2014General Discussion forum
Hand-checking high-ISO film on international flights and airport X-ray risks
12 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- High-ISO film such as 3200 stock carries greater risk of damage from airport X-ray machines compared to lower speeds
- Passengers in the United States have the legal right to request hand-inspection of film instead of X-ray scanning
- Outside the United States, airport security personnel may refuse hand-inspection requests and may not be obligated to comply
- Lead bags can reduce X-ray impact on film if hand-inspection is refused and the film must go through the machine
- X-ray damage to film can be detected by laboratories through unique radiation signatures left by specific machines
- Purchasing film at the destination and developing it before returning home eliminates transportation risks entirely
- Some airports mark film as safe up to 800 ISO, suggesting higher ratings carry unknown risk
Depends on
- Experience reported from 2014; current airport policies may differ
- The hand-checking right in the US applies to passengers but enforcement varies by airport and personnel
- One participant noted difficulty obtaining hand-inspection specifically at London Heathrow, though this was described as historical
- No definitive data provided on actual damage rates at specific ISO speeds or specific international airports
- Experience with lead bags shows mixed results with varying levels of protection