PurposeFilm is an important recording medium in industry. How to ensure film quality is a problem, because the film is produced in a dark room. Aims to focus on this.Design/methodology/approachAn inspection system based on machine vision is presented which could assure illumination and imaging at 940 nm which is safe for film.FindingsAn objective evaluation is given using an image processing method and satisfactory results are obtained. Now, the inspection system is used by the biggest film company in China.Originality/valueThis work focuses on an important issue in film production.