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08/01/2006 10:15:17 AM · #1 |
I have a question. I have a Nikon D200. It was a lot for me to pay for a camera but I really wanted it and I do love it. For the past few months I have been taking it with me everywhere, in case that perfect picture opportunity arises. If I had to run in a store then it would be left in my car, it a camera bag, with a few other accessories.
It's been really hot and humid lately. When I get back to my car, even if it's less than 20 minutes, the car is steaming hot on the inside. I would hate to damage my camera by leaving in my car. Tomorrow it is going to hit 100 degrees. My all black car, with a black interior will get pretty hot in there.
For the past few days I have left it home and I am afraid that I am going to miss a picture.
My question is? Are those high temeratures ok for a camera and lens? The car stereo has 6 CDs in it all the time. I leave other things in the car all day when it sits in a blaring sun for eight hours when I am at work? Am I just being over protective?
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08/01/2006 10:16:53 AM · #2 |
Honestly, I wouldn't keep my camera & stuff in my car. It's gone before you know it.
Don't know about temperatures though.. |
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08/01/2006 10:18:46 AM · #3 |
| the heat could damge the LCD for one. |
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08/01/2006 10:22:58 AM · #4 |
I don't live in a big city or anything. If I am anywhere other than in front of a local store then I would put it in the trunk.
My concern isn't the crime part of it at all. It's more the heat risk. And in the winter it will be the cold risk?
I used to have a special case for my table tennis paddle that was heat resistant. It was made of a silver foil and it had some kind of insulator in it. The heat would destroy the rubber on a blade in minutes and that protected it really well. The manufacturer claimed it wouldn't get higher than 10 degrees above room temperature in the case.
I need something like that for the camera.
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08/01/2006 10:23:53 AM · #5 |
always with me & never left in the car
(unless, on the very odd occasion, in the trunk)
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08/01/2006 10:26:24 AM · #6 |
I do too...
LONG LIVE PENTAX |
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08/01/2006 10:27:23 AM · #7 |
i carry mine with me everywhere. typically, i'll leave it in the car/truck if i go into a store, but i've been known to carry it in some of those, as well...
i have a kata r103 backpack and it did come with a silver reflective cover that i use sometimes, especially if i have it in the back of a golf cart...
in any condition, though, i've not noticed the heat rising that much inside the bag itself, even on these hot, humid memphis days...
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08/01/2006 10:27:44 AM · #8 |
I used to carry all my kit with me all the time until it simply got too much - now I just carry my old Panasonic FZ2 with me on a daily basis (with a spare battery, mini tripod and a load of filters).
Although I'm seriously considering using a Nikon EM, a 50mm lens (maybe a 28mm) loaded with Ilford XP2 as my everyday camera.
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08/01/2006 10:28:47 AM · #9 |
I think it's too hot for your equipment inside the car. I take mine with me everywhere too (and it's been VERY hot & humid here), but if I go into a store and don't want to take it with me I put it in the trunk. ONLY if I'm going to be gone for less than 20 minutes though. If it's going to be more than that, I carry it. I never leave it in the cab (on the seat or visible) - it too tempting for someone to steal it. I live in a very low crime area, but don't want to take the chance or get in the habit.
I'd carry it if I were you - or leave it at home for short trips. :) |
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08/01/2006 10:33:48 AM · #10 |
I carry my camera everyday and everywhere with me, but I never ever will/would leave my camera in the car. To afraid to leave it in the car and also to many stories I have read hear about cameras being stolen from cars.
But I always carry it with me and never put it down its also in my bag on my shoulder or in my hand never lay my bag down.
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08/01/2006 10:36:32 AM · #11 |
| The interior of a car can get to 140+ in the sun in the summertime. I'm not sure if that will melt or damage anything in the camera, but I would think if your camera gets that hot it won't useable anyways. I checked the manual for your camera and it says the operating environment is 104 degrees max. You might be alright a few degrees more than that, but probably not much. So if it did "survive" the extreme heat, you'd probably have to take it out and cool it down a while before you could use it. -just theoretical, nothing scientificly proven or anything. |
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08/01/2006 11:46:08 AM · #12 |
There have been many people who posted on the forums here with a sad story about their camera being stolen out of their car....and I would hate to have that happen to me. But you know the area you live in, and only you can make the decision as to whether or not it's a serious risk.
As far as heat, I've heard of some people keeping a smallish cooler in their trunk. Then the put the camera bag inside the cooler for the extra insulation. |
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08/01/2006 11:50:20 AM · #13 |
My camera stays with me at all times. I take it everywhere with me, I'm at work as I type this and my camera and equipment is two feet away. I'd NEVER leave it in a car, EVER!
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08/01/2006 11:58:44 AM · #14 |
Originally posted by naldslc:
My camera stays with me at all times. I take it everywhere with me, I'm at work as I type this and my camera and equipment is two feet away. I'd NEVER leave it in a car, EVER! |
When it's as hot as it is today (100+ here and humid) isn't condensation an issue - going from air conditioned environment to outdoor heat when you leave the building? In reverse as well - hot to cold.
I guess as long as you leave the camera bag closed for a short period of time you're ok. |
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08/01/2006 12:12:12 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Originally posted by naldslc:
My camera stays with me at all times. I take it everywhere with me, I'm at work as I type this and my camera and equipment is two feet away. I'd NEVER leave it in a car, EVER! |
When it's as hot as it is today (100+ here and humid) isn't condensation an issue - going from air conditioned environment to outdoor heat when you leave the building? In reverse as well - hot to cold.
I guess as long as you leave the camera bag closed for a short period of time you're ok. |
This is true. It's so hot now that my eyeglasses fog up when I get out of an air conditioned car. If that happens to a digital camera, couldn't it hurt the electronics.
Man. Why didn't I just buy a Canon. Then I wouldn't have cared if it breaks. (That is a joke.)
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08/01/2006 12:12:52 PM · #16 |
Condensation will screw with your image since you will have water on the lenses...both on the outside and on the inside of the camera.
Obviously, this moisture appears when there is a sudden temperature change (cold camera surface in hot & humid air). Take for example eye glasses...my glasses will steam up when I walk from a air conditioned building outside into the high heat and high HUMIDITY. The same happens to our cameras.
Keep your equipment in your bag and allow it to sit in its new environment for awhile (to heat up or cool down) before you shoot. This will allow the steam to evaporate.
In extreme cases (like camping) I keep my equipment in zip lock bags. This keeps the moisture in the air away from the critical surfaces while the camera temperature can stabalize.
PS - now that I reread your post...you are right, just let the camera sit for a couple of minutes before use.
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08/01/2006 12:23:34 PM · #17 |
| i take mine everyday...i carry that bag on my shoulder in and out of my office everyday, just in case...i've gotten some of my best photos that way...but never ever leave it in the car...if i'm going somewhere where it would be odd to take it with me, then i just leave it at home. |
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08/01/2006 12:25:13 PM · #18 |
Helps to gradually acclimate as well. I'll open the bag just a little after a few minutes to let the change take place gradually. I've found this helpful in the winter as well when I want to take some images of that fresh snow, etc...warm house to outside freezing.
That actually sounds pretty good right now...cool air that is. ;^) |
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08/01/2006 12:31:24 PM · #19 |
I used to bring my 20D and all my gear with me everywhere, but it got to be too much, so now I just have a point & shoot with me at all times in case I "need" a camera.
Also, I keep a normal sized cooler in the trunk. If I do have all my gear with me and need to shop or something, I just put the camera and lenses into the (not cold) cooler. I read that tip here some time ago, and works great for me. |
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08/01/2006 12:32:05 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Originally posted by naldslc:
My camera stays with me at all times. I take it everywhere with me, I'm at work as I type this and my camera and equipment is two feet away. I'd NEVER leave it in a car, EVER! |
When it's as hot as it is today (100+ here and humid) isn't condensation an issue - going from air conditioned environment to outdoor heat when you leave the building? In reverse as well - hot to cold.
I guess as long as you leave the camera bag closed for a short period of time you're ok. |
As long as you are careful and let the camera climatize (sp?) to the environment changes you should be fine. When I go from inside to out in hot weather the camera is climatized fairly quickly in the summer months. To tell you the truth I haven't had an issue here in Utah in the summer months. In the winter it's a different story. Still as long as the camera slowly acclimates itself to the weather you should be fine.
To do this I just keep it in my lowepro bag until I'm confident that it's good to go.
edit: Damn too slow. All good advice above.
Message edited by author 2006-08-01 12:33:16.
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08/01/2006 12:45:58 PM · #21 |
NO! Depending on your locale temps inside of a black vehicle can reach 150 degrees! The LCDs in particular are at tremendous risk. If you must do this, at least leave the camera in a cooler.
Message edited by author 2006-08-01 12:49:26. |
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08/01/2006 12:51:31 PM · #22 |
I don't know about Nikon but Canon has a safe temp and humidity range in the manual. How accurate or true it is I don't know. They also don't say why or what can be damaged from the heat and humidity.
Operating Temperature Range
32-104° F/0-40° C
Operating Humidity Range
85% or less
I always leave my stuff in the truck. I live in a small town though. Everything in the bag is insured against theft and damage.
Message edited by author 2006-08-01 12:58:01.
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08/01/2006 01:00:33 PM · #23 |
I try not to leave mine in the car with either extreme temperature or cold. spent too much on the cmera would hate to see something bad happen to it. If i do take it with me i try not to leave it in the car with etreme temperature, most of the time i will bring it into work where it is air conditioned.
If it is put in a cooler won't it heat up in ther as well? |
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08/01/2006 01:04:34 PM · #24 |
I have mine with me 90% of the time. I never leave it in the car, Mostly do to extreme weather conditions but also because I do not feel like donating a camera and a bag full of accessories to some car shopping punk.
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08/01/2006 01:06:10 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by Bugzeye:
I have mine with me 90% of the time. I never leave it in the car, Mostly do to extreme weather conditions but also because I do not feel like donating a camera and a bag full of accessories to some car shopping punk. |
Ditto. I've even been known to take my whole bag into the grocery store with me if I need to stop on my way home. Camera + car = no camera. I won't take that chance.
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