Environmental scanning electron microscopy has been used to study ‘wet’ polymer latex films. Comparison of the results obtained by imaging in nitrogen and nitrous oxide gas and water vapour has provided insight into a variety of different contrast phenomena. Notably, it was found that edge definition and fine features could be enhanced by imposing further saturated vapour conditions at the hydrated film surface. Furthermore, by imaging at subzero temperatures in the presence of nitrogen, it was shown that beam damage could be reduced in such sensitive polymeric samp