Safe to bring DSLR to Europe ? Paris, Milan ?


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Kenneth Tan

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Jun 8, 2007
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Hello,

May I know is it safe to bring My DSLR to Europe... like Paris, Milan....
Any advice..... ?
Please comment ...

Will be bringing 400d with 17-55 Ef-s lens and 10-22mm a spare batt and a crumpler 4 million bag.

Thanks in advance...
 

i was in Germany last month. It wa ok. In Austria the locals advised me to keep my camera out of sight if possible. As for Paris and Milan, try to be careful. A friend of mine witness snatching of purse just outside the Louvre :) good luck
 

If you want the truth, continental europe is a dangerous place for asians in general... they see an asian immediately they will know you are a tourist... when i was stuying in UK i've had countless friends that were pickpocketed, handphone stolen, credit card cloned handbag opened when in the mrt etc when they went on holiday in europe... UK is safe but continental europe not so much.... it never happened to me before though....

Having said that.. i believe dslr not so easy to pickpocket?
 

Having said that.. i believe dslr not so easy to pickpocket?

i think they wont pickpocket u.. they will just use a knife and corner u, and remove it away from ur neck and other accessories in the bag as well...

sometimes, i really wonder how come some guys dare to bring the top end $10,000 ++ dslr + $10,000++ lens + bag full of other lenses and accessories overseas and other places... it would surely grab the attention of everyone when u take them out and u will immediately become the prime target of robbery..
 

i think they wont pickpocket u.. they will just use a knife and corner u, and remove it away from ur neck and other accessories in the bag as well...

sometimes, i really wonder how come some guys dare to bring the top end $10,000 ++ dslr + $10,000++ lens + bag full of other lenses and accessories overseas and other places... it would surely grab the attention of everyone when u take them out and u will immediately become the prime target of robbery..

I'm sure we've scared the TS into cancelling his europe trip :bsmilie:
 

Acquire a snubbed-nose revolver and you should be fine. Wear it in an ankle holster though, so if they grab your bag you can still reach for it. Two shots in the sternum, one in the head.

EDIT: I meant snub-nose. I was taking a nice long steamy bath when I realised I typed snubbed for no reason at all.
 

I hope you're not going there alone. I'd never roam on the streets alone with my DSLR/SLR (It's either with my wife or my friends). But if I do walk alone, I use my ixus 40. Been there twice, did also witness pickpocketing, lost some of my $$ and also got kena stalked. Ha ha, men also kena stalking. :bsmilie: Had to result in going into those high class boutique, where they usually have friendly security or boucers to help you shoo them away. :embrass: In general, still safe lah. Me and my stuffs are still in one piece.

It's really a nice place for shooting. Just bring it, and be careful lor. It's the same everywhere.
 

I went to Europe during Oct last year & it seems k for me.
I been to several cities with 2 friends.

I use 300D, 17-85mm & 580EX carrying them whenever i go in a bag or hang on my neck when using.
 

Hello,

May I know is it safe to bring My DSLR to Europe... like Paris, Milan....
Any advice..... ?
Please comment ...

Will be bringing 400d with 17-55 Ef-s lens and 10-22mm a spare batt and a crumpler 4 million bag.

Thanks in advance...

The safest thing to do is stay home!

But if everyone is as like you, SQ will be out o business by now.

Thousands of tourists travel all over the world each year. Did they all get rob?

Just be careful of your environment, and since you are fresh meat in town, you ought should be a bit more alret about what's happening around your.

Have you been out of the country? What is the difference between Europe and rest of Asia?
 

IS Central Europe that bad? I heard of organised crime but guess I was lucky enough not to be a victim.:sweat:
 

I hope you're not going there alone. I'd never roam on the streets alone with my DSLR/SLR (It's either with my wife or my friends). But if I do walk alone, I use my ixus 40. Been there twice, did also witness pickpocketing, lost some of my $$ and also got kena stalked. Ha ha, men also kena stalking. :bsmilie: Had to result in going into those high class boutique, where they usually have friendly security or boucers to help you shoo them away. :embrass: In general, still safe lah. Me and my stuffs are still in one piece.

It's really a nice place for shooting. Just bring it, and be careful lor. It's the same everywhere.

I was backpacking alone for more than a wk, n was perfectly alright:) travel with friend for 4 more wks b4 tt also. of course they are not as safe as Singapore, but if you make yourself less conspicuous, look like some poor asian student, they wont have interest in you. Use a normal school backpack instead of a professional camera bag is good choice. I did tt.

Travel light, just one camera one lens, do some shock-proofing, put them into your bag, it should be fine. Light weight is especially important if you intend to walk a lot. Personally, every gram counts. Stay out away from neo-nazis, punks & drunk ppl, n try not to loiter in parks as night fall. you should be fine. & dun be surprised by their friendliness:) majority of e Europeans are nice ppl
enjoy europe, i had a lot of fun there
 

The safest thing to do is stay home!

But if everyone is as like you, SQ will be out o business by now.

Thousands of tourists travel all over the world each year. Did they all get rob?

Just be careful of your environment, and since you are fresh meat in town, you ought should be a bit more alret about what's happening around your.

Have you been out of the country? What is the difference between Europe and rest of Asia?

hi DP...

i defintiely have to ageree with you on this...;)

to TS.. seriously speaking.. all countries are not safe.. even in singapore..
but u just have to take care of yourself.. and be alert at all times..
if u sense trouble.. just get out of the area quickly..

If everyone were to buy great gears and just only use it in their home country..
that would be very sad indeed..
 

Hello,

May I know is it safe to bring My DSLR to Europe... like Paris, Milan....
Any advice..... ?
Please comment ...

Will be bringing 400d with 17-55 Ef-s lens and 10-22mm a spare batt and a crumpler 4 million bag.

Thanks in advance...

you most likely get rob at knife point...you may wish not to bring a camera over there...keep it in your dry box will be the safest option...
 

Have not really brought alot on my trips to Europe, but i had brought some worthy amount of equipments including pro body, a few L lens and primes and travelled through Asia, China and India.. No troubles with my equipment and the locals there so far...

Logically Europe cant be worse right?
 

I have been to Milan, Rome, Venice, Florence, Pisa, Paris, Amsterdam..... shooting with my 30D without any incident. Europe is well know for its pick pockets (especially Paris, Rome, Bacelona), especially in public transport, shopping center or shopping area. I have witness it with my own eyes happening right infront of me! This girl try to dig into my friends bag in the Metro sub way system in Milan. I can't really confirm it even thought I saw her did it twice. (Ya they are that good!) I have to protect my friend right so I took the risk of wrongfully accusing her by tapping her arm and do this :nono: then she just act blur and alight at the next station straight away. My friend escape without any losses :sweat: The other place that I would recommend additional caution is Istanbul in Turkey. You can get rob at knife point in bright day light or get beat up n of course rob too!

Just pay extra attention to your belonging and have a high level of situational awareness when you are out, some basic things you should do even when you are in Singaland ;).

Don't try to tempt the chamber maid by laying all your babe spread across the bed :lovegrin:keep them in your bag/cargo bag and lock it when you are leaving them in the hotel room. Better still put it in the safe in the room if there is one.

Wallet, Handphone are at greater risk of being pick, SLR...too big la, but if your Camera Bag is back opening type then maybe your lens might be pick as they will pick thing that are not too big so that they can conceal the movement easily. Avoid going out alone at night, as this is the time that robbers or 'funny' people roam the streets.

I should say the chance of you kana pick pocket or rob is very slim la so dont worry too much but just don't take things for granted like what we do here. I am sure you will enjoy your trip.
 

Sad to say, I was a victim at Zurich (switzerland) railway station. I lost the whole backpack likely to a syndicate, one fellow pretended to ask for help, another took the bag from behind, all in a couple of seconds. Luckily my other backpack containing a digital compact and a digital videocam was not taken. Bad enough for the stolen one which contained watches and many souvenirs (and my dirty socks *ha*). Just stay alert at places like railway stations.
 

Also to add, a friend of mine lost his O2 phone and a digital compact camera, 2 separate incidents on the same day when crossing the same bridge in Shenzhen. Why, because his items were in the pouches hanging on his waist belt and backpack sling.
 

syndicates that do the distract and still are targetting asians, especially the laptop bag totting ones or the expensive equipments-in-bags totting ones.
hear so many stories that i think extra precaution is needed whenever you are in continental Europe.
 

I was backpacking in Europe for 25 days and all was well. I did witness some pickpockets (mostly gals) targeting even at European or Ang Mo tourists.

Rome was quite bad as I saw more of pickpockets there. My advise like many of the above, be alert and look around the surrounding. Be wary of pple who looks dubious and take note that they always operate in a group of 3 to 5 pple.

Just be alert and careful and I'm sure you will enjoy you trip. Rem buy travel insurance and ur cam will be covered for some $ in case really stolen. ;)
 

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