Digital Camera to keep in car

meckers · Feb 25, 2005

I think it is a great idea to keep a camera in the car at all times to document any accident I may be involved in. This happened to my son near my house and I was able to go to the scene and photograph it before the cars were allowed to move. It proved to be invaluable. This convinced me that I should buy a cheap camera and keep it in my car at all times.

However, I wonder about the extreme temperatures that a car in the Mid Atlantic states would be subjected to. I doubt that conventional film could survive summer heat and winter cold. What about a digital camera? Can they survive the temperature extremes? I would want one with a flash and at least 2 megapixels.

DocFrankenstein · Feb 25, 2005

I'd go with film.

Winter cold is good for film. Summer is not good, but do you need really accurate colors in the courtroom? no

Film is way more reliable. If you carry a PS in there for a long time, the battery's gonna be dead when you open it.

Get that 10$ point'n'shoot and toss it in.

My 2 cents

sillyphaunt · Feb 25, 2005

Why not just buy a disposible camera and put it in the glove box?

walter23 · Feb 25, 2005

meckers said:
I think it is a great idea to keep a camera in the car at all times to document any accident I may be involved in.

You should put a Canon 1Ds mkII, a 16-35 f/2.8L and a 70-200 f/2.8L in the glove compartment. PS, where do you park?

fadingaway1986 · Feb 26, 2005

I'd get a cheap camera that doesn't use auto-wind. That way if the batteries are dead - you just don't have flash... Or you could always carry batteries in your bag.. (if you're female) and in your pocket (if you're male)....

and that way - if you think the film has been in there too long - you can just replace it. and throw away the old stuff...

Rob · Feb 26, 2005

I use a disposable underwater camera in my car as it has a slightly better chance of surviving the dampness.

meckers · Feb 26, 2005

OK, let's focus this a little better.

My question simply is: can digital media and digital camera mechanics survive extended summer, parked in the sun, tempertures and the equivalent winter temperatures?

I agree that true colors are not necessary. Does that mean that a summer-baked disposable film camera will still take acceptable resolutions (although not necessarily true colors)?

As for using a disposable camera, the comment about selecting an underwater model is very insightful. I would have never thought of it. Thanks.

danalec99 · Feb 26, 2005

Why car when you have a pocket?

Johnathan · Feb 26, 2005

I do have an old Kodak Easy Share 2MP digital that lives in the car for when I need a digital camera in a pinch. Be sure to keep some spare AAs though, as they're usually dead by the time I try to use the camera.

I did recently test out a roll of film that I found in my shop that said it expired in 2002. This means the film was in an unairconditioned metal building through at least two 100+ degree F Arkansas summers. The detail in the pictures was fine, but the color was way off.

My vote for an emergency camera goes with a disposable too. I would leave it in the foil wrapper for extra moisture protection, or follow the above suggestion of getting an underwater camera. It should also be much cooler in the glovebox or trunk than out in the open.