Can you bring polaroid film on a plane

As an instant photography fan, we love to bring our instant cameras on trips but how do we protect our instant films from X-ray? This is a common concern and people have been asking us for years.

But undeveloped film is sensitive to light because they are waiting to be exposed. The X-ray may penetrate and expose the film.

You will see random fog stripes or light patterns appearing on the photos. The fog will become more severe if it goes through a high energy X-ray scanner.

Pack undeveloped film or cameras with film inside in your carry-on baggage. The X-ray used to inspect carry-on baggage is much milder than the X-ray for checked baggage. You should expect your blacks to be very muddied in x-rayed film. Again, just like the instant film, have it out of the box and wrapper. If it is in the box, they regularly open each box and swab each roll which can be a nightmare depending on how much of that film you brought with you.

Have it all ready in a ziplock bag by itself completely separate from my other film so you can easily hand it to TSA. Flying Internationally — If you are flying internationally with film, allot yourself a bit more time at the airport for security to hand check and use your best judgement.

Every country will be different. Every situation will be different. Prior to exposing it is fine. When in doubt, ask for a hand check. We highly recommend carrying a sharpie in your camera bags and write in big, bold, black letters the ISO that you shot it at.

Despite transferring through this airport in and being given a hand inspection upon request, on this transfer I was forced to X-ray my film in order to pass — and that was just transferring, not even going through immigration. No matter how long I tried — even speaking with the head of airport security — the message was the same: if it goes past security it goes through the X-ray and that is final.

I asked what they do with professional photographers — and they insisted that all professionals did their research properly and knew that they needed special written permission from ANAC for their film.

So for those of you going to or from Lisbon, or even transferring through — be warned. If I had instant film it would be totally toast. Hey Ryan how was it at the end? Same just happened to me in Lisbon Airport while transferring …..

I only have ISO speed film so should be ok but did you have any issue? Just had a similar experience transferring through Lisbon.

Without express written permission, everything goes through the X-ray. Luckily I had only low iso colour sheet film. I will try to reply here with the results when it gets processed. Most airports are less willing to mess with hand inspections in this era of digital photography.

For many years, film had virtually disappeared from the security equation. I still find airports in the USA that absolutely refuse to just hand inspect film. Indeed, when they make you take electronic stuff out of your bag for hand inspection, they end up putting each item removed from bag back on the belt. I had one instance in Houston where they removdd 6 usb cables, 5 batteries, a power brick and some other odds and ends from the bag by hand. Then they put each one through individually on the belt.

Something similar happened to me in Frankfurt and Beijing. So, these are every day items and were treated this way. Imagine something strange like film being encountered.

Hopefully, with the increase in both film use and CT scanner use the hand inspection will come back into play. I had mixed experiences — one airport in Boston was able to hand check.

At the airport in Denver Colorado there was so sign that I could see at least regarding checking 35mm film. They also kept directing you like herding sheep so you went where they yelled for you to go. Was very disappointed and now makes me paranoid not all airports give a rats bum.

Was going to look into the lead bag. Sorry for any spelling errors. Was super anxious to travel with film but appreciated this article and happy to report my experience traveling with 35mm film was a success. I also kept it in the box I purchased it in so they recognized it as film just by me holding up.

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