[Leica] Xrays at airports ... recent experience

[dlridings at gmail.com (Daniel Ridings)]

I finally found something to really think about when you send your
camera through the xrays.

I recently travelled between G?teborg - Amsterdam - Chicago O'Hare
back and forth.

There were a lot of scans along that route, two at least (the first
two in a given direction).

I just ran my film through without giving it a thought, since I
haven't had problems in the past.

For some reason, after my Leicas had gone through, I fired off the
frame that was in waiting before I started using the cameras again. I
just fired off the frame with the lens against my body. No light
getting through.

It seems that the cloth focal plane shutter curtain is not enough to
block the rays. On both of my bodies (IIIf and M4) I could see the
outline of the frame, a faint block where the film gate is.

I couldn't tell anything else anywhere else on the film, just the
frames that were behind the shuttercurtains when the cameras went
through.

I didn't have any problems with any of the film.

No problems with Rollei's either. Probably because they have metal
leaf shutters.

So from now on I will also waste a frame after the cameras go through.

Daniel