Reviews
How to travel with film in a film camera?
I’m going on vacation in a few days and I heard that they make you check your camera and film. Right now I have film in my camera already (the role is about halfway done) and I’m leaving it in there to take pictures of the place I’m traveling to.
What precautions can I take to make sure my film doesn’t get destroyed? Is it even worth it?
about 2 years ago
Buy some fresh film and leave this roll at home.
Do not check your camera or your film – carry it on board in a small camera bag. There should not be film in the camera when you go through security. Security will put the camera through the xray, but if you mix both fast and slow film together, they have to hand check the film. I do this whenever I go through the airport so I don’t have to worry about my film being xray-ed. I don’t normally shoot 3200 film, but I keep a few rolls just for this purpose.
Be nice to the TSA guys, and they’ll be okay about it.
about 2 years ago
Who told you you had to check your camera and film.
That is the WORSE thing you could do:
1) the extrememly high powered X-Rays all the checked baggage goes through will fog your film
2) since you can no longer lock your baggage, it is easy for things to get “lost”.
Carry ALL your camera gear, film and notebook computer. The notebook is your “purse” and your camera gear goes in your carry on
about 2 years ago
In addition to all that wisdom above, I’d like to point out you can rewind your roll of film (just until you feel it release; not all the way in) and take it out of the camera. If you must, for any reason, open the back. Then you can reload it and fast-forward to the frame (or one frame beyond) what you were at. Just shoot at the smallest aperture and fastest shutter speed with the lens cap on, in dim light (being overly cautious here) to “fast-forward”.
about 2 years ago
Carry your camera and film with you as hand luggage.
The x-ray machines for hand baggage are safe for film (unless you are going through about 10+ times).
It is best not to have a film in the camera as it is quite possible in these days that you will be asked to open the back.
It is easy enough to wind the film you have back into the cannister (don’t wind it far enough to lose the leader).
Just note what frame you are on. Wind it back and remove the cannister.
When through control put it back in, set camera on manual and keep the lens cap on. Use the highest shutter speed and go forward to a couple of frames after you noted down. You lose a couple of frames but better that than some ignorant security guard opening the back and ruining most of the frames you have already taken.
about 2 years ago
1st, never ever put your camera (or anything else of value – now that we can’t lock suitcases) in your checked luggage. Things are stolen by baggage handlers all the time. Something like a camera could be mighty tempting to some of the people who work those jobs.
Keep your camera with you in your carry on.
Ask the security screeners if you can pass the camera by them, since it is film-based, rather than sending it through the Xray machine your carry on and shoes will go through.
They were tell you that if you are using less than ASA/ISO 400 film it will be fine. Ask again, pleasantly if they can hand screen since the shots are important and irreplaceable. So know what ISO film it is…if you really want the camera hand screened, tell them it is “high spd film”.
If they insist that it’s either Xray the camera or forfeit it. Then you’ll have to put the camera in the bucket and have it Xrayed. But the pics may fog or discolor. Best is to finish rolls and not have active film in the camera.
If you are carrying spare rolls of film (exposed or not) put them in a lead photography bag in your carry on. That special bag that is available for purchase in camera stores or online will protect against Xrays. But they will only let you put the film in it. Not a camera. And not a camera containing film.