from the xray machine the other side. Machine in Hanoi didnt state film safe but hell, everything turned out fine when I got back & developed 11 rolls of film in a 7day trip.
Have fun shooting in Vietnam, its a great place with cheap beer & cheap good food :thumbsup:
Hanoi is cold now if you go there. Take care.
The last day of the old year is the most happening. Go shoot in those flower markets.
The first 2 days of the new year is the nicest to walk around, when you have an almost empty city as many went back to their hometown for new year.
Have fun!
The last day of the old year is the most happening. Go shoot in those flower markets.
The first 2 days of the new year is the nicest to walk around, when you have an almost empty city as many went back to their hometown for new year.
Have fun!
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Thanks for all the tips and pointers guys.
Okay ran into some problems: Ruby is closed. I couldn't get the brick of Tri-X I wanted to get so I'm bringing up some FP4+ and pushing it to EI 400, probably in Microphen or Ilfosol S. Anyone have experience pushing FP4+ in either of these developers? Which gives you more pleasing results?
Okay ran into some problems: Ruby is closed. I couldn't get the brick of Tri-X I wanted to get so I'm bringing up some FP4+ and pushing it to EI 400, probably in Microphen or Ilfosol S. Anyone have experience pushing FP4+ in either of these developers? Which gives you more pleasing results?
Royale With Cheese
Senior Member
not cold la bro, berms, t-shirt & sunglasses is perfect!!
at one of the pubs near my hotel at Hang Be street :bsmilie:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos..._463480982451_663132451_5964700_7239992_n.jpg
NazgulKing
Senior Member
Last week was much more colder leh
Feel colder than 5*C in US.
It was -5 deg C in the places in the US I visited, with -11 deg C wind chill...
of course haha... i am always lucky to be in SF area. what I meant is that it's colder than what i feel with 5*C in other places ;p.
Back to main topic, i am lazy to ask for hand inspection nowadays. I haven't had any problem so far, even with iso 1600 films.
Hi guys, I was wondering what "hand inspection" means.. Firstly, does it mean that you carry it physically all the way with you even when your hand carry bag passes through the conveyer belt security scanner machine? Secondly, would the officer object to it and insist you put it through the conveyer belt scanner?
I had shot about 16 rolls of tri-x @ 1600 in Bei Jing so far and hope it will not turned out ruined through the x-ray rays... any help will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
I had shot about 16 rolls of tri-x @ 1600 in Bei Jing so far and hope it will not turned out ruined through the x-ray rays... any help will be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks
baboonish,
hand inspection is where the custom officer will "physically" check your rolls of film, the film will not go through the scanner. Some airports, Hong Kong was one of them, will randomly pick one or a few rolls and do a swab test on them.
Put your rolls in a ziploc or a clear plastic bag and pass them to the custom officer before the machine and request him/her to do a hand check. Some officers may object but if you smile and just give a good excuse, they will do it
btw, I usually leave the fill rolls "naked", not in the containers.
I have gone thru 3 airports the past 3 months.... KLIA (main + LCCT), Hong Kong and Dhaka.... none reject a hand check request.
hand inspection is where the custom officer will "physically" check your rolls of film, the film will not go through the scanner. Some airports, Hong Kong was one of them, will randomly pick one or a few rolls and do a swab test on them.
Put your rolls in a ziploc or a clear plastic bag and pass them to the custom officer before the machine and request him/her to do a hand check. Some officers may object but if you smile and just give a good excuse, they will do it
btw, I usually leave the fill rolls "naked", not in the containers.
I have gone thru 3 airports the past 3 months.... KLIA (main + LCCT), Hong Kong and Dhaka.... none reject a hand check request.
NazgulKing
Senior Member
Actually, while we are on the topic, has anyone gone through any of the main Moscow airports? Any issues with their X-ray machines?
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