Summer is brutal on film. If you’re carrying a point and shoot in your bag or keeping rolls in the glove box, you’re probably cooking your film before it ever sees a camera.
Here’s how to keep your unshot film safe and usable, even when it’s hot enough to melt the seatbelt buckle.
Keep It Cold When You Can
Refrigeration slows down chemical aging. Store film in the fridge if you’re not shooting it right away. Use the main compartment, not the freezer. Freezing is fine for long-term storage, but it’s not necessary unless you’re sitting on a big stockpile.
Once you take it out of the fridge, give it time to return to room temperature before opening the plastic wrapper or metal can. Condensation can ruin film faster than heat will.
Avoid the Car
This one’s serious. Interior temps in a parked car can reach over 120°F in less than an hour. That’s enough to break down the dyes in color film and shift the base fog level on black and white. Leaving film in a hot car is one of the fastest ways to wreck it.
If you absolutely have to keep film in a car, use an insulated cooler bag, tuck it under the seat, and minimize the time it spends in there. Still not ideal, but better than the dashboard.
Shoot Fresh Film First
Some film stocks hold up better than others in heat. Color negative film like Kodak Gold or Ultramax is more sensitive to temperature swings than black and white. E6 slide film is the most fragile of all.
If you’ve got a mix of film types, shoot the color stuff first and save black and white for the end of the trip. Try to avoid leaving film loaded in a camera for weeks if the camera is living in a hot place.
Check Expiry Dates
Every box of film has a printed expiration date. That assumes refrigerated storage. If it’s been stored warm or you’re not sure of the conditions, subtract a year off the date just to be safe.
Heat speeds up aging. You’ll see more grain, loss of contrast, and potential color shifts, especially in shadows. Some people like the weird effects. If you don’t, protect your film like you would fresh produce.
Label and Rotate Your Stock
If you’re keeping a bunch of film on hand, write the date of purchase on each box. Keep the older rolls toward the front of your storage and use them first. Treat your film like food in the pantry. First in, first out.
And don’t store it above the fridge. That cabinet is usually warmer than you think.
Final Word
The best thing you can do for film in summer is treat it like it’s alive. Keep it cool, keep it dry, and don’t forget it in a hot bag or car. Most film is tougher than people think, but it has limits. Handle it right and it’ll reward you with clean, beautiful frames every time.
