Camera Film And Airport X Ray Machines

X ray machines affect your film.

Camera film and airport x ray machines. Film in checked in luggage will be most likely affected. In the past the carry on x ray scanners did not damage the film. The orientation of the fog stripe depends on the orientation of the film in the scanner relative to the x ray beam. But since the end of 2019 new scanners are being installed in certain airports.

Most agree that putting digital cameras and memory cards through airport x ray machines does not cause any harm. Exposure from checked baggage scanners can have an extreme effect and fog film. To prevent possible fogging of unexposed film during x ray inspection of luggage at airports it is recommended that all film and cameras loaded with film are carried as hand luggage and not transported in hold luggage. It is common to find x ray machines outside the us that can impact film lower than iso 800 with a single pass.

There are a limited number of screening checkpoints that use x ray equipment that may. Most x ray machines used to screen carry on bags should not damage undeveloped film under asa iso 800. Fog typically appears as soft edged bands 1 4 to 3 8 inch 1 to 1 5 cm wide. Note that x ray machines outside the us aren t always regulated in terms of exposure they produce on film.

I consider it especially important to insist on hand checks for film outside the us for this reason. If facilities are available then a manual hand search should be requested.