Photography Training: How to Protect your Gear from Being Stolen

Buffaloz Photography Training: How to Protect your Gear from Being Stolen 

I am on vacation right now and I am really having fun. I was going to wait back to do a post but after yesterday I decided I should just do a quick post. Anyhow, I am in a big city with my family and I never thought I would need to be concerned about someone robing me and taking my gear till yesterday. I was on a local transit system and saw three fights yesterday.  I grew up in Kansas City and was not too worried about my safety, but I have now lived in a small town in Montana for over 20 years.
I have been carrying three cameras on this trip, My Leica M3, my Contax G1, and my Lumix G1.  I am carrying several expensive lenses. I know that Leica has the MP version which is mostly unmarked, thus safer to carry when in a dangerous area, but I really thought it was kinda stupid till yesterday. I mean, why wouldn't you want others to know you shoot a Leica(I'm a bit of a camera snob). I now understand. Anyhow here are a few tips on how to be safe in a dangerous area. I must note that I am not even in a bad area, I am just in an area that I feel uncomfortable with. I am pretty sure when I was 16 and in areas of Kansas City I did not worry at all. Living in a small town has changed me a bit.

Leica MP

1. Use an old bag. This way you do not draw attention to yourself and your gear.

2. Try to fit in and not look out of place. This way others will not notice you as much

3. Pay attention to your surroundings.  Look around  and know where the danger is. If someone is making you uncomfortable get away from them. Large crowds are good. Don't go somewhere where you will be by yourself.

4. Use the buddy system and if at all possible stay with a group of people. One thing that is really nice is that I have children. People have actually apologized for bad language and smoking weed in front of them several times since we have been here. I am not saying that you should use your children for protection, I would never put my children in harms way but I know from past experience that others are careful what they do around children. But be careful and NEVER put your children in danger. In fact, if you do get in trouble and your children are with you, your first responsibility should be to protect them. I would give my life to protect mine.

5. Switch out your memory card every once in a while. That way if you camera is stolen, at least you won't lose all of your images.

6. Carry your bag in front and keep it zipped up. It might look weird but are you concerned more about your appearance or not losing your gear. For me, my gear is worth more than my two cars combined. It would be devastating to lose it.

7. Make sure your gear is insured. This way if it is gone at least you will be able to replace it.

8. If you are carrying expensive gear use tape to cover the logos and anything that might attract attention.
Leica owners do this all the time.

9. Be careful and trust your instincts. If you are unsure about something don't do it or go there. Is it really worth losing your life, or gear? I think not.

That's about it. There are a lot more things you can do. I have just named a few and you are welcome to add some more of your own. Leave a comment and I am sure that others will appreciate it.!!

Thanks!

Buffaloz Photography Training: Free Online Photography Tips, Tutorials,  and Training

How to protect and care for you camera.

Most digital cameras are a bit pricey.  Because most of us can't just go out and buy a new camera every week,  there are a few things that you need to look out for when protecting it.

They are:
1. Dirt
2. Shock
3. Water




Dirt is pretty much everywhere!  It floats in the air, we walk on it, and it can easily get into our cameras. Dirt can cause problems with moving parts, damage mirrors, and get stuck on the sensor. The best way to of dealing with dirt is to avoid it.  If you are going to be around dirt, use a rain hood for your camera.  If you don't want to buy one you can make one out of a plastic bag. Simply cut a hole in the bag to put your lens through. Then use a rubber band to hold it into place.  When you are at the beach, desert, swamp, motocross race, or horse riding you need to be very careful.

The easiest way to get dirt into your camera is when you are changing the lens.  To help avoid dirt on the sensor, point the camera toward the ground.Then take off the lens and attach the new lens.

Shock-  Nothing scares a photographer like seeing a camera being dropped. Even from a few feet. A few years back I dropped a $4000 camera off the top of  my tripod.It wasn't fully attached and this experience will never happen to me again. It made me sick! Make sure your camera bag is not open when you
 pick it up,and make sure your camera is always on a stable surface before you let go of it(make sure it is locked in when you put it on a tripod). Just pay attention. Watch out when you walk through doors so you don't smack it against the doorway. Also, you want to make sure your tripod is on stable ground before
you let go of it. Just be careful.








Water is the third thing you need to watch out for. Everyone knows that dropping a camera in the water is definitely going to cause problems in most cases If you around water it a lot it might be a good idea to get an underwater housing for your camera. Be careful though, as they can still leak.If you do drop your camera in water, turn it off immediately and set it in a dry place for a week or so.  I had a friend who dropped his nikon DSLR in a creek last year. He said he put it in the oven at the lowest temperature for 3 days and it worked.  It worked for him, but I wouldn't try this unless it was a last resort! Rain can be an issue too. If you are out in the rain, try to cover your camera the best you can.  Use a rain hood. Probably the biggest issue with water is condensation. This happens when you take your camera outside in the cold and then bring it into a warm place like a house. Condensation can get into your camera, putting water marks on your sensor, or also into your lens. It can destroy a camera.  A good way to solve this problem is to carry a plastic bag around with you and before you bring your camera inside, put it in the plastic bag.  Make sure you squeeze the extra air out.  This helps the camera warm up without getting condensation on it.




If any of you have ideas that I haven't presented here, please post a comment and let me and others know. Thanks!!!!
Brian