I leave my SLR in the car.

[BradUF]

I leave my N80, film based SLR in the car because it is always there when I need it but one of my friends has me concerned about the heat messing it up. I do live in FL and summers get pretty hot here. How much would it take to mess my SLR up, anyone know?

 

[JIP]

I would rather wonder how long it will take for someone to steal it fom your car.

 

[RKW3]

Your camera can probably survive the heat, it's what JIP said that you should be worried about.

 

[The_Traveler]

I keep my car camera (d70 18-200) in an old foam cooler. I leave the top off when I am driving with the AC on and cover it if/when I leave the car with the camera in it.

Unless a hungry thief comes along, the cooler seems to cure both problems.

 

[keith204]

I leave my N80, film based SLR in the car because it is always there when I need it but one of my friends has me concerned about the heat messing it up. I do live in FL and summers get pretty hot here. How much would it take to mess my SLR up, anyone know?

I keep my car camera (d70 18-200) in an old foam cooler. I leave the top off when I am driving with the AC on and cover it if/when I leave the car with the camera in it.

Unless a hungry thief comes along, the cooler seems to cure both problems.

Where do you two live? And, what kind of cars do you drive?

 

[peterbj7]

I'd be worried about both - theft and over-heating. It gets pretty hot inside a closed car.

 

[Socrates]

I leave my N80, film based SLR in the car because it is always there when I need it but one of my friends has me concerned about the heat messing it up. I do live in FL and summers get pretty hot here. How much would it take to mess my SLR up, anyone know?

The film will go first.

 

[Socrates]

I keep my car camera (d70 18-200) in an old foam cooler. I leave the top off when I am driving with the AC on and cover it if/when I leave the car with the camera in it.

Unless a hungry thief comes along, the cooler seems to cure both problems.

Except in severe heat, I always keep my camera in the car.

Theft? No concerns at all. First, I do not have a sign stating "Look at my camera." Second, if I were afraid of loss (for whatever reason), I wouldn't ever take any pictures because my camera would always be locked at home. Third, that's why my photo gear is insured. Fourth, it's very obvious that my car has a factory alarm system (blinking light on the dashboard). However, the car itself isn't worth stealing ($14K brand new cost) and, not being aware of the presence of valuable contents, a thief has to be really dumb to break in.

PS - I like your idea of the cooler.

 

[BradUF]

Where do you two live? And, what kind of cars do you drive?

FL..

 

[BradUF]

The film will go first.

How long would it take for film to go?

 

[The_Traveler]

Where do you two live? And, what kind of cars do you drive?

I'll send my address but try not to wake my dog. He's a light sleeper after a big fight and is sometimes quite irritable.

 

[Socrates]

How long would it take for film to go?

I never tested it but I wouldn't be surprised at several hours.

 

[BradUF]

I never tested it but I wouldn't be surprised at several hours.

At high heats though correct?

 

[Battou]

FL..

That is more than enough sign singing steal something from me....


but anywho, your best bet is the cooler suggestion The_Traveler gave with a cold pack maybe in the summer. Atleats that way you can focus on worrying about the car being stolen instead of the camera.

I admit I am ignorant to the internal workings of the N80 but I have to assume it would survive the heat but, the glass and film is a different story. A cold pack may be a little much (or it may not be I dunno) but it should keep the film and glass from falling to the heat.

 

[peterbj7]

that's why my photo gear is insured

I hear this a lot. Be assured that if the insurance company believes you didn't take ALL reasonable steps to avoid the theft of your camera they WILL NOT pay up if it is stolen. I don't know when you leave your camera in the car, but if you leave it there overnight and the car is broken into it's likely they'll come to that conclusion.

Insurance is a contract of "utmost good faith" on both sides, and I think you'll find a clause requiring you to take reasonable steps to safeguard your property. In any case, make sure a camera left in the car would be covered at all - it wouldn't under many insurance policies. Also, check what the policy excess is even if it is covered - you'll probably find it's greatly higher for theft FROM the vehicle than for theft OF the vehicle.

Car alarms go off so much these days that they're largely ignored, and insurance companies know that. An alarm by itself won't be regarded as helping security much.

If you're going to leave a camera inside a car that may get hot, wrap it in 5 or 6 layer of bubble wrap secured tightly around it and leave it somewhere in the trunk away from the sides of the car and with air able freely to circulate around it. With a film camera the film itself will go off at quite a low temperature, and much hotter the lubricants will start to move out of position, in both lens and body. Not to mention the battery stewing.