Does the whole roll of film get ruined in Airport x-ray machines?

Question

I brought my old Samsung SLR camera in my bag. If you guys know Military duffle bags, it's not something you want to unpack. It's a pain.

Anyways, In the camera, I have a role of 400CN Kodak Black and White film with 9 out of 24 exposure shots taken. Will the whole roll of film get ruined or just the ones I took the shots with?

Answer 1

They claim it won't , but I've had it happen to me. It used to be that you showed them the camera, remove the lens, etc. so they can see it's real - but this may not apply these days. You're better off finishing the roll - just to make sure. Put them in your carry on luggage, and then you can show them at the security check. Since the machine can't see through metal, there's no reason to x-ray it.

Answer 2

They say the x-rays won't hurt any "normal" film, I guess meaning anything from ISO 50 to 400. I ALWAYS have them hand inspect my film. If they tell me that I don't need to worry about my 100 speed, etc., I lie and tell them I "rate the film" at different speeds, so I might actually push this roll of 100 three stops so it will behave more like a high speed film, and that for that reason, it can get fogged by the machines. They usually don't know what I'm talking about and just go ahead and oblige my request.

Since 9-11, I've had my film hand inspected about 12 times; and no TSA person has ever flat-out refused. Most airports have a system where they swab it and put the swabs into a "bomb sniffer" unit.

Okay, so what about the film in your camera? Some older cameras can be rewound almost all the way, that is you can push the rewind button on the bottom and manually wind the thing until you hear the film come off the uptake reel. Then, you can reload the whole roll and just advance an extra picture to get to just beyond where you left off. This is hard with cameras with electric winders, and if your camera only runs on fully-automatic mode, it might be hard to get back to that picture you were on without having to reexpose the frames.

What I would recommend for 400 speed film (that's nice stuff, the CN, by the way), is to advance the film a few frames before you go through the xray. That way, all your exposed frames will be somewhat "protected" by throwaway frames. 2-3 shots should be okay. Take a picture of a lightbulb or something so they don't print it at the lab and charge you.

Then, when you get through the xray, shoot a couple more to get to fresh, unblemished film. This would be my Modus Operandi.

Glad to hear you're shooting film, by the way.

Answer 3

Take all the film out of your cameras and put everything in one plastic bag. For the cost of a partial roll of film it is not worth the hassle.

Send your bag through the machine and also let them hand inspect the contents if they want - some do, some don't.

Insist on hand inspection of all the film. If you will be going through multiple airports and x-rays, then the effect is cumulative.

I have never had a problem doing this.

And by the way, film that is exposed in the camera is on a take-up spool and not inside the canister. Shooting a few frames before and after will not protect you.

All the film will be fogged.

Answer 4

Most US X ray machines will not hurt the film. Other countries, espc. 3rd world, all bets are off.

When a bag goes through, the person will look for something suspicious. If they see something odd, they will "turn up" the juice on the machine.

Just throw your camera in the bag, do nothing special. It will look like a camera and they should have no reason to give it a hot shot of x-rays.

Lots of thing can effect film, age, heat, UV ray. Millions of rolls of film go though xray machines a year, if there were a real problem, you would be told to remove the film.

Sure, there might be some fogging, but I doubt it.

Answer 5

If the x-rays do affect the film, as they might, then it will be the whole film as basically it double exposures the photos you have taken and will expose the others.

I am currently studying physics and so I know that the best way to stop x-rays is by simply putting all the film rolls in a metal case.

It should then be full-proof.

Anyway, you shouldn't worry too much as those military bags are usually quite thick in material.

Answer 6

The answer is, it depends.

The carry-on X-Ray is highly unlikely to harm film of speeds less than 800. It should withstand several passes through that type of machine in the US. Overseas, it is taking a risk even with the hand carry X-Ray. The baggage X-Ray is much stronger, and probably will harm film with one pass.

Light damage will show worse on underexposed shots. Well exposed outdoor shots will not suffer as much. Sometimes you can see the wave form left by the X-Ray as it passes. I have seen the shape of things inside the bag with the film in the suitcase.

I usually request a hand check of film. I have it out of the carton in clear canisters in a Ziploc bag. It is a regulation in USA that TSA is required to hand inspect film 800 and above if requested. I have never had them refuse, but I wouldn't argue with them if they did. Too much risk of being delayed for the 3rd degree.

X-Ray damage is cumulative, just like it is in your body. Every pass adds to the risk of damage. If I were expecting to go through many X-Rays overseas, I would either ship my film or buy it there and ship it back home through a courier.

Answer 7

It can be ruined, no matter what TSA claims. It is damaged to some extent just by going through the machine. And be advised your checked baggage will probably be x-rayed today. Not only that, not every airport will hand inspect your film. So, I either buy film when I get there or order film and have it delivered to the to hotel/motel I where I will be staying. Then, before I leave I mail it to the lab.

Answer 8

haha that guy is a jerk. Yes it is definitely safe. "Every airport is different" is BS. All the X-rays at airport have to follow a certain code. The only thing you would have to worry about is if it gets completely shookin up it will no longer operate but it takes a lot to do that, but even so i suggest you take it with you in your carry on luggage stored away though.

Answer 9

Anything ISO 800 or above will be affected. If you are concerned you can buy film bags designed to protect film from xrays. They are fairly inexpensive and will fit in your duffle bag. Try a developing lab or bhphoto.com