Buying film in Times Square NY??

**boriscleto** · 03-16-2013, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

I have never had anyone one question what it is or ask for me to pull it out for a hand inspection.

Phil.

They're too busy searching grandmas in wheelchairs.

stevebrot · 03-16-2013, 03:25 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

The bag is like one of those bibs that your dentist makes you wear when you get your teeth x-rayed.

Cool. I have one of those foil pouches that I bought back in the mid-80s, but this item looks a lot more usable.

Steve

tclausen · 03-16-2013, 11:07 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

So is there some lead foil in the bag somewhere? The item description just says nylon with extra heavy lining. So what happens when they see this opaque rectangle in your bag?

Steve

Honestly?

They turn up, and up, and up the power of the X-ray machine, and run the bag with it through several times, thereby increasing the total dosage that it'll get. Pray that the bag is sufficiently shielded.

A MUCH wiser approach is to ask for hand inspection of the film - the trick that works, even with the backwards TSA-thugs, is to say "technical photography, hand-inspection required", and keep the film in something easy to inspect, like a transparent plastic bag.

Speaking from experience....I spend more time in airports and airplanes than what's considered sane.

tclausen · 03-16-2013, 11:13 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

The bag is like one of those bibs that your dentist makes you wear when you get your teeth x-rayed.

I tuck the film x-ray bag in my camera messenger bag between lenses and my film bodies. I have never had anyone one question what it is or ask for me to pull it out for a hand inspection.

Phil.

They generally recognize what it is (although, I had a TSA thug in ORD once say "what's a film camera?"), and let you though with no problems. The issue is if you're hitting several X-ray machines in a row with the same roll of undeveloped film....I've had them shadow on several occasions in the past.

If using a "run-of-the-mill film" and just subject it to a single x-ray screening or two, it'll probably be OK.

This week, my carry-on has seen 9 X-ray machines in various airports...that's not something I'd expose (pun intended) any film to without expecting shadowing...

Digital is a lot simpler on that front

(Written from the belly of a 747....)

Jonathan Mac · 03-17-2013, 08:10 AM

I'm going to take my chances on finding film there, even if I have to do without the better Portra or 400H. I mean, the greatest city in the world and I won't be able to buy decent film within a few blocks of the city centre? I can't bring myself to believe it.

It's possible I'll be able to pick up something after security in Heathrow, so that would allow me to skip all the x-ray scanners and still have film when I arrive. But it'll probably have to be Superia 400, a film I haven't used before.

**gofour3** · 03-17-2013, 02:08 PM

Originally posted by tclausen

They generally recognize what it is (although, I had a TSA thug in ORD once say "what's a film camera?"), and let you though with no problems. The issue is if you're hitting several X-ray machines in a row with the same roll of undeveloped film....I've had them shadow on several occasions in the past.

If using a "run-of-the-mill film" and just subject it to a single x-ray screening or two, it'll probably be OK.

This week, my carry-on has seen 9 X-ray machines in various airports...that's not something I'd expose (pun intended) any film to without expecting shadowing...

Digital is a lot simpler on that front

(Written from the belly of a 747....)

Yes hand scans are what I try to do, but it’s not always possible. If there is a language barrier or I’m running behind or if it’s really busy I’ll skip the hand scans and leave my film in the x-ray bag. If I ask for a hand scan I just give them the x-ray bag and the film is in plastic bags out of their boxes. (I asked for a hand scan once when the film was sealed in their cardboard boxes and the agent made me open all 30 boxes!)

Slower film (100 ISO or lower) is not an issue with modern airport carry-on x-rays, but never having film going through a machine is always preferred but not always possible. So I’d rather put by film in an x-ray bag if it’s going to be scanned than not.

I’ve never had any issues either way and I’ve been traveling with film since the early 1970’s.

Phil.

tclausen · 03-17-2013, 02:18 PM

Originally posted by gofour3

Yes hand scans are what I try to do, but it’s not always possible. If there is a language barrier or I’m running behind or if it’s really busy I’ll skip the hand scans and leave my film in the x-ray bag. If I ask for a hand scan I just give them the x-ray bag and the film is in plastic bags out of their boxes. (I asked for a hand scan once when the film was sealed in their cardboard boxes and the agent made me open all 30 boxes!)

Slower film (100 ISO or lower) is not an issue with modern airport carry-on x-rays, but never having film going through a machine is always preferred but not always possible. So I’d rather put by film in an x-ray bag if it’s going to be scanned than not.

I’ve never had any issues either way and I’ve been traveling with film since the early 1970’s.

Phil.

Well, my experience is that if there's something they can't easily "see through", such as an X-ray bag for film they'll crank up the radiation and/or send it through multiple times, In either case, causing the films to get possibly even more radiation than having them go through once without said X-ray film bag.

So, I'd say that putting film in an X-ray bag is likely to cause it to get /more/ exposure than without.

That said, as you suggest also....typical consumer films will tolerate a pass or two through the X-ray without much visible damage at normal print-sizes.

Biro · 03-17-2013, 08:28 PM

It was the cranked-up x-ray machines after 9/11 that finally moved me to buy my first digital camera. My wife and I took a long-planned trip to Europe and I didn't want the security oafs on the U.S. side to ruin any film.

Jonathan Mac · 04-03-2013, 10:15 PM

I'm back from my trip. In the end I didn't manage to find any pro colour films at all. I shot one roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 and a couple of rolls of T-Max 400. I haven't used either of those films before so I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out, though I should have gone for lower-ISO colour film.

All the electronics shops that everybody says to avoid like the plague seem to stock Kodak consumer colour films as well as good B&W (is there a bad B&W film???). Walgreens and Duane Reade have Superia 200 & 400, though the latter is expensive packs of 4 rolls of 24 exposures. I went in Willoughby's, who have no film whatsoever (and no Pentax) (and have the gall to call themselves a photography shop), 42nd St Photo, who have very little from what I saw, and J&R (where I got the T-Max), they had some Fuji colour film and a bit of B&W, though it's all on the expensive side. The T-Max was marked as 6.99, but it was where the 100-ISO was supposed to be and should have been 9.99 (!!) but they were good and gave it to me for 6.99 a roll.

**fs999** · 04-04-2013, 02:24 AM

I have never had a single problem with my films, even with the Delta 3200... (they went 4 times in their x-rays machines)

But with a grandma and films in her, you will get in trouble !

Jonathan Mac · 04-04-2013, 05:08 AM

The additional thing to think about is that there are x-ray machines in the Empire State building and the Top Of The Rock (Rockefeller Centre). I had no problem getting all my films manually checked in JFK, but if that had not been the case & if I had taken films with me from Madrid and into each of the buildings they would have been x-rayed a total of five times.

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03-16-2013, 01:28 PM	#16
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	Originally posted by gofour3 I have never had anyone one question what it is or ask for me to pull it out for a hand inspection. Phil. They're too busy searching grandmas in wheelchairs.

03-16-2013, 03:25 PM	#17
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by gofour3 The bag is like one of those bibs that your dentist makes you wear when you get your teeth x-rayed. Cool. I have one of those foil pouches that I bought back in the mid-80s, but this item looks a lot more usable. Steve

03-16-2013, 11:07 PM	#18
tclausen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,397	Originally posted by stevebrot So is there some lead foil in the bag somewhere? The item description just says nylon with extra heavy lining. So what happens when they see this opaque rectangle in your bag? Steve Honestly? They turn up, and up, and up the power of the X-ray machine, and run the bag with it through several times, thereby increasing the total dosage that it'll get. Pray that the bag is sufficiently shielded. A MUCH wiser approach is to ask for hand inspection of the film - the trick that works, even with the backwards TSA-thugs, is to say "technical photography, hand-inspection required", and keep the film in something easy to inspect, like a transparent plastic bag. Speaking from experience....I spend more time in airports and airplanes than what's considered sane.

03-16-2013, 11:13 PM	#19
tclausen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,397	Originally posted by gofour3 The bag is like one of those bibs that your dentist makes you wear when you get your teeth x-rayed. I tuck the film x-ray bag in my camera messenger bag between lenses and my film bodies. I have never had anyone one question what it is or ask for me to pull it out for a hand inspection. Phil. They generally recognize what it is (although, I had a TSA thug in ORD once say "what's a film camera?"), and let you though with no problems. The issue is if you're hitting several X-ray machines in a row with the same roll of undeveloped film....I've had them shadow on several occasions in the past. If using a "run-of-the-mill film" and just subject it to a single x-ray screening or two, it'll probably be OK. This week, my carry-on has seen 9 X-ray machines in various airports...that's not something I'd expose (pun intended) any film to without expecting shadowing... Digital is a lot simpler on that front (Written from the belly of a 747....)

03-17-2013, 08:10 AM	#20
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911 Original Poster	I'm going to take my chances on finding film there, even if I have to do without the better Portra or 400H. I mean, the greatest city in the world and I won't be able to buy decent film within a few blocks of the city centre? I can't bring myself to believe it. It's possible I'll be able to pick up something after security in Heathrow, so that would allow me to skip all the x-ray scanners and still have film when I arrive. But it'll probably have to be Superia 400, a film I haven't used before.

03-17-2013, 02:08 PM	#21
gofour3 Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 8,092	Originally posted by tclausen They generally recognize what it is (although, I had a TSA thug in ORD once say "what's a film camera?"), and let you though with no problems. The issue is if you're hitting several X-ray machines in a row with the same roll of undeveloped film....I've had them shadow on several occasions in the past. If using a "run-of-the-mill film" and just subject it to a single x-ray screening or two, it'll probably be OK. This week, my carry-on has seen 9 X-ray machines in various airports...that's not something I'd expose (pun intended) any film to without expecting shadowing... Digital is a lot simpler on that front (Written from the belly of a 747....) Yes hand scans are what I try to do, but it’s not always possible. If there is a language barrier or I’m running behind or if it’s really busy I’ll skip the hand scans and leave my film in the x-ray bag. If I ask for a hand scan I just give them the x-ray bag and the film is in plastic bags out of their boxes. (I asked for a hand scan once when the film was sealed in their cardboard boxes and the agent made me open all 30 boxes!) Slower film (100 ISO or lower) is not an issue with modern airport carry-on x-rays, but never having film going through a machine is always preferred but not always possible. So I’d rather put by film in an x-ray bag if it’s going to be scanned than not. I’ve never had any issues either way and I’ve been traveling with film since the early 1970’s. Phil.

03-17-2013, 02:18 PM	#22
tclausen Veteran Member Join Date: May 2012 Posts: 1,397	Originally posted by gofour3 Yes hand scans are what I try to do, but it’s not always possible. If there is a language barrier or I’m running behind or if it’s really busy I’ll skip the hand scans and leave my film in the x-ray bag. If I ask for a hand scan I just give them the x-ray bag and the film is in plastic bags out of their boxes. (I asked for a hand scan once when the film was sealed in their cardboard boxes and the agent made me open all 30 boxes!) Slower film (100 ISO or lower) is not an issue with modern airport carry-on x-rays, but never having film going through a machine is always preferred but not always possible. So I’d rather put by film in an x-ray bag if it’s going to be scanned than not. I’ve never had any issues either way and I’ve been traveling with film since the early 1970’s. Phil. Well, my experience is that if there's something they can't easily "see through", such as an X-ray bag for film they'll crank up the radiation and/or send it through multiple times, In either case, causing the films to get possibly even more radiation than having them go through once without said X-ray film bag. So, I'd say that putting film in an X-ray bag is likely to cause it to get /more/ exposure than without. That said, as you suggest also....typical consumer films will tolerate a pass or two through the X-ray without much visible damage at normal print-sizes.

03-17-2013, 08:28 PM	#23
Biro Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,200	It was the cranked-up x-ray machines after 9/11 that finally moved me to buy my first digital camera. My wife and I took a long-planned trip to Europe and I didn't want the security oafs on the U.S. side to ruin any film.

04-03-2013, 10:15 PM	#24
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911 Original Poster	I'm back from my trip. In the end I didn't manage to find any pro colour films at all. I shot one roll of Kodak Ultramax 400 and a couple of rolls of T-Max 400. I haven't used either of those films before so I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out, though I should have gone for lower-ISO colour film. All the electronics shops that everybody says to avoid like the plague seem to stock Kodak consumer colour films as well as good B&W (is there a bad B&W film???). Walgreens and Duane Reade have Superia 200 & 400, though the latter is expensive packs of 4 rolls of 24 exposures. I went in Willoughby's, who have no film whatsoever (and no Pentax) (and have the gall to call themselves a photography shop), 42nd St Photo, who have very little from what I saw, and J&R (where I got the T-Max), they had some Fuji colour film and a bit of B&W, though it's all on the expensive side. The T-Max was marked as 6.99, but it was where the 100-ISO was supposed to be and should have been 9.99 (!!) but they were good and gave it to me for 6.99 a roll.

04-04-2013, 02:24 AM	#25
fs999 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Luxembourg Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,646	I have never had a single problem with my films, even with the Delta 3200... (they went 4 times in their x-rays machines) But with a grandma and films in her, you will get in trouble !

04-04-2013, 05:08 AM	#26
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,911 Original Poster	The additional thing to think about is that there are x-ray machines in the Empire State building and the Top Of The Rock (Rockefeller Centre). I had no problem getting all my films manually checked in JFK, but if that had not been the case & if I had taken films with me from Madrid and into each of the buildings they would have been x-rayed a total of five times.