Airport X-Ray Machines and Videotape

Kevin Kimmell · January 26th, 2005, 10:31 AM

I know this is a long dead thread but I stumbled upon it while looking for other stuff so let me add my experience...

In early 2004 I traveled to Amsterdam by flying out of Pittsburgh and stopping off in DC both ways. I carried my GL2 and the Panasonic 80 and 60 minute miniDV tapes in my Kata carry on soft bag.

Both as blanks, and tapes filled with various types of footage the bag was passed through the screeners. That includes the re-check through customs in both directions.

I know this is just my experience and through only a couple of airports but all of my tapes, and my partners tapes came through it with no issues.

-Kevin

Michael Dalton · January 26th, 2005, 10:45 AM

Thanks Kevin,

As one of the original cautionist, I thought I should post that since then I have been back to africa a couple of times, and had my tapes scanned with no problems. Looks like I just had bad tape stock

Rick Bravo · January 26th, 2005, 12:18 PM

X-Rays do not affect video tapes as the rays are not magnetic.

Even going through the MAG checkpoints that you walk through, which are magnetic, wouldn't erase your tapes. We have to use a monster of a degausser to erase our tapes.

X-Rays are cummulative on film. Every time a roll is x-rayed it is actually exposed a tiny bit. If you do this repeatedly you will end up fogging your film.

Regardless, you should never, ever, check your "exposed" tapes. They should always travel with you in your carry-on.

RB

Andzei Matsukevits · June 16th, 2005, 12:25 PM

Hey

After living year in states i got lots of recorded tapes and also bunch of blanks. Now its time to go back to Europe and I was thinking to put all of them on carry on, but then, whats about x-rays at airport security and stuff, could it damage them? Should i put tapes in check in bag?
Really need your help!

thanks

Richard Alvarez · June 16th, 2005, 01:35 PM

Andzei

Last year I had to fly across country to shoot a documentary. I too was curious about the best way to do this. So I shot some footage onto two tapes. Just some random images. Then I loaded one tape in my carry-on, along with blank tapes, and one tape in my checked luggage, also with blank tapes.

I am told the checked luggage was x-rayed. Despite my best attempts to talk them out of it, my carryon luggage was ALSO x-rayed as I went through check in.

I detected NO Loss of image, drop outs or other anomolies in either test batch.

My concern was not for the X-ray's per se, but for the magnetic field generated by the machine. Apparently, it did no damage...

At least on my flight from San Francisco to Houston and Back.

I suppose it's possible that this scenario would not hold, at other airports with different gear at different times.

Bottom line. My suggestion is to carryon the tapes, and ask that they hand check without x-raying. Then throw yourself on their mercy if they decide to do it anyway. Chances are good that no harm will come.

Joshua Provost · June 16th, 2005, 01:38 PM

Andzei,

Yes, this was also my experience. It did a number of video projects on a recent vacation. In all, I had 18 full tapes of footage. They were put in a suitcase that was checked luggage. I even watched them put it through the monster x-ray/bomb-detection machine. I check the tapes when I arrived home, and all of them are just fine.

Thanks,
Josh

Michael Salzlechner · June 16th, 2005, 06:05 PM

In general you shouldnt have any problems

Having said that the machines used to xray checked luggage are generally worse then the ones used to xray carryons.

Another thing you could do is to get one of these bags that are shielded. We used to use them to transport high ISO film which back then often was damaged with the old xray equipment. It is simply a bag with shielding similar to the stuff they use to shield you from xray machines at the doctor.

Andzei Matsukevits · June 16th, 2005, 06:17 PM

huh, i wish luck for myself

btw thanks guys!

Glenn Chan · June 16th, 2005, 09:21 PM

Mini-DV tape is really hard to erase magnetically. Believe me, I have a tape eraser :D

I don't think X-rays mess with mini-DV tape, which stores information magnetically.

Andzei Matsukevits · June 16th, 2005, 09:27 PM

dude, what u use tape eraser for? :D

Brett Bevelacqua · September 22nd, 2005, 12:44 PM

Curious if anyone has any experience??
I'm shooting for 2 weeks in Colorado. I am flying. I've never taken video tapes on a plane before. Will the X-ray machine screw up blank tapes(on the way out) or mini dv tapes that have video on them(on the way back).

I was thinking of shipping the tapes back home, but I'm a little nervous about the tapes being out of my sight.

Boyd Ostroff · September 22nd, 2005, 12:53 PM

I don't think you'll have any problem. I took quite a lot of them to and from Argentina this summer with no problems.

Richard Alvarez · September 22nd, 2005, 01:09 PM

Brett,

I did a test back in November. Did some scratch exposures on some tapes. Loaded blank and 'exposed' tapes into my check on AND carry on luggage. Both were Xrayed. None were 'damaged."

My personal policy at this time is to carry exposed tapes with me, just so I don't lose them. That means they are likely to be xrayed at the check through. Sure, you can ASK they don't do this. My experience is that this causes them to check more carefully.

Your mileage may vary.

Ash Greyson · September 22nd, 2005, 01:38 PM

Having travelled the globe many times over I can tell you it is not a problem at all. Have fun!

ash =o)

Jeff Wilson · September 22nd, 2005, 03:11 PM

I also travel frequently and have never had a problem with analog or digital tapes. It is possible if there is a long layover heat and humidity might harm the tapes, but I’ve experienced no problems from X-rays.

January 26th, 2005, 10:31 AM	#46
Kevin Kimmell Major Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 209	old thread revisited... I know this is a long dead thread but I stumbled upon it while looking for other stuff so let me add my experience... In early 2004 I traveled to Amsterdam by flying out of Pittsburgh and stopping off in DC both ways. I carried my GL2 and the Panasonic 80 and 60 minute miniDV tapes in my Kata carry on soft bag. Both as blanks, and tapes filled with various types of footage the bag was passed through the screeners. That includes the re-check through customs in both directions. I know this is just my experience and through only a couple of airports but all of my tapes, and my partners tapes came through it with no issues. -Kevin

January 26th, 2005, 10:45 AM	#47
Michael Dalton Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Torotnto, Canada Posts: 139	Follow Up Thanks Kevin, As one of the original cautionist, I thought I should post that since then I have been back to africa a couple of times, and had my tapes scanned with no problems. Looks like I just had bad tape stock __________________ www.digitalcrossing.ca www.4kafrica.com documentary filmmaker/screen writer

January 26th, 2005, 12:18 PM	#48
Rick Bravo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 574	To answer the origianl question. X-Rays do not affect video tapes as the rays are not magnetic. Even going through the MAG checkpoints that you walk through, which are magnetic, wouldn't erase your tapes. We have to use a monster of a degausser to erase our tapes. X-Rays are cummulative on film. Every time a roll is x-rayed it is actually exposed a tiny bit. If you do this repeatedly you will end up fogging your film. Regardless, you should never, ever, check your "exposed" tapes. They should always travel with you in your carry-on. RB __________________ "The future ain't what it used to be." Yogi Berra. www.rbravo.com

June 16th, 2005, 12:25 PM	#49
Andzei Matsukevits Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 300	tapes by plane Hey After living year in states i got lots of recorded tapes and also bunch of blanks. Now its time to go back to Europe and I was thinking to put all of them on carry on, but then, whats about x-rays at airport security and stuff, could it damage them? Should i put tapes in check in bag? Really need your help! thanks

June 16th, 2005, 01:38 PM	#51
Joshua Provost Major Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 493	Andzei, Yes, this was also my experience. It did a number of video projects on a recent vacation. In all, I had 18 full tapes of footage. They were put in a suitcase that was checked luggage. I even watched them put it through the monster x-ray/bomb-detection machine. I check the tapes when I arrived home, and all of them are just fine. Thanks, Josh __________________ Owner/Operator, 727 Records Co-Founder, Matter of Chance Productions Blogger, Try Avoidance

June 16th, 2005, 01:35 PM	#50
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Andzei Last year I had to fly across country to shoot a documentary. I too was curious about the best way to do this. So I shot some footage onto two tapes. Just some random images. Then I loaded one tape in my carry-on, along with blank tapes, and one tape in my checked luggage, also with blank tapes. I am told the checked luggage was x-rayed. Despite my best attempts to talk them out of it, my carryon luggage was ALSO x-rayed as I went through check in. I detected NO Loss of image, drop outs or other anomolies in either test batch. My concern was not for the X-ray's per se, but for the magnetic field generated by the machine. Apparently, it did no damage... At least on my flight from San Francisco to Houston and Back. I suppose it's possible that this scenario would not hold, at other airports with different gear at different times. Bottom line. My suggestion is to carryon the tapes, and ask that they hand check without x-raying. Then throw yourself on their mercy if they decide to do it anyway. Chances are good that no harm will come.

June 16th, 2005, 06:05 PM	#52
Michael Salzlechner Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Royal Palm Beach, FL, US Posts: 228	In general you shouldnt have any problems Having said that the machines used to xray checked luggage are generally worse then the ones used to xray carryons. Another thing you could do is to get one of these bags that are shielded. We used to use them to transport high ISO film which back then often was damaged with the old xray equipment. It is simply a bag with shielding similar to the stuff they use to shield you from xray machines at the doctor. __________________ Michael Salzlechner

June 16th, 2005, 06:17 PM	#53
Andzei Matsukevits Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 300	huh, i wish luck for myself btw thanks guys!

June 16th, 2005, 09:21 PM	#54
Glenn Chan Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 4,750	Mini-DV tape is really hard to erase magnetically. Believe me, I have a tape eraser :D I don't think X-rays mess with mini-DV tape, which stores information magnetically.

June 16th, 2005, 09:27 PM	#55
Andzei Matsukevits Major Player Join Date: May 2005 Location: Tallinn, Estonia Posts: 300	dude, what u use tape eraser for? :D

September 22nd, 2005, 12:44 PM	#56
Brett Bevelacqua New Boot Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Palisades, NY Posts: 15	Airport X-Ray Machines and Videotape Curious if anyone has any experience?? I'm shooting for 2 weeks in Colorado. I am flying. I've never taken video tapes on a plane before. Will the X-ray machine screw up blank tapes(on the way out) or mini dv tapes that have video on them(on the way back). I was thinking of shipping the tapes back home, but I'm a little nervous about the tapes being out of my sight.

September 22nd, 2005, 12:53 PM	#57
Boyd Ostroff Wrangler Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Mays Landing, NJ Posts: 11,787	I don't think you'll have any problem. I took quite a lot of them to and from Argentina this summer with no problems.

September 22nd, 2005, 01:09 PM	#58
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Brett, I did a test back in November. Did some scratch exposures on some tapes. Loaded blank and 'exposed' tapes into my check on AND carry on luggage. Both were Xrayed. None were 'damaged." My personal policy at this time is to carry exposed tapes with me, just so I don't lose them. That means they are likely to be xrayed at the check through. Sure, you can ASK they don't do this. My experience is that this causes them to check more carefully. Your mileage may vary.

September 22nd, 2005, 01:38 PM	#59
Ash Greyson Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Tulsa, OK Posts: 1,689	Having travelled the globe many times over I can tell you it is not a problem at all. Have fun! ash =o)

September 22nd, 2005, 03:11 PM	#60
Jeff Wilson Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: New Rome, Ohio Posts: 36	I also travel frequently and have never had a problem with analog or digital tapes. It is possible if there is a long layover heat and humidity might harm the tapes, but I’ve experienced no problems from X-rays.