Unexposed film under X ray...good or bad?

[John Atala]

hey there, is it ok to travel with a few cans of unexposed film in my sfuff...the one that they Xray?

in other words, will xraying my unexposed stock harm it in any way?

 

thanks for your time

[Dan Salzmann]

Check the archives. This topic has been very thoroughly covered.

[John Pytlak RIP]

NEVER put unprocessed film in CHECKED baggage. Today's security measures are very likely to use a high intensity x-ray scanner that will severely fog any speed film.

 

In the USA, the official TSA inspection policy is to honor requests for hand inspection of unprocessed professional or motion picture film in CARRY-ON baggage. Leave plenty of time and bring along a changing bag and a can of "practice" film for the inspector. If lines are long, or the inspectors are hassled, they may not honor your request. The low intensity scanners used for carry-on baggage are less likely to fog film, but the effect of multiple inspections or "back-and-forth" inspection are cumulative, so you want to avoid putting film through them if at all possible.

 

Magnetometers (metal detectors), wands, and explosive sniffers will not harm film.

 

Best policy is to have Kodak supply film to your location, and have it processed in a local lab. Most air freight companies (e.g., Fed-Ex, Airborne, DHL, Emory, UPS) will accept unprocessed film if properly identified and labeled per their policies. Bonded "known shipper" status helps expedite shipping.

 

Here is the information on the Kodak website:

 

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/tib/tib5201.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/...portation.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/...l/xrayAir.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/...cal/xray4.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/h340.shtml

 

Here is the official TSA policy (carry a copy to show the inspectors):

 

http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?content=09000519800a59a7

[John Atala]

thanks for that john, i think ill get a lead bag...

[John Pytlak RIP]

Using a lead bag just makes the inspector intensify the x-ray exposure, or pull it out for a hand inspection. They aren't going to ignore that big unknown image they see in your baggage.

[Alessandro Machi]

John, I just sent 7 cartridges of Super-8 Kodachrome 40 to Dwaynes in Parson's Kansas from Los Angeles via Fed-EX overnight, do I have to worry about Fed-ex-Xrays?

[John Pytlak RIP]

When you ship unprocessed film, you should work with your shipper to properly identify and label the shipment. There is a small chance that a suspicious parcel may be x-rayed unless properly labeled.

[Alessandro Machi]

So If I use a Standard Fed-Ex Box it might still be X-rayed? If that is the case, and they can put "do not X-ray" stickers on the box, does that mean the contents should be inspected by Fed-Ex personnel and then sealed at the Fed-Ex location?

[John Pytlak RIP]

You need to follow the procedures that Fed-Ex uses to identify unprocessed film. It usually would involve identifying the contents on the shipping ticket, and labeling the outside of the box.

[John Atala]

hey guys, a weird brain dropping here.

The reason for my first post here is that im going to LA (from rio de janeiro) in a week or so. my plans were to buy a few cans of 16mm film in LA and fly back w/ them to rio. just to test a new bolex that i got down here for cheap cash. what if i took the bolex up to LA w/ me and shoot a few cans there and then bring the already exposed, but not yet processed film with me.....to process it here ?

 

would the XRAY harm it as it is?

[John Pytlak RIP]

The x-rays affect UNPROCESSED film, whether or not it is exposed. Get your film processed in LA before you return.

[John Atala]

yeh, I was kinda short on cash, but that's how its gonna be.

Any of you people know a good lab in LA, with cheap yet good services ? <_<

 

thanks for your time

[John Pytlak RIP]

Why not buy your film in Brazil, use your camera there, and have the film processed and transferred/printed in a local lab?:

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/order/of...s2.shtml#brazil

 

http://www.kodak.com/lar/es/motion/paises/indexBrasil.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/cluster/lar/es/motion/

 

http://www.kodak.com/cgi-bin/US/en/motion/labs/labSearch.cgi

 

Lab: Casablanca Ltda.

Address: Av. Republica do Libano 372

City: Sao Paulo CEP 04502-000

Phone: 55.12 889.2638

Fax: 55.12 889-2640

 

Lab: Cinema Copiagens Ltda.

Address: R. Sao Vicente 33/47

City: Sao Paulo CEP 01314-010

Phone: 55.12 3107-9585

Fax: 55.12 3107-9585

 

Lab: Curt & Alex Ltda.

Address: R. Miguel Nelson Bechara 329

City: Sao Paulo CEP 02712-130

Phone: 55.12 265.7266

Fax: 55.12 265.0001

 

 

Lab: Labocine Ltda.

Address: Av. 28 de Setembro 168

City: Rio de Janeiro

Phone: 55.21 569.2002

Fax: 55.21 264.1600

 

Lab: Megacolor

Address: Rua Bahia

Address 2: 1172 bairro Higienópolis

City: Sao Paulo CEP 01244-000

Phone: 5511 3664 7004

Fax: 5511 3664 7004

 

Luis Montiero is the manager for Kodak Entertainment Imaging in Brazil:

 

luis.monteiro@kodak.com

 

Telephone: 55 12 39326329

[Nate Downes]

I wish there were a local lab for me for the film I shoot. The local lab won't process Super8 or Black and White. The labs that can handle Vision Super8 film are in Cali (I'm in Florida) and the nearest B&W lab I know of is in new england.

[Alessandro Machi]

You'd think Florida would have a lab or something. Especially when one factors in the retirees who live there as being the same people who would have been shooting Super-8 when they were raising families 20-30 years ago. LOL, they probably still have their cameras.

 

Plus Super-8 Kodachrome looks pretty darn good on beachfront locations.

[John Atala]

Why not buy your film in Brazil, use your camera there, and have the film processed and transferred/printed in a local lab?:

 

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/order/of...s2.shtml#brazil

 

http://www.kodak.com/lar/es/motion/paises/indexBrasil.shtml

 

http://www.kodak.com/cluster/lar/es/motion/

 

http://www.kodak.com/cgi-bin/US/en/motion/labs/labSearch.cgi

 

Lab: Casablanca Ltda.

Address: Av. Republica do Libano 372

City: Sao Paulo CEP 04502-000

Phone: 55.12 889.2638

Fax: 55.12 889-2640

 

Lab: Cinema Copiagens Ltda.

Address: R. Sao Vicente 33/47

City: Sao Paulo CEP 01314-010

Phone: 55.12 3107-9585

Fax: 55.12 3107-9585

 

Lab: Curt & Alex Ltda.

Address: R. Miguel Nelson Bechara 329

City: Sao Paulo CEP 02712-130

Phone: 55.12 265.7266

Fax: 55.12 265.0001

 

 

Lab: Labocine Ltda.

Address: Av. 28 de Setembro 168

City: Rio de Janeiro

Phone: 55.21 569.2002

Fax: 55.21 264.1600

 

Lab: Megacolor

Address: Rua Bahia

Address 2: 1172 bairro Higienópolis

City: Sao Paulo CEP 01244-000

Phone: 5511 3664 7004

Fax: 5511 3664 7004

 

Luis Montiero is the manager for Kodak Entertainment Imaging in Brazil:

 

luis.monteiro@kodak.com

 

Telephone: 55 12 39326329

That was the inicial plan, in fact, once I shot\tested a aaton over here. But the Labs here are way over expensive. If you wish quality, you have to be able to pay the price. Over in LA, the las are cheaper and with quality services. i presume.

[Nate Downes]

You'd think Florida would have a lab or something. Especially when one factors in the retirees who live there as being the same people who would have been shooting Super-8 when they were raising families 20-30 years ago. LOL, they probably still have their cameras.

 

Plus Super-8 Kodachrome looks pretty darn good on beachfront locations.

Would make sence. If I had the money, I'd even start a lab to do this. I know that I'm not the only filmmaker in the area that is fustrated by the lack of Super8 labs, or even moreso the lack of Black and White labs.

[John Atala]

Super8 labs...what are they? coff...

:huh:

[Steve Zimmerman]

Okay... Reviving an old thread here.

 

So we ordered some cans of film directly from Kodak, we asked for ground shipping out of fears of damage by x-rays. They are actually sending it 2nd day air from Ontario! :wacko: Should we be worried about damage? All the threads about this subject are years old.

 

I found this on Kodak's site, but we wanted to hear from real people, nor PR! We are seriously debating sending it back!

http://motion.kodak.com/motion/Support/Technical_Information/Transportation/xrays_damage.htm

 

 

Thanks,

Steve Zimmerman

Edited August 13, 2013 by Steve Zimmerman

[William Mckay]

Please - Can anyone answer this? A professional DP or someone with a production that got multiple cans of film from Kodak by Air? Recently?

 

I'd like to know as well. C'mon guys.

[Dirk DeJonghe]

We get daily shipments of exposed but unprocessed films from all over the globe. Never had a problem with UPS, FEDEX, and similar carriers. All the X-Ray damage we saw was done to films in checked luggage carried by the crew. Israel is particulary bad but also the major airports in Paris for example.

[Steve Zimmerman]

Thanks Dirk! David Mullen also responded and said his major film productions had no problems. We feel better about it now.

 

B)

Edited August 14, 2013 by Steve Zimmerman