Long trip- what to do?

[obsessivephotographer]

In two weeks I will be heading down to San Francisco from Portland. It's a ten hour trip each way and I don't have AC in my car. I'd love to bring my camera and all my photo gear, but I'm worried about the film.

Will the heat of the car possibly ruin the film? I'm using professional film that has been refrigerated it's entire life. Other than buying film while I'm down there, which isn't really an option due to financial issues, what can I do to make sure the film makes it down to San Francisco safe and sound? Or is it just a lost cause?

 

[Steph]

Put the films in a cool box.

 

[obsessivephotographer]

Do you mean a cooler? I'm expecting it's going to be 90-110 degrees on the way down, so any normal boxes are going to be incredibly hot.

 

[Steph]

Do you mean a cooler? I'm expecting it's going to be 90-110 degrees on the way down, so any normal boxes are going to be incredibly hot.

No. I was just thinking of a standard cool box with a couple of reusable ice packs. Those boxes are fairly well insulated and I think they would keep your films cool enough for 10 hours.

 

[obsessivephotographer]

Nice. I'll have to look into that. I've never heard of a cool box before.

Thanks!

 

[Josh66]

I'm not sure exactly what a cool box is (is it a cardboard type box that you would send through the mail, but with dry ice or something in it?)...

I would use a small cooler (the type you would use to bring your lunch to work/school) with ice or ice packs. I know that will last at least 10 hours.

 

[obsessivephotographer]

I would use a small cooler (the type you would use to bring your lunch to work/school) with ice or ice packs. I know that will last at least 10 hours.

If it's in with ice or anything cold, will putting the film in a ziploc be enough to keep the moisture out? Or should I double or triple bag it?

Can you tell I'm anxious about my precious film?

 

[Josh66]

I would think a ziploc bag, plus the plastic film canister should be sufficient protection. More bags couldn't hurt though, if you're really paranoid about it.

 

[reg]

Double bagging would be all you need as far as condensation goes - ideally one or two (or however many you need) sandwich bags with the film inside, then put them inside of one of those huge freezer bags...

Your film will be fine. I promise.

 

[Steph]

This is what I call a cool box (but then again English is not my first language).

 

[reg]

Cool box = what I think of as "cooler".

 

[Ben-71]

obsessivephotographer

If it's in with ice or anything cold, will putting the film in a ziploc
be enough to keep the moisture out?
Or should I double or triple bag it?​

​

Condensation may be a problem only if you take them out of the
sealed bag while they're still cold.

Let the film warm up to the surrounding temperature before getting
it out of the plastic bag(s).​

If you wrap each film or 2 separately, you'll be able to warm up only
the amount of film that you need, and not the whole quantity.​

Plain, thin plastic bags are enough to seal the films.​

 

[Easy_Target]

Put them into a cooler, with two reuseable icepacks wrapped in a thin towel. Make sure you keep the film in their plastic containers though, just in case.

 

[obsessivephotographer]

Thanks everyone! I'll go pick up a cooler for this weekend.

 

[Alex_B]

fun to see some English - American confusion here