shooting color film down south (heat problem?)

jojoman2 · Jun 19, 2016

Hey folks, I'm going on a road trip down south this summer and I'm hoping to shoot mostly 400 and 800 speed 120 color film. I'll have the film in a cooler when I'm in the car, and will keep all the film I'm not shooting in a fridge whenever and wherever possible. That said, if I have to leave the film in the car during the day, it might get pretty hot. The film is also guaranteed to get hot when I have it on me during my session.

What kind of tolerance to heat does color film have? What about the worst case scenario, if I left the film in my car all summer without refrigeration?
Just trying to figure out how much I can get away with.

I plan on mailng the film that I shoot to my grandparents house where I'll be developing everything after my trip. Once I shoot the film, it just has to survive USPS and then it's in the fridge.

Any tips for shooting color film in the heat?

Kirks518 · Jun 19, 2016

I live in Florida. The interior of my car gets to about 120-140°F almost daily. I keep a camera loaded with color in the car, and I really haven't had any problems. For the short amount of time you'll be leaving it in the car, I personally wouldn't worry.

Wallendo · Jun 21, 2016

Photographic film can tolerate more heat than you can.

I wouldn't leave it in the car any more than required. If you need to, consider placing it in the trunk which typically does not get as hot as the inside of the car.

jeffreyg · Jun 21, 2016

Take a daypack large enough for your film and carry it with you. That way you can avoid leaving it in the car as well as not risking it with the mail.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

calebarchie · Jun 21, 2016

Bit of a worry wort imo, have you heard of an esky?

Wallendo · Jun 22, 2016

One more point (assuming you haven't shot much in the South in the Summer) is that your real enemy is not heat but humidity. Taking a cool camera from an air-conditioned house or car into high humidity heat will cause condensation on the front of your lenses. Carry extra lens wipes. Preferably allow the camera to come up to ambient temperature in its case. Make sure your refrigerated film is allowed to slowly come to outside temperature before changing film. Do not change lenses outside until your gear has acclimatized otherwise you make get condensation inside the camera).

Basically, don't worry to much, the US South is a far cry from the Amazon.

DREW WILEY · Jun 22, 2016

I'd be more concerned about what shoots back. But I'd have a decent picnic cooler along for the sake of the film itself. It actually can get way hotter
here in Calif than in the South. We just don't get that wretched humidity. The best insulator I've ever found is my goosedown jacket. I could wrap a cold soda in that, way up in the mountains amidst snow, then drive down into the desert and spend the day shooting in the heat, yet still put out an
icy cold soda from the jacket. Just be aware that rednecks absolutely love to shoot cans too, and you don't want all your drink running out of the holes, cold or not.

Stephen Schoof · Jun 24, 2016

Here's a little test I did a few years ago:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

gone · Jun 24, 2016

I wouldn't leave the film in the car for one day in a Southern summer if the windows were rolled up (big S, it's a noun not a direction). Otherwise you'll be fine.

"I'd be more concerned about what shoots back." That's so stupid and full of knee jerk, know nothing, brainwashed PC prejudice that I won't even stoop to commenting on it. Some of us have manners, and a brain. Some don't.

shooting color film down south (heat problem?)

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