Shipping, US, X-ray

[Cornelius68]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any experience with shipping K40 film to the US for processing? I am shipping from Beijing (China) using Fedex, but Fedex doesn't guarantee how it'll be treated at customs. Obviously, there's no point shipping if it's all going to be fogged by x-ray machines. I emailed Dwayne's and was told that because the film is so slow, x-ray is not a problem, but the Kodak website indicates otherwise.

[studiocarter]

Yea, and how about buying film in bulk and shipping it over to Mr. Nowell in London from the US?

If we put the film in lead bags will they up the x-ray intensity?

[odyssic]

Some shipping companies put stickers on their boxes like... photographic film... do not x ray... hand search only. UPS.

I'm not sure about China but you might want to look into a shipping company that can do this.

Steven

[John_Pytlak]

Yea, and how about buying film in bulk and shipping it over to Mr. Nowell in London from the US?

If we put the film in lead bags will they up the x-ray intensity?

Using the lead bags will either cause the inspector to take multiple passes through the machine to try to identify the unknown object, or put the package through a machine with more power (similar to a CAT scan). So it really offers no protection, and may actually result in more x-ray exposure.

Information about film transportation on the Kodak website, including "Do Not X-Ray" package labels:

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/suppo ... 5.10&lc=en

[Cornelius68]

Come on, has no one shipped to Dwayne's from overseas? If Dwayne's the only place to process K40, and Kodachrome is still being used outside of the US, there must be experiences on this particular issue.

[reflex]

Come on, has no one shipped to Dwayne's from overseas? If Dwayne's the only place to process K40, and Kodachrome is still being used outside of the US, there must be experiences on this particular issue.

Dwayne's is not the only place to send K-40. The Swiss Kodak lab will continue to accept if for a few more months. My film does not appear to have been x-rayed on its way to Dwayne's or Kodak in Lausanne.

You might have different results if the US border agency is subjecting packages from communist states to extra screening.

[tlatosmd]

Come on, has no one shipped to Dwayne's from overseas? If Dwayne's the only place to process K40, and Kodachrome is still being used outside of the US, there must be experiences on this particular issue.

I think I read in either Schmalfilm or Small format that Dwayne's processing is worst both for K40 and 64T, and since Jürgen sent his films from Germany and got them back, might his results possibly have to do with x-ray?

[aj]

Like posted (and acknowledged) on thread russian b&w madness:

Contrary to popular belief postal parcels are not routinely x-rayed. Only when they are suspect for narcotics or other smuggling. Postal freight is no longer permitted on passenger flights. And thereby is no longer of interest to wrong-doers.