I have a problem with two light bands running across my type 809 prints and the bands are always exactly in the same place. This only happens with one box that was x-rayed. Other boxes that have not been x-rayed are fine. I thought x-rays would fog the film or blacken it. Apart from the bands, the print is perfect. Does anyone have any experience as to how x-rays would affect polaroid film?

-- Jeff Hargrove (jhargrov@club-internet.fr), December 19, 2001

Answers

What you've described is the X-ray damage pattern that you get with the new, high energy x-ray machines recently introduced in some airports (I forget the trade name for these machines, or the exact technology which makes them more lethal for films). I've seen that pattern (of a couple lines across the film) demonstrated in a Popular Photography article on the new x-ray machines.

-- Andre Noble (andrenoble@yahoo.com), January 13, 2002.