Filming in very hot conditions soon!
 

Hello there

I'll be filming in the Grand Canyon in a couple of weeks. I think it's going to be very hot!

I'm worried that the camera may malfunction due to the heat, and the tapes that I've already recorded on to will melt!

Does any one have any advice to for hot and dry conditions please? I'm think keep all the tapes wrapped up to the heat can't get to them, that kind of thing?

Cheers

Jon

Heat isn't as much of a problem as humidity. Dry heat should be no problem as long as you don't leave your stuff in a black car in the hot sun. You say you are shooting in the Grand Canyon which is not necessarily famous for intense heat. If you are shooting in Death Valley, that is another story. From my reading of various sources over the past several years, it seems that the lowest melting/softening point of most plastics is about 170F, so a camera should be fine at temperatures that are acceptable for people. Treat it like a person. Keep it out of strong sun for extended periods and don't leave it in a hot car.

Humidity is a different story. You don't want to take your camera from a cold place to a warm and humid area. Condensation could cause problems. Think of a cold beverage sweating in a humid room. You don't want that effect on your camera, so let your camera acclimate in it's case when you bring it from a cold place (like a cold air-conditioned room) into humidity.

Edit:

I searched around and DVinfo users have reported that batteries are not save above 140F and someone had mics go bad at 110F. I'm sure that 110F is too low to cause problems, but you can get temps much higher than an ambient 110F if there are other factors like direct sun on a dark surface or the interior of a vehicle. I definitely wouldn't leave my camera in the sun or in a vehicle on a 110F day.

I live in phoenix and generally don't have any problems with heat. I would just keep the equipment out of direct sunlight as much as possible.

A couple weeks from now you should be ok. A couple months from now, HOT HOT HOT!!!!

The polyethylene backing of magnetic tape has a melting point around 250°F (120°C), so it is unlikely that your tape will melt at the Grand Canyon — even in the summer at river level (which is about 15°F hotter than the South Rim). In fact, up at the South Rim the hottest month of the year is July with an average high of just 84°F. Of course that translates to 99° at the river; during a hot spell it can be a lot hotter, too. Even so, your tape should be OK.

One consideration in the desert is that while your camera might work fine in the heat, you might not be able to touch it without getting burned. A PortaBrace, or similar, cover will help keep the camera cooler, but you might still want to carry some type of gloves along. Also, be VERY careful of dust getting inside the camera, especially when you change tapes. I prefer the 80 minute tapes to minimize opening things up for that reason.

Have fun, the Canyon is the best.

Peter