Where do I carry my camera?
 

already know I need to carry my valuables in my moneybelt under my clothes while in Dublin and Florence/Cinque Terre, but where do I carry my camera? I don't want to have to open my moneybelt every time I want to take a pic, but I don't want to carry it in a pocket or backpack, as these are easy targets for thieves. What have you done?

I keep mine in my purse.

Interior pocket of a coat or in a camera bag slung diagonally (ie over one shoulder & under the other armpit).

Personally with an SLR I go belt & braces and use both the strap from the camera bag & the camera itself when the camera is in the bag - it also means I don't drop it when I get it out.

I carrying camera for every trip we take. Asking for how you using camera. Many time photo time pops up and camera is hiddne away so goodly that photo escape you. I lking my camera on strap around my neck for the fast photos. YMMV.

AR

A couple of years ago "Popular Photography" had an article about keeping a camera safe while using it, and one professional said to wrap the strap several times around your hand.

First of all, most cameras wouldn't fit into a moneybelt, which is a flat zipped pocket that you wear under your clothes, and which you should never take out in view of anyone.

I have a small camera bag that form-fits the camera and I just wear that on the diagonal, along with my travel purse. Sometimes I just slip the camera into the purse.

I believe most cameras are stolen when the user has set it down on a table, or has the strap just around the neck, or it's in a backpack and that either gets opened or the whole thing goes missing.

One professional sounds an idiot - I've seen & heard of people who did just that, guess what - many of them have new cameras now.

I have a small messinger bag that has a key fob attachement. Not only can I carry the bag under my arm or across my chest, but I connect the fob to my camera strap and clip it when I put the camera away. If someone tries to lift it out the attached strap will make it more difficult.

I've also used a small camera bag that straps onto a belt. It's very secure but not very fashionable and not super-comfortible.

I have the digital Canon Rebel XT and I bought a shoulder bag to carry it in through Europe. It was wonderful. I also used the bag for my $$ and passport. The particular bag I used did not have easy access for thiefs to get in. We didn't have any problems.

I'd avoid putting cash & passport in a camera bag. There's always the chance that someone will run by and grab the bag. My passport will always be in the hotel safe, in a neck pouch or money belt.

AlanRow, I'm trying to get a visual on your system. How do you attach the camera/the case/the belt/the braces (I assume these are what I think of as suspenders?)

My digital camera is in the front pocket of my jeans or a zipper pocket of a jacket, preferably interior. Or in my hand with the strap around my wrist and the toggle tightened.

My SLR/lenses are trickier. I have a case that fastens around the waist, and set the camera in there with the strap around my neck. Looks pretty dorky, but works for accessibility, especially when I am on hiking trips and everything else is in a backpack.

NOT like braces - anyone could just snatch it off your shoulder.

The straps are part of the camera & the bag

It's exactly the same way as a woman SHOULD wear a shoulder bag

Sorry, AlanRow, I was trying to understand the "belt and braces" of your post.

So, are you saying that you keep the camera in the camera bag and put both straps diagonally across your body?

I wear pants (khakis or jeans) with deep front pockets and put the camera in one of the front pockets. I put my passport, credit cards and cash in the other front pocket. And I try to wear a sweater or long shirt untucked to cover the pockets so no one sees the outline of these items.

I have a camera that you power on by pulling a small sliding door to one side of the lens (very common). I make sure that I put it back in my pocket so that the door stays closed. Usually, my pants are tight enough that as I pull the camera out to take a picture, it pulls the sliding door open and my camera is ready to take the picture by the time I've got it up to my eyes.

-Christine

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/61250.html

As for your question - yes. It means that I can just get the camera straight from the bag & use it without having to worry about dropping it or having it stolen when using it

Oh, now I feel dumb! It dawned on me a few minutes after I replied that you were probably using a figure of speech. If it's used in the US (as that link would indicate) I've never heard it. And since belts and straps of various types were being mentioned in that thread... well anyway, thanks for straightening me out.

I have a few suggestions
1. If you have the Canon Digital Rebel or other fancy model go to the camera store and buy a NEW neck strap. Do you REALLY need to advertise that you have a $1,000 camera hanging around your neck by having the word DIGITAL emblazoned upon it. (NOt to mention that the new strap you buy will likely be MUCH nicer and much more comfortable than that strap included with the camera)

2. Use common sense. I keep my camera in my purse. Yes, it may not be the MOST secure environment but I am there to USE the thing not safeguard it like it's gold. If I am in an "iffy" area it doesn't come out. (for example it did not make an appearence during the wild party when France beat Portugal during the World Cup, too many drunks for a single female to defend valuables)


3. Relax. You can't prevent everything. Do the best you can and move on. I somehow took 10 teens to Europe and none of them lost thier money, their debit cards or thier cameras. (one of the other chaperones lost $10,000 in travelers checks however....) This group looked like an easy target to me and we weren't robbed so I figure the odds are in your favor.

I agree with CarolA. Relax and enjoy. If you carry a shoulder bag around your shoulders (the bag itself is in front of your chest) ... you can carry everything, including passport, money and camera .. and no one will grab it off because it's around your chest and back. It's also very easy to access everything as it's right in front of you. I did it for 3 weeks and did not have a problem once.

On a side note I would never leave money or passport in a hotel while I was out.

I keep mine in my purse or day tote.

I keep my slim digital camera in the cargo pocket of my travel pants. It has a zipper, so is secure, yet I can get to my camera very easily. On days when it is warm & I wear walking shorts, I have a similar pocket for my camera. This has worked for me for several trip to Europe with no problems.