Camera in extreme heat.

Fiendish Astronaut · Jan 28, 2009

I might be off to Burkina Faso in Western Africa for a couple of weeks to visit a good friend who runs an AIDS charity project there. (They coach kids to play football - some of you call it soccer.)

Anyway, if I go in March it will be 40 degrees - in the shade! Apart from protecting my own well being what steps should I take to protect my DSLR?

EDIT: here's a nod to Garbz's thread about extreme cold that reminded me to ask this!: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/154153-camera-extreme-cold-result.html

GeneralBenson · Jan 28, 2009

I can only assume you mean Celsius...

feRRari4756 · Jan 28, 2009

I think he does too lol. 40 Celsius is 104 degrees farenheight btw.

Katier · Jan 28, 2009

I don't think 40 celcius would be too much off a problem. Certainly 100deg F is common in places in the US and cameras are used all the time.

BUT it's likely to be dusty so if your camera isn't weathersealed you might have to be carefull about the dust. I'd say the biggest risk there would be when changing lenses as your exposing the inside to dust ingress. Also make sure your using the lens cap all the time you can ( again to protect from dust/grit. )

Garbz · Jan 28, 2009

In Brisbane where I live the temperature hits 40 every summer. I can't say that I ever have had a problem with my camera in the heat, even when leaving it in the car where I am sure the temps get to 60+.

If you are worried then keep it out of direct sunlight, but definitely 40 in the shade won't worry your camera at all. Oh and post your experience afterwards including all the gritty details of how much you sweat.

Dubious Drewski · Jan 28, 2009

Ooh, heat is fun. Burkina Faso has a very low average humidity, doesn't it? So dust will be your number one concern. When I was in Malaysia, it was the 96% humidity that was a pain for me. I would step out of the hotel in the mornings and my cold camera would instantly turn soaking wet with moisture inside and out. (That was my Minolta Dimage A2, which is really old now, but it still works awesomely, despite all that abuse!)

Buszaj · Jan 28, 2009

When I was in Kenya my camera was fine after 3 weeks and a safari day with the sun beating down, so you should be fine. But watch out for dust. Have fun!

jeremai · Jan 28, 2009

I shoot through most of the summer here, 120+ degrees isn't an issue for my camera mechanically or electronically. As others have said, dust is the main concern, but unless there's a stiff wind I haven't had many issues there, either. I usually carry a small Samigon bag to change lenses in, but I hardly ever use it - I just get in the car, or in a canyon, or behind a boulder...

Flash Harry · Jan 29, 2009

Heat or cold, guidelines are in the manuals for operating temps, does no-one read their manuals when buying a new camera. Regardless of my knowledge of nikon cameras I go through these books on each new purchase if only to see if there's something new I hadn't already seen online. H

Fiendish Astronaut · Jan 29, 2009

Flash Harry said:
Heat or cold, guidelines are in the manuals for operating temps, does no-one read their manuals when buying a new camera. Regardless of my knowledge of nikon cameras I go through these books on each new purchase if only to see if there's something new I hadn't already seen online. H

Fair point but there's nothing like human experience to beat a technical manual. Plus, y'know, I like to reach out. Human conversation and all that?

Cheers for all replies. I'm thinking maybe November would be less hot... I've heard about sand stroms there. My Dad drove through a bid sandstorm once and it sanded all the paint away from his vehicle!