How much photographic film can be damaged by a single CT scan at an airport?


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In 2013, Kodak Alaris , a separate and independent company from Kodak, the world's largest photographic film manufacturer, told film camera users that `` A CT scan used at an American airport can damage undeveloped film even once. Give 'and warned. Kodak Alaris actually brought the film to the airport and conducted an experiment.

Kodak Alaris warns the TSA's new airport CT scanners can damage undeveloped film: Digital Photography Review
https://www.dpreview.com/news/4631062971/kodak-alaris-warns-the-tsa-s-new-airport-ct-scanners-can-damage-undeveloped-film

In 2019, the United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) signed an agreement with Smiths Detection to install 300 CT scanning systems at 145 U.S. airports for $ 96.8 million for baggage inspection It was announced. Not all 145 installations have been completed as of January 2020, but they will be installed in the future.

The impact of the new CT scanner on film cameras is a concern for camera lovers. Therefore, Kodak Alaris conducted an 'experiment of passing undeveloped film through a TSA-designated CT scan used at US airports' and published the results on a Facebook post on January 27, 2020.

CT Scanning X-Ray Technology and Film

As many of you know, the United States Transportation Security Administration ...

Posted by Kodak Professional Monday, January 27, 2020



Kodak Alaris brought several Portra 400 / 135s to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and passed each film through a CT scan 1 to 10 times. After that, the experts of the Kodak research team checked the condition of the film.

Kodak Alaris simply stated that the result was 'not good'. A Facebook post found that a single scan caused a fog on the film, causing the shadow detail in the photo to disappear, resulting in a darker finish. This effect seems to be more pronounced at higher photographic speeds. Kodak Alaris also stated that although ISO100 film was found to be less degraded, it was not recommended to pass undeveloped film through a CT scan anyway.

One way to avoid the CT scan is to treat the film as baggage and ask the staff in charge for visual confirmation without the CT scan. When Kodak Alaris confirmed with the TSA, the staff was trained to check the camera film by hand. You can leave your luggage when you board an airplane, but most of your checked luggage is checked by X-rays, so to avoid damaging the film, the most effective method is to `` order individually with baggage '' It is suitable.


by coyot

Kodak Alaris is developing a sticker for photographers to warn them that they have a film attached to their bags.

in Note, Posted by darkhorse_log