Should you thaw film before taking pictures?

[brian_m.1]

<p>I sometimes leave the camera in the car parked outside. With night lows in the teens these days is it advisable to take pictures right away? </p>

[vick_vickery]

<p>When I take film out of the freezer I give it several hours at room temperature before using it to avoid any chance of condensation. I think I'd do the same with film in a camera left overnight in the car in freezing temperatures. Best bet: bring the cameras in at night.</p>

[ken_luskay]

<p>I'm not sure what effect freezing temperatures would have on film, other than possible condensation on the film (and camera) if it's taken into a warm environment.</p>

<p>However, freezing temperatures may have an effect on your camera in that the lubricants can thicken causing the shutter to run slower or unevenly, and could affect the aperture in the same way. Also, low temperatures could cause the batteries to put out less than the needed voltage, thereby affecting the exposure reading.</p>

<p>So, take the camera inside with you at night.</p>

[andylynn]

<p>Don't leave the camera in temps that cold - probably won't cause any lasting problems, but no need to press your luck.</p>

[janne_moren]

People use film cameras in cold winter temperatures all the time, and the film is as cold as the ambient temperature. If film couldn't handle being frozen you'd never have any winter shots on film.

 

Your only concern is when you take your equipment (and equipment, not just film cameras, or cameras) from freezing temperatures to warm indoor temps. A cold surface will cause condensation of any humidity in the air and end up getting wet. You can get around it by not exposing it directly to the warm air; leave the camera in the bag for a while, or put it in a plastic bag before you take it inside. Failing that, just not use it until it's warm and the water has evaporated again.

 

Again, remember that this is not camera-specific. Anything with a decent thermal conductance will gather moisture. You take any electronics or metal tools or similar inside they'll get wet as well. And of course, not everything will handle it well; some electronic components can actually rust over time for instance. Paper is usually fine, but I once saw what happens when you use a metal clipboard; the clipboard got wet and the papers on it turned into a soggy lump.