Can pushed low-ISO film be hand-inspected at airport security?
Asked 1/31/2014
2 views
2 answers
0
Airport security often allows hand inspection for film rated ISO 800 and above. If I shoot a lower-ISO film stock but plan to push it in development, does that make it more vulnerable to airport x-rays? Is it worth asking for hand inspection anyway, even if the roll is labeled as a lower ISO film?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
You don't actually "push" the film until it is developed. When you shoot it you are just underexposing it. That said, if the film is pushed in processing it will cause any effects of any x-rays it was exposed to to be pushed as well.
As far as to whether it is even worth trying to get such a roll hand inspected: it probably is since the worst that will likely happen is they say "No" and run it through the x-ray anyway. You might make some small, simple paper labels you could attach to the film saying "expose/process @ ISO1000". This would lend credence to your plans to push the processing.
Whether there would be any actual benefit from not running it through the x-ray could best be answered by shooting an experimental roll, running it through an airport x-ray, and then pushing it in processing to see if the x-rays leave any artifacts. But even then the amount of exposure from one x-ray to the next could vary based on the settings of the machine and how fast the conveyor moves the film through.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes, it’s reasonable to ask, but pushing doesn’t change the film until development. When you shoot a low-ISO film as if it were faster, you are mainly underexposing it; the actual “push” happens later in processing.
That means airport staff may still judge the roll by its box speed, not your intended processing. However, if you do push-process later, any x-ray effects on the negative may also become more noticeable. So there can be some benefit to avoiding x-rays if possible.
Practically, it’s still worth politely requesting hand inspection, since the worst likely outcome is that they refuse and send it through the scanner anyway. It may help to label the roll with something like “expose/process at ISO 1000” so your intention is clear.
If you want a definitive answer for your workflow, the best test is empirical: shoot a roll, send it through airport x-ray, then push-process it and compare the results.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why is push processing so popular if film gives the best results at box speed?
How should I travel with undeveloped film through airport security?
How should I rate and develop black-and-white negative film: box speed, overexposure, pull, or push?
How do ISO, exposure, and push processing work with film like Portra 800?
Do you need to use one ISO setting for an entire roll of film?