Where do you pack your film while traveling by plane ?

[pooh2001]

This may seem like a dumb question....
Where do you pack film when flying ?

If packed in the take-on luggage it gets x-rayed (not good for the film).
If packed in the check-in luggage - x-rayed ?

x-rays will ruin exposed & unexposed film.

So - where do you pack your film on your plane flight ?

Thanks for any tips you may have

 

[jctwizzer]

For 50+ trips the film has gone in our carry on luggage and we've never had a problem. I think the whole matter is overdone sometimes.

 

[tink2dw]

I put all the film in 2 gallon ziplock bags and when we got to the gates where they scan your carry on bags,I placed it on the counter with my change and other pocket stuff and ask for it to be looked at by hand. this worked great at my home airport,but in florida they still put in a small silver box to scan it. But even then we didn't get any damage to the film this trip!!

 

[Barbruka]

Does anyone know if the xray machines bother digital cameras or memory cards?

 

[GrumpyOne]

I didn't know the tolerances of my smart flash cards offhand so when I went through in Orlando, they wanted me to put the cards through, I insisted on a hand check. We were there for a minute or two arguring back and forth but the security guard finally admitted that he wasn't an electrical engineer and couldn't guarantee that the X-Rays wouldn't harm this type of memory. I don't understand what the problem was, it was a single chip in a clear case. It took much longer for him to argue than to look and all that happened was he admitted he didn't know.

I had taken a few (75) pics on a second smart card and left it in the camera while carrying the one with almost 800 pics on it in my pocket. The one in the camera was not affected.

The card that was not affected was a SanDisk Smart Media card, not compact flash or a Sony memory stick.

 

[Meagansmom]

We put ours in the carry on bag. We have never had a problem with any of our film. I have asked to have it hand inspected and have always been told "no" to a hand inspection and the film will be ok. Go figure. Like I said, we have never had any film go bad.

 

[nutz4dzny]

I too believe this whole X-ray thing is overrated!

I have 2 digital Cameras and 1 Digital Camcorder and throw away cameras and I bring Floppy Disks for my Mavica and I take all of these in a carry-on and they get X-rayed and for the past 5 years I have never had a problem.

Relax!!!!!!!!!

 

[suevee]

I think the xray at the carry on is weaker that that used for check in luggage. After all I don't see any off the attendants wearing lead aprons!!!

 

[collins316]

I take mail in photo envelopes with me on vacation. As I finish the rolls of film, I mail them out with a check. Although I have never had any problems with my film going through carry- on X-rays, this eliminates one extra trip. Plus I have pictures starting to come in when I return. I have used both Your and Mystic Photos, and liked both services.
Bernie

 

[pdzabe]

I always carry my film in my camera bag and ask for a hand inspection so I don't have to put it through the xray. The attendants claim I don't have to do that, that the machine won't harm my film. I've never taken the chance, however. Does anyone reading this not worry about their film and has it ever been ruined?

 

[CapeCod53]

I cvarry film in my carry-on bag so it doesn't get lost. I have one of those special film protective bags I got years ago from a travel catalog for travel to Europe. I had been told that USA x-ray machines wd not harm film, but that some overseas machines were stronger & more likely to cause problems. I still use the bag any time I travel as an easy place to keep my film.

 

[disney09/2001]

We also put our film and cameras in our carry-on bag. We have not had a problem with any of our film.

 

[Tnkrbl2199]

I started putting my film in a carry on and demanding a hand inspection after a vacation of mine where every single roll was fuzzy except for the one in the camera that they had hand checked. After that-I make them hand check it. They tell me it won't harm the film every time but I say, sure it wont...now please hand check them. And they do. Never had a problem after that with pictures.

 

[DisPlay]

Last September I travelled from Kiev to Amsterdam to Newark and always carried my camera bag with film. I always ran my bags through the x-ray scan not even thinking about it. When I got home and developed my three rolls of film, they all were completely washed out. I've since learned my lesson and will get one of those protective bags the next trip!

-dave

 

[mikenlisa1]

I travel all the time and used to make them hand check everything, camera , film, video camera, tapes everything ! Since I have had a child and have to deal with other problems at the airport and after checking with a photo pro this is what I have learn.
If the speed is 800 or under and traveling with in the states the machines at the walk though will not hurt it, or cameras, however like every thing else it never hurts to make the airport people check it by hand to be sure.
We have not had any problems over or last 5 trips since I have "chilled out" . However we are going at Christmas for the first time Dec 1-8 and I will not risk my film this time.