How bad is hot film?

LMNOP · Sep 5, 2015

Just attended a wedding and left my main rigIn the car with 8 rolls of fresh and precious film, mostly Ektar and some expensive portra 800... Sadly it was 95 degrees here so most likely 110 in the car or more, and I was gone for three hours...Needless to say the film was toasty. Is it ruined after a single exposure to high temp? I just bought the stuff, totally spaced, I normally pack it all into whatever bag I have to prevent this but I've never considered how bad it could be.

Sirius Glass · Sep 5, 2015

One heat exposure like that, in my experience, will not cause problems. Film is somewhat robust, so one should avoid letting heat exposure happen. The world is not perfect, but film can handle this so you should be alright. I am confident that you will be happy with the results. Best wishes.

cliveh · Sep 5, 2015

You are talking about a relatively short time and your film should be fine.

removed account4 · Sep 5, 2015

hi LMNOP

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
its not the exact same film
look at mr. bill's post ..
he says it all ...

good luck !!
john

Kirks518 · Sep 5, 2015

I live in Florida. It's hot here. No, I mean it's really hot here all the time. Inside the car hits about 130°F (checked it once with a digital thermometer). I leave a camera in the car almost always, with any of a number of film types. I've left cameras on the center console for so long they were too hot to handle. The film always seems to be fine though.

I don't think you need to worry too much about it, but ymmv.

BrianShaw · Sep 5, 2015

Ditto, except we have a dry heat.

gone · Sep 5, 2015

I once lived in the dry heat of New Mexico. When it would get 100 + degrees, and the sun was shining directly on the camera slung over my shoulder on my back whilst out biking, the camera would gt so hot it would blister me through the T-shirt. So figure 120-125 degrees in the camera. Everything was fine w/ my pics.

However, after 4 years of that, I wasn't so fine, so we moved to.....Florida! Give me that dry heat any day. This has been the hottest summer of my life. So it's not the film that might go belly up, it's us human animals.

MattKing · Sep 5, 2015

You have shortened your film's optimum life by ....some small but not absolutely meaningless amount.

Thankfully, film is much more robust than sushi.

karl · Sep 5, 2015

Devil's Advocate here. Reticulation is closer than you think.

LMNOP · Sep 6, 2015

Thanks guys, I was always told it was really bad but Im glad to finally know there is more flexibility.

Alan Gales · Sep 6, 2015

MattKing said:
You have shortened your film's optimum life by ....some small but not absolutely meaningless amount.

Thankfully, film is much more robust than sushi.

Sushi could use some heat. I like my fish cooked!

xya · Sep 6, 2015

ilford hp and fp series film gets a bit more grainy with some days of dry heat. I have made this experience several times. but it's hardly visible on standard print size up to 12".

jacaquarie · Sep 6, 2015

Oh MY GOD??
What have you done?

Seems to me that your film has the possibility of being damaged beyond any sort of use by a caring photographer. Only thing to do is replace all the film that may have been exposed to heat for any length of time. Place that order now! Then place a double order for film! The heat exposed film has maybe a few days or even just hours of useful life remains. I suggest you photograph with it now before the film spontaneously bursts into flames while in your camera in your hands. At no time think of using heat exposed film with a motor drive. Fire hazard.
Any of the ordained ones of the order of Saint Adams Will tell you that you must do your absolutions to be saved from your sins. You must shoot and process two rolls of film each day for a week, process and print. While chanting "Sunny 16" and the levels of the Zone System. The darkroom shall be your confessional.
Otherwise contemplate your possible hell of eternity with the digital point and shoot, while waiting to have your Kodachrome developed at the quick photo.

Your only other choice is do not worry and continue to use what you have.

Then again you went to a wedding and the camera is in your car. Why were you not photographing the wedding? (Wedding photography is another level of hell!)

Bless you my son, go photograph and sin no more.

LMNOP · Sep 6, 2015

jacaquarie said:
Oh MY GOD??
What have you done?

Seems to me that your film has the possibility of being damaged beyond any sort of use by a caring photographer. Only thing to do is replace all the film that may have been exposed to heat for any length of time. Place that order now! Then place a double order for film! The heat exposed film has maybe a few days or even just hours of useful life remains. I suggest you photograph with it now before the film spontaneously bursts into flames while in your camera in your hands. At no time think of using heat exposed film with a motor drive. Fire hazard.
Any of the ordained ones of the order of Saint Adams Will tell you that you must do your absolutions to be saved from your sins. You must shoot and process two rolls of film each day for a week, process and print. While chanting "Sunny 16" and the levels of the Zone System. The darkroom shall be your confessional.
Otherwise contemplate your possible hell of eternity with the digital point and shoot, while waiting to have your Kodachrome developed at the quick photo.

Your only other choice is do not worry and continue to use what you have.

Then again you went to a wedding and the camera is in your car. Why were you not photographing the wedding? (Wedding photography is another level of hell!)

Bless you my son, go photograph and sin no more.

Ha, these days weddings are loaded with smart phones and wannabe photographers with a canon rebel and kit lens trying to get good shots for Facebook. I don't bother wasting film, maybe at a siblings wedding I would snag a few. i did carry my digital to grab some shot of my family having fun at the reception with flash, kinda fun but in general I was taking a break from a LOT of film shooting this weekend.

fotch · Sep 6, 2015

Send it to me for testing, at no charge.

Sirius Glass · Sep 6, 2015

Alan Gales said:
Sushi could use some heat. I like my fish cooked!

Sushi is ok except for the raw fish and rice.

How bad is hot film?

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