Roma
Well-known
Hi all,
I'd like to know if some black and white films are safer to use in hot weather than others. I've mainly shot Ilford Delta and TMax lately and hope to use them on my vacation in Africa in a few months.
I know that I should avoid leaving film exposed to direct sun, but what else can I do without adding bulk to my travel gear?
Is there a black and white film that is more heat resistant (so to speak) than others?
Any tips are appreciated!
I'd like to know if some black and white films are safer to use in hot weather than others. I've mainly shot Ilford Delta and TMax lately and hope to use them on my vacation in Africa in a few months.
I know that I should avoid leaving film exposed to direct sun, but what else can I do without adding bulk to my travel gear?
Is there a black and white film that is more heat resistant (so to speak) than others?
Any tips are appreciated!
payasam
a.k.a. Mukul Dube
In general, films today are more tolerant of heat than they were even two decades ago. I don't think you need to take any more care than keeping your film cool. Carry around in the sun only as much as you need, and do remember that light absorbs much less heat than dark does. I doubt that the latent image is now as unstable as it was forty years ago, but it remains sound policy to process films as soon as possible after exposing them. The temperature of chemicals is critical. I recall keeping, when so ordered by the thermometers we always used, large blocks of ice under trays in which paper was processed.
phototone
Well-known
As long as you keep your exposed and unexposed film out of direct sunlight, and in the shade there is no problem with any modern film as far as hot temperatures in nature. If you can exist, so can the film. In processing b/w film, you still need to observe the temperature requirements of the process. Most black and white film cannot be processed above 85f. If you fix in a hardening fixer, then your wash water could be a bit above this, and you would be ok. Optimum temperature (as a general rule) for b/w film is 68f, and that is the design point for black and white film developers.
in the distant past, there were specific cameras designed as "tropical". In the first half of the 20th century, most cameras were covered in leather, or leatherette. A tropical camera eliminated this body covering, because it could mold in extremely hot and humid climates. Hence the "tropical" camera was exposed wood, rather than covered in leather.
in the distant past, there were specific cameras designed as "tropical". In the first half of the 20th century, most cameras were covered in leather, or leatherette. A tropical camera eliminated this body covering, because it could mold in extremely hot and humid climates. Hence the "tropical" camera was exposed wood, rather than covered in leather.
Roma
Well-known
Thanks Mukul and Phototone!
I plan to process upon return in my usual 68-gegree chemicals. I just want to make sure I don't endup with ruined film while I'm there. I'm taking my DSLR with me, but it's no match for good-ol film.
I plan to process upon return in my usual 68-gegree chemicals. I just want to make sure I don't endup with ruined film while I'm there. I'm taking my DSLR with me, but it's no match for good-ol film.