Leaving digital camera in the car

[monica31671]

We will be heading to the parks on the day we check out of the Yacht Club. I don't want to carry around my digital camera and my camcorder. Would my camera be okay in the car on a hot day?

 

[donaldduck1967]

We will be heading to the parks on the day we check out of the Yacht Club. I don't want to carry around my digital camera and my camcorder. Would my camera be okay in the car on a hot day?

More then likely not. It can probably get over 100 deg in a car on a hot day. I would rent a locker fot the day.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I don't think the heat will bother it. Thieves might.

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I wouldn't risk it ... my Canon S3 IS lists 32F to 104F for its Operating Temperature. I'm sure it can handle a little more without damage, but it can get to well over 130F in a car in the FL sun....

Lockers are only a couple of bucks, better that than a fried or stolen camera!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

my Canon S3 IS lists 32F to 104F for its Operating Temperature.

I don't think that the operating temperature range is a good gauge for storage temps.

I live in Texas and I know that cars can get blisteringly hot inside. We've left junk in cars for years. The only stuff that's ever had a problem from heat is stuff that's been left in direct sunlight shining through untinted windows. If you leave the camera out of sight in a glovebox, trunk, or under a seat, I don't think you'll have a problem. I'm not going to guaranty that though.

I'd be more nervous about the camcorder if it uses tapes. Extreme temps would almost certainly not be good for the tapes.

 

[ukcatfan]

Have you thought about placing it in your luggage and having the YC keep it in their bell services storage area. It would not be 100% safe, but I have never heard of anyone having problems with missing stuff at WDW when the bell services holds their luggage. They hire respectable people for those positions b/c they have too much reputation riding on the service being good. It would not hurt to have a luggage lock on it though.

Kevin

 

[monica31671]

I didn't think about renting a locker. That's a good idea.
My camcorder is a mini-dv, but I'll be hauling it around that day.
We're checking out of th YC, going to MK, and then checking into OKW later in the day. I guess I could just pack it in my luggage and have them do a luggage transfer.
Thanks for the ideas!

 

[LPZ_Stitch!]

I don't think that the operating temperature range is a good gauge for storage temps.

True, but if you were to store it in the car at 130F, how long would it take to completely cool down to "safe operating temp" after removing it?

Like you say, it probably doesn't matter with "junk" but I'd rather be safe than sorry with something as important to me as my camera on vacation at WDW!

I'd be devastated if something happened, knowing that my only options would be to A) buy disposables at WDW, B) buy a whole new camera at WDW, or C) travel off-site looking for a BestBuy or CircuitCity for a new camera!

 

[GrumpyOne]

I've left other cameras in the car in AZ in the summer, making sure that it wasn't left in the sun, and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Max of 104 for operating temps? Can't use it outside for six hours of each day for 1/2 the year in the desert SW then. I remember one June day when it hit 121.

 

[photo_chick]

I know heat damages electorincs, It also messes with glass optics, and then there is the issue of the memory card being affected by the heat. I don't know if a car is realyl hot enough to damage these things or not. I am one of the better safe than sorry people.

 

[MICKEY88]

I wouldn't risk it ... my Canon S3 IS lists 32F to 104F for its Operating Temperature. I'm sure it can handle a little more without damage, but it can get to well over 130F in a car in the FL sun....

Lockers are only a couple of bucks, better that than a fried or stolen camera!

I've had temps over 150 in my car in PA, so 130 is low...

 

[MICKEY88]

if it's a car with an actual trunk the temps in the trunk are 20-30 degress lower,


if absolutely neccessary you could always do what I've done in the past, either a cooler or 2 garbage bags..

I've put 2 bags of ice in the garbage bags along with my camera bag, then tie the bags shut, it's amazing how long the ice will keep, for summer sun I'd probably go with the cooler, large enough cooler to hold the camera bag which I've elevated with a plastic container of some sort, then one bag of ice, keeps everything nice and cool..

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

I think the bigger issue is not taking your camera to the parks! The horror!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

It's no guarantee of anything, but I live in a climate very similar to Orlando and we've left all kinds of electronics in the car for years with no ill effects. That includes the car stereo, DVD players, LCD screens, Nintendo DSes, a GameCube, several DSLRs, etc. I've never heard of anyone here having electronics fried because of car heat. In fact, I story many of these types of items in my attic, which gets just as hot.

On the other hand, I've had lots of things melt that were left in the car in the sun. That includes chess pieces, crayons (quite attractive all melted together), gummy bears, and candles.

 

[photo_chick]

DH reminded me he had an Atari 1040 ST many years ago that he left in the car. It caused the motherboard to warp.

 

[0bli0]

we had a automobile fire in a car park earlier in the year that ended up catching the car next to it on fire as well. the cause was found to be a lithium-ion battery in a mobile phone. the battery overheated, built up pressure, and ruptured and ignited the solvent within the battery pack.

so the local current affairs show did some tests on batteries and found that li-ion was the only type that would catch on fire and only after prolonged high temperatures. note that they found lithium polymer batteries were not flammable due to the solid state and no solvents.

as Mark said - i'd be far more worried about people breaking in.

 

[Groucho]

DH reminded me he had an Atari 1040 ST many years ago that he left in the car. It caused the motherboard to warp.

I just saw my old 1040ST in my parent's garage a week or so ago... on that one, I cracked the motherboard in an attempt to make an external keyboard for it. It worked fine as long as I had something jammed up under one corner of the motherboard to keep the traces pressed together...

Back on topic, I think LCDs are really the thing that heat can do damage to. We had our (relatively new at the time) microwave stored up top in my parent's garage (not far from the Atari!), when we took it down later, the LCD display never worked right. You could barely see it if you looked at just the right angle.

One day probably wouldn't be too much damage, though... but I'd definitely stick it in the trunk if possible or under the seat if there's no dedicated trunk.