Use a security pen and write your post code inside the battery compartment so it can be identified with an Ultra violet lamp if found , or being sold in a pawn shop etc
@@Scotian280that can be scratched off, and some people will still buy it if it’s cheap enough, even though it is very clearly stolen if the serial is scratched off.
I saw an interview with a thief a while ago where they said tape over logos specifically made them target that person more as the only people who do it are people with the most expensive gear, so your mileage may vary on that one, haha.
I’d definitely agree that was always a “that’s a nice thought” because a common thief wouldn’t care what camera brand you have and a thief with an eye like that would already know what kind of camera you have.
i mean with the size of leica logo, if u can see the tape, you will see the logo untaped, so regardless, they will know it is a leica. At least the tape hide the red so it is harder to tell from distance.
I’m 33 seconds in, but as someone who was recently mugged while traveling and carrying that EXACT BAG - I can tell you there are places where ANY bag is going to draw too much attention. You’d probably be better off with one of those re-useable grocery bags honestly.
Once you pack the camera in the security bag, you tend to leave it there. Next, you start taking photos with your cell phone. Next you leave your camera secured in the hotel. Next you leave your camera at home.
I’ve also used black tape to cover the logos. I have also put a red and yellow silicon camera covers on my Canon and Nikon. These will not stop someone from taking your gear and both of the things I’ve done can be easily removed but my 25 yrs working with LE have shown to me that most thieves are looking for an easy take and something that doesn’t stand out in a crowd. The only problem I see with the Harbor Freight hard cases is one I had at a hotel. I was asked to not bring any guns into the hotel and the person pointed to my HF case with my Nikon’s in it. I actually had to open it to prove it held cameras and not guns. Thieves really like taking guns so I traded in my black HB cases and now have them in Red, Orange and Yellow
if I see someone with a camera with the logos covered, I immediately understand that it is an expensive camera so... I think it's best to just carry a discreet backpack that isn't for photographic equipment and that would get you
its really funny when people do all this shiz without realising that one of the most common forms of attack is a strap cutter and fast feet. oh and just fyi. a thief is gonna know a big camera with a big lens is likely to be valuable regardless of brand. if someones bread and butter is taking cameras from tourists, they arent gonna care if its a sony or cannon or nikon.
And they will most likely know just by the shape. Like, is anyone going to misidentify a brand based on a piece of tape? The body shapes alone are indicative enough of the brand. Anyone who knows even a little about cameras (and I would bet serious thieves do) won't confuse them with one another. Especially not Sony with their sharp, boxy design. Everybody will know that's a Sony camera.
If someone is a thief and they want what you have they're going to take it regardless of all these extra steps. Just be smart and be aware of your surroundings and don't leave your gear unattended. Otherwise buy insurance for your gear. Trust me. I'm from the hood.
i literally do the exact same thing. im 24 now but my late teens and early twenties aged the hell out of this purple jasport bag. youd think it was a bag for some crust punk or homeless person. never expect it to have anything of value
The most common camera theft scenario is when you put the bag down, leave it in your car, or otherwise are not in direct control of your bag. Overseas, the most common way to steal from a bag you are wearing is to slice the bag and grab what drops out. Apple specifically suggests you NOT use the AirTag for tracking a stolen device. The issue is that any thief with an iPhone (most here in South America) will be immediately notified of the presence of the AirTag. They will steal the bag, find and disable the tag, and be gone.
Someone said they will be notified of the airtag and disable it. Correct me if I'm wrong: If the Airtag is not in ''lost mode'' then they can just take over the airtag, and dpnt even need to disable it and they now have also a new airtag. So always have it in lost mode. What you can also do is modify the airtag so that it doesn't make a sound by cutting a wire inside, there's tutorials on youtube, and then hide it in a place where its stitched into the bag so you can't even feel it from the outside, or on a motorbike you would take apart some stuff and build it into the bike at a spot where it would take several hours to find. if the thief gets notified you still got some hours. in some cases the notification comes about after 45 minutes as I've seen in tests and sometimes they never even get notified. If you don't go to get your stuff back right away you will likely never see it again. By the time you would have filed a police report it would be already too late. Not recommending anyone to do anything but thats how it is. Where I live I could just get the cops to join me right away, but that might not be the case where you live, so bring some friends that are physically strong at least
I think this is not the case, as they are registered to an Apple ID. So while they could theoretically factory reset it, they wouldn't be able to register it with Apple as the serial number is already linked to an account.
Lots of great tips. I just ordered the Air Tag plate for my camera. Thanks! When I travel for photo/video work, I use a Pelican case, but I use a neon orange one. If someone grabs my gear and goes running with it, it'll be easier to spot. And I catch them, it'll be harder for them to deny it's mine.
I haven't tried putting a camera in it but for my wife's recent holiday in Italy I bought her an S-Zone anti-theft travel rucksack. If worn on her back, the main opening is only accessible by her taking it off her back. Last year she was robbed by a thief following her and taking all her money from her old backpack, this year all was well.
I use a small military backpack, and I wear a Buck 110 folding knife on my belt. The backpack makes you look like you used to be in the military, and to a crook, if you have a visible Buck knife, you probably carry a gun too. They will walk right pass me, and go to an easier target.
I will give a nice tip. If you have integrated battery grip or just battery grip , remove 2nd battery and paste a AppleTag inside . So you will be able to track camera if thief threw bag away.
This would render the camera useless, as the battery... Well powers the camera. When using vertical grips, cameras usually lack the battery inside the normal grip, only the massive one inside the vertical grip.
Looks like we are on the same page, or close. Bought more S clips this week, taped over my camera ID, use a Peak wrist &/or neck strap. My bag is similar to the Bellroy (not in my retiree budget). It's a L.L.Bean sling, very well padded, will hold my Fuji XT4 or my XS20 with a spare lens. Side pockets hold battery, filters, miscellaneous items for a day walk-about. Got it on sale 60% off . Apple tags next I guess.
I don't understand why this needs to get so complicated. I don't even use a bag, just a strong camera strap and thats it. I never take the strap off and my camera is always attached to me 100%, whether I am eating or taking a dump.. Never had anything stolen. Also I'd never every use quick release anything. If you can "quick release" it, so can the thieves. I travel light with one camera and one lens, but if I really need to carry a second lens or a flash, I give it to my GF and she puts it in her regular purse or a shopping bag, pretty unsuspecting. Also if you plan ahead, you may get away with vintage lenses too. If you think you'll use 15-30 99,9% of the day, don't bring a sigma art 50mm as your secondary lens, just add a tiny Industar-50 to your backpocket.
Securing zippers is a good idea but be aware that in some areas, thieves will slash a bag open with a box cutter and take your stuff - or they cut your shoulder strap and yoink the entire bag off your back and speed off on a moped. Which has happened to a friend of mine. Huge hassle which also involved the police (who were remarkably unhelpful) and the local embassy because a passport was in that bag. This „bag slashing“ is not incredibly common, but it does happen. For travelling, I absolutely recommend to go as light as you can. A 24-70 is probably as far as I would go as a tourist. Don’t take a bunch of lenses or other gadgets with you that you „might need“. From my 15 years of professional experience I guarantee you that you will use a maximum of two lenses. Especially when on holiday. Exceptions obviously exist but usually you know about those beforehand. Just this week I was at a conference in Dublin, Ireland, where I was booked as a photographer. I had a regular camera backpack with me (Thinktank Airport) that also had my laptop with my editing software in it, and all the accompanying bits. The entire pack weighed just under 22 lbs because I also needed to bring some extra gear (2nd camera body, and a few specialty lenses). That weight will absolutely kill you if you dragged this along all the time. You do not need your full kit when moving as a tourist. And yes, I have seen people do this and hating themselves for it. Usually it was some guy and (presumably) his wife standing off to the side rolling her eyes and waiting for their partner to be done faffing about. Also, a normal camera backpack is about the absolute worst for walking around in a crowded city. You bump into things all the time and you will not want to take your camera out to snap a picture real quick because there is no space to take it off, open it, fumble with the gear etc, packing it back up etc. During my off-time, I just walked through Dublin. All I had in my bag then was one camera body, some cheap old 16-50 kit lens (stopped down to f/8 it is actually pretty good) and my trusty 85mm. And for many pictures…frankly, I just used my phone. The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera produces decent enough quality images that will be perfectly adequate at least 90% of the time. For anything really special like landmarks I wanted to shoot (and where I know I want to do some editing), I took the time to grab my camera or carry it on a wrist strap. Some tourists I saw in Dublin just had a small compact camera line a RX100 that they carried in their slings or purses. Which is very smart. As for me, so far I was unable to justify the purchase another camera just dedicated to traveling. 😅
Good tips. It'll also help thieves but let's just hope it does more good than harm. I'll throw in my own recommendation as well for the bag. I use the Top Shelf from Bevis Gear. This case/bag has a "door-lid" that opens so that you can access your camera quickly when it's in sling configuration. Having a sling bag makes it difficult to swipe and run. To access your camera, you operate the sling strap to bring the bag towards your abdomen and open the speed latch on the door. This main door faces inward and hugs your body, so it's unlikely that a thief could open it, even if they were aware of how it opens. Also, the door can zip up on the circumference when you're not actively using it. It has another zipper on the side to access batteries or accessories, but a camera body will not easily fit through there if someone managed to unzip it. Lastly, it has tiny zippers on the back to hide extra bag clips. I have an AirTag stuffed in there and it's difficult to find since it's pretty much embedded in the bag.
i got a cable lock for when I go to the beach. I also got a sensitivity Alarm 🚨 that is very loud and goes off if the bag is picked up. It was like $20 on Amazon. Also take a picture of something with your contact info, sometimes your stuff is sold without even being tuned on and someone honest will find you camara
One thing you could also do for that bag is get you a couple diapers (unused, of course) and put in those front pockets to make it look more like a diaper bag. I don’t think a lot of people would catch on that you weren’t towing a kid around, they’d just see a “diaper bag” and lose interest…hopefully.
My issue is that when I shoot timelapse in a city where there are a lot of people/tourists and I need to wait for the timelapse sometimes even a few hours. It would be convenient to sit in a cafe across the street and just watch the camera on a tripod, but if someone took it, I wouldn't have time to run out anyway. If there was a lock, like for a bike or something like that, that would be good.
If I need to bring DSLR gear to an unsafe area, I pay a friend to come along, usually a concealed-carrying driver. I wonder why camera makers don't add passcode features....
I have been thinking about this issue after watching some poor sap worry someone was going to steal his Leica. The conclusion I am arriving at is to leave that expensive camera at home if the area you are going is full of criminals. Sony and others make really good tiny cameras like the ZV1 and RX100. They easily slip in a pocket and don't stand out, much like a cellphone. We will still get great stills and videos with those cameras. We just have to be realistic when it comes to cameras in public. We also have to make ourselves look like Joe public, nothing special, not showing off the camera and looking like someone really bad at photography like most cellphone users are.
I guess I haven't really had to think about precautions against getting robbed since I was a kid, a bunch of kids tried to rob me, after that my body spontaneously grew to 6'4
Quick question, did you mod your wrist strap? I just bought the same one in brown, and I see that you're able to open it with one hand, and it has a clicking sound. Mine came without it. That would be tremendously helpful! Thank you!
You could instead use a financial instrument for protection, ie insurance. That way your risk of loss drops to zero and you can use your gear how you like.
I bought two used Kata bags in recent days. I think most people won't be able to tell they are camera bags, especially with the kooky looking logo that looks very 90s gaming developer.
having watched the video and having read most of the comments, I am going to put a sign on my camera gear saying - 'thiefs, camera inside - help yourselves!'
If you tape the logo you are telling the thief that it’s an expensive camera. If you use a wrist strap and the thief has a knife and the strap makes you take longer to let go of the camera you will be in more risk of getting hurt. The best remedy is to just take a cheap old camera in risky places. Leave the Leica at home. I M O.
I looked into the airtags.. from what I read it won't transmit where something is in real time? there will always be a delay and it has to be within a certain amount of feet of an apply device?
Insurance is honestly so useless. I researched so many insurance companies, and they depreciate everything by 20% per year. Anything you have that is 5 years old is considered worthless to the insurance company. If it is 3 years old, it only worth 40% of the original price. If you buy things 2nd hand from Facebook marketplace, good luck getting the insurance to cover it at all. I think most people just buy insurance without reading the policy and just assume they will be covered if their things get stolen.
Good Video Jack. I tried to click on the Sling Bag link you provided and the link does not work. What is the model of this Bellroy sling bag of the one you used in this video? Do you have a working link for it? Thank you in Advance.
when putting a locator tag inside the equipment if you can put 2. one that is very hard to find and one that is somewhat hard to spot. if you can find the space to do that. this gives the thieves a false sense of thinking they are gettign away
I believe in buying genuine products, not cheap Chinese copies. Peak Design put the money in to design their strap system, cheap copies remove that incentive.
Some great tips, thanks for sharing these. The AirTag is key, and having one that's on camera, as well as in the bag can be easy to overlook! Regarding using tape to conceal logos, it seems unlikely that it would make a difference. A thief targets an electronics item not necessarily a brand. And any large-ish, professional-looking camera/lens would attract attention, even if it is purely matte black. Obviously, there's nothing to lose with doing it, and if it gives someone peace of mind, all good. But probably not going to make any difference
AirTags are useless for tacking stolen items because anyone with an iPhone will be immediately notified of the presence of the tag. Most thieves that target this type of gear are aware of this and will immediately find and destroy or discard the tag. More often here in Ecuador, they are planting the tag on someone else or putting it in a taxi or bus.
My methodology is a bit different. The tape isn't much of a deterrent because thieves look for easy valuables. Tape SHOWS you're trying to hide the value, rather than making it look cheaper. I actually think a better theft deterrent is to just use something that looks... "well worn." Things that look abused and falling apart are much less valuable looking. If you're in an environment where theft is a concern, use a cheaper camera setup that's been beaten for all its worth and don't carry the extra accessories you don't really need. The pelican case is way too clean as well, it shows a high level of care for it and the contents. Empty it, and throw it around in gravel, getting it scuffed up. Ever notice it's rarely the sh*tbox beater cars that get stolen? Same idea. (If you're really brave and don't care about looks or money, beat the snot out of a good camera) As for the strap, if someone REALLY wants to snatch it, I'd much rather not be physically attached to it in a way that I can't just slip out of. I can buy a new camera, but my body is harder to repair or replace if it turns violent.
I have a triangle shaped bag I got at wall mart it looks like nothing special just a cheap bag I go through airports with it and travel with it in the car. No one has ever given me a second look I put a spare set of clothes in a back pack and my I need this in case the airlines loose my bag in the back pack
Does anyone make a skin without logo cutouts? Can’t prevent everything, just make it as hard as you can an still function as needed. Situational awareness is the key.
Why there are no mirrorless camera's with fingerprint sensor lock or at least password? They can cost over 3000 Euros body only so adding it should be piece of cake.
I use a Mountainbiking backpack. I'm looking into camera inserts for backpacks. I'm not sure if I should get a photography backpack, so fs rive not found one suitable for my use case, I want one I can use for grocery shopping if I take camera gear out. And have have some tools for my mountainbike. So if doing tha tit has to be suitable. But so far my mtb backpack will do. I use a Evoc Explorer 30 L pro.
💯this. Are you really going to go after a thief in their own neighborhood when you're visiting overseas as a tourist? Carrying camera equipment worth more than a years' salary in some places, and then demanding justice from the local authorities might not be received that sympathetically. And just because someone has the airtag doesn't mean they're the thief; they could have found the empty bag with airtag inside tossed in an alleyway and the thief long gone. If you discover your gear has been stolen and then find out where it might be, you still have quite a few problems to solve before you can get it back safely within the limits of the local laws. As @rafael55 says, it's probably a better strategy to take a cheap old camera into risky places and leave your Leica at home. Remember, at least half of all good photography is your skill set and they can't steal that.
i used my house-brand 3x foldover nylon strings (2x3=6) as a very flexible 2x wrap-around, even slightly long enough to carry an a7xx by grabbing a heavier attached lens. Be nice to your whatever mount! On older m-mount bodies a good army green braided cord is simple enough. Don't want to be ripped off by PD, way overpriced for something simple enough to be handmade by a crafty elderly. People (& criminals too) prob.don't like/ look down on my string wrap; even a very long time friend asked me to change the wrap to shoot his daughter's wedding. I DID Not oblige .
Late reply: Walking next to the road with a bag facing the road is an open invitation for thieves on motorbikes/scoters. One drives while the other grabs your stuff and never mind if you get dragged into the road. Common enough in SE Asia and Some European cities. You can report to the police for insurance records but don't hold your breath when it comes to getting your kit back. Thieves are opportunist and will strike when they feel they can: Like my girlfriend that put her bag under her seat at the cinema. The film finished and her bag was gone. When it comes to a confrontation then it's worth asking if your kit is worth a hospital visit, or worse.
Sorry, that bag looks like a camera bag. Even more so now that you have put all those zip lockers on it. Buy insurance for the duration of your trip, yes it may cost a little but what's the cost of loosing all your kit.
I used expensive 3M book tapes on most bodies since the 80's. Purpose ic to be inconspicuous (white labels on black bodies) when street shooting. Tried v. hard , but still not able to buy such tapes. Could be people no longer read from printed paper & photo copies of research journal articles
Just wanted to let you guys know theifs do not care what camera you have. they just grab the biggest most expensive looking one. If you have a 2008 camera with a 70-200 and a sony a1 with a tiny 50 mm lens. they'd go for the 2008 camera.
Where are these people shooting that they need this much protection? There’s always a risk of stuff getting stolen but it’s much harder to steal a big camera than, say, a phone or a wallet
depends where u r & where u live. They are talking "thefts", it's robberies that are dangerous. A friend always put his bags in N-gallon blk garbage bags before shutting car trunk. On reaching home, it was just garbage bags going indoors. The area was the relatively "safe" backyard of mighty mit
Lol this trick is so old every thief knows to target these cameras as there likely the most expensive ones. and unless you have steel cables in the strap a strap cutter will have the camera detach from your wrist so fast you won't know whats happened.
Use a security pen and write your post code inside the battery compartment so it can be identified with an Ultra violet lamp if found , or being sold in a pawn shop etc
Great idea!
Not much help if you actually travel...outside of the US.
Why? Seems pointless when all you have to do is note the serial number of the camera to identify it….
@@Scotian280that can be scratched off, and some people will still buy it if it’s cheap enough, even though it is very clearly stolen if the serial is scratched off.
@@ArturMarinhoFeV it’s embedded in the motherboard when you turn it on….. it’s the ultimate full proof way to identify it
I saw an interview with a thief a while ago where they said tape over logos specifically made them target that person more as the only people who do it are people with the most expensive gear, so your mileage may vary on that one, haha.
It’s like a lucky dip for degenerates 🤪
link please!!! I'm curious now!
Please:)
I’d definitely agree that was always a “that’s a nice thought” because a common thief wouldn’t care what camera brand you have and a thief with an eye like that would already know what kind of camera you have.
I think it looks cool unbranded, but everyone knows it’s an expensive camera.
Thief: Oh, taped logo. Must be a Leica.
i mean with the size of leica logo, if u can see the tape, you will see the logo untaped, so regardless, they will know it is a leica. At least the tape hide the red so it is harder to tell from distance.
Real Leica owners wear their gold-plated cameras with no straps or leashes and would die immediately if the Leica logo got taped over
I’m 33 seconds in, but as someone who was recently mugged while traveling and carrying that EXACT BAG - I can tell you there are places where ANY bag is going to draw too much attention. You’d probably be better off with one of those re-useable grocery bags honestly.
Once you pack the camera in the security bag, you tend to leave it there. Next, you start taking photos with your cell phone. Next you leave your camera secured in the hotel. Next you leave your camera at home.
I’ve also used black tape to cover the logos. I have also put a red and yellow silicon camera covers on my Canon and Nikon. These will not stop someone from taking your gear and both of the things I’ve done can be easily removed but my 25 yrs working with LE have shown to me that most thieves are looking for an easy take and something that doesn’t stand out in a crowd. The only problem I see with the Harbor Freight hard cases is one I had at a hotel. I was asked to not bring any guns into the hotel and the person pointed to my HF case with my Nikon’s in it. I actually had to open it to prove it held cameras and not guns. Thieves really like taking guns so I traded in my black HB cases and now have them in Red, Orange and Yellow
interesting, so should you cover the camera in bright tape then? stands out more , if they don't want to steal something that stands out.
if I see someone with a camera with the logos covered, I immediately understand that it is an expensive camera so...
I think it's best to just carry a discreet backpack that isn't for photographic equipment and that would get you
its really funny when people do all this shiz without realising that one of the most common forms of attack is a strap cutter and fast feet.
oh and just fyi. a thief is gonna know a big camera with a big lens is likely to be valuable regardless of brand. if someones bread and butter is taking cameras from tourists, they arent gonna care if its a sony or cannon or nikon.
And they will most likely know just by the shape. Like, is anyone going to misidentify a brand based on a piece of tape? The body shapes alone are indicative enough of the brand. Anyone who knows even a little about cameras (and I would bet serious thieves do) won't confuse them with one another. Especially not Sony with their sharp, boxy design. Everybody will know that's a Sony camera.
If someone is a thief and they want what you have they're going to take it regardless of all these extra steps. Just be smart and be aware of your surroundings and don't leave your gear unattended. Otherwise buy insurance for your gear. Trust me. I'm from the hood.
You know when to relax and when not to.
When I want to carry a bit more, but not a case full, I use a Peak Design camera cube inside a crap old backpack.
Use a JanSport backpack and attach a lot of music memorabilia patches to it. No one will ever know that you have an expensive camera inside it.
i literally do the exact same thing. im 24 now but my late teens and early twenties aged the hell out of this purple jasport bag. youd think it was a bag for some crust punk or homeless person. never expect it to have anything of value
I keep damn near 20k camera equipment in jansports or small travel backpacks. i keep my "other" cameras in there also.
Jansports are expensive to civilians. I have seen people steal crocs before lol a backpack=lottery. Maybe there is nothing in there, maybe a computer?
The most common camera theft scenario is when you put the bag down, leave it in your car, or otherwise are not in direct control of your bag. Overseas, the most common way to steal from a bag you are wearing is to slice the bag and grab what drops out.
Apple specifically suggests you NOT use the AirTag for tracking a stolen device. The issue is that any thief with an iPhone (most here in South America) will be immediately notified of the presence of the AirTag. They will steal the bag, find and disable the tag, and be gone.
But Airtag is still better than nothing, especially if you lose your back.
This is a topic that is not often covered. Thanks for doing this. I did not know about the air tag mount. What a great idea.
I just wanna say, you deserve far more subs than 131. Keep it going though you make wonderful videos!
Thank you!
Someone said they will be notified of the airtag and disable it. Correct me if I'm wrong: If the Airtag is not in ''lost mode'' then they can just take over the airtag, and dpnt even need to disable it and they now have also a new airtag. So always have it in lost mode. What you can also do is modify the airtag so that it doesn't make a sound by cutting a wire inside, there's tutorials on youtube, and then hide it in a place where its stitched into the bag so you can't even feel it from the outside, or on a motorbike you would take apart some stuff and build it into the bike at a spot where it would take several hours to find. if the thief gets notified you still got some hours. in some cases the notification comes about after 45 minutes as I've seen in tests and sometimes they never even get notified. If you don't go to get your stuff back right away you will likely never see it again. By the time you would have filed a police report it would be already too late. Not recommending anyone to do anything but thats how it is. Where I live I could just get the cops to join me right away, but that might not be the case where you live, so bring some friends that are physically strong at least
I think this is not the case, as they are registered to an Apple ID. So while they could theoretically factory reset it, they wouldn't be able to register it with Apple as the serial number is already linked to an account.
Lots of great tips. I just ordered the Air Tag plate for my camera. Thanks!
When I travel for photo/video work, I use a Pelican case, but I use a neon orange one. If someone grabs my gear and goes running with it, it'll be easier to spot. And I catch them, it'll be harder for them to deny it's mine.
I haven't tried putting a camera in it but for my wife's recent holiday in Italy I bought her an S-Zone anti-theft travel rucksack. If worn on her back, the main opening is only accessible by her taking it off her back. Last year she was robbed by a thief following her and taking all her money from her old backpack, this year all was well.
CORRECTION : Robberies are done by Robbers , not by thieves.
People have been down-grading such crimes.. Gang 0$ purchase is not shoplifting!
I use a small military backpack, and I wear a Buck 110 folding knife on my belt. The backpack makes you look like you used to be in the military, and to a crook, if you have a visible Buck knife, you probably carry a gun too. They will walk right pass me, and go to an easier target.
don't forget to wear a "navy seal" tshirt too
stolen valor
Pussies😂😂😂
😅🤦🏻♂️
@Panotaker
hey man, i've been thinking of buying a military style backpack, do you mind replying with a link to the one you use?
-eli
This is such a useful video. This will single handedly save a ton of people's hard earned camera gear. Thanks for posting this :)
Glad it was helpful!
Yeh nobody knows it’s a camera if you tape over the logo
Thank you! I’m going to Rio de Janeiro and I don’t wanna have my stuff stolen, will use the tape tip ;)
bro you videos are great man, keep it up
Thanks, will do!
I will give a nice tip. If you have integrated battery grip or just battery grip , remove 2nd battery and paste a AppleTag inside . So you will be able to track camera if thief threw bag away.
This would render the camera useless, as the battery... Well powers the camera. When using vertical grips, cameras usually lack the battery inside the normal grip, only the massive one inside the vertical grip.
I also use a sling bag for that very reason! Those designated camera bags just stand out so much
Looks like we are on the same page, or close. Bought more S clips this week, taped over my camera ID, use a Peak wrist &/or neck strap. My bag is similar to the Bellroy (not in my retiree budget). It's a L.L.Bean sling, very well padded, will hold my Fuji XT4 or my XS20 with a spare lens. Side pockets hold battery, filters, miscellaneous items for a day walk-about. Got it on sale 60% off . Apple tags next I guess.
I'm from South Africa and tape up my logo's as well. I believe this makes a massive difference.
I don't understand why this needs to get so complicated. I don't even use a bag, just a strong camera strap and thats it. I never take the strap off and my camera is always attached to me 100%, whether I am eating or taking a dump.. Never had anything stolen. Also I'd never every use quick release anything. If you can "quick release" it, so can the thieves.
I travel light with one camera and one lens, but if I really need to carry a second lens or a flash, I give it to my GF and she puts it in her regular purse or a shopping bag, pretty unsuspecting. Also if you plan ahead, you may get away with vintage lenses too. If you think you'll use 15-30 99,9% of the day, don't bring a sigma art 50mm as your secondary lens, just add a tiny Industar-50 to your backpocket.
If someone can remove a quick release strap from my hand without me noticing, they deserve my camera
@@danwhyte9736 Professional thieves worldwide are laughing and happily await your visit, Bozo.
Securing zippers is a good idea but be aware that in some areas, thieves will slash a bag open with a box cutter and take your stuff - or they cut your shoulder strap and yoink the entire bag off your back and speed off on a moped. Which has happened to a friend of mine. Huge hassle which also involved the police (who were remarkably unhelpful) and the local embassy because a passport was in that bag. This „bag slashing“ is not incredibly common, but it does happen.
For travelling, I absolutely recommend to go as light as you can. A 24-70 is probably as far as I would go as a tourist. Don’t take a bunch of lenses or other gadgets with you that you „might need“. From my 15 years of professional experience I guarantee you that you will use a maximum of two lenses. Especially when on holiday. Exceptions obviously exist but usually you know about those beforehand.
Just this week I was at a conference in Dublin, Ireland, where I was booked as a photographer. I had a regular camera backpack with me (Thinktank Airport) that also had my laptop with my editing software in it, and all the accompanying bits. The entire pack weighed just under 22 lbs because I also needed to bring some extra gear (2nd camera body, and a few specialty lenses). That weight will absolutely kill you if you dragged this along all the time. You do not need your full kit when moving as a tourist. And yes, I have seen people do this and hating themselves for it. Usually it was some guy and (presumably) his wife standing off to the side rolling her eyes and waiting for their partner to be done faffing about.
Also, a normal camera backpack is about the absolute worst for walking around in a crowded city. You bump into things all the time and you will not want to take your camera out to snap a picture real quick because there is no space to take it off, open it, fumble with the gear etc, packing it back up etc.
During my off-time, I just walked through Dublin. All I had in my bag then was one camera body, some cheap old 16-50 kit lens (stopped down to f/8 it is actually pretty good) and my trusty 85mm. And for many pictures…frankly, I just used my phone. The iPhone 15 Pro Max camera produces decent enough quality images that will be perfectly adequate at least 90% of the time.
For anything really special like landmarks I wanted to shoot (and where I know I want to do some editing), I took the time to grab my camera or carry it on a wrist strap.
Some tourists I saw in Dublin just had a small compact camera line a RX100 that they carried in their slings or purses. Which is very smart. As for me, so far I was unable to justify the purchase another camera just dedicated to traveling. 😅
Good tips. It'll also help thieves but let's just hope it does more good than harm. I'll throw in my own recommendation as well for the bag.
I use the Top Shelf from Bevis Gear. This case/bag has a "door-lid" that opens so that you can access your camera quickly when it's in sling configuration. Having a sling bag makes it difficult to swipe and run.
To access your camera, you operate the sling strap to bring the bag towards your abdomen and open the speed latch on the door. This main door faces inward and hugs your body, so it's unlikely that a thief could open it, even if they were aware of how it opens. Also, the door can zip up on the circumference when you're not actively using it.
It has another zipper on the side to access batteries or accessories, but a camera body will not easily fit through there if someone managed to unzip it. Lastly, it has tiny zippers on the back to hide extra bag clips. I have an AirTag stuffed in there and it's difficult to find since it's pretty much embedded in the bag.
Same. There is an insane amount of places to hide those things. Good bag.
My mom bought one kislux and she loves it. It had been there for over 10 years when she went out with it.
i got a cable lock for when I go to the beach. I also got a sensitivity Alarm 🚨 that is very loud and goes off if the bag is picked up. It was like $20 on Amazon. Also take a picture of something with your contact info, sometimes your stuff is sold without even being tuned on and someone honest will find you camara
One thing you could also do for that bag is get you a couple diapers (unused, of course) and put in those front pockets to make it look more like a diaper bag. I don’t think a lot of people would catch on that you weren’t towing a kid around, they’d just see a “diaper bag” and lose interest…hopefully.
Holy crap! I just looked up the price of that bag…OUCH! I guess I’m going the actual diaper bag route with an ICU. 😂
My issue is that when I shoot timelapse in a city where there are a lot of people/tourists and I need to wait for the timelapse sometimes even a few hours. It would be convenient to sit in a cafe across the street and just watch the camera on a tripod, but if someone took it, I wouldn't have time to run out anyway. If there was a lock, like for a bike or something like that, that would be good.
$180 bag? Think I’ll wear a igloo lunch bag I saw for $15😅
If I need to bring DSLR gear to an unsafe area, I pay a friend to come along, usually a concealed-carrying driver. I wonder why camera makers don't add passcode features....
I have been thinking about this issue after watching some poor sap worry someone was going to steal his Leica. The conclusion I am arriving at is to leave that expensive camera at home if the area you are going is full of criminals. Sony and others make really good tiny cameras like the ZV1 and RX100. They easily slip in a pocket and don't stand out, much like a cellphone. We will still get great stills and videos with those cameras. We just have to be realistic when it comes to cameras in public. We also have to make ourselves look like Joe public, nothing special, not showing off the camera and looking like someone really bad at photography like most cellphone users are.
I guess I haven't really had to think about precautions against getting robbed since I was a kid, a bunch of kids tried to rob me, after that my body spontaneously grew to 6'4
Can you provide info on the Apache and insert? Size? Links? Thanks
So I should tape over my Leica red dot?
That was a wonderful video presentation. Thank you so much. 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Quick question, did you mod your wrist strap? I just bought the same one in brown, and I see that you're able to open it with one hand, and it has a clicking sound. Mine came without it. That would be tremendously helpful! Thank you!
The link to the airtag plate doesn't work! The product is unavailable!
Thanks for letting me know! I just updated the link. Seems like it’s out of stock on Amazon but available from SmallRig directly.
@@jackjvkd Where on the small rig site is it located - I looked and couldn't find it.
Great and useful video. Nice tips! Keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do!
Hiding the brand and type with tape is the clearest signal to any potential thief that it's expensive 😅
You could instead use a financial instrument for protection, ie insurance.
That way your risk of loss drops to zero and you can use your gear how you like.
Get insurance, but still take precautions, you get a discount for every year without claims, I have a spotless 6 year streak
I bought two used Kata bags in recent days. I think most people won't be able to tell they are camera bags, especially with the kooky looking logo that looks very 90s gaming developer.
I'd say (for when you are a US native) to own a firearm, but I 100% agree with you!
Cool video dude, this was some valuable info
Glad it was helpful!
Did I miss the link for the Pelican case and insert?
having watched the video and having read most of the comments, I am going to put a sign on my camera gear saying - 'thiefs, camera inside - help yourselves!'
If you tape the logo you are telling the thief that it’s an expensive camera. If you use a wrist strap and the thief has a knife and the strap makes you take longer to let go of the camera you will be in more risk of getting hurt. The best remedy is to just take a cheap old camera in risky places. Leave the Leica at home. I M O.
I looked into the airtags.. from what I read it won't transmit where something is in real time? there will always be a delay and it has to be within a certain amount of feet of an apply device?
Great tips 🎉🎉🎉
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
I've taped an AirTag in my battery grips. The Fz100 batteries last insanely long so I just use a single battery
Insurance is honestly so useless. I researched so many insurance companies, and they depreciate everything by 20% per year. Anything you have that is 5 years old is considered worthless to the insurance company. If it is 3 years old, it only worth 40% of the original price.
If you buy things 2nd hand from Facebook marketplace, good luck getting the insurance to cover it at all. I think most people just buy insurance without reading the policy and just assume they will be covered if their things get stolen.
The purchase links don't work
Just updated them! Let me know if they work now. Thanks for letting me know.
Good Video Jack. I tried to click on the Sling Bag link you provided and the link does not work. What is the model of this Bellroy sling bag of the one you used in this video? Do you have a working link for it? Thank you in Advance.
I’m working on making the links click-able but if you copy and paste it, the link should work.
Bellroy calls it the Venture Camera Sling 10L
Where in the world would you need all these measures?
when putting a locator tag inside the equipment if you can put 2. one that is very hard to find and one that is somewhat hard to spot. if you can find the space to do that. this gives the thieves a false sense of thinking they are gettign away
Very cool! thanks
Useful, Thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful!
If you use a backpack, if your bag has the front clip, use it, it saves your back and it makes it harder to steal
Great vid!
Thanks!
I believe in buying genuine products, not cheap Chinese copies. Peak Design put the money in to design their strap system, cheap copies remove that incentive.
Brand name kids get robbed more often.
Peak design are the same crap. They just brand themselves more effectively.
Peak design prices it too expensive for what it is..
Some great tips, thanks for sharing these. The AirTag is key, and having one that's on camera, as well as in the bag can be easy to overlook!
Regarding using tape to conceal logos, it seems unlikely that it would make a difference. A thief targets an electronics item not necessarily a brand. And any large-ish, professional-looking camera/lens would attract attention, even if it is purely matte black. Obviously, there's nothing to lose with doing it, and if it gives someone peace of mind, all good. But probably not going to make any difference
AirTags are useless for tacking stolen items because anyone with an iPhone will be immediately notified of the presence of the tag. Most thieves that target this type of gear are aware of this and will immediately find and destroy or discard the tag. More often here in Ecuador, they are planting the tag on someone else or putting it in a taxi or bus.
Used to travel with a diaper bag back in the day. Nobody wanted to steal it.
The word 'either' is not a synonym for the word 'each'.
My methodology is a bit different. The tape isn't much of a deterrent because thieves look for easy valuables. Tape SHOWS you're trying to hide the value, rather than making it look cheaper.
I actually think a better theft deterrent is to just use something that looks... "well worn." Things that look abused and falling apart are much less valuable looking. If you're in an environment where theft is a concern, use a cheaper camera setup that's been beaten for all its worth and don't carry the extra accessories you don't really need. The pelican case is way too clean as well, it shows a high level of care for it and the contents. Empty it, and throw it around in gravel, getting it scuffed up.
Ever notice it's rarely the sh*tbox beater cars that get stolen? Same idea.
(If you're really brave and don't care about looks or money, beat the snot out of a good camera)
As for the strap, if someone REALLY wants to snatch it, I'd much rather not be physically attached to it in a way that I can't just slip out of. I can buy a new camera, but my body is harder to repair or replace if it turns violent.
Lots of good ideas here. The carabiners alone was a good one!
Thank you!
Where there is till no mirrorless camera with Android OS and other features in phones that make them more useful?
great tips
Thank you!
Thank you!
Clipping azip shut just makes it harder for you.
A thief pokes a biro through the zipper and its open.
I have a triangle shaped bag I got at wall mart it looks like nothing special just a cheap bag I go through airports with it and travel with it in the car. No one has ever given me a second look I put a spare set of clothes in a back pack and my I need this in case the airlines loose my bag in the back pack
As someone who loves night-time street photography; trash bags on everything at all times
I mean thieves seeing logos taped would kind of get more of their attention no? It’s been a common thing for Leica.
7:56 you don’t need to run faster than the bear, just faster than the next slower person(:
Does anyone make a skin without logo cutouts? Can’t prevent everything, just make it as hard as you can an still function as needed. Situational awareness is the key.
Why there are no mirrorless camera's with fingerprint sensor lock or at least password? They can cost over 3000 Euros body only so adding it should be piece of cake.
I use a Mountainbiking backpack.
I'm looking into camera inserts for backpacks. I'm not sure if I should get a photography backpack, so fs rive not found one suitable for my use case, I want one I can use for grocery shopping if I take camera gear out. And have have some tools for my mountainbike. So if doing tha tit has to be suitable. But so far my mtb backpack will do. I use a Evoc Explorer 30 L pro.
AirTags/SmartTags are only good for finding your stuff but doesn’t help with retrieving it.
💯this. Are you really going to go after a thief in their own neighborhood when you're visiting overseas as a tourist? Carrying camera equipment worth more than a years' salary in some places, and then demanding justice from the local authorities might not be received that sympathetically. And just because someone has the airtag doesn't mean they're the thief; they could have found the empty bag with airtag inside tossed in an alleyway and the thief long gone.
If you discover your gear has been stolen and then find out where it might be, you still have quite a few problems to solve before you can get it back safely within the limits of the local laws. As @rafael55 says, it's probably a better strategy to take a cheap old camera into risky places and leave your Leica at home. Remember, at least half of all good photography is your skill set and they can't steal that.
A lot of opportunist thieves will steal anything and then look to see what they got afterwards
they are never picky. peanuts or bonanza!
Want to use wrist wrap for secure keeping of camera, proceeds to have a quick release wrist wrap lol
i used my house-brand 3x foldover nylon strings (2x3=6) as a very flexible 2x wrap-around, even slightly long enough to carry an a7xx by grabbing a heavier attached lens. Be nice to your whatever mount! On older m-mount bodies a good army green
braided cord is simple enough.
Don't want to be ripped off by PD, way overpriced for something simple enough to be handmade by a crafty elderly. People (& criminals too) prob.don't like/ look down on my string wrap; even a very long time friend asked me to change the wrap to shoot his daughter's wedding. I DID Not oblige .
I use a 1950's, medium format, folding film camera and put it in a chest pack or my coat pocket. 🤷😎
Is getting it stolen from you while it’s in your hands, like a stand up robbery style a thing from where you are?
Probably he is in usa
Late reply: Walking next to the road with a bag facing the road is an open invitation for thieves on motorbikes/scoters. One drives while the other grabs your stuff and never mind if you get dragged into the road.
Common enough in SE Asia and Some European cities. You can report to the police for insurance records but don't hold your breath when it comes to getting your kit back.
Thieves are opportunist and will strike when they feel they can: Like my girlfriend that put her bag under her seat at the cinema. The film finished and her bag was gone.
When it comes to a confrontation then it's worth asking if your kit is worth a hospital visit, or worse.
Sorry, that bag looks like a camera bag. Even more so now that you have put all those zip lockers on it. Buy insurance for the duration of your trip, yes it may cost a little but what's the cost of loosing all your kit.
Taping up your camera like that is just ridiculous.
I used expensive 3M book tapes on most bodies since the 80's. Purpose ic to be inconspicuous (white labels on black bodies) when street shooting.
Tried v. hard , but still not able to buy such tapes. Could be people no longer read from printed paper & photo copies of research journal articles
tape over logos doesn't do jack
AirTags hidden. I have them hidden on tripod, bags camera
i put pentax k-3 iii sticky labels on my sony a7r iv. pentax who?
i know someone put a chrome CONTAX over Sony. For fun?! & it's in a very much
safer city than nyc & the like in eu.
step 1 get an immaculate camera
step 2 dont pull it out
Step 3 maybe dont get an immaculate camera
Just wanted to let you guys know theifs do not care what camera you have. they just grab the biggest most expensive looking one. If you have a 2008 camera with a 70-200 and a sony a1 with a tiny 50 mm lens. they'd go for the 2008 camera.
Choose safe place to be. For example in Japan or nerja Spain 😂
this guy seems like he used to steal cameras hahahah
too bad they don't make an arca plate with tracking device like Tile for Android users.
Where are these people shooting that they need this much protection? There’s always a risk of stuff getting stolen but it’s much harder to steal a big camera than, say, a phone or a wallet
depends where u r & where u live. They are talking "thefts", it's robberies that are dangerous. A friend always put his bags in N-gallon blk garbage bags before shutting car trunk. On reaching home, it was just garbage bags going indoors. The area was the relatively "safe" backyard of mighty mit
I go to the army surplus stores and get the most ugly, used bag I can find for my Leicas.
I just laugh at this idea of putting tape over your gear thinking this is going to deter thieves in the slightest.
Lol this trick is so old every thief knows to target these cameras as there likely the most expensive ones. and unless you have steel cables in the strap a strap cutter will have the camera detach from your wrist so fast you won't know whats happened.