Tips for shooting film in a humid region?

rickjacques · Jul 1, 2014

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Hi,

Traveling to Myanmar next month with my friend for a photo trip.

Anyone have experience shooting with film in heat humidity and rain?

Been to Myanmar? Any things in particular to watch out for?

Thanks

Rick

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Nuff · Jul 1, 2014

I shot it in monsoon nepal. Keep it in fridge or some place cool if possible. Don't open it till you need it. Pretty basic I think, film has been shot in conditions like that before, it can take it.

Xmas · Jul 1, 2014

keep it cool and dry and sealed before loading.
Use zip lock bags with fresh silica gel for cameras loaded or empty
ditto for shot film

don't leave a possibly damp film in a camera pull and leave in zip bag

The US people in Vietnam said it was worse than milspec their electric equipment failed.

Your camera may need a strip afterwards.

If you are going to be in country process promptly in country.

Umbrella...

darkosaric · Jul 1, 2014

Olympus mju "all weather" is cheap and good option.

Samuel Hotton · Jul 8, 2014

Good morning Rick,
I have been using a Nikonos Calypso II with the 35mm f2.5 lens for 40+ years now around the world wherever conditions rainy humid or dusty. Great quality of images color or B&W. I keep the seals cleaned and coated. Wonderful machine, never worry about it.
All the best,
Sam H.

dreamingartemis · Jul 8, 2014

I live in Malaysia, and I've been a month to Vietnam and some time in Thailand. So I do have some experience with keeping film safe.

For 35mm, keep the film in those little canisters unless you bought bulk from ilford, where the film are kept in those nifty little plastic bags, only they them out to use them. Store the exposed rolls back into the little canisters for the roll you just took out. This should be enough

For medium format, all the roles comes in those plastic bags, so you're okay there. Though once fully exposed, keep the lock back in a ziplock bag.

These are just basic steps you can take to ensure your film aren't ruin. It also goes without saying that you shouldn't exposed them to extreme heat. This is especially important if you are shooting slide film. Another trick is to buy a drying agent packages and throw them into your camera bag and then use it as a portable drybox for your camera and film.

mooseontheloose · Jul 8, 2014

I've spent some time travelling in very humid places across Asia, and often I travel with no other safeguards than ziplock bags for my film (which are not in canisters, since they take up too much room). I'm not saying that you shouldn't follow the above advice, since it's better to be safe than sorry, but I've travelled for weeks at a time (Thailand, Cambodia, Burma, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc.) with minimal protection for my film and they've all turned out fine (except infrared...that does suffer from the heat, but I'm sure the expiry dates have something to do with that too).

That being said, now I travel with dessicant packs, plenty of ziplock bags, several microfiber shammies to wipe things down, and only take the amount of film that I think I'll use for the day to keep heat and humidity (and sometimes x-ray) exposure to a minimum.

analoguey · Jul 8, 2014

Take usual precautions that you would when storing and using film, nothing much else specific needs to be done.

This year, I suspect Myanmar might also be a little drier and hotter than usual - in India the monsoons have been more or less absent so far, and temperatures have been higher than usual (el Nino effect, supposedly).

michael9793 · Jul 15, 2014

I live in Florida, rain, humidity, and heat. Go shoot in 95% humidity and 95deg temp. I use a 8x10 camera and I never keep my film or camera cool when shooting. that is the number one killer of film. Condensation will develop on lens, cameras and film when taken out. I don't even like keeping the camera in the hotel room because it has air conditioning. So leave film in foil container if sheet and canisters if roll film but keep away from air conditioners. and if you have to, leave in heat for about a half hour prior to using. camera and film. good luck

Arklatexian · Oct 11, 2014

As Michael said earlier, condensation seems to be the biggest problem. Where we live in Louisiana, Summer is usually May through September. When you take cold equipment outside in hot humid weather expect your equipment and film to have condensation and prepare accordingly. This continues in the Winter months when you bring cold equipment and film into a warm humid area. But then you have that problem in colder climes also.....Regards!

bdial · Oct 11, 2014

I spent a year photographing in Thailand in my younger days, most of the cameras I worked with had been there for several years.

As stated, you don't need to take extraordinary precautions. If possible keep the film in its sealed containers prior to use. Some desiccant packs may help for the camera, but aren't essential.
If you expect to be shooting in the rain use the same precautions you would anywhere else, dry the camera asap after you finish.
You can make a temporary housing for the camera by using a large-ish plastic bag. Slip it over the camera, use a filter to cut an opening for the lens (stretch the bag over the front of the lens and screw in a filter through the plastic. It will cut a lens sized opening, remove the plug and replace the filter).

hugopoon · Oct 12, 2014

Never been to Myanmar, but it doesn't look all that different in terms of weather from Hong Kong.

Growing up in HK, I never really took any special precautions for film (cameras and lenses are kept in a dry cabinet though). Actually, having travelled quite a bit around Asia, I'd say I've never taken any particular precautions for anything, rain and snow aside. No issues, ever.

I guess some habits would help: I keep 35mm film in their plastic canisters before and after shooting, and only open the 120 film foil packets just before I shoot. I keep all my film in sealed plastic bags, always, though I've never thought (/bothered) to put desiccant packs in there.

If there's even a suggestion of rain, or actually even if there isn't, carry tissue/towel and some plastic bags in your bag/pockets. When it starts raining, just put the bag over your camera and hand, and take it out for the 5 seconds it'll take you to shoot — when you get to somewhere with shelter, wipe the camera.

Probably better off thinking about making the photos than keeping the camera bone dry.

Tips for shooting film in a humid region?

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