It's hot, it will be hot

kshapero

South Florida Man
Local time
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Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
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OK I know we have covered this before but soon it will be hot (my daughter in New England says I am lying, it will be winter forever), so how much heat can a roll of film withstand in the glove box of a car? And for how long? Sometimes I need to keep a loaded camera hidden in the glove box or under the seat for about an hour in freaky high temperatures like a 100 F. What say you?:confused:
 
I'd like to know the same. I left my BP M4 on the car seat unattended for 5 or 10 minutes in 110 F heat and it got SUPER hot.
 
At high enough temperatures, you can cook a roll to a very high base density (and thus low contrast) by letting it spend a day inside a car in the Arizona desert. If folks want to send me some film to experiment with, I will run some more precise tests, with times, temperatures and base densities. For now, I just remember to take my camera inside with me when it's over 90. And to keep it in the air conditioned part of the car when it's over 110.
 
I left a roll of some cheap 100 ASA color film in my car for 2 months during the summer. The colors warped really really terribly.
 
I used to do that Joe. However over the course of a few hours the trunk would come to temperature equilibrium, and even the contents of the styrofoam cooler would heat up. I do have a Peltier 6-pack cooler, and that may be the answer to the problem when leaving the camera in the car is necessary.
 
Uh...first of all never ever leave your gear in your car.:eek: If the heat doesn't get it, the thieves will, eventually.

The older I get the more I have to do things routinely, like ALWAYS carrying my camera(s) with me and never leaving it in the car. DAMHIK...:angel:
 
Simply take your gear into a conveniently sited café for a nice cold beer and sit out the hot bit of the day .... like this

 
coolers powered by your car's 12 volt system via the cigar lighter are available. i do not know if the car has to be running for the cooler to cool ...
 
Heh, heh...in the US tropics like Florida, Georgia, etc. I think it is probably against the law to sell or rent a car without air conditioning!!!:p

In the Phoenix summer, you can tell the drivers without AC. You can see their scowl because their windows are open, and you just have to assume they are armed and dangerous. Give them the right-of-way at all times.
 
In the Phoenix summer, you can tell the drivers without AC. You can see their scowl because their windows are open, and you just have to assume they are armed and dangerous. Give them the right-of-way at all times.


Jeez, only in the summer? Around here, 9 out of 10 drivers (male, female, it doesn't matter) are ALWAYS like that! No kidding.:(
 
I agree with people who say that you shouldn't leave your camera in the car! Just bring an extra large bag or something!
Just think of it like a pet, you wouldn't leave your dog/cat in the car for an hour would you, in the blazing heat? :p
 
Aside from heat damaging film, which doesn't really seem to take a lot of heat or time, newer cameras with plastic parts are especially susceptible to summer car heat. I've seen DSLR's with warped and melted housings. Of course, with a Barnack camera or a Russian FED, the only real heat risk is the film.
 
In the Phoenix summer, you can tell the drivers without AC. You can see their scowl because their windows are open, and you just have to assume they are armed and dangerous. Give them the right-of-way at all times.

So these are the car options in Arizona?
Either AC or a gun? :D
 
My Fe/T manual cautions about the LCD and high temperatures in cars. It can shorten the LCD life.

I would imagine every manual for every camera sold these days has a recommendation about the heat range (and cold range) that is acceptable for your baby.;)
 
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