Do not leave camera on places prone to excessive heat...

[(Ghastly) Krueger]

... such as in a car in a sunny day.

Well, I'm trying to have my camera ready most of the time, in an effort to take more photos.

Thing is, I'm not allowed to take it inside my place of work, so I have to leave it in my car for most of the day. We are getting temperatures around 30°C.

Does anybody know if this can damage the camera / film? Is there something I can do to protect them, like putting the camera inside an icebox? (You know, the small ones used to keep beverages cool in a picnic)

Thanks in advance

(Edit: it's a Canon Elan 7)

 

[Big Mike]

Excess heat certainly isn't good for film. If you have a cooler, that would probably be a good idea.

 

[(Ghastly) Krueger]

Thanks Mike.

Thinking about it, the camera bag I use is padded... I'll get a thermometer and make some readings inside it...

 

[Big Mike]

Good call.

Be careful to avoid condensation, which can happen when you take the camera from cold dry air into warm humid air. This can happen if your camera is cold, inside the bag, and you take it out into the heat. I've had this happen to me, when I packed the camera bag in an air conditioned hotel room and later opened it when outside in a warm & humid climate.

 

[(Ghastly) Krueger]

OK, thanks for the heads up.

 

[spazoid1965]

If you use a cooler or ice chest, Don't put ice in it.

 

[CBRfanatic]

If you use a cooler or ice chest, Don't put ice in it.

man that made me laugh, but you never know, some one might do it i guess, lol

 

[JIP]

Witht this situation you are just asking for trouble. Film being subjected to excessive heat is of course going to be damaged not to mention your camera Personally I don't think a cooler is going to be a good solution to this problem.

 

[montresor]

Not to mention the risk that if your car's broken into, you could lose your camera(s). Maybe it's not worth it schlepping it to work and back if you can't use it during the day anyway.

 

[darich]

It should be kept in the boot (or trunk for you foreigners!! )
It'll be cooler in there but you might also find that if the camera is in view and it's stolen the insurance won't pay out.
Maybe I'm stating the obviousd about using the boot but it may not have occurred to some people. Especially those who would put ice in the cool box with the camera!

 

[Alex_B]

i agree, the icebox is a good idea
, but make sure there is no condensation! ... and don't place actual ice in there

an insulating bag is also a good idea (the once you sometimes get when you buy frozen food) ... also m the aqdantage is, that an isnulating bag or an ice box in the car is much less likely to encourage people to break into your car and steal it

 

[Alex_B]

It should be kept in the boot (or trunk for you foreigners!! )

Trees have trunks, cars have boots!!!

(even though they do not walk )

 

[montresor]

It should be kept in the boot (or trunk for you foreigners!! )
It'll be cooler in there but you might also find that if the camera is in view and it's stolen the insurance won't pay out.

When my car was broken into some years ago (thankfully no cameras in the car) the thieves did not overlook the trunk in their ransacking. You don't need a key to get in, just the latch that's accessible to anyone who's gotten into the vehicle.

Every professional or devoted amateur photographer I know keeps that bag close to them like a beloved appendage. Leaving the camera in the car, however "safe" or "cool" or "unlikely to be noticed," is just not the kind of habit you want to get into! You may luck out time and again and think that it's okay, but that one time that you come out to your car at the end of the day to find the window smashed and your cameras gone will be a painful moment of enlightenment. Broad daylight? Fairly well populated parking lot? Don't kid yourself. You're just playing the numbers.

 

[agonzalez]

Park in the shade and put the camera under one of the seats... It will not get hot there...

 

[bytch_mynickname]

What kind of a job do you do that you are not allowed to take your camera in? Isn't there a way you can put it in a bookbag or something and take it in with you anyhow? I can't imagine them searching your things to see if you have your camera with you. Maybe either that or talk to the boss and see if you can leave it in their office during the day so you don't have to leave it in the car. If none of those options work, I would leave it at home.