how do slrs do in the heat?

i am going to vegas tomorrow for 10 days, average temp is around 100 for the high right now. we are renting a car, should i not be taking them out of the hotel room unless they are going to be with me? or would they be ok in the car?

Keep your gear in the trunk if you must keep them in the car. If you have a spare cooler, putting your camera/lenses in their is even better.

I'm down in AZ and no, I would not leave my gear in a closed up car for an extended period of time.

Car interiors can exceed 140 in direct sun so prolonged exposure to those temps is not good.

I'd lock it up in a suitcase when not in use.

yea, thats what i was thinking, thanks guys

What Jay said. Check your camera manual...it should tell you the max prolonged temperature. Car trunks are a no-go, especially in Vegas during the summer.

footballdude2k3 wrote in post #10571239
i am going to vegas tomorrow for 10 days, average temp is around 100 for the high right now. we are renting a car, should i not be taking them out of the hotel room unless they are going to be with me? or would they be ok in the car?

maybe like pick ur poison. leaving $1000s of photo gear in a hotel room is like asking the house keeping maids to steal ur stuff while you are gone. putting it in your car or trunk is about the same thing for theft and extreme temperatures.

maybe use the room safe if it has one and is big enough?

I am in Kuwait right now, and it was probably 110-115 outside today...used the 5D out in the sun sporadically, and it was okay. The top got almost too hot to touch as well!

make sure you don't do any video if you can, the sensor gets really hot during this..

trunk is a baaaad idea for heat, the reason the heat is bad is that some of the lubricants, and solvents/glues in the lenses and body may get too hot and cause them to migrate from thier intended places, or in the event of lens elements may cause issues with them. Many hotels have mini safes, and I'm sure a safe deposit box is available at a casino if you really need to stow the gear.

so, why not bringing it with you the whole time? =)

If needed to store in either hotel or car, and if hotel doesn't have a safe that can fit the stuff, put the stuff in the car's trunk. The modern day car's trunk can keep heat away ok, may be in there for an hour or so. But it is still not recommanded, but only do it if it is necessary.

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #10571268
I'm down in AZ and no, I would not leave my gear in a closed up car for an extended period of time.

Car interiors can exceed 140 in direct sun so prolonged exposure to those temps is not good.

It's been my experience that the passenger compartment gets much hotter than a closed trunk. All that glass, y'know.

That's why I keep my gear in the trunk when necessary.

What we need is some actual temperature measurements - car interior and trunk. Unfortunately, I'm in no position to do that, since highs around here are in the mid 80s. Strange weather for my area, on the edge of California's Central Valley.

Now Jay, OTOH, is in the perfect place to take some measurements. How about it, Jay?

Measurebators want to know!

-js

EDIT: oops, you're on the way to Oshkosh, aren't you?

Hey Roger! Paging 20DRoger. 20DRoger to the white courtesy phone, please...

treat cameras like your pet. don't leave them in a hot car. There's glue in there, on mirrors, on body trim, etc., that just might let go. And electronic circuits that like less extremes.

Hotel room or front desk safes.

I've never had an issue with theft in a hotel room as long as it isn't a motel in the 'hood. I would just keep it out of sight in the hotel room and you'll be fine.

yeah, i've never had trouble with the hotels. what cleaning lady knows the difference between a rebel and a 5D?

Don't all hotel rooms have safes -- and if not, the front desk staff does. Why not use them? I've been turned away at some small hotels in Asia without room for my bag in the hotel safe, and had to leave it behind. Most hotel have hallway cameras that might catch a cleaning lady with your laptop. But why go through the hassle?