Keeping cameras in the heat?

[Southern-Lights]

With it being so hot outside, I'm afraid of leaving my cameras in the car because I don't want the heat to damage them. I was wondering what I could do to keep my cameras cool when I do have to leave them in the car? I would like to be able to just put my whole camera bag in something because I'm not sure what affects the heat would have lenses and all my accessories? I have a backpack bag with a digital and film camera in. Also, what does everyone else do with there stuff when they have to leave them in the car on a hot day?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Molli]

I've left my camera in the boot inside an esky (not sure if they're called something else overseas?) for about seven hours in the Australian sun. No adverse effects. I'm sure people with professional gear would have a lot more experience and better solutions for this situation. My spare film gets carried around with me, however, and I doubt I'd ever leave a loaded camera in the car for any longer than I felt I had to.
I'd actually be more concerned with a digital camera stored in heat because of the battery and electronics (oh, and the expense!)
You could always try a cheap esky to begin with. Pop it in the boot with a bottle of water inside, then take its temperature a few hours later. Your manual will tell you the recommended operating temperature for your camera.
Silver windshield reflectors will help to keep the temperature down in the care as well and will only set you back a couple of dollars.

No doubt better informed people than myself will pop in to give you some more effective ideas, but I suspect the majority will simply answer with "Don't!" with regard to leaving your camera in the car at all.

 

[elcabezagrande]

Esky=Eskimo Cooler?

 

[rolleiman]

Stored in the car boot, they should be OK. Digital stuff however, is prone to problems in extreme conditions whether heat or cold.

 

[Molli]

Esky=Eskimo Cooler?

That made me laugh. I'm thinking Eskimos don't need much help keeping their beer cold but, yes, the name is derived from Eskimo with its connotation of being cold. Originally Esky was a brand name from, um, Nylex I think. Now we just use it generically to refer to any sort of insulated box, whether foam or plastic, that keeps the beer chilled.

 

[elcabezagrande]

Eskimo Cooler would be the US equivalent of your Esky, not the same maker, but the name has a similar provenance. Probably a more likely generic name that we would use would be "Igloo", after the manufacturer of the same name.

 

[cepwin]

I've used a cooler to keep eletronics cool in my car. I wrap the item in paper towels to avoid condensation and make sure there's plastic between the ice and the item.

 

[Jim Noel]

A cooler is ideal. If it is extremely hot, or for an extended period of time one of those permanent "Ice" packs works well.
If I had a digital camera I would leave it on the dash.

 

[Too old to care]

I have left film cameras under the seat in my car for years with no ill effects. But, I can tell you with certainly it will cook a Pentax K5.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Camera lenses, when left in hot environments, damp or dry, for long periods [think: storing a camera in a car over the summer], can have the grease and oils vaporize and get deposited on the lens surfaces. The cost of cleaning can be expensive. Hot damp environments can lead to mold which may damage the surfaces.

If I will have cameras in a hot car for more than a day or two, I will put the cameras, lenses and film in an cooler without ice or frozen blue "ice" blocks for insulation.