Sending unprocessed film

In Thailand a few years ago, I tried to FedEx some film back to the states. The FedEx driver told me that as far as he knew, that Thailand x-rayed packages going out of the country – they were worried about smuggling of antiques. I decided to wait until I made it to Hong Kong before shipping home my film.

I’ve always carried my film home with me – or – by Fedex. In the U.S. – other carriers don’t have the same track record as FedEx. Although UPS is very good.

UPS is my current favourite but I can’t get a definitive answer on the x-ray question. Still, in many places it’s my best bet.

It’s been a while since I’ve looked into this, but last time I did Fed Ex was best. They even had a sticker for film. Oddly, it wasn’t a “No X-Ray” sticker, but one that said not to put the stickered box next to boxes of radioactive material (which could effect the film). I don’t know what they do today but at that time I was told they didn’t x-ray stuff. Getting film processed locally, then shippiing seems the safest, but given “local” processing many places it just isn’t always an option.

I send film from Sweden to London for processing via Fedex seven or eight times a year and I have never had a problem. Fedex tell me that they don’t xray between Sweden and UK.

I always try and avoid xrays, especially the bigger older machines, but these days its more difficult. I talked security in Heathrow into hand checking my film and not xraying it a year or so ago (after it had been through six or seven machines already) and they took a swab to check for explosives. It came up positive. I explained that I work with a landmine and UXO clearance organisation and agreed to put it through the xray machine. They were actually really cool about it. I thought the red light was going to lead to rubber glove treatment or something. The film was fine though.

My film ends up going through at least three times on average with no problems so far. Usually I shoot TriX 400, Tmax 400 and a little Tmax 3200. I think black and white is much less sensitive and I think that older and larger machines can be a problem. Basically, if its a new, small machine I just let it go through. If its an old one or a big one designed for hold luggage I will go out of my way, sometimes incurring great hassle, to avoid it. Although I haven’t had any problems in 20 years of traveling I have heard some nightmare stories, especially with xray machines in Israel, Russia and eastern Europe.

I’ve never had the opportunity to FedEx or UPS film from overseas. But I can comment on local processing. I tried processing C-4 in Gjilane, Kosovo and will always regret it. Film came back in one strip rolled into a canister. Scratches galore.

Now though I just hand carry everything through. The only place I couldn’t get a hand check was Frankfury last year. The worst place for hand checks is Savannah, Ga., airport. They dumped nine months worth of seperated Iraq film into one bin. Then proceeded to use an explosive-residue test patch for every canister. Those pads are expensive, then hand checked each roll. I barely made my flight.

I think the best bet is to try and carry the film with you through the airport. However in the UK at least, getting a hand check is next to impossible these days. The restrictions to one carry on bag also causes a major problem when it comes to travelling with lots of film.

For my most recent trip to Spain I just stuffed a back pack with as much film as would fit in leaving enough space for my two M6 TTLs on the top.

Last time I went to Saskatchewan I took 150 rolls as carry on. That was in 2005. When I return I’m going to look into shipping the film out there and back. It will be a hassle but what’s the alternative? As I’ve been told at airports when trying to get film hand checked, “use digital!”

Anyone ever shipped film from Africa (thinking particularly of W. Africa) to the U.S.? (it would be tri-x 400)

In many (most?) modern airports, “x-ray” hand luggage scanners are actually ultrasonic and not X-ray. As such they make no effect on film at all. If you can glance on display, such machines paint the contents image in artificial colors according to density. That’s what I’ve been told by luggage scanner service technician at least.

Checked luggage is different story though.

That’s very interesting Eugene. I’ve noticed the coloured images on the monitors. If these things really are ultrasonic that’s a great weight off my mind! P.

I’ve asked for 40 rolls of Tri-X and Plus-X to be hand checked on a flight from San Francisco and had no pro blems

I also did a check and exposed two rolls of Tri-X a to an X-Ray machine and they were OK.

I would avoid running them through the language X-Ray machines which I’ve been told by several sources are more powerful.

Omar, I havn´t shipped film from West-Africa but i had them x-rayed at the airports in Bamako (color in 2003) and Niamey (bw in 2004). They were hand luggage of course and survived without damage.