I have an expensive digital camera with several lens.I will carry in a bag, This is over the shoulder with waist belt attachment, (security against pickpockets) I really want to bring this as I know I will never get back here. Is this a bad idea? I cannot afford to have them stolen.
Thanks
Jodi
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Of course noone can gty you will not get your camera stolen, but it is a good idea to put it all into perspective. First, Paris is a very safe city. I have visited about 5 times and never had anything stolen. I was there for the entire month of October and I carried a purse with valuables (a regular purse) everyday and often many shopping bags with valuables. Although I was staying in the 6th arrondissement which is pretty touristy, there are several things that really insured my safety and the safety of my belongins. I felt comfortable in my surroundings and I acted like I knew where I was going at all times. I was rarely in the most touristy areas such as the Eiffel tower, etc., and although I am sure it was obvious I was not a Parisian, I don%26#39;t think I really acted like a tourist either.
Basically, what I am getting at is that if you look and feel confident, you should be just as safe in most areas of Paris as you would in any large American city (possibly more safe) to carry your camera. There are a few known areas that have a lot of pick-pockets and you can read many threads here on TA about those. For example, you will see many beggers and possibly encounter pick-pockets in and around the Eiffel Tower, the Les Halles metro and area, and on a couple other major metro lines. However, again, I shopped at Les Halles Forum and carried about 300 euro worth of cloths back to my apartment and I looked like I was struggling with the bags on the metro. I did not even think for a minute someone was going to come up from behind me and hoist my belongings out of my hand. Maybe ignorance is bliss ??
I do realize totally where you are coming from however. I felt exactly the same way the first couple times I visited. So, if it were me, I would bring my expensive camera and then bring along a disposable one to take along to places where you may feel more vulnerable and possibly distracted.
Bon Voyage !
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I%26#39;m sure that every year, millions of tourists bring more or less expensive camera%26#39;s to Paris. If you%26#39;re careful you shouldn%26#39;t have any problems. But are you sure you want to carry a heavy bag around with you constantly?
If you can%26#39;t afford to have your photo equipment stolen - at least have it insured!
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I don%26#39;t think anyone can afford to have their belongings stolen...
As was already pointed out, millions of people tour Paris every year and snap pictures all over town. If you take normal safety precautions it%26#39;s unlikely that your property will be stolen.
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Of course you should bring your camera just as millions of visitors to Paris do every year. take the same precautions you would anywhere else. make sure the camera bag is *securely* fastened when you are riding the métro (or for that matter anywhere else) so that nobody can just slip a hand into it and remove the camera body or a lens.
if you are in a café, especially on the terrace, do not simply leave your camera bag sitting on a chair in full view. Put it *under* your chair and make sure one of the straps is securely clipped around the framework of the chair so that the bag cannot be removed without taking the chair with it. in general terms just excercise ordinary caution and you and your camera will have a wonderful time in Paris...
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Try not to draw attention to your equipment. Make sure it does not look like a *camera bag*. On the other hand, I%26#39;ve been known to lug my SLIK tripod, all over Europe, in a Leki quiver slung over my shoulder. If you have to be seen with equipment, at least look professional! :-)
Try not to wander off into deserted locations by yourself. There%26#39;s potential for mugging. I know photographers to whom this has happened. They%26#39;re not sure if they%26#39;re happy to be alive because, when they regained consciousness, all of their equipment was never to be seen again.
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%26gt;I carried a purse with valuables
$50+k worth? I don%26#39;t think so.
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%26gt;you should be just as safe in most areas of Paris as you would in
%26gt;any large American city (possibly more safe) to carry your camera.
%26gt;There are a few known areas that have a lot of pick-pockets
NO. NO. NO.
Places in Europe, like Paris have higher concentrations of tourists.
There exist different sets of thieves who especially scout out certain things. They are more common in Europe than in the US. These are not mere pickpockets. They will ensure that you are at least unconscious and never saw them before taking what they%26#39;re after.
As we should know, many pickpockets in Europe are much more %26quot;professional,%26quot; %26quot;skilled%26quot;, and %26quot;organized%26quot; in their specialties.
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ambesparis -
Take some pictures of your equipment - ensure that you%26#39;re covered for replacement value, and then enjoy yourself. Unless your equipment is all one-off - ie the only one like it in the whole world, your insurance company will be obligated to make you whole, less your deductible.
Bon voyage.
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I tried to point out that Paris is very safe city in general. For example, I do not feel as comfortable walking alone at night in many other large cities in the world and in the U.S. ( I live in Atlanta). Often the problem with pick-pockets in the highly touristy areas of Paris can lead to misconceptions and confusion about how to act accordingly, resulting in tourists strapping everything to them in money belts even with they walk from the hotel one block to a cafe in a relatively quiet area. I realize the subject is pick-pockets and NOT bodily harm here, but I find that people who have never traveled to Paris, and maybe are not even accustomed to large cities in general feel particularly vulnerable.
The areas of concern are the major tourist attraction and metros leading to them. Although you are probably safe to carry a camera even then as most pick-pockets target wallets and loose purses (where they hope to find cash)....but, it is smart to be smart in these areas.
Did I make myself clearer this time ?? I have a terrible tendancy to ramble.
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Ambesparis,
I%26#39;m a professional photographer who traveled to France
and mostly Paris for 5 Septembers photographing
for my upcoming book, THE FRENCH LANDSCAPE:
IMAGES OF A SPECIAL LIGHT.
I carried 2 Nikon bodies and 3 lenses for my
infrared photographs.
1. my bag was non descript
2. It was very well connected to me
3. the opening was not obvious
4. carried it across my shoulder IN FRONT
6. be aware of your surroundings
7. it was insured under my professional policy
I almost lost it once on a Metro car and redesigned
the bag as noted above.
I leave for Paris again on September 29th with digital
equipment of considerable more value and even
more important than before to not lose it.
I felt comfortable with my equiptment in Paris
with that one incident..
Best wishes,
Randy
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