Holiday in Spain - take the camera?

mikebeecham

mikebeecham

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I'm off to sunny Spain in a couple of weeks for a holiday, and I'm wondering whether to take the camera or not. If I take the Camera and the 50mm lens, it's equates to around £800...I just dont know whether I feel comfortable taking it with me or not.

What do you think? Worth the risk?
 
Make sure it is insured. No point in owning it if your not going to take it when you want it to take memories.

And you'll only be sitting watching the sun going down thinking " the way the lights catching the water, the shadow of the trees, that'd be a great shot....."
 
My 2 centimes (I'm feeling cosmopolitan today);

A camera is just a lump of metal, plastic, glass and silicon - don't get emotionally attached to it. Get it insured, use it and abuse it and if it gets broken/lost/stolen, get a new one.

The only considerations should be "Will I use it?" and "Can I be bothered to carry it around?". If the value is a consideration, make sure it is insured (this is wise even just for using in the UK). If you're too worried about damaging your kit, you'll miss a lot of photo opportunities that you may come to regret. Insurance is there to give you that peace of mind so you can concentrate on enjoying yourself - you don't want stress on holiday! Just make aboslutely sure that your insurance covers you for what you will be doing.

I took my DSLR (a D5000, 18-200 and 35) to Cuba - a lot poorer country than Spain - and had no issues at all. Just be sensible - if leaving it in your hotel room, don't leave it on display and store your memory cards somewhere else (insurance doesn't cover photos!).

I'd consider taking a compact too - there may be times you don't want to carry the 'big' camera.
 
All as above,

But, if you are that concerned about the camera, sell it and get a cheaper one, otherwise, use it, that's what it's for.
Sensible precautions (as above) also take as hand luggage, never hold luggage.

I never have enough weight allowance for all the kit I want to take. I'm thinking of getting a 'poachers' coat to offload kit into to get around check-in.

Otherwise, have a great time and don't leave your camera in a bar !;)
 
you will be fine. I stayed there for a month snapping on the streets. Not a hitch. However, as usual and as in every country (not just Spain) always be on the alert and do not invite thieves. I was snapping on the trains, on the roads, on the markets, and people just love being photographed. I had a rucksack always on me and never off and always with someone. Just be alert and recognize dodgy places and stay around public if you can.
 
Of course you take it! What on earth is the point of owning the thing if you don't take it to interesting places? :thinking:

Just make sure it's insured. Your household insurance may well cover you (give them a ring if you're not sure), or you can get travel insurance that will certainly cover it and your other stuff. (Don't buy from a travel firm though. Get it independently - Google 'travel insurance' or try moneysupermarket for prices.) But take it!
 
Every time I have left my camera at home, it always seemed to be the wrong decision. So I always take it, I say and a compact as lama man suggests.
 
Of course you bring it! Dont be stressing over the "what if" scenarios.
 
mikebeecham said:
I'm off to sunny Spain in a couple of weeks for a holiday, and I'm wondering whether to take the camera or not. If I take the Camera and the 50mm lens, it's equates to around £800...I just dont know whether I feel comfortable taking it with me or not.

What do you think? Worth the risk?
Click to expand...

I just don't understand what your concern is. What is your concern?
 
Walked for a week around Beirut and further afield in Lebanon in October, all hours of the day and night with mine. What's the point in owning it if you don't use it out of the house? It's Spain for goodness sake! Probably safer than Central London, just :)
 
mikebeecham said:
I'm off to sunny Spain in a couple of weeks for a holiday, and I'm wondering whether to take the camera or not. If I take the Camera and the 50mm lens, it's equates to around £800...I just dont know whether I feel comfortable taking it with me or not.

What do you think? Worth the risk?
Click to expand...

What's the point in having it if you are too scared to take it anywhere?

Check your house insurance... it may already be covered.

Even if it's not... take it. That's why you bought it isn't it? To take places and use it? What do you think will happen? :)
 
What's happened in Spain to make your camera significantly less safe there than it is in the UK?
 
I brought mine to France and Spain in the Summer. Just kept it in my bag (not a camera bag just to make it less suspicious) and it was fine. Got some great pictures but didn't go out to rough areas with it, just be sensible, you're probably more likely for it to get robbed here than abroad!

You'd be more likely to get pickpocketed than anything else in Spain especially in a touristy place
 
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I live in Spain I have a camera ;)

I have many photographer friends over here with gear worth thousands of Euros :shrug:
 
My standard carry-on bag holds D700& grip, 14-24 and 70-200 lenses, small laptop, kindle fire HD and a quantity of memory cards. Monopod goes in the hold case.
I've carted that lot across the atlantic times beyond count with work, as well as many shorter trips. It's been tramped round Yosemite, and lugged round SFO, Boston, and many, many other places.
I've also lugged it on a 3000+ mile trip round Europe in an old VW camper with limited security through 9 different countries, including a decent amount of time in Croatia.
The only time I've been nervous with it? Late one night in Newcastle!

My point is, I completely agree with the previous poster - Take it, take it all, don't worry about it, if someone wants to nick it well let them, its only a camera, but you'll kick yourself if you don't have it..
 
I would take it with you but make sure it is insured! No point having a good camera and not taking it with you on holiday.

If it breaks, gets lost or stolen then atleast you are safeguarded by the insurance.
 
Lots of posts on forums about buying new lenses/kit to take on holiday.

Never seen any photographer reluctant to take camera on holiday.
 
Another point worth noting is that this country is full of awesome photo opportunities. Why not take advantage of it.
 
I'll admit I asked a similar question a while back and got the same answers. It made me realise as has been said here you brought a camera to take pics leaving it at home while you see opportunity to use it will annoy you and probably ruin your trip. If your insured and something happens so what its just an object probably more likely to lose your phone or wallet I think.

I al just going to make sure if I have to leavep my camera in the room it'll go in the safe and the memory cards will be elsewhere.
 
philwillmedia said:
Touche!!
I never understand posts and questions such as this.
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I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
 
mikebeecham said:
I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
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You are probably no different to anyone else then, but surely a holiday is the very scenario which cameras are designed for - to save the memories, to allow you to look back and remember what it was really like.
I have taken my camera to various places - all over Europe, Hawaii, USA, Ireland, Iran - and I have never had a problem, and the camera has always been around my neck on a decent strap.
So, I would advise you to take your camera with you every time that you go on holiday, in fact I am sure that some people on here take their camera with them every time they go out.:)
 
mikebeecham said:
I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

Perfectly reasonable concerns but probably unjustified as long as you take sensible precautions and don't isolate yourself or flaunt your gear. I've been to Africa, Asia, South America ... and Spain and never found that my camera was an issue and I've got some great memories in picture form.
I would recommend getting your gear insured though (maybe already on your house insurance) as accidents happen both home and abroad :)
 
Agree with all that has been said but I'm a bit concerned by

"Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace."

It is insured, isn't it?

Dave
 
mikebeecham said:
I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
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But you could lose the camera in the UK? What makes Spain different?
 
mikebeecham said:
I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

In view of what you've written here can I suggest that you lock your camera gear away (in a safe perhaps) and so there's little or no chance of it being lost or stolen. Consider it as an investment and only let it see the light of day again when you come to sell it. Granted, you won't be able to take any photos with it but at least it'll be safe and secure, eh!
 
Stuart M said:
In view of what you've written here can I suggest that you lock your camera gear away (in a safe perhaps) and so there's little or no chance of it being lost or stolen. Consider it as an investment and only let it see the light of day again when you come to sell it. Granted, you won't be able to take any photos with it but at least it'll be safe and secure, eh!
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:thinking:
 
For years, I've carted the DSLR around Crete and last year (due mainly to illness but also a lack of anything new to shoot!) I took 1 (yup, just one) photo using it! My rule has always been that if a piece of kit I take isn't used, it gets left behind next trip, so guess what I'm not taking this year! I'm still taking some photo kit - a selection of compacts and a bridge which in total weigh less than the DSLR and a couple of lenses, not to mention taking up less room. I may miss a shot or 2 but the chances are that anything new can be captured using what I'll have so I'm willing to take the risk.

If I was going somewhere new, I would almost certainly take the DSLR and a few lenses, as long as there were no weight restrictions on any internal travel and the bag was all but guaranteed to stay dry.
 
mikebeecham said:
I can help you understand it then!

Buying a nice camera with a decent lens didn't come easy to find the money, especially in this financial climate. Losing the camera isn't something i want to entertain and not something that I can just replace. I'm new to DSLR photography and so wanted to make sure I was taking good precautions.

Hope that helps!
Click to expand...

I think the point most people are making is,why buy a camera if your going to be to scared to take it out,sorry but make no sence to me,i think for most of us buying a good camera doesnt come easy.

Take it with you and enjoy the photo opp :)

ps life is never risk free
 
A camera is meant to be used. Take it out and have fun with it!

My partially weather sealed camera (apparently not as good as 1D series) gets used loads in the rain and recently snow. It has been to Nice, Paris and Barcelona.

Buy insurance on it if you worry about dropping/loosing it. As said, don't develop emotional attachment to it, it's a tool, not a friend.
 
Thanks guys for encouragement and the challenge. Yes, I guess I was being a bit precious with it, but expensive things don't come along all that often!

That said, you're all absolutely right and I just need I get it packed up ready to go. It is on the insurance so shouldn't really worry!

Thanks guys...now, being able to take a decent shot out there is another matter ;)

Cheers
 
yodasarmpit said:
My camera bag doubles as my carry on bag, it's the first thing I think about taking when going abroad.
Enjoy it.
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^^This.

Yoda... do you also try to carry it so it looks really light, even though it's killing you, so they don't weight it? :)
 
:lol::lol::lol: speechless

mikebeecham said:
I'm off to sunny Spain in a couple of weeks for a holiday, and I'm wondering whether to take the camera or not. If I take the Camera and the 50mm lens, it's equates to around £800...I just dont know whether I feel comfortable taking it with me or not.

What do you think? Worth the risk?
Click to expand...
 
I take my bag, Nikon D7000, 35mm, 90mm,18-55mm,17-50mm,70-300mm, 2 flash's, all the other bits that are in the bag.

If I'm out walking about, body & 17-50 over my shoulder. Day on the beach, the whole bag goes out, put it under a towel with my fags on top, go snorkelling for an hour and come back in for a drink and a fag. Snap the family, the locals, go for a walk (can't sit in the sun) and have a fab time.

If it gets nicked then my wife will be fed to the fishes - it's why I take her ;)
 
Well...I'm back and had a great time with the camera. What's clear from putting them into Lightroom is how much I need to work on steadying my shots (a few came out blurry), but I know this is a practice thing!

I'm just about to drop a shot I'm really happy with into the feedback section. It's a street shot which I put into B&W.

Thanks for the advice guys!
 
I took my D600 and a 24-120 F4 to Thailand recently , I didn't find it a burden at all and on days when I wanted to just relax or days I couldn't really take it with me I left it in the room safe, I got a backpack with access only from the side that goes against your back making it harder for anyone to steal my kit.

I also once took a 5d , 70-200 f4 IS , 17-40L, 24-105L , 580 exII ,various filters, tripod, etc etc to New Zealand, I got some nice shots for memories but boy did I regret having so much stuff to lug about
 
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