How I kept my film cool in a hot parked car

[vibin]

This is a tip for those of you worried about leaving your film to

roast in a parked car.

 

On my day hikes in the southwest last year, I would only take with me

the rolls of film I thought I needed. The rest I would put in a

ziplock bag. I would then wrap it with a very wet t-shirt and leave it

in the car. The bag and film seemed to remain remarkably cool to the

touch compared to everything else in the car.

[steve bell]

You also can't beat an insulated cool bag with a couple of freezer blocks. It also keeps

your sandwiches fresh. I also mark with a CD pen sheet film or roll film, so when some

goes back into the fridge unused, I know it's been out before so it gets used first next

time.

[bobmichaels]

Summer or Winter, I carry film in a small plastic cooler. No coolant added, just rely on the insulation. And the min / max therometer says it works. Plus it's so convenient.

 

I also have an assortment of various sized coolers to carry camera gear. They keep things out of sight of thieving eyes. And about the cheapest container you can find.

 

Yesterday, I had three coolers in my van. One for film. One carries my Bronica system bag. One carries my ContaxG system bag.

 

Today, I only had two. One for film and another that carries my Mamiya 7 system.

 

Oh, I sometimes carry another cooler. One loaded with ice and water to drink.

[leonard_peterson]

Film just isn't affected by heat as much today as in the past. Do you really think the UPS trucks from the mfg to the camera stores are a/c'd? Or from the store to your front door if you mail order? Have any of you ever tested a roll to see if there is a difference? You're risking condensation by taking film in and out of cool to heat.

[robert goldstein]

The trunk of a car is much cooler than the passenger compartment, which absorbs and retains heat just like a greenhouse. So if your vehicle has a separate trunk, you can keep film there without worry. OK, I don't know how it would fare in Death Valley in the middle of the summer, but in most situations, the trunk will be fine.

[jeffpolaski]

Cheap lunch bag (insulated). As a matter of fact, that's also my camera bag, I keep one in each car.

[vibin]

To Leonard: I agree that film should be able to take most temperatures that it's exposed to. But after the first day of hiking in Zion, I came back to my car, and my stick of deodarant in my back seat had melted completely into a puddle. And it was the solid type. I just didn't feel right after that, to leave my film exposed to those temperatures for the next eight days.