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Travel Safe with DSLR Camera

My friend Craig at Travelvice.com sent me the following email about an article that he is putting together of tips on how to travel securely in urban areas with an expensive DSLR camera. Wade, I’d like to compile a best practices / safety article on long-term backpackers traveling w/ a dSLR. If you know of [...]

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My friend Craig at Travelvice.com sent me the following email about an article that he is putting together of tips on how to travel securely in urban areas with an expensive DSLR camera.

Wade,
I’d like to compile a best practices / safety article on long-term backpackers traveling w/ a dSLR. If you know of anyone who’s doing this or has done it, please send ’em my way as I’d love their input.
(Tips on how to keep you and your gear safe when on and off your person? Lessons learned that can be passed onto the inexperienced? etc…)

Had this convo on Twitter with a pair that I know of:

Umarket: Were paranoid about DSLR before arriving in Latin America, but haven’t had any problems. Keep it close, but still go to markets.

Me: You’re keeping it close on your front, no? Haven’t had to deal w/ any aggressors while wearing it? Any best practices to share?

Umarket: Yes, usually hold the body close on front & have strap around neck/arm. No aggressors yet. Trust your gut. If something feels odd then pull over, let people behind you go by & reassess situation. Use unassuming bag. Don’t take DSLR out much at night.

I had to laugh when I read this, as most everything I know about people traveling with dSLR camera has to do with them getting stolen or broken.

dSLR camera

How to travel with an expensive camera — and using it in the streets —  is definitely a topic worth collecting information and sharing tips on. People want to take nice photos when they travel, and they want to carry nice cameras with them to do so. But all too often these nice cameras get stolen or broken. Tips on how to travel with a dSLR without loosing it are needed.

But I am not the man to give much advice on this. I travel with a small digital camera that is the equivalent of an old point and shoot. It costs $150. I carry it close to my body enclosed in my breast pocket. I do not worry too much about people stealing it or breaking it.

Though if I carried a big fat dSLR, I would want to know how to carry it safely, tips on how to store it in my hotel room or hostel dorm, when and when not to take it out in the street, how to pack it on planes and buses, how to take it with me traveling without it being an impediment.

So I am asking for anyone who has traveled with a dSLR for their advice.

Email me at vagabondsong at Gmail or comment below, and I will pass your tips on to Craig.

Or just visit Travelvice.com and send Craig your information directly.



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Filed under: Photography, Travel Gear

About the Author:

I am the founder and editor of Vagabond Journey. I’ve been traveling the world since 1999, through 91 countries. I am the author of the book, Ghost Cities of China and have written for The Guardian, Forbes, Bloomberg, The Diplomat, the South China Morning Post, and other publications. has written 3692 posts on Vagabond Journey. Contact the author.

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VBJ is currently in: New York City

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  • Sophie August 10, 2011, 3:08 pm

    Did he ever write the article? I’m facing the question of whether or not to take my nice camera on my 6 month backpacking trip to Latin America, and would love to read it if he did. I can’t find the article on his website! Thanks!

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    • Wade Shepard August 12, 2011, 5:41 pm

      I am not sure, send him a mail. It is my impression that he was writing it for another source, not travelvice.com.

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