Using Your Camera Abroad

A CameraInsurance.co.uk Guide to using your camera on holiday

If you take your cameras and equipment abroad on holiday with you, there are numerous risks involved. Here are some basic guidelines to protecting your equipment whilst on holiday.

• Make sure first of all that you have adequate Camera Insurance before you take your equipment on holiday.
• Use your cameras carrying strap. This helps to stop you accidently dropping the camera and causing damage. Using a wrist or neck strap can also help to prevent your camera being stolen whilst you are on holiday, as it makes it 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 will give you the best protection when you aren't actually using the camera. Make sure you do not take the beltpack off in public, and keep it on even whilst eating and especially on public transport. This should help to prevent potential grab & run thieves.
• Try to avoid drawing attention to your camera by being overly dramatic with keeping it hidden or safe.
• Never give your camera to anyone you don't know so that they can take your picture 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 your cameras memory card is full, store it in one of your bags or in your hotel safe 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.
• On trains and at train stations, be alert at stops, where thieves can quickly run on and off — leaving with your bag. When sleeping on a train, at the airport, or anywhere else public, be sure to secure your bags to a sturdy seat, luggage rack, or ideally to yourself. Most thieves will be deterred by the idea of having to unfasten a bag from a sleeping person.
• Thieves will often recognise tourists' cars and will target them first, especially at night. Never leave anything of value in open view in your parked car. Always put anything worth stealing in the locked boot, or even better keep it in your hotel room.

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?