G
Guest
I'm going to the Galapagos at year-end. Comments or advice by anyone who's been would be appreciated.
Thanks
Thanks
-
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G
Guest
Make sure you take a "Film-Safe" with you. They will be x-raying ALL luggage Jan 1st.
Jeff in colorado
Jeff in colorado
G
Guest
> I have seen how the X-ray bag works. When the screener sees a white object that ths X-rays don't penetrate he has a button to push that increases the X rays 100 fold (or so) and this punches right though anything. I think that much radiation is worse than normal X rays for film.
G
Guest
> This might be a very stupid comment, but here it goes anyway. Would it be safer for your film to send it ahead via postal delivery, or fed-ex or something rather than subject it to all the scanners/x-rays? Would that be possible or useful?
This is unrelated, but I remember the worst airport experience I have EVER had was in my own home region airport of Milwaukee about 1997, I had all my film still in boxes in a separate bag in my carry on. I took out the bag for the airline screeners, and asked that they not x-ray my film as I normally did. They were really rude, and insisted on opening every box of film, and then pulling the film out of every plastic inner container. I was livid. They held all those people behind me while they did it. I can't imagine they felt I was dangerous with my film, if any of you ever meet me I am 5'2", generally soft spoken, open and usually polite... these guys were just plain rude and I always figured they wouldn't have dared to pull that on a male. I never ran into this anywhere else, but have been curious what others are doing to protect your film with all the new policies.
-Lynn
This is unrelated, but I remember the worst airport experience I have EVER had was in my own home region airport of Milwaukee about 1997, I had all my film still in boxes in a separate bag in my carry on. I took out the bag for the airline screeners, and asked that they not x-ray my film as I normally did. They were really rude, and insisted on opening every box of film, and then pulling the film out of every plastic inner container. I was livid. They held all those people behind me while they did it. I can't imagine they felt I was dangerous with my film, if any of you ever meet me I am 5'2", generally soft spoken, open and usually polite... these guys were just plain rude and I always figured they wouldn't have dared to pull that on a male. I never ran into this anywhere else, but have been curious what others are doing to protect your film with all the new policies.
-Lynn
G
Guest
Regarding films being x-rayed in the airports. I have read a number of articles from various photo magazines published after September 11th. A couple of them actually ran test through a number of airports in United States and other countries. Most of them indicated that regular carry-on bag scanners next to the passenger metal detector are harmless to any film with ISO/ASA up to 400. Airports in some Russian and Eastern European cities are in exception.
If you put any films in a film-safe bag, you may be asked to remove it since the screener has to see what is inside the bag. I guess in that case you can remove the films and have them hand check. I believe under FAA regulations, all US airports have policy to support hand film inspection, not so in most European airports.
For those scanners (especially the new ones) that x-ray checked-in luggage, they can possible fog any type of films regardless if you use film-safe bag or not.
In my case, I always pack all my films (up to 70 rolls in any one trip) in film-safe bags, and put them in the carry-on bags. So far in the last two years, I have passed through cities in US, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and Italy without any hassle.
Film handling has been a major headache for me since I have to carry them both ways, and process them only in the local trusted pro-labs. I guess digital is the way to go.
.
If you put any films in a film-safe bag, you may be asked to remove it since the screener has to see what is inside the bag. I guess in that case you can remove the films and have them hand check. I believe under FAA regulations, all US airports have policy to support hand film inspection, not so in most European airports.
For those scanners (especially the new ones) that x-ray checked-in luggage, they can possible fog any type of films regardless if you use film-safe bag or not.
In my case, I always pack all my films (up to 70 rolls in any one trip) in film-safe bags, and put them in the carry-on bags. So far in the last two years, I have passed through cities in US, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and Italy without any hassle.
Film handling has been a major headache for me since I have to carry them both ways, and process them only in the local trusted pro-labs. I guess digital is the way to go.
.
G
Guest
I would have thought that film posted would go in the aircraft hold = and be subjected to the usual high dose of X-ray that I understand = luggage gets. There's no easy answer to this. I sometimes stuff my = pockets with film and just go through the people scanner.
G
Guest
If you check in your film even if in xray shield it will get destroyed. Xray machines behind the "closed door" are really powerful. Small scanners for your handheld bags before you board the airplane will not damage the film. If they did 90% of pics on my site would not exist. On average round trip my film goes through the scanner 4 times. Nothing happened yet. Look at this page as far as traveling with cameras goes:
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/care.html
Matt
http://brunerdog.tripod.com/care.html
Matt
G
Guest
> If you remove all your film from the packages and film cans, and put it into a see though plastic bag you should be fine for hand inspection. This is good for most countries including the USA. However, I had this arrangement in a communist country and the guard refused to hand inspect. I had 1600 speed Ektachome in the bag and was told if I didn't want the X-ray machine to examine my film I couldn't leave the country. It got X-rayed.
G
Guest
In the US you are legally entitled, under FAA regulations, to have your film hand-checked if you ask for it. There is even supposed to be a sign at the security checkpoint informing you of this.
The bad news is that , in my experience, you will have great difficulty getting this enforced.
However, in common with others here, I have had ISO 400 in my carry-on put through x-ray 5 or 6 times without damage. Last timeI checked, Kodak's web site said 5 times or so was OK, and Fuji said much the same.
I believe they also tell you NOT to put film in checked baggage, because the x-ray will ruin it.
Now, about the Galapagos?
The bad news is that , in my experience, you will have great difficulty getting this enforced.
However, in common with others here, I have had ISO 400 in my carry-on put through x-ray 5 or 6 times without damage. Last timeI checked, Kodak's web site said 5 times or so was OK, and Fuji said much the same.
I believe they also tell you NOT to put film in checked baggage, because the x-ray will ruin it.
Now, about the Galapagos?
G
Guest
Return report:
1. It was very easy to get film hand-checked for a change. In the US I attribute this to the takeover of security by the TSA (govt agency) which seems to be better in many ways than the old system. In Ecuador security was also very cooperative about this. Just point and say "pelicula."
2. Photography possibilities are wonderful, but with some problems. The animals are absolutely unafraid of humans and there is little problem getting close. Some seem even to pose. Sea lions are everywhere, to the extent that you become jaded after three or four days and ignore them. The problems are that you must go and stay with your group, and opportunities to wander away are limited. So is your time at any one site. Also you are generally not going to be on an island late in the afternoon or early evening.
3. I strongly recommend going with as small a group as possible. This means a small boat and somewhat less comfort.
4. Sand and moisture are potential problems. I bought some silica gel packets as a precaution. It is a good idea to always load fresh film before going ashore, to minimize the need to open the camera. This is probably another good argument for taking zoom lenses.
5. Take some good sandals. You will be making "wet landings," where you jump from a small boat into shallow water and wade ashore, often onto sandy beaches.
I recommend the galapagos highly, and will provide more details if anyone is thinking of going.
1. It was very easy to get film hand-checked for a change. In the US I attribute this to the takeover of security by the TSA (govt agency) which seems to be better in many ways than the old system. In Ecuador security was also very cooperative about this. Just point and say "pelicula."
2. Photography possibilities are wonderful, but with some problems. The animals are absolutely unafraid of humans and there is little problem getting close. Some seem even to pose. Sea lions are everywhere, to the extent that you become jaded after three or four days and ignore them. The problems are that you must go and stay with your group, and opportunities to wander away are limited. So is your time at any one site. Also you are generally not going to be on an island late in the afternoon or early evening.
3. I strongly recommend going with as small a group as possible. This means a small boat and somewhat less comfort.
4. Sand and moisture are potential problems. I bought some silica gel packets as a precaution. It is a good idea to always load fresh film before going ashore, to minimize the need to open the camera. This is probably another good argument for taking zoom lenses.
5. Take some good sandals. You will be making "wet landings," where you jump from a small boat into shallow water and wade ashore, often onto sandy beaches.
I recommend the galapagos highly, and will provide more details if anyone is thinking of going.