The remote temp sensor is great thing - I don't leave my gear in the car, but I live in SC where we have many HOT days. I don't chance taking my camera from a 72 degree indoor temp to 90-100 outdoor. So I keep my gear in a Zero case - I have the remote sensor in the case and the receiver attached to the outside with velcro. If I know that I am going to shoot on a hot day I simply place my case outside in the morning - then I can watch the internal and external temps until they are close enough to open the case. You could do the same with a cooler.
Nickerjo wrote:
The remote temp sensor is great thing - I don't leave my gear in the car, but I live in SC where we have many HOT days. I don't chance taking my camera from a 72 degree indoor temp to 90-100 outdoor. So I keep my gear in a Zero case - I have the remote sensor in the case and the receiver attached to the outside with velcro. If I know that I am going to shoot on a hot day I simply place my case outside in the morning - then I can watch the internal and external temps until they are close enough to open the case. You could do the same with a cooler....Show more →
You'd be the perfect person to buy used gear from. I'm always jumping out of my nicely cold air conditioned truck with camera in hand so cold I have to wipe off the lens with the t-shirt, take the shot, wipe again etc.
By the way, in case you didn't know it, things get really hot at South Beach in Miami, but you will not want to lave your camera behind (if you know what I mean)
at the moment we have here on the Southeast coast of
FL 93°F
RealFeelŪ
95°F
Winds: NW
If I leave my camera (MarkIII with lens attached in the car I use a double compartment tennis bag which I have padded and store my camera gear in there but even then never unattended unless your gear is insired and you are looking for new stuff.
BTW Never ever leave any thing in a rental car no matter what it is. Thieves love these targets.
In Alabama where the heat and humidity rival Florida's easily. At least you guys get ocean/gulf breezes to take the sting out of the heat at times.
It's already been mentioned but get a cooler. We used to get the cheapo styrofoam coolers when I worked at a newspaper. Kept things nice and cool.
Nowadays, I won't keep my gear in the car for an extended period (more than an hour) during the summer months. While there are stories of those who have and haven't had an issue, knowing my luck, I'll be the exception.
I live in Florida and I tend to avoid leaving my gear in the car in direct sunlight for any length of time. There have been many occaisions where I have left my gear in the car in the hot sun. I've never had a problem related to the heat. I think as long as your car is in the shade your gear will be ok. I keep my gear in a heavily padded Think Tank bag that insulates it a bit from the heat. The biggest problem I have is when I forget and keep my gear in the air conditioned house. If you do that and then go out shooting at dawn the next morning, your lens will repeatedly fog up for about 45 minutes or so until the temp equalizes. It can be very frustrating when you are missing great shots in sweet early morning light because your lens is fogged. In the summer in Florida I typicaly shoot from just before sunrise until about 9:30am. After that it gets too hot and the light gets too harsh. This means my gear usually gets put away before it gets really hot.
Thanks again everyone Let's hope the Tropical storm misses us here in FLA I've not taken anything so far & I've been here since the 9th i think it's the fact that I have my wife & 2 daughters with me who are enjoying the exchange rate if you get my drift I love wildlife & I know this is not the time of year in FLA for birds etc..............my longest lens I have bought with me is a 300mm F4L IS & a x1.4 converter, didn't want to lug my 500 & a tripod with me.............I will go out & shot some brids in flight but boy am i bad at that or what Oh well practice makes perfect, so they say Thanks again
coppertop wrote:
In Alabama where the heat and humidity rival Florida's easily. At least you guys get ocean/gulf breezes to take the sting out of the heat at times.
It's already been mentioned but get a cooler. We used to get the cheapo styrofoam coolers when I worked at a newspaper. Kept things nice and cool.
Nowadays, I won't keep my gear in the car for an extended period (more than an hour) during the summer months. While there are stories of those who have and haven't had an issue, knowing my luck, I'll be the exception.
humidty doesn't hurt cameras though (well maybe fungus.... ) since they don't sweat to cool off.
JimN wrote:
I live in Florida and I tend to avoid leaving my gear in the car in direct sunlight for any length of time. There have been many occaisions where I have left my gear in the car in the hot sun. I've never had a problem related to the heat. I think as long as your car is in the shade your gear will be ok.
I leave my gear in my vehical for days at a time year round. When shooting out in the sun on a hot day the camera has become hot to the touch. I have never had a problem.
I have never been in the tropical rainforests where humidity and heat reportedly will be a problem for your gear, but you should be OK in the US.
With this many of you guys storing your gear in your cars ---- it's no wonder why thieves target cars so often. Let's just hope that none of you guys who have admitted to leaving your gear in your car all the time have websites that list any sort of address of where you live (ie: domain names that list your actual home address in the entry). Otherwise, a small ring of bad guys could make a killing on selling the stolen goods. Seriously guys, just take the freakin' camera with you. Leaving it in the car is bad news.
Ben Horne wrote:
With this many of you guys storing your gear in your cars ---- it's no wonder why thieves target cars so often. Let's just hope that none of you guys who have admitted to leaving your gear in your car all the time have websites that list any sort of address of where you live (ie: domain names that list your actual home address in the entry). Otherwise, a small ring of bad guys could make a killing on selling the stolen goods. Seriously guys, just take the freakin' camera with you. Leaving it in the car is bad news....Show more →
Not that I'm condoning leaving stuff in your cars but your story sounds like something out of the movies. Thiefs sitting on the internet, searching for photographers who admit they leave their kit in the car, looking up their address, getting on planes, going to peoples houses, tracking down the car and then breaking in on the offchance there is some camera gear inside it, then flying home and selling it for perhaps the costs of the fllights.
I don't see this being a sustainable business model personally.
Napalm wrote:
Not that I'm condoning leaving stuff in your cars but your story sounds like something out of the movies. Thiefs sitting on the internet, searching for photographers who admit they leave their kit in the car, looking up their address, getting on planes, going to peoples houses, tracking down the car and then breaking in on the offchance there is some camera gear inside it, then flying home and selling it for perhaps the costs of the fllights.
I don't see this being a sustainable business model personally.
The exact same thing was being done on car forums. Thieves would look up the license plates and find where people lived, then rip off their stereos, or even the cars themselves. With cameras costing at least as much as some high end stereos, etc --- you have to at least wonder if at least some of these numerous car thefts aren't by dumb luck. If I go anywhere with my camera in the car, it comes with me when I leave the car.
Just to test my assumption, I was able to look up addresses (likely home) for about 4 of the people here who admit to leaving their gear in their cars frequently. That's why you really need to be careful about where you leave your gear, and if you admit to where you leave it. I don't even keep my gear at my home, and it's not in my car, so I am quite safe in that respect. It would be quite easy to look up my info. I just found it online after a quick search.
Ben Horne wrote:
Just to test my assumption, I was able to look up addresses (likely home) for about 4 of the people here who admit to leaving their gear in their cars frequently. That's why you really need to be careful about where you leave your gear, and if you admit to where you leave it. I don't even keep my gear at my home, and it's not in my car, so I am quite safe in that respect. It would be quite easy to look up my info. I just found it online after a quick search.
I don't keep my gear in my vehicle when I'm at home, only when I have to when I'm away from home. I try to avoid this, but sometimes there is no alternative.
If someone tries to rob my house, they are in for a very nasty surprise. My gear is also well insured thru the NANPA program.
Ben Horne wrote:
Just to test my assumption, I was able to look up addresses (likely home) for about 4 of the people here who admit to leaving their gear in their cars frequently. That's why you really need to be careful about where you leave your gear, and if you admit to where you leave it. I don't even keep my gear at my home, and it's not in my car, so I am quite safe in that respect. It would be quite easy to look up my info. I just found it online after a quick search.
Yes, you are correct. You could have looked up my address via WhoIs and then come to my house, stalked me while I left for work, followed me, then broke into my car and stolen my gear. That would suck, but my camera insurance would cover the loss with zero deductible, so it wouldn't be THAT big of a deal if that happened. On the other hand, I had been meaning to make my whois anonymous, which I now have, so thanks for the reminder!
Now that is a pretty impressive insurance policy.... leaving valuable stuff in car, just beeing lazy, and if theives do pick the gear out you get the full value back
I don't think I can find such an insurance over here, no matter what I am prepared to pay....
WebDog wrote:
Now that is a pretty impressive insurance policy.... leaving valuable stuff in car, just beeing lazy, and if theives do pick the gear out you get the full value back
I don't think I can find such an insurance over here, no matter what I am prepared to pay....
I'm pretty sure you can find insurance for almost anything if you are willing to pay enough.
Some cars have better security than others. I worry more about heat than theft.
I've not taken anything so far & I've been here since the 9th 
i think it's the fact that I have my wife & 2 daughters with me who are enjoying the exchange rate if you get my drift 
Oh well practice makes perfect, so they say 