Metal detector

[Stitchawl]

Hmmmm.... May have spoken too soon...

I'm in the airport in Tokyo right now having put my e-book through several X-ray machines during this trip, and I just noticed that the ending of the book I've been reading has become quite transparent...

Stitchawl

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

X-Rays won't have any effect on e-book readers, laptops, digital cameras, MP3 players, etc. Frankly, I never even had any bad results putting camera FILM through the scanners, and I did that often! The dosage isn't really high enough to cause damage except in much older model machines. No harm will come to your books, music or data because of the scanners.

Stitchawl

I did have a bunch of film ruined one time when I forgot & sent them through the scanner. It can happen, and made me pretty nervous.

No problems with the eReader in my travel purse. I've flown at least 10 times with the thing, and occassionally someone will ask me to pull it out just because they don't know what it is, but there has never been a problem/issue with it.

Sayhello

[doreenjoy]

I've been told the film ISO is the key factor. Higher ISO film can be degraded by the X-ray machine, apparently.

Ah, film...makes me all nostalgic to think about those old darkrooms.

[Kris777]

Originally Posted by netseeker

As i already said i never got a problem with the PRS-505 inside the hand baggage. From time to time a guard want to see it after scanning the baggage and then i've to unpack it and turn it on (like you have to do with laptops). It was never a big deal...

I never had a problem with my jetBook in airports too.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I've been told the film ISO is the key factor. Higher ISO film can be degraded by the X-ray machine, apparently.

Ah, film...makes me all nostalgic to think about those old darkrooms.

I'm going to get seriously off topic....

A featured columnist from 'Popular Photography' (I believe it was Herb Keppler. He just passed away last January,) used to have a standing offer of a cash award for anyone who could send him the negatives ruined by X-ray scanners to use in his column. He never received any.

There was always a lot of talk about this problem, plenty of lead-lined bags sold to protect from this problem, but never any proof that the problem actually existed, only anecdotal evidence. Personally, I carried thousands of rolls of film, both high and low ISO (in those days we called it ASA) shot all over the world, going through airport security scanners in dozens of Third World countries using the extreme exposure machines, and never had a single damaged negative to send to Keppler so I could collect his reward! I always asked to have my film bag hand checked, but many, many times the security people refused and just put the bag though the scanner.

I even tried to get ruined rolls! 15 years ago I put 1600 ISO (ASA) Kodak film (without lead-lined protective bags) into my checked baggage going through an airport on an island in the Micronesian chain. I was able to see the security screen while the bag when through the high dose scanner used for checked baggage. I could clearly see each roll of film. In fact, I asked the guard if he could increase the dosage, which he did. (It was late at night and few people on the check-in line.) These were rolls of film that I had just snapped around the island for the purpose of the experiment so I wasn't going to lose anything valuable if they were ruined. After development, there wasn't one single piece of streaking, blurring, or snow pattern on any of the photographs. None! High ISO film, high dosage X-rays from an older scanner, excessive exposure, and no protection. Yet I still was unable to collect on Keppler's award!

This is still anecdotal evidence. We know for a fact that X-rays 'can' and do show up on X-ray film. We just don't know for a fact that the scanners in airports have any effect on camera film. What we do know is that the X-ray machines have no negative effect on our e-book readers or other electronic devices. And personally, I don't miss darkrooms at all!

Stitchawl

[sayhello]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I'm going to get seriously off topic....

A featured columnist from 'Popular Photography' (I believe it was Herb Keppler. He just passed away last January,) used to have a standing offer of a cash award for anyone who could send him the negatives ruined by X-ray scanners to use in his column. He never received any.

Too bad I didn't know about that offer. I'd have made some money. The film I remembered to have checked manually was fine, the stuff I forgot in the carryone was ruined.

Sayhello

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by sayhello

Too bad I didn't know about that offer. I'd have made some money. The film I remembered to have checked manually was fine, the stuff I forgot in the carryone was ruined.

Sayhello

Yes, too bad. He had the offer open for several years, and frequently used this theme for his column. What was the effect that you had; streaks, snow, or blurring? These were the assumed problems. I'd venture to guess that there would be a few photo mags around that would still be willing to pay for this proof. At this point it is still just another urban legend in the photo world, though many photographers tried to get evidence.

Stitchawl

[doreenjoy]

I had a roll of film turn blurry with odd blue shadows, but I was never sure if it was the X-ray machine or just ancient film that had been sitting on the shelf for far too long in the Mexican store I bought it from.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by doreenjoy

I had a roll of film turn blurry with odd blue shadows, but I was never sure if it was the X-ray machine or just ancient film that had been sitting on the shelf for far too long in the Mexican store I bought it from.

X-rays, if having any effect, wouldn't cause color changes, so no blue from them. That was a common problem with out-of-date film though. Sounds as if your film was past it's 'use by' date. That causes a lot of color distortion. Blurring was thought to be a problem caused by the X-rays, but it would be in thin strips only, rather than across the entire photo. Just the edge of the canister facing the scanner and receiving the rays would be affected, so only thin lines spaced along the length of the film. Or at least, so went the prevailing theory.

'Pro film' is always stored in a refrigerator and is sold 'green,' (i.e. not 'ripe' yet) with the idea that it will be at the perfect point of chemical 'readiness' by the time the pro shoots it. We even carried our film in cooler boxes when shooting in tropical climates. It was the only way to get correct color when shooting slide film. Consumer film sold in tourist shops may or may not be 'fresh,' depending upon where you find it. I saw some film being sold in Bali that was four years past expiration date! These days, buying film is getting more and more difficult as fewer places stock it and shops try to get rid of what they have stored, so for people still shooting with it, it's important to check the dates on the boxes.

Stitchawl

[carpetmojo]

I was detained by airport police once , while they sent for a "proper cop" because I'd completely forgotten about a pair of small fold-up scissors in my "bag of many pockets" that is my constant "carry-on" bag - one of those Christmas cracker things you think "that's a clever idea, I'll hang on to that" and promptly put somewhere and forget all about.
It had been in the bag for at least 4 years, and gone through a lot of airport scanners in the interim ! And never used, or even impinged on my consciousness once .......

Cops (2 were summoned in case I made a run for it) were very understanding - but still confiscated it !

Which, to be honest, was the probably right thing to do - I did wonder about nail clippers, but forgot to ask in the relief of not being bunged in the Tower.....

Probably not, if they incorporate a nail file.

[Pinecone]

I have been flying internationally with my PRS-600 and then PRS-650 for at least 3 years. And I fly a LOT.

I have it in my carry on bag, I have never taken it out of the bag, and only one had to take it out. And that was CDG (Paris) and they wanted EVERYTHING electronic out of the bag, including cables. After I was about half way through, they said to stop, it was OK, but I continued, until EVERYTHING was out. Then I stood in the way and put everything back, in its proper place.

[khalleron]

Don't resurrect three year old threads, folks.

[tvuongpham]

For the surest passage thru TSA (and or whatever they call it in Canada) place all electronics on the xray belt. Laptops in a separate tray, as well as cell phones.. forgot about my second laptop and left it inside the carry on luggage.. it was fished out by me at their request and put thru again. The ipad and T1 went thru the backpack fine. Ironically my xray friendly Brenthaven backpack with the butterfly zipper was request to be removed from the laptop compartment (strange cuz when it is unzipped) it is just like a laptop sleeve.. oh well. I don't need to hassle the security ppl, they are not on a schedule to be on a plane.. a delay for them is no big deal.. they get paid by the hour!

I also take off watch, belt, shoes and some scatter xrays require all papers to be out of your pockets. Mark my words.. in the future we will all be required to wear issued spandex flight suits- unitards.. lol

Of course you can request a hand screen, but dont be screaming "Don't touch my junk!" that is old news.. haha