Tips for Traveling with Film

[@ejorbe]

Thanks for talking about the lead bags, I was wondering about how they handle the bags at security. The advice I was given was, depending on where you are going, research where there is a reputable film developer, buy your film at your destination and process it there as well. Granted, prices could be a factor in different countries.

[@SPTSuperSprinter156]

I'd rather pay a bit more to have film developed locally than risk priceless photos getting fogged out. That said the key takeaways I have for travelling with film nowadays is either don't risk it at all or only carry sub ISO 400 stuff.

[@ImSimplyAlwaysBored]

When I took a roll of 800T to Honduras, they looked at me like I was crazy for telling them that it would ruin my film. I told them I’m a developer. They just laughed. I had to give up because I’m not trying to argue. My film was fine luckily.

[@biabragam]

Just got 3 rolls of film from my recent trip back from the lab. They have been scanned at least 7 times, 2 of which were on CT scanners. Being on a tight schedule, I didn’t ask for a hand inspection not even once during the entire trip. I bought a Domke bag to help protect them but I was caught off guard on two occasions (namely, during museum visits) where I had to put my loaded camera through the X Ray and didn’t have the lead bag on me. So with that said: I think they turned pretty neat! They were all 400 ISO so some damage was expected but nothing as bad as it could happen on a 3200 ISO for example. The colors look pretty good, even better in shots taken during the most sunny hours of the day. The only things I noticed were a darkening on the edges of some shots, which made some of them look like they were taken in the late afternoon when in reality they were taken at about 2PM; the other thing was a very subtle yellow line that is visible in some of the shots. All in all here’s my final take on it: don’t worry! Pack some films and go have fun in your trip. A Domke bag will definitely add an extra layer of protection, as well as give you some peace of mind. If you are too precious even with the most minimum details of a shot, you may feel discontent with the results. However, if you are like me and you goal is to have fun and capture some cool memories you are going to be just fine! For people who work with professional photography though, I guess it’s all going to depend on your style, personal preferences and of course, what your client desire. But since that’s not my case, I don’t feel knowledgeable enough in the topic to discuss my opinion. Hope everyone has fun out there! Just relax and enjoy your future trips with lots and lots of cool pictures!

[@frstesiste7670]

I dont travel (on planes) with film anymore and when I did I tried to travel with as little as possible. Just one film in the camera and one extra usually, then I'd buy whatever I needed at the destination. Going back I tried to get it developed before my return flight. Of course that's not possible on all trips, but it avoids the problem or at least most of it when it is. Btw, never had any film destroyed by the scanning and usually it was possible to get it hand checked.

[@jmagnuson17]

Keep an empty or old CineStill 800T canister or something higher like TMax 3200 in your film bag so there’s more justification for a hand check.

[@rangeranthony3845]

Try going through LAX or any Intl airport with a huge line, and ask for a "Hand Check", good luck if you do. When people make these videos, they forget about reality, which is where things actually happen, Next time your in an airport take a look around, protecting film photographers is not on the mind of anybody there. And while you're in the security line, chances are you will likely not even have the chance to ask, and if you do, the agent will most likely be annoyed and not want to help, remember they are looking for weapons and things that can hurt people. Also, in any country outside the US, they look at you like your crazy and tell you to keep moving. So, travel with slower speed film and just hope for the best. I have put my film through many scanners and never have noticed any serious fogging.

[@aidencampbell]

@@rangeranthony3845 I went through JFK with 4 lines of security completely loaded i hardly got a chance to ask but when i did they called out for a handcheck and everything went fine. Guess it depends on what day you get and what agents are on because i'm sure some are more willing than others. Granted in heathrow it was a different story but its mostly about how lucky you are.

[@randallstewart175]

I used to take 10 days trips to the SW USA for landscape photography. Many years ago, I flew to Los Vegas and drove from there, and the TSA was still a gleam in some bureaucrat's eye. Thereafter, I found driving the whole trip to work better, having my preferred vehicle fully equipped. Initially, I had a small 12 volt cooler to keep a few items and my film, but those units turned out to be mostly junk. In the end, I used a medium sized ice chest for both food and film, bagged and boxed to sort and avoid and water damage. The simplest way always worked out best.

[@markgarcia8253]

I’ve traveled thru Europe without hand checking my film during security. X ray damage doesn’t happen easily even when you check in your bags. Never had a problem

[@theblackmanarmedwithacamera]

THERE NEEDS TO BE A FILM PHOTOGRAPHY BIBLE WITH THIS IN THERE!!!!🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾🤘🏾

[@damium5]

Travelled to Vietnam for Work and brought some film with me and I have noticed that TSA doesn't let you hand check film. They say that their safe. This happened in Milan airport and Singapore airport. the singapore airport had a few stickers with written "filmsafe" on the scanners.

[@milandinh4543]

Could I please ask whether you had a similar experience when flying from Vietnam to somewhere else? Im going to vietnam and want to bring some film back when I return but I'm not sure how to transport it. One of my local film shops said that its fine to just have it in the carry-on bag and leave it as it's safe but im not sure. Do you have any tips?

[@ashtonangle]

that’s a nice sweater

[@Chapter6]

didn't know that x-ray can damage the film :/ Thanks for sharing!

[@smitz001]

I've never had a roll of film be fogged by a scanner. Even 800T

[@harvestheverest]

Google said airport scanners doesn't usually affect films with a lower ISO than 800, idk if that's true tho

[@Crittbeast]

What about a camera already loaded with a partially exposed roll of film? Just put it through the X-ray and pray? 😂 If they ask for a hand check they may ask to open the assembly which would ruin my exposures.

[@markgarcia8253]

Got my film scanned twice at the Vatican. No problems at all

[@DevonChristopherAdams]

@@markgarcia8253 Vatican security scan machine is not the same as airport scanners.

[@madisonbeard3548]

Oh my god i could have used this a month ago. But I’m grateful so thank you

[@vladshishkin2165]

So interesting to watch! Thank you🙏

[@juanlatorre8939]

Great tips! Thank you 🙂. My question is: When the film travels from the factory to retailers in other continents all over the world, isn’t it scanned for security in customs anyway? Thanks again!

[@CineStillFilm]

That's a great question! During the shipping process, our film shipments are labeled as unprocessed photographic film which lets transport companies know not to scan the shipments with potentially harmful X-Rays.

[@AcmeCamera]

I've never had an issue with hand checks , especially because I shoot mainly 800 and 3200 films, but my last go through with TSA was a mess. I had to open all of the original boxes/packaging so they could see the actual roll of film, they tried telling me the film would require going through the scanner otherwise. real annoyance and time consumer. bunch of my 120 3200 rolls got sent through anyways.

[@daverojo77]

which airport was that?

[@AcmeCamera]

@@daverojo77 it was Oakland

[@oCorvus]

Yeah every time I’ve gotten a hand check they have opened my film cases and swabbed each roll, for 35mm they even opened each plastic tube thing to swab the roll inside.

[@Art-cq1zy]

@@AcmeCamera was the film ruined? They sent it thru even after hand checking? Weird

[@raysanimealmanac2640]

Super informative!

[@trystanmentoor4740]

I'd store my film in a cooler bag for roadtrips

[@gavin.wparsons3048]

linus go hard

[@Thorpal]

Best and mostly unrealistic advice : having diplomatic passport. Then no one will dare to check your luggage !

[@RYANPARKPHOTOGRAPHY]

Thanks for sharing 😍

[@jabez1409]

Any tips for cameras? ? Say I was travelling with a standard camera bag.

[@GiancarloBenzina]

Well done, but actually, all film over iso200 is impacted relevantly, all colorfilm of any iso. With luck and without reference you may not notice it, but it’s always affected at least ever so slightly. Shipping isn’t safe either unless domestic within a region that has no anti-criminal (drugs/weapons smuggling) or refugee x-ray scanning of the vehicles/trucks, or doesn’t ship by air which then goes throu the airport x-rays again. Hand-Check! Always and declare the film as higher ISO or medical sensitive film only on the bag, while the bag contains mostly your normal film and some sensitive (re-used/dead) examples to solidify your argument. Ask them to hand sniff-swipe your computer and pull your film out for that, too. Best: buy film local and develop local, print at home

[@anneshotfilm]

Every single time I have travelled with film, security has always refused hand check. Either get it developed before flying or take the risk

[@ReimannPembroke]

Great video! I’m traveling to Lake Havasu City, Arizona for the holidays to shoot some sweet new film photography content🎥📸🎞

[@cstpa1]

I'm nervous 😩

[@j4s0n67]

If you take this kind of precautions, does it still effect the film result no matter how careful your being?

[@brentjohnson7854]

Nikon EM

[@felixand781]

Linus😍

[@laurasistero9043]

I wish this worked, but it wasn't. In Madrid-Barajas they forced me to scan all my film or I was not getting the flight, they were really rude at me. I tried to explain that I had more than 1000€ in film there, and it's not only that, it's the whole cost of my photographic trip. If the films are damaged, I'm wasting so much money for nothing (of course a life experience blabla, but you know...). They told me that if it's under 1200 ISO it's ok :_( it was a traumatic experience. I'm using the film right now, let's see what happens.

[@wayofpain]

How did it go ? Everything ok ?

[@emmanueltsI5]

Any feedback after 5 months please?

[@jlaw8882]

Don't travel with film. I asked for a hand check of my film and they said "either put it in the scanner, or put it in the bin, your choice sir". So I put it in the scanner and they double scanned it... Not to mention Hotels that now want a scan of your bags too.

[@linusandhiscamera]

whoever let this guy wear sunglasses indoors needs to be FIRED immediately!! the ego...happy holidays y'all, safe travels (for you and your film!

[@okthen8445]

I took it as a transition thing. Like walking into the new scene from the former

[@charlysantos409]

when do i know when to tell them for a hand-check?

[@CineStillFilm]

the best is usually when you are loading your things on the conveyor belt to get scanned, tell one of the agents you need a hand-check for your film

[@cggg490]

Thanks. Helpful tips. What about a loaded film camera? I’m assuming should also be handchecked?

[@lorisruffino347]

What do I do with the not-fully-exposed-film in my camera when going through the check-in at the airport?

[@ATI726]

Just avoid that. In my case, they didn't accept the manual check. I had to roll up the film because the camera MUST go through the X-RAY in any case.

[@DevonChristopherAdams]

Correct, Always finish the film before you get on the plane. There shouldn't be any film in your cameras while flying.

[@grifftur]

Just don't do the lead lined bag. I speak from experience. And not just once or twice. It just complicates things and ends in them scanning your film anyway.

[@johnnyaloha2468]

There is really no reason to have security hand check your film. I have traveled for years with carry on film and never once tried having security hand check it and never had any film damaged from the scanners. It’s just an urban legend.

[@chesslover8829]

Really? I've had my film ruined by airport scanners.