Camera Safety Tips

A CameraInsurance.co.uk Guide to looking after your equipment

Whether you take your camera and equipment out of the house or not, it pays to be careful and safe whilst using and storing your equipment. Afterall, the last thing you want is for your valuable equipment to be stolen.

Here at CameraInsurance.co.uk we have put together a selection of handy tips to keep your cameras and camera equipment safe, both indoors and whilst out and about.

Indoors

If most of, or all of your equipment spends it's time at your home address, it is still a good idea to follow some basic security guidelines.

• Don't leave cameras or valuable equipment in view of windows. Potential thieves passing may spot them as an easy target, or may come back later when you are out.
• If possible, lock your equipment away in a secure cupboard. If you have any particularly valuable pieces you could consider locking them in a safe or gun cabinet for added security.
• If you use your equipment for professional photography, try to avoid advertising your home address. This will avoid potential thieves working out that you have valuable equipment at your home address.
• Don't leave spare or emergency keys hidden outside of your home. Thieves will check places such as flowerpots, rocks and sheds for spare keys to avoid having to physically break into a house.

Outdoors

Once you take your cameras and equipment outside, there are numerous more risks involved. Here are some basic guidelines to protecting your equipment both in your local area and whilst on holiday.

• Make sure first of all that you have adequate Camera Insurance before you take your equipment outside.
• If your camera has a carrying strap, use it. This will help to stop you accidently dropping the camera and causing damage. Using a wrist or neck strap can also help to prevent theft of the camera whilst you are on holiday, as it is much harder for pickpockets or thieves to steal a camera that is attached to you.
• Wear a beltpack with the pouch at the front. This offers the best protection when you are not using the camera. Don't take the beltpack off in public, Keep it on even during meals and on public transport. This will stop potential grab & run thieves.
• Don't draw attention to your camera by being overly dramatic with keeping it hidden or safe.
• Don't hand your camera to anyone you don't know to have your picture taken in front of anything. It is quite common abroad for thieves to offer to take your photo and then run off with the camera!
• When you fill up a memory card, make sure you put it in your hotel safe or in one of your bags rather than in the camera bag. That way even if the camera does get stolen, you still have your photos!
• If you take a laptop with you, try to upload your photos as often as possible. If you do have your camera stolen before you fill up the memory card, you will at least have uploaded your holiday photos up to that point.

So there you have a few hints and tips to help you keep yourself and your equipment safe. We hope you have found these useful. Why not also check out our Camera Insurance Guide and get yourself a Camera Insurance Quote to see just how little it costs to get yourself covered?