travelling in heat with film?

[h2oman]

I'm headed out next week for a road trip. I begin with a 4 day river trip on which I'll take my camera, but I want to leave some loaded film holders in my car, which will most likely be parked in the sun of western Colorado all four days. I was thinking that if I put the film holders in a small cooler (without ice) and wrapped it in a down sleeping bag that might keep it from getting too hot during the days. Anyone with thoughts and/or experience?

Thanks,
Gregg Waterman

[Preston]

Here's what I've done:

Put the film in a ziplock freezer bag.
Place in a cooler with a couple of well-frozen gel ice packs.
Use a cord to secure the lid so that it seals well.
Put the whole shebang in a down bag and tie it off so no outside air can get in.

Don't put it in the trunk. Just a thought, if you have one of those reflective windshield shades. lay it over the bag to keep any direct sun off of it.

Whether this will last four days or not, I don't know. It depends upon how hot it gets and whether or not the vehicle is in shade at least some of the time.

Have a great trip!

--P

[joselsgil]

Greg, you might want to switch to a large cooler with blue ice. Even then, it will only last a day. If your car has tinted windows or you can shield most of the interior of the car. That might help. Leave the windows cracked open just a bit, to let the hot air from the interior escape.

I once left a kodak developing thermometer in my old Ford Ranger pick-up truck, for less than 5 min. while I unloaded the truck. When I went to retrieve it. The temp read 110 degrees. This was during a warm sunny Southern California day, with no shade on the vehicle. I was really surprised just how quickly a vehicle's interior heats up.

Good luck.

Jose

[Brian Stein]

I once left a kodak developing thermometer in my old Ford Ranger pick-up truck, for less than 5 min. while I unloaded the truck. When I went to retrieve it. The temp read 110 degrees. This was during a warm sunny Southern California day, with no shade on the vehicle. I was really surprised just how quickly a vehicle's interior heats up.

Yep. It takes about an hour to heat up fully. With ambient temperatures in the 90s your car interior can hit 130s-150s. Cracking the windows slows the process but does not eliminate it. This is why kids and pets die from heatstroke. If you want some science and graphs look at http://pediatrics.aappublications.or...ull/116/1/e109.

Solutions:
1. take the film with you and load it later.
2. bury the film 18" underground (only half joking!)
3. if you have to leave it in the car: shade, shade, shade.
window tinting will also act to delay peak temperatures, but if the car is in full sunlight all day also wont cut it.
ice box ideas also will delay temp rises: if you get really obsessional about it (box in box in down bag) it may be sufficient.

[Vaughn]

Find a local store or office willing to store a small ice chest inside for the four days? Perhaps the rafting company (if you are going that route) might have a local office they work out of.

[Richard Raymond]

Gregg,
I use a 2 cooler system for keeping film cold over multiple days when I am in the desert. I use a small cooler with my film and holders. I put some of the "blue ice" containers in with the film. I put this cooler inside a larger cooler. In the larger cooler I put block ice and dry ice. The dry ice will keep the block ice from melting too quickly. Keep as much sun as possible out of the car by using sun shades on both the front and rear windows.
Ric

[Frank Petronio]

I suspect that you would really have to cook the film over a longer period to see any ill effect. Has anyone here ever actually fogged their film from desert heat in recent memory? (With modern emulsions and simple precautions like keep the film covered.)

[Rick A]

RV supply and auto parts stores, maybe even truck stops, sell 12 volt coolers for a reasonable price. Just plug it in and it acts as a refridgerator. I believe some even have thermostats.

[Brian C. Miller]

I haven't had a problem, myself. But I haven't stashed the film in a car.

Hang on, I can run an experiment. I do have a roll or two of 120 that I left in my Jeep for a while.

[BetterSense]

What objective, scientific basis is there for worrying about this? I mean, does anyone have any actual data, that shows what real effects there are from ~130F temperatures for typical periods of time, on color and/or black-and-white film? Has anyone, including film manufacturers, done any tests on this?