Taking DSLR to London

redmonkee

redmonkee

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Hi guys i'm going to London on Thursday for a birthday/engagement weekend with my Fiancé and wanted to take my D700 and 50mm to get some nice shots whilst down there.

We are staying just opposite Millennium Eye and I though it'd be perfect to get some nice engagement shots of us both down there, but my Fiancé is worried about me carrying an expensive camera around incase anything bad were to happen on the undergrounds etc.

I was going to carry it in a discreet shoulder bag which isnt a camera bag and only get it out when taking pics as opposed to carrying it round my neck.

What do you guys think?
 
You'll be absolutely fine, I've been carrying my camera around London in my bag or in my hand for the last 9 months and have never had an issue.

Central London is so touristy that pretty much everyone has a DSLR round there neck nowadays
 
Ive lived in london all my life till last year when I moved to Sheffield for university. Around the Millenium Wheel/London Eye you will be fine! Be careful and cautious (as with any high-tourist-population area, there are thieves), but its absolutely safe. Its central london, its near parliament. There are 1000s of CCTV cameras all pointing at you because absolutely everyone is a potential terrorist. There are quite a few places "south of the river" that it wouldn't be the best idea to take you camera too. But that's a 20 minute bus-ride from the London eye.

More importantly, enjoy the trip! Happy birthday/engagement! :clap:(y)
 
Thats what I thought guys

AleksanderLoesch said:
Ive lived in london all my life till last year when I moved to Sheffield for university. Around the Millenium Wheel/London Eye you will be fine! Be careful and cautious (as with any high-tourist-population area, there are thieves), but its absolutely safe. Its central london, its near parliament. There are 1000s of CCTV cameras all pointing at you because absolutely everyone is a potential terrorist. There are quite a few places "south of the river" that it wouldn't be the best idea to take you camera too. But that's a 20 minute bus-ride from the London eye.

More importantly, enjoy the trip! Happy birthday/engagement! :clap:(y)
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Aw thanks for that Aleksander (y)
 
Most days you can't move for DSLRs around the Eye and the South Bank. By sheer numbers alone, the chance of getting mugged is very slim. There's always someone smaller, older, slower and with a better camera to target instead! :)

Enjoy the trip.
 
You need to be most careful when you might take the bag into a cafe, pub or whatever.
Easy to put it down and be somewhat distracted by other things for a while.
Otherwise it's no different to any other touristy spot.
 
I live in London and have regularly taken my DSLR, lenses and tripod out in the touristy areas without any problem. I'm a 26 year old girl and although I'm vigilant, I wouldn't say I've ever felt unsafe. Only time I get nervous is out in the suburbs at night when you get one or two people about.

More worried about the number of people (usually kids) that regularly walk straight into my camera :bang: No matter how much room there is to get past!
 
I'm always in London, normally I'm carrying my iPad and other gadgets, and I've never had any problems. Even late a night. You'll never get an issue on the Tube.
 
I'll echo the above comments. I was concerned with carrying mine around in London on a recent trip. However, on arrival i found around 70% of people around that area are loaded with dSLRs, compacts, iPads and all sorts of other technological gizmo's.

Go there and enjoy and get some great snaps
 
As someone who has always lived in the outskirts of & has worked/studied photography in London, you'd be surprised at the # of cameras about & just how few are stolen when the owner isn't careless. I wouldn't let nerves about something happening effect taking memorable photographs. :} Just be careful with holding it properly whilst taking it in & out your bag as thats when it's likely to get 'snatched'. Best wishes & I hope you have an amazing time in London!
 
Not London but I had a similar worry when we went to Prague last year. Worried about looking conspicuous, feeling vulnerable etc.

To be honest I would have stood out more without a DSLR and didn't have any worries at all when I was there. I would have kicked myself if I didn't take it.
 
ChrisJ_SLH said:
Not London but I had a similar worry when we went to Prague last year. Worried about looking conspicuous, feeling vulnerable etc.

To be honest I would have stood out more without a DSLR and didn't have any worries at all when I was there. I would have kicked myself if I didn't take it.
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Just been to Prague - the number of cameras that were out there was unreal. It was like a convention or something.
 
4wd said:
You need to be most careful when you might take the bag into a cafe, pub or whatever.
Easy to put it down and be somewhat distracted by other things for a while.
Otherwise it's no different to any other touristy spot.
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This is very good advice, I have lived in london for 40 odd years and although crime is quite common here it does tend to be opportunity based.

Be savvy and you will be fine.

* Don't draw attention to yourself. Put your DSLR away before leaving busy areas, or getting on the tube, buses and so on.
* Keep handbags and camera bag straps diagnonaly across your body, It makes it impossible for people snatch and run.
* Keep zips done up, wallets in front pockets, arms over bag tops while walking and so on.

The harder you are to "dip" the less likely you are to be bothered.

Enjoy the city.
 
Ebilpirate said:
This is very good advice, I have lived in london for 40 odd years and although crime is quite common here it does tend to be opportunity based.

Be savvy and you will be fine.

* Don't draw attention to yourself. Put your DSLR away before leaving busy areas, or getting on the tube, buses and so on.
* Keep handbags and camera bag straps diagnonaly across your body, It makes it impossible for people snatch and run.
* Keep zips done up, wallets in front pockets, arms over bag tops while walking and so on.

The harder you are to "dip" the less likely you are to be bothered.

Enjoy the city.
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That's pretty sound advice for wherever you you are.

The only thing I would personally add is to trust your judgement of a situation. If you start feeling uncomfortable in an area/situation it's probably time to move on.
 
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There's going to be a few thousand revolting coppers wandering through London on Thursday, if you're after a photo op!
 
If you're anywhere on the Underground, you're on camera... Lower risk than most places IMHO (I may or may not be an employee :D)

I was on the south bank at 11pm last night, with a tripod over my shoulder with my camera on it, it never occured to me there was a threat (luckily it did occur to me that the weather was a threat... bloody glad I had a brolly)

Street photography in the back streets of Newham/Brixton/Hackney etc at 3am... you're brave/dumb/committed to your art. Central London, with common sense precautions you'd take anywhere else, and you'll be grand... Enjoy! :)
 
I'll echo the above points, there are so many tourists and enthusiasts around London that pretty much everyone has a gadget of some sort. If you carry your camera around your neck then invest in a Sun Sniper strap, it has a thin steel wire running through the strap which protects it from being cut, not sure how good it is but the company who make it give a guarantee against it. I was after a strap and brought that one due to the extra safety feature.
 
NickD said:
Street photography in the back streets of Newham/Brixton/Hackney etc at 3am... you're brave/dumb/committed to your art.
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I reckon the vast majority of the time, even in those areas, you'd be fine with a bit of common sense and only bringing your camera up to your eye as needed. In the touristy areas of London that you are visiting, you'd look out of place without a camera frankly.

Have a safe and pleasant trip (y)
 
I carry about £5k worth of kit on my back virtually every day and haven't had a problem yet *touches wood* - so you should be fine. Just beware of people dipping into your bag from behind or the side - and also leaving it under the table in cafes or bars. I generally feel safer in London than I do in the 'burbs. And NickD is right - do avoid Brixton/Hackney etc at 3am (or even 3pm, IMHO)!
 
Theft and pick pocketing are definitely concerns in busy London. Best thing to do is have a discreet camera bag and keep it firmly closed and by your side at all times in busy areas where people are close. Even keep your hand on top of it so you can feel anything happening to it.
 
DSLRs are absolutely everywhere these days so the days of "standing out from the crowd" are long gone...just use the same precautions you take anywhere and you should be fine

Simon
 
I lived at the County Hall, where the millennium wheel is for 10 years...Ofcourse I took my camera out of my house and every other gadget....You'll be fine it is not a scary place...
 
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