The taping used to work, at least in theory, back in the film SLR days, when the market was flooded with dozens of brands of cheap Asian and Eastern European cameras. Today, there's no such thing as a cheap digital SLR; the cheapest go for $600 with a kit lens. And our original poster probably doesn't have one of those. she mentioned a $2,000 telephoto lens, which is not going to be concealed with any bits of tape.

I'll second what most others are saying: insure it, and take care of it. If my experience is anything to go by, the biggest risk to the long lens is whacking it on the side of a train door or something!

My husband, a very experienced traveler who has been to Rome many times and speaks fluent Italian had a thief attempt to run off with his expensive camera and equipment. This occurred inside a Roman church around three weeks ago (won't reveal which church for safety reasons--but it was not one of more frequented ones). My husband put his camera bag down next to him for 2 seconds to point out something to my teenage son and the thief just grabbed it and ran. Luckily, with the help of some other people near him, my husband was able to chase down the thief, scare him and make him drop the camera! Bottom line--don't let your valuables out of your sight when touring. This can happen in Europe, Asia or any tourist destination. Pay attention and don't let your guard down.

I lived in Rome for about six months and I found other places a little more wary in terms of pickpocketers. In Rome, if you take public transportation it will be really crowded and you just have to make sure that you are watching the camera at all times. Carry it in front of you, NEVER behind you and if it is in your hands no one will try to steal it. If there is a strap that you can actually keep it on you, that is better. Naples is much worse for pickpocketers. A friend of mine almost had her camera stolen out of her hand and if she hadn't had the strap around her wrist, he would have gotten it. In most places you will be fine, you just really have to be aware of the people around you and where it is. I had my camera stolen when I was in Torino because it was in an outer pocket of my jacket and it wasn't zipped up. After that, I always kept it inside my jacket so no one could take it.

>My husband put his camera bag down next to him for 2 seconds to point out something to my teenage son and the thief just grabbed it and ran.

>I had my camera stolen when I was in Torino because it was in an outer pocket of my jacket and it wasn't zipped up.

Good reminders to be aware and on guard.

ahhhh yes and don't forget the importance of straps. One of my cousins lost his camera on a gondola in Venice. It slipped out of his hands and sunk to the bottom of the lagoon. This was on the last day of his two week Italy trip. He was just SICK! He returned to Italy two years later with a new camera with a sturdy strap! Hard lesson learned! As for what to carry an expensive camera in......I'm still debating and I do this on every trip. I have successfully carried my camera in a backpack, but carried it on my shoulder. I've also carried it in a typical camera bag with a long strap that I can wear across my body ( this feels the safest); and I've also carried it in a travel type purse across my body. I'm always very aware of it and my money's under my clothes in a moneybelt so I don't have to worry about that. When I'm using my camera, I just keep the strap around my neck and pay attention to my surroundings. Last year I was trying to take a picture of my parents tossing a coin into the Trevi fountain and this gyspey girl kept moving over closer and closer. I turned and didn't even both with my broken Italian.....she FULLY understood what I said to her and quickly moved away. On our upcoming trip I'm wanting to take both my camera and my video camera which is small. My hubby's just not as vigilent and observant as I am. So, if I want to keep both cameras I better find a way to carry both! haha Melissa

geez..sorry for the typos.....my regular laptop's in the shop and my other one has a funky keyboard that I can't seem to master! Melissa

Would there be any way to just drop the camera (on its strap) down the front of your shirt when you're not using it? Say when you were in a restaurant, or crowd? No one would know what type of camera you had. You'd look a little bulky, but it might save both time and the camera. Don't hang any bags over the back of any chair either!!

Cinart posted: "This occurred inside a Roman church around three weeks ago (won't reveal which church for safety reasons--but it was not one of more frequented ones)."

What kind of safety concerns are there about naming the church? Whose safety? Yours or the church's? I'm confused...

The church in question is not one of the "top" tourist sights in Rome. I thought if I named it, this may cause negative attention to it and in fact ATTRACT those looking to rip others off. That's all.

Insure your camera. Take it with you. Never leave it anywhere; not even your hotel room for a few minutes (had ours taken from a 5* hotel room in Amersterdam -- we were careless). Don't sit it down without securing it (loop the bag strap around your arm, leg, chair leg, etc.) Take it with you. Why have it otherwise? It might be stolen from your home while you are gone. Better chance of keeping it if it is with you at all times. Happy Travels!

If your husband wants to bring his camera, just take it with you. Be aware of your surroundings so as to avoid theft.

BUT - as others have said, you can insure your camera as a rider to your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. The cost is very low, and if lost or damaged, there is no deductible. We do that for all of our cameras.

The only time that we used the insurance was when my husband dropped his flash unit into the Trevi Fountain. He was able to fish it out, and the repair was covered completely by our insurance.

im glad i heard about all this im off to europe for two months in a couple of weeks and Italy's places such as rome are all destinations i will be traveling to. I myself am out to get a new camera in the next two weeks and being Australian we dont hav to many pik pocketers and my parents and that wer like yeh its very different in europe and yeh i guess everyones experiences just somes that up. O well safe traveling i guess you just hav to be wary of your surroundings and if anyone brushes up next to you or anything.
hav a good one