How hot is your camera?

[Loupey]

With summer right around the corner, I was wondering if anyone has left their DSLR in their car without any adverse effects. I was pretty neurotic when I used to shoot only film. But now, I just want to keep a spare camera in the car when I travel.

The stated operating temperatures are typically around 100 degrees. But as long as I don't attempt to shoot a blistering hot camera without first allowing it to cool to ambient, will there be a problem? Will the imaging sensor suffer irreversible damage (at what temperature)?

Any horror stories out there about forgetting the camera in the car?

[almo]

I live in florida where it can reach well over 150º inside of a parked car. I used to have a Minolta 7i, and I accentdentally left it in the truck a few times, and when I would pick it up it would almost be to hot to handle. It seemed to work fine everytime, but I don't recomend it.

[JSPhoto]

Heat and espeicially HUMIDITY will kill digital camera's. I ha to leave my 1D (the old one)in the house a week once due to humidity.
A Canon rep said if it's too hot for your hands, don't use it as the added heat from using the camera can cause problems...remember, electricity also makes heat.

JS

[jar_e]

I'm sure too much of anything is going to wreck your camera. I guess it matters on how much you feel you can risk with the cam and how important it would be if something did end up happening to it.

[Chunk]

Last summer I spent a couple weeks on a motorcycle out west with the temp up to 110 in the shade. My camera (not an slr) was in the tank bag or hard saddlebags (black) for all of it. No problems.

[Loupey]

Guys, thanks for the information. Chunk, I'll use your example as a real life test. I can't imagine it getting any hotter than what you described.

Jared, I take risks, that's for sure - but calculated ones

[jar_e]

Jared, I take risks, that's for sure - but calculated ones

Ah, what's life without a little fun, injury, and damage?!

[CaSousa]

It's pretty hot... i get turned on just thinking about it. ;) Seriously though, my experience has been that I try to let things cool before I use it, but that is only for the integrity of the film. I used to leave my Rebel in the car, and especially down in Mexico it tended to mess with the integrity of the emulsion... that is until I got Yucatan beach sand in the winding gears and had to upgrade to my current Elan (oops!).