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  #1  
Old 3rd June 2013, 05:47 PM
joenail joenail is offline
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Default Storage Problems

Hi all,

I'm going on a big long drive around America next month (New York to Arizona through the south and back again) for three months and am wondering about storing film in the car, since it's quite stupidly hot in the southern States.

I'll have, I think, two 30m bulk rolls of Fomapan 400. Either that or HP5, depending on money and how much the Fomapan will withstand what with its soft emulsion and all. By the end of the trip I'll have a lot of exposed film lying around and really don't want to be losing/fogging it.

I'm thinking a cooler box with ziplocked bags and an ice pack kept in the car and just refilled with ice every day or two - is this reasonable? I've never had to deal with this problem before.

Does anyone have any experience with this? If so, I'd appreciate some advice on storage and/or type of film.

Cheers,

J.
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  #2  
Old 3rd June 2013, 10:41 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Your solution sounds OK to me but even better if the car is so equipped is an electrically operated coolbox which plugs into the battery and becomes a mini fridge.

Mike
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  #3  
Old 4th June 2013, 06:27 AM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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Might it not be better/cheaper to buy your film in the U.S.?

I think, if you call into B&H or Adorama etc. you should be able to get some great bargains on film compared to UK prices.

for example, 50 rolls at $213 = £140
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._36_Black.html
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Old 4th June 2013, 07:00 AM
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Ian Marsh Ian Marsh is offline
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3months worth of film will be quite a bulk I think. Will you be able to bring it as hand luggage? You dont want to put it in checked in luggage that are exposed to higher x-rays.

Could you periodically use A Fedex or similar carrier to send it back to somebody in UK who can store it safely until you return
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  #5  
Old 4th June 2013, 10:07 AM
MarcAeonDELETED MarcAeonDELETED is offline
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I really wouldn't take film into the new scanner area. Don't those new ones that see through your clothes fog everything these days!!!

I'm pretty sure I read on a white paper that you cant do it anymore.
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  #6  
Old 4th June 2013, 08:10 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I have driven round the south western USA more times than I care to remember.

Trying to keep film cool is perfectly possible, using the method you suggest

You will find loads of places sell cool boxes, from expanded polystyrene to the more expensive "Igloos"

Igloos are worth paying the extra money for - the expanded polystyrene will last a week or 10 days before getting punctured.

Petrol Stations all sell bags of ice for $1 to $2

An Igloo with a single bag of ice will keep your film and drinks cool/cold for a whole day and probably more.

I used to empty out the Igloo of water at the start of each day and then buy a bag of Ice at the Petrol Station, when it was time to fill up

However, you are going to also have to buy water proof storage containers to keep your film inside - there is an awful lot of water in one of those bags of ice.

Also, park you car in as much shade as you can find - it makes a huge difference to the interior temperature of your car as it soaks in that hot sun.

My advice would be to buy your film out in the USA
Firstly, its considerably cheaper than in the UK
Secondly, its one less thing you need to carry out with you.

E-mail one of the big shops in the USA before you go and pre-order the film - Ilford have a list of sellers on its web site (B&H are probably a good starting point)

I would also recommend that you buy standard cassettes of film and don't attempt to "roll your own"
The southern USA is an unbelievably dusty place - and the dust is both fine and very gritty in nature - it gets everywhere (and I mean everywhere)

While you are buying film - get a can or two of compressed air to blow out your camera and lenses every night.

Rolling your own film just increases the chances of scratched film every time you use the film cassette.

There isn't a lot of moisture in the air in the southern USA in the summer, so a yellow filter will darken blue skies quite a lot, an Orange filter will darken the skies a serious amount and a Red filter will render blue skies almost black.

My choice of film would be HP5 - it has a very wide exposure latitude and doesn't block up the highlights easily.
Contrast, except right at the start and end of the day, will be extremely high and so in order not to have huge empty shadows you will need to under expose the film by at least one stop (set the camera to 200ASA)

Over estimate the amount of film you intend to use.
Film will only be available in major centres like New York and Phoenix.
The distances between places are huge - journeys between stops are easily measured in how many days it takes to drive between them.

A few last pieces of advice

1) Watch you speed - Americans are much more concerned about speeding than we are and their Police forces will quite happily sit out in the middle of nowhere waiting to catch the unwary.

2) Watch your fluid intake - drink lots of water
At 30C you loose about 0.5 litres/hr in sweat
At 40C you loose about 1 l/hr
At 50C you loose 2 l/hr

3) When you are outside of the big cities refuel the car at the next Petrol (Gas Station) that you come to when your Petrol Tank reads less than half full.
For some strange reason, American cars have small fuel tanks which only give a range of about 250 miles from brim full to completely empty.
Some of the bits of Texas/New Mexico/Arizona you will probably be driving across will only have fuel stops every 50 to 100 miles - risk it and you can spend an unpleasant hour or two driving along wondering if you are going to make it.

4) Wear thick soled trainers - the ground is HOT - and the dust/dirt is deep enough to come in over the top of your shoes.
You will quickly learn to splash the path at the side of the swimming pool before you get out so as not to burn the soles of your feet on the pool side concrete.

5) Have a great time

Martin
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Old 4th June 2013, 09:38 PM
joenail joenail is offline
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Martin, you're a wonderful soul, thank you!

I definitely plan to buy the film over there, there's no chance I'm risking a fogged 50+ rolls and no money for more. Just for the sake of pointing it out, though, I've flown within the UK several times with both exposed and unexposed rolls on me and they've been absolutely fine, minus me being stupid and losing them.

Is it really that big a deal to buy in bulk? Looking at B&H it seems quite significantly cheaper - $50 (about £32) for a 100ft roll, working out at about £1.60-£2.00 per roll. Money and storage are things we don't have a lot of for this trip and it would save a load of both. I'm not too fussed about scratches really, and I have a reasonably reliable bulk loader I've been using for quite some time.

Your advice is fantastic though! I feel silly for only having a small amount to reply with.

J.
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  #8  
Old 5th June 2013, 05:44 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by joenail View Post
Martin, you're a wonderful soul, thank you!

I definitely plan to buy the film over there, there's no chance I'm risking a fogged 50+ rolls and no money for more. Just for the sake of pointing it out, though, I've flown within the UK several times with both exposed and unexposed rolls on me and they've been absolutely fine, minus me being stupid and losing them.

Is it really that big a deal to buy in bulk? Looking at B&H it seems quite significantly cheaper - $50 (about £32) for a 100ft roll, working out at about £1.60-£2.00 per roll. Money and storage are things we don't have a lot of for this trip and it would save a load of both. I'm not too fussed about scratches really, and I have a reasonably reliable bulk loader I've been using for quite some time.

Your advice is fantastic though! I feel silly for only having a small amount to reply with.

J.
No problem

That is the great thing about Forums like this - ask a question on almost any subject and someone wil chip in with an answer

Martin
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  #9  
Old 10th June 2013, 12:36 PM
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David Brown David Brown is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Aislabie View Post
I have driven round the south western USA more times than I care to remember.

Also, park you car in as much shade as you can find - it makes a huge difference to the interior temperature of your car as it soaks in that hot sun.

There isn't a lot of moisture in the air in the southern USA in the summer,
...
Speaking as one who lives here ...

There is not a lot of moisture in the southwestern US. In the southeast, it can be another story. I am in San Antonio, Texas right now and the humidity is high! It's higher in Houston and anywhere within a hundred miles of the Coast. If you are coming south from New York through the Southeastern states, by the time you get to Arizona you will have experienced two or three climates!

Martin is right. Park the car in the shade and don't speed! You'll be fine and have a great time. Welcome to the USA.
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  #10  
Old 13th June 2013, 12:15 PM
paulc paulc is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Aislabie View Post
1) Watch you speed - Americans are much more concerned about speeding than we are and their Police forces will quite happily sit out in the middle of nowhere waiting to catch the unwary.
They also use light aircraft and helicopters to "clock" someones speed. The cars do not just have to sit by the roadside as they can get a reading on oncoming vehicles.
Some police officers over there think that us Brits are using something called a "killometer per hour" - Just tell them that you are having trouble with these legacy units
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