Who am I to tell you about traveling with film? Over the last year and a bit, I’ve shot over 300 rolls of film, traveled at least once a month and taken all different types of film through X-Rays up to 15 times before being developed. As is usual, most of the articles on traveling with film are written by people who have never actually travelled with film, or at best traveled one time and decided they are qualified to give people advice. These are typical opinions (not facts) and as is the case with many articles and blog posts on the Internet, are given by panic stricken amateurs who have nothing better to do than make up so called advice.
From my experience, you have absolutely nothing to worry about when traveling with film. Sure, most of my trips are short haul and single destination so I’m going through about 4-5 X-Rays. A few of my trips are multi-destination and more importantly, multi airport, and I’ve gone through X-Rays 16 times without anything happening. If you’re traveling with film, stop reading all the outright false information out there and don’t worry because it’s fine traveling with film. Some people have suggested buying X-Ray bags, and of course then give you a hot link to buy it. Forget about that, that’ll just get the X-Ray guy to turn up the X-Ray and make things worse. There is only one piece of advice that I’ve read to be true, and that’s not to put Film in checked in baggage. For all I know that could be bullshit too, but I’ve never tried it so can’t say, but it’s pretty well accepted that film in checked in baggage is the real problem.
Forget about asking for hand inspections, you’re only going to be that person that holds up others, for nothing. I’ve never once asked for a hand check and never had a problem traveling with film going through multiple X-Rays. In China, there’s X-Ray machines when you want to go for a piss, they’re all over the place. Don’t worry about it. Some of the X-Ray machines say “Film Safe”. I have no idea if they actually are, but again, there’s no need to panic, stick it in and I’m sure you’ll be fine. I don’t think it matters what type of film you take through X-Rays, I’ve taken HP5, Fuji Provia 400X, Velvia, all types of Colour Negative and Colour negative film as well as Black and White, and never once had a problem. I’d say on my average trip, the film goes through 4-8 X-Rays.
One caveat: I have never travelled with anything higher than a 400 speed film. Apparently films above 1600 ISO are much more susceptible to “damage” so I’d be careful about that, but who knows, that could be a load of shite too. I’ve only come across one other person on the Internet who has said don’t worry about traveling with film, and he had obviously travelled to a lot of places, whereas all the panic stricken comments and advice came from people who think traveling from LA to San Diego is a long haul flight, or had absolutely no experience but decided they would chime in.
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