June 1998

Vol. 13, No. 6     What's this?

New X-Ray Will Burn Film

from the June, 1998 issue of Undercurrent  

Photographers have long been wary that airport security xray equipment would damage their unprocessed film, despite prominently-posted signs in airports assuring them that their fears were groundless. But a new x-ray device the Federal Aviation Administration has recently put into service in sporadic U.S. locations is virtually guaranteed to ruin photographic film, whether it's packed in checked baggage or in carry-on bags. The machines, which have previously been used internationally but have only recently been put into service in the U.S., are located in only a few cities domestically, but for security reasons the FAA refuses to reveal where they are. To be safe, be sure not to pack unprocessed film. Instead, carry film and pass it around x-ray equipment. As an added precaution, invest in an inexpensive lead-lined bag to guarantee your film isn't accidentally exposed.