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Irradiated film? Flying with film issues?

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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
I went in to get prints back from the lab the other day where I had used some really old film - a couple Kodak Gold 200 rolls that went bad in 1998 and 2001.

I knew these were probably going to yield 'interesting' results, but didn't expect the questions I received today.

The guy at the lab (who's been doing this film processing thing for probably 50 years - guy has to be like 75) asked me if I had been on a plane with this film, because it looked like it had been 'irradiated'. I told him it was just old film, and that made more sense, but I've been wondering about this ever since - especially because it was the first thing he had asked me.

Has anyone ever had trouble flying back with film, or mailing film back home while they're traveling, and having it get irradiated and fucked up by being on a plane?


Aug 5 2013 7:33AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
I read somewhere that you don't have to take it through the x ray scanners, you can say to NSA/TSA, whichever it is, that you have film and I believe they inspect it
Aug 5 2013 9:34AM
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PBraunstein
Posts: 1448 - Karma: 3,804
Like Magnus said, the issue isnt with actually flying with the film, but rather when you go through security. And Magnus is right, all you have to do is ask them not to put the film through (always tell them its speed 800 or higher because if its lower, they arent suppose to let you skip the xray) and they will just inspect the film and canisters by hand. Last time I flew, I still had a roll in the camera, so they just hand inspected it all and let me on my way.
Aug 5 2013 9:50AM
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PacificRimJob
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Damn, I never even thought about that...

Good call.
Aug 5 2013 10:17AM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7604 - Karma: 20,092
I have had film go through airport security x rays in my bag, and I didn't notice any affect on the flm. You can purchase special film bags for flying that protect it from x rays too.
Aug 5 2013 11:05AM
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Balto
Posts: 25985 - Karma: 4,398
You didn't know this?
Aug 5 2013 11:38AM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
they claim it only affects 800 or higher as mentioned. Also, my grandfather gave me some of his old photo gear, and one of the things was a foil (kind of stiff, assuming its lead) bag that is supposed to protect film from the x-ray scanner.
Aug 5 2013 3:20PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
I rarely fly as it is, and when I have I've just never been shooting film, I guess.

Just one of those things I've never encountered.
Aug 5 2013 3:29PM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,052
haha this thread reminded me i have a roll of expired kodak gold 800 that's been chilling in my backpack now for months and has to have gone through the x ray machine like 10 times. i wonder what it will look like when shot? has anyone said fuck it and shot an obviously fucked up roll?
Aug 5 2013 9:20PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
yeah. I shot a roll of Kodachrome that was 24 years expired, just to say I did it. can't even process it if I wanted to.
Aug 5 2013 9:37PM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
not sure that I understand why you can't process it, but I am also just beginning to dabble in film. Does it simply not react with the chemicals anymore?
Aug 5 2013 9:43PM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,052
has anyone said fuck it and shot an obviously fucked up roll and developed it?
Aug 5 2013 9:47PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kodachrome
Aug 5 2013 9:47PM
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p.hawks
Posts: 2832 - Karma: 581
gotcha. I saw something about processing it as c41, but skipping a step that takes out the silver, or trying to process it as black and white, but wow, quite a process
Aug 5 2013 10:11PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Does it have the s pattern, or the banding pattern on it? I've flown with film a ton of times, and it's only ever happened a few times. It was a few rolls that I had forever. Every time I'd get low, I'd buy more and they just never got used, so they got x rayed quite a few times.
Aug 5 2013 11:52PM
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24704 - Karma: 29,687
Yeah, you can develop it as black and white, but that's a total waste, when you consider what it's made for...

I did hear about somebody using old-school colour filter tactics to make layered colour images with it, though.. which is pretty crazy.
Aug 6 2013 12:35AM
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