Do X-ray Scanners Damage Film?

At 8storeytree, we've had plenty of customers bring this up — and while we’re not radiation experts, we’ve dealt with enough film over the years to offer some practical guidance.

Let’s walk you through the different types of airport scanners and what you should know.

 

🔍Understanding Airport Scanners and Their Risk to Film

1. Carry-On Luggage X-ray Scanners (Conventional X-ray)

These are the most common scanners used at security checkpoints for hand-carry items. They emit low-dose X-rays and are generally considered safe for film ISO 800 and below, but only for limited exposures.

• Multiple scans add up. Even ISO 100 film may suffer fogging if it's passed through multiple times.
• Always try to minimize the number of scans, especially for higher ISO or expired film.
• Not all film gets damaged, even after several passes — which brings us to an odd truth…

🌀 X-ray scans are... unpredictable. We’ve seen some rolls come out perfectly fine and others with strange fogging after a similar number of scans. We're no scientists or did we do an extensive debunk, but we believe it comes down to a mix of luck, film stock sensitivity, and scanner calibration. It’s not a simple “yes/no” answer — more like a high-stakes game of roulette.

2. CT Scanners (Computed Tomography Scanners)

These newer and more advanced security scanners emit a much stronger radiation dose and can fog film in a single pass, regardless of ISO.

• Now used in major airports in the U.S., U.K., and parts of Europe and Asia.
• Almost guaranteed to damage film — we don’t recommend testing it!

How to spot one? They're often larger machines with a rotating drum inside and sometimes labeled "CT" or "3D Scanner."

3. Checked Baggage X-rays

This one’s simple: Don’t Gamble.

Scanners for checked baggage may operate at much higher intensities than those for hand-carry items.

 

🛄 Should You Ask for a Hand Check?

This is where it gets a bit nuanced.

Many online forums suggest always insisting on a hand inspection — and yes, that’s the ideal situation, especially if you're carrying ISO 1600 film, motion picture film, or specialty emulsions.

For us, we always approach with a ✈️ "Airport staff know best" attitude for carry-on scanners. They are usually low dosage, so if you’re carrying ISO 800 and below, it's generally fine.
In our experience, there’s no need to argue or escalate if hand check isn't granted. Well, i guess this boils down indivually to how precious your photos are. 

Still, it’s good practice to:

• Pack film in a clear ziplock bag
• Politely request a hand check
• Label your film rolls, especially if you use reusable cartridges or bulk-load (if you're in Singapore, we do have 'Do not X-ray stickers' available.)

⚠️ Signs Your Film May Be X-ray Damaged

Not all fogging is immediately obvious — but here’s what to look out for:

• Hazy or veiled exposures
• Loss of shadow detail and contrast
• Random streaks or bands across frames

Again, we’ve seen many customers fly with film and come back with perfect shots — but we’ve also seen unexplained fogging on ISO 200 film. As mentioned earlier, X-ray interaction with film isn’t 100% predictable.

🌍 Consider Developing Your Film Before Flying Home

That being said, the one simple way to avoid all this stress? Get your film developed in the country you’re traveling in.

Once your film is developed, it becomes just photos on negatives — X-rays won’t damage them anymore.
No more guesswork, no fogging risk, and you can fly home with peace of mind.

📍 If you're in Singapore, check out our Google Map of film labs in Singapore.

Maybe we should expand this globally? If you know of a great lab in another city, message us on Instagram — we’d love to add it to the list and help other traveling film lovers too!

🗺️ 8storeytree's Film Travel Tips

Tip	Why It Matters
Carry film in your carry-on, not checked luggage	Checked scanners are high intensity
Use a ziplock bag / or any bag for all your rolls	Easier for visual checks and quicker hand inspection
Do not load the camera before boarding	cameras may be asked to be opened for checks
Hand check if possible	Especially for ISO 800+, expired, or already exposed film
Consider developing your film while abroad	Avoids X-ray risks entirely

🎞️ Final Thoughts

As a film store that's been around since 2007, we’ve heard and seen it all — rolls that survive five scans, and rolls that fog after one. Our best advice? Be cautious, but don’t panic.

At the end of the day, travel with film is part of the adventure — and if something goes wrong, that unpredictability is part of what makes analog photography so human.

If you’re heading overseas and need advice on prepping your film kit, drop us a message or visit us at 8storeytree. We're always happy to share tips, tricks, and maybe even a light leak story or two.