All I've done is stick black insulating tape over the make and model badges on the camera. The insulating tape is less sticky so hopefully won't leave as much residue.

Its still a large camera that would be attractive to a thief but doesn't advertise itself as a particular brand which might be even more desirable. (5D Mk II btw)

I travel a lot to poor countries.
Disguising your camera won't do anything whatsoever to deter thieves. Don't worry about it, chances are you are not going to have any problems.
Just enjoy your trip.

If it'll make you feel any better - one of the problems in Lima Peru when I was down was gangs of young boys with knives that come in from the squatter settlements outside the city - usually groups of 10 to 15 that will surround and seperate someone or a few people from a crowd.

At that point they want your camera .... and your cell phone, and your wallet, passport, jewlery, designer clother and maybe your running shoes. I don't think putting tape on your camera is going to change much.

I'd suggest you simply check what times and parts of the city are safest (safest - not safe) and stick to that. I'd also suggest you be very careful about taxis - almost 2/3 of the cars on the street in Lima act as taxis informally and were not regulated when I was down a few years ago. A few are simply fronts to pick up victims or pass counterfeit money - you being the victim in both cases.

Lots of people visit Peru every year without incident - do some research and you'll be one of them. I had no issues myself, but was staying in Miraflores, one of the better parts of Lima. That area still has issues too, and the daughter of one of my friends was victim to one of those street gangs coming home from school, and her mother, on a seperate incident , was involved in an attempted abduction by a taxi driver during the three months I was there. Camera? I took a Sony P72 digital pocket camera which is also sold there.

You can't hide the your camera or its size/make (thieves are not going to be picky about the brand) but I would change the strap (or just turn it around so the big "CANON" logo is against your body). That will at least not advertise to anyone behind you what you are carrying on your front.

To clarify my earlier comment, if you've already been targeted by thieves then its too late.

I think BuddhaFinger's idea behind masking off/uglifying your camera is to make it less noticeable in the first place. Think walking down the road in the latest designer gear, versus dressing down and looking a little more plain/grungy.

I put black gaffer's tape over the make and model, but I'm also of the opinion that it probably makes no difference as far as thieves are concerned.

Thanks for this. It is a timely thread for me as I will be in Lima on 9 Sept.
I travel in Asia a lot (India and Nepal) and do not usually worry too much about walking around the cities with a camera on my own (within reason). Although, I always carry my camera in my bag until I want to use it.
Mention of these gangs has concerned me a bit though. I think in Lima, I shall make sure that I do not get parted from the group.

I travelled through Peru last year from Lima to Macchu Picchu and suffered no thefts or muggings - I was carrying a 1Ds Mark III.

Best thing is always use common sense...don't put yourself in a situation where you might run into trouble. In Lima, Miraflores is the designated tourist area and is heavily guarded by Police and security. Once you get out into the mountains and visit places such as Cusco etc, there's very little crime and I felt as safe as houses walking around.

Just use common sense!

I agree with Freelander Jason. I travelled through Peru this year. Visited Lima, Cusco, Macchu Picchu, Puno and Arequipa. No thefts or muggings.

Just one tip. If you take the bus, travel with your gear in your hands, all the time. I've heard a lot of stories about luggage stealing.

Im from Peru,

Just to resume some recommendations from Lima, Peru (and I presume it would apply to other cities)

- Dont exhibit your camera in your neck or shoulder
- Keep it in it case/bag, pick it and shot, when you are done put in the case/bag again
- Dont stay alone, always keep in groups
- Dont pretend you are a pro
- Dont show you are affraid of your gear, just act naturally

In my case, I avoid to go to some dangerous places, but when I go (only in my case) I use a film camera, (Minolta X-700, Canon A1) which (for me) is more fun, and less load than other cameras

Hope this helps

Saludos

Martintoy

guilherme cecílio Hope you like my country, and hope to have you soon again :)

Freelander Jason In Cuzco there are no robbers, may be here in Lima, but not worries at all outside Lima, (unless the weather) but thats another story

Moti Didi Nice to know you come to Lima! please feel free to contact me if you need some references.

Welcome to Peru, and please bring with you LOTS of SD/CF memory cards, you will need it :)

Martintoy

Martintoy,

it´s a really great country. Amazing

Thanks to all for your responses!

I have travelled extensively around the world, much of the time in "under developed" countries, and have never had a problem except for a tag team mugging on the street in Cape Town. But I've never travelled with a DSLR before (I'm new to photography) and I've heard that the only trouble I may run into in Peru will be from thieves, hence my question.

I'm very much looking forward to the photographic opportunities in Peru, and will hopefully have many good shots to post to this group's pool.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

--James

buddhafinger No problem, just be cautious and logical, feel free to contact me for references when you arrive to Lima

I spent 2 months travelling round S. America recently and had no problems. It pays to be cautious as always. I don't use the Nikon branded strap on my D300, having swapped it for a plain black OpTech one. Rather less attention seeking than large yellow letters on the strap! I also always wrap the strap round my wrist to stop anyone snatching it.

In cities I visit, I also carry it around in a non-camera bag, that's just a normal generic shoulder bag with no logos on, just big enough to hold it plus the 18-200mm lens and put the camera back in when I've taken a shot rather than have it dangling around my neck for all to see. If you feel particularly vulnerable it pays to take out a good point and shoot and leave the SLR in the hotel. I did this a couple of times in Lima (and also Rio in Brazil) but everywhere else in Peru was fine and felt safe. We visited Cuzco, Puno, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon and did the Inca Trail without any worries.

It pays to keep an eye on your bag on public transport. Keep your camera bag on your lap. People I met had had bag slashers try and cut their bag open when it was on the floor under the seat. Also do the usual thing of having the bag or camera on your front in a market or crowded place.

I guess you also need to put things in perspective. Peru has a poulation of just under 30 million people and about a 40% poverty rate. The average yearly income is about $5,000 per year, which is misleading because Peru, like a lot of other SA countries - really doesn't have much of a 'middle class'. And don't kid yourself - gasoline, MacDonald's hambergers and Blockbuster Video rentals are about the same price all around the world.

And of of that 30 million people - about 18 million live in Lima and the surrounding metropolitan area. So the risk level should be expected to be higher in Lima - big cities just happen to be like that everywhere and New York is a good example.

I personally found most people in South America to be friendly and hospitable. But there are also lots of poor and desperate people as well as criminals there and desperate people and criminals are the same the world over - they'll look for any opportunity that'll profit them. Just don't make yourself look like an obvious opportunity.

buddhafinger : comeon man, just keep the stuff close.. nothing else..

Leave your DSLR and expensive lenses at home and carry a small good quality point and shoot like a Lumix LX3 or something that shoots RAW and has decent resolution.

It's lighter on your back and you'll worry less about your safety and attracting unwanted attention. Then you can relax and enjoy your trip.

You might want to look into a gear insurance. I have my stuff (~1500$) covered for around 70$ a year, and it includes theft and accidents (droping it in a river or just falling on your camera). I haven't used it yet but it keeps me calm - if someone puts a knife under my nose, I know I don't have to decide between keeping my nose or my camera ;)

Might depend on the culture of countries that you visit but I just put my camera in black Domke and pulled out cameras only when I am shooting. It worked in Argentina for me, while my friends has got their cameras and laptops stolen during out stay.

Shameless self plug here Buddfafinger...just some of the wonderful sights you'll see when you are in Peru :-)

picasaweb.google.co.uk/FreelanderJason/PeruHoliday#

Have insurance, note down serial numbers of all gear before going, even take a photo of it all. Go, enjoy yourself, be sensible, but don´t worry about it too much.

Like others here, I've always put black electrical tape over the brand name and model markings; kept the camera in a well-worn bag that does not look like a camera bag, and pulled the camera out only when shooting.

Having said all that, also like others here I'm not sure that all of this does a whole lot of good, but perhaps reduces the odds that you'll get your gear ripped off.

Does no good whatsoever. If you tape over the BMW logo will that deter thieves too? Thieves are thieves, not shoppers.

Keep your stuff close at all times. Don't carry too much stuff. I keep my stuff in a non-camera bag. I bring my body with lens attached and maybe one other lens in the bag. Don't get too consumed by your photography to notice what's going on around you. Hopefully, you won't be alone.

Just got back from Peru, myself. Small young woman traveling alone for most of the trip with a Canon. In the more touristy areas (think: city centers, Incan ruins) I was not at all worried about my camera. If that's where you'll be then I wouldn't worry.

However I ended up leaving it behind when I was in more interesting places because I was, quite honestly, scared -- there are some extremely impoverished areas (such as the outskirts of Lima) where I just wanted to do my best to blend in. Even a simple point-and-shoot makes you look like a target for being robbed in those places.

And don't fall asleep on a bus with a camera around your neck. I had a wallet around my neck, drifted off to sleep, and woke up with passport and money gone. The thief ditched the passport (thank God) but kept my money. I can only imagine a camera could end up with the same fate.

I think any SLR looks like an expensive camera, so once you have it out you are going to draw attention regardless of a little bit of electrical tape. I don't think thieves walk around looking for 5D Mark II.

I always carry a bag that doesn't look like a camera bag. I am a big believer in getting travel insurance and not worrying about it. I miss a lot of shots when I have the camera in my bag, so try to have it on my shoulder as much as possible.

@shorty_jooce: Scary!

If I worry too much about my camera, I'm not getting the travel experience (or the travel photos) that I really want to have. If you have an old camera in the closet that you won't miss, bring that one. When I am on the road and in a difficult situation I really only worry about my memory cards and/or film.

I have a friend who travels through the Congo and he always tells me, "When you get into a situation, there's only one thing you want to walk away with: your life. If you keep anything else, consider it a bonus."

The idea of masking things up may make you feel better and that will radiate out some confidence, but it does not do much. I've been able to blend in a bit in a few places; however, I soon as an SLR comes out, the game is over. It is really quite interesting to notice all the subtle changes once you've blown your cover.

Like other people have said, masking off the brand really isn't going to do a lot. If it's DSLR shaped, it's likely to attract the interest (unless it's an old beater film SLR) from any potential thieves.

For compacts however, this article is probably of interest.

Hi there,

I currently live in Peru and you don"t have to worry too much. It is really rare that somebody would attack you to get your gear. Don't go alone into streets without people. Stay at places as crowded as possible. Don't use taxis when it is obvious that you have camera ear with you. Get a number of a safe taxi that will pick you up.
If they try to rob you they try to grab your stuff and run. So always be aware of what is happening arround you and always have your stuff secured to your body and a good grip on it. Especially young men and even kids steal.
If you tell me where exactly you are going to travel to I can give you more info.

Looking forward to seeing your shots; I've had a couple of wonderful trips to Peru: www.flickr.com/photos/dougfelts/collections/7215760336006....
I really didn't have any trouble while in Peru, (or Mexico or Honduras...), but certainly tried to be aware of my surroundings. "Low-profile" backpack, but I must admit my camera was usually on my shoulder and visible. I never left any of my stuff in the hotel room, but thought about having one of those metallic nets to secure it all: www.tamperseal.com/pacsafe-secure-bag-protector-p-122.htm.... Pacsafe also makes a camera strap which can't be cut.

The concept of "uglifying" your camera was new to me, until I saw this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/connors934/3535834824/.

And, there are some other threads about it: www.flickr.com/groups/procorner/discuss/72157594224318006/

Have a great time! Enjoy the wonderful people and the amazing history...

Ive walked around some nasty places in india and africa and most people are more interested in poseing than robing. The only place i had a little trouble was in Fiji and that was not over the camera but over my shoes. Dont worry. Ge some seperate insurance its only about £30 per month and enjoy yourself. If you go there thinking every one is after you then you will never take any photos.

Get a vintage film SLR :). No, but seriously, I walk around all sorts of "dangerous" places with it hanging from my neck and never worry about it.

naugastyle

I am not sure where you have been, but this is definitely a bad idea.. You'll get mugged FAST here in Rio de Janeiro if you do that.. It doesn't cost anything to keep it away...

If you keep it away you can't take photos, certainly not those spur of the moment captures. I agree with A.L.T. get insurance, be sensible, enjoy.

lifehacker.com/5259519/deter-thieves-by-uglifying-your-ca...

Get a holga. Who cares if it gets stolen

www.rfoxwedding.com

I have travelled extensively in northeast and southeast Asia, Europe, India and even to South Africa, and I have never had anything stolen (correction, I had two t-shirts stolen from a youth hostel in Poland once) while traveling. I don't think of myself as being particularly careful about my equipment and am far from being paranoid about it. On the other hand, I believe I don't take reckless chances with it either. I do, however, meticulously backup my memory cards at the end of every day in order not to lose the most irreplaceable of my stuff, the photos. Perhaps I am just lucky, but I also think that common sense will go very far in protecting your gear.

Alternatively, some people just have bad luck or are targetted by highly competent thieves who know what they are looking at. A friend of mine lost his Nikon d700 and a $1000 lens (as well as his wallet) within seconds, in a crowded temple complex in China this past summer. He was double-teamed by at least 3 thieves who ignored the dozens of other camera-laden tourists and went for his big-ticket score. In a situation like this, I think you have to be particularly unlucky to have this happen, but it can happen and probably there is nothing you can do about it. I doubt if "uglifying" his gear would have helped at all.

If you have enough gumption... paint that 70-200 of yours black... like this:
:p (alcohol removes it, thankfully)

forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&messag...

Daniela of Melnibone: I'd rather have the pictures, and just because I have the camera out doesn't mean I'm not being careful :). Most recently came back from Colombia with no issues whatsoever. Hey, I also leave my money and passport in my hostal rooms and have never lost a dollar. Some people have bad luck, as TigerPal points out. And professional thieves aren't going to be dissuaded by uglifying.

I lived and studied in Peru for 7 months and it is no more dangerous than any other country. Like mentioned in previous posts Miraflores is the tourist district within Lima which holds approximately 2/3 of the countries population. I always carry my camera in my bag wherever i go as i often travel alone, but with a little common sense and observation of your surroundings you shouldn't run into any trouble. Like as has also been mentioned before once you leave Lima there is no crime in the mountains or the jungle. Have a great time, there are not many countries that contain such a rich indigenous heritage and such a range of flora and fauna from the ocean to the desert to the mountains to the jungle. My advice is learn some spanish before your trip as this simple effort will not only enhance your personal experience and allow you to experience some things you may not have been able to otherwise, but will also empower you making you feel like less of an alien and assisting you with your photography as well. Enjoy :)

As with many of the above, I agree disguising your gear won't help..

I've been to Peru, and had a great time and would love to go again.

Just use common sense but here are the big ways stuff gets stolen(from everyone, not just tourists)
Putting your bag, backpack, purse on the back of your chair/under the chair, on a chair next to you in a cafe. In quite a few cafes, they have small clips to latch on your bag/purse to slow high speed theft or distraction theft.

Putting very nice gear under long haul buses, keep it with you.

Hanging something freely off your shoulder, esp in market areas.

As I said, I love Peru, would go back in a heart beat but be low key in some areas...a few of the bus terminals are in bad or not great areas, La Victoria being one...most things are crimes of opportunity, so just try to not make an opportunity for them.

:)

I'm with ethics_gradient and naugastyle- beater SLRs are the way to go.

I have an OM1 and OM4Ti with electrical tape over the missing motor-drive caps and elastic bands holding the lens caps on. Been to Peru and Venezuela, and if anything the cameras attracted sympathy and mirth.

Went up in the hills above Cuzco and some local kids even offered to take my photo!

I recommend you carry a sterdy tripod. 1: For sharper images and 2 you can swing that heavy tripod pretty hard when someone is giving you trouble

Don't dress too smart and don't walk down roads that smell of urine

Erm, if you start swinging that tripod around you might well get shot. Basically as everyone is saying, there is no way to make a DSLR less attractive to steal. Buying a plain black strap and keeping it in a battered bag is a good way to go. Also, taking all those lenses! Just take a 35mm 1.8 or something. Generally I keep the camera in my hand and wrap the strap around my wrist. Get insurance and don't hesitate to give up your stuff if someone threatens you, it's not worth getting hurt for.

I have just come back from Peru and had a fabulous time. We spent some days near Paracas, then to the Rain Forest and then back to Cusco to do the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
We did not spend much time in Cusco and Lima. I was travelling in an organised group of 16 and there was no time to go off alone, although we did get fairly spread out at times, so the value of being in a group may have been lost. However, I guess that we were kept away from the less salubrious parts of the cities. I certainly did not feel that we were anywhere dodgy.
There are lots of tourist police in the tourist areas of Cusco and Lima, so I did not feel worried about assault of any kind there. The only advice that I was given was to be careful at the various ruins, not to stray alone too far from the main areas where the other tourists were. The people in the countryside were very friendly and welcoming.
When we were trekking, I found myself alone quite a lot of the time. I do speak Spanish and I chatted quite a bit to both our porters and the porters from other groups that we camped with, as they passed during the day. So, I suppose that I was not really alone. They were undoubtedly keeping an eye on us.
I had my DSLR with me all the time. I am still uploading my pics onto my phototstream, if anyone is interested in a peek.
Like northern exposure, I too often walk along with the camera in my hand and the strap wrapped around my wrist. To be honest, a determined thief will follow you and wait for an opportunity, so I am not sure how much good putting it back in the bag is.
Sorry for the waffle. In summary, my fears of Peru being a crime ridden scary country disappeared as soon as I got there. Yes, many of the folks are poor, but there was a feeling of old world curtesy and hospitality that I have not seen in a lot of places that I have visited. Peru is a beautiful friendly country and I loved it.
I took the same precautions that I would take at home. My camera did not attract a second glance. Though the advice about walking down streets smelling of urine is a good rule of thumb, I reckon, albeit tongue in cheek. I wouldn't do that in the UK either.
A solo independent traveller might perhaps need to be little more wary. Again, the same applies, if you are in Europe.

Be cautious, and if you have your camera out sling it over your body like a satchel bag. That way if someone tries to grab it they'll take you with it too!

Again like many people have said, use common sense, keep your wits about you and don't go flouting your camera in people's faces.

Also, think the best of people, not the worst. Not everyone is out to get you!

I know this is an old thread, but the subject is still a valid one. I would like to add another reason to uglify your camera or electronics in general: In many third world countries, cellphones, cameras and electronic products in general (when purchased abroad) pay a hefty 50% to 100% tax based on the purchase price. The last thing you want is a customs officer spotting you with a shiny new spotless camera. Drugs might get through, but God forbid a new IPhone making it through customs.