Cameras and travel photography forum

Just make sure you have a really solid camera bag that's waterproof capable, and keep that with you at ALL times. Never let that bag (or any bag containing valuables) end up stuffed with a bunch of other luggage in the lower compartment of a bus or left unattended on a train. If you go to sleep on a bus or train, keep the bag in a place where someone would have to wake you up in order to get to it. When on a motorbike, make sure the bag is very well secured (keep in mind sometimes they'll ride up, cut the strap and snatch right off your back). In short, the bag will become like another limb of your body, so get ready to become more intimate with a piece of luggage than you ever imagined!

If you're doing something where you don't want the bag (and camera) with you, leave it with a guesthouse that has a safe big enough for it or somewhere else that you know is secure. Try not to leave it unattended in a private hotel/guesthouse room too often, even with a locked door, as cat burglary can be a problem (and obviously never leave it in a shared room).

With the SLR be very careful of water damage. If you're around for Songkran, do not think you have a "safe" place to shoot from because you will be hit! (Sadly I speak from experience here!)

I went for 4 and a half months this year with both a valuable SLR and a smaller camera in/on many guesthouses, trains, busses, taxis and motorbikes in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, and other than the Songkran incident none of the things I mentioned above ever happened. Just be extra cautious, and you'll be fine.

Good luck

I am ultra-careful with my camera but had it stolen on an overnight train in Indonesia. I had a ticket on an all-reserved Executive Class train, so the thieves buy their tickets too and work the train. I had the camera in a camera bag (mistake!) and I was sitting near the window, with the bag on the floor and my leg through the strap. Between me and the aisle I had a giant backpack on the floor and my daughter in the other seat. Everything including the bag was covered with TWO blankets and the bag was between my foot and the wall. During the one hour I slept, someone managed to reach through a very small space under the seat and unzipped the bag. They took the time to replace my DSLR with two small water bottles so the bag would feel heavy! It was unreal.
Someone must have seen me use the camera before I boarded the train and then worked with someone else. The train security searched bags (there were no stops before the destination) but of course it was long gone.
A case where I really don't know what else I should have done besides have the camera buried in the backpack. About the most important thing I can recommend is (and I forgot this ONE time!): I always remove the memory card while packing the camera away so that if it is stolen at least you still have your photos. Another option is to have 2 cards so that you only lose one.

The 7D is a better camera, but I would guess that you would treat it the same as the 450D if you were to upgrade. You'd do your utmost to keep it dry, moisture-resistant or not.

I'll add to all of the good advice given above. If you're going to be doing a lot of lens-swapping, you should definitely consider investing in a good quality sensor cleaning package. There is a company called VisibleDust that has a few different packages, including one travel package. If you get dust on your sensor from changing lenses, and all your photos are loaded with spots, you'll be spending ages tidying them up in PS or whatever software you use.

Good luck.

Hello!

So what's the conclusion? Is it not a good idea to take an expensive DSLR to the humid climate of Indochina in July/August? I'm planning to take it, one of the goals of my trip is to take photos with it! I have a waterproof bag and I'm going to buy some more dessicants (are these the little bags with some stuff which absorbs humidity that you place in the bag?)

Cheers!

Perfect!

Thanks for the good news!

You should always have a filter of some type on all of your lenses to protect them from scratches, dust, etc. It's a lot less expensive to replace a scratched filter than to replace a scratched lens.

I carry a UV filter, a circular polarizer, and a couple others for different shooting conditions (Haze, Yellow, Neutral Density.) The circular polarizer can be very handy for less than ideal shooting conditions, such as in the middle of the day when the sun is high and the sky gets bleached out, and it's excellent around water and for shooting through windows.

Make sure that any filters you get are of good quality. Poor quality filters negatively affect an image's definition. And if you get a circular polarizer, mess around with it before you go on your trip. They can be tricky to use sometimes.

Posted from within Vietnam.

Re original query on keeping cameras safe... I know this is probably obvious to everyone else and I was completely stupid, but don't put cameras (or any other variables) into checked-in luggage on flights. We kept our DSLR and compact camera safe on buses and trains and then the compact got stolen when we flew Malaysian Airlines to Singapore. And yes, definitely keep your memory card separate.

Posted from within Vietnam.

Definitely - but make sure you check the claims conditions carefully as my camera wasn't covered because it doesn't cover checked-in valuables and I didn't have proof of ownership / value. So take receipts / manuals etc.