8 Tips to Protect Your Camera (+ You) from Overheating

Shooting outside, in hot weather isn’t fun. It’s more along the lines of miserable, but for your work— it’s necessary at times. Keeping your camera gear (and you) safe in the heat is also important. There are ways to prevent your camera gear and you, from getting too hot. Here are some tips I assembled on

ways to stay cool when shooting photos / film outside. They’ll help you be a little less miserable in the high temperatures, and also help protect your camera gear from getting damaged or shutting off unexpectedly.

1. Find shade when possible.

It will keep the temperature lower, and it will be easier to see your screens for playback and framing. Most likely though, where you are, the shade isn’t in your favor. So…

2. Bring an umbrella.

This isn’t for talent, but rather for you and the camera. A similar effect is achieved, like above, except you may need an umbrella holder now (a stand or another person). If you have a larger, dark colored umbrella it helps cut out more sunlight.

3. Wear a hat.

At least you’re protecting your head/face from the sun and it acts as a visor for you to block out light when checking your camera and the monitors.

4. Bring a towel.

Having a large fluffy (preferably darker color) towel to wrap around or cover your camera, helps the camera say cooler in direct sun. It acts as a barrier and absorbs the heat instead of your camera body.

5. Use a cold cloth.

This towel is for you. Keep a bandanna, washcloth, or scarf damp around your neck or wrist (pulse points). Let the science of evaporation, work for you.

6. Let the camera adjust to outside temp.

If you just had your camera inside in cold A/C prior (like ~20 degree differences), the camera needs time to

adjust before shooting. Acclimating your gear to the environment is better than drastic changes. We don’t want the same effect when your glasses fog up when going outside from inside in the summertime. You don’t want the gear to heat up, but giving a few minutes before filming, let’s the gear reach ambient temperature. Keep your camera in a bag, when you’re finished shooting, to mitigate these effects during transport. The bag can also keep your camera cool, outside, when you or it “needs a break”.

7. Turn off your camera when not in use.

This is another common sense tip, but if you don’t always need to have the camera on when working with actors or re-framing a shot. It’s wasting battery and more so, adding to your heat gain, on your equipment, outside. Instead of looking at the camera’s LCD screen, which can be difficult to see in direct sun. Use can use the old director’s trick, of your two hands in horizontal L’s— to frame a scene, or make a handy aspect ratio card, that acts as a physical frame for your scene. If you’re taking photographs, you’re covered with the viewfinder.

8. Don’t leave your camera in direct sun or in your car.

Again, pretty self-explanatory. Electronics don’t fare well in very hot temperatures. They don’t like it. (Neither do we.) So, don’t leave them out there longer than necessary.

Hopefully, these tips help make your photo or video shoot a little bit easier in the hot sun. It’s something we have to deal with. We all know that the sweat now is worth it in the end. Grab your water, sunscreen, and supplemental gear. Try and keep cool(er) and your photo-video gear cool in the summer.

Go out there, and keep creating.