Best bag in a 3rd world country?

Not sure what the point is of the Urban Disguise bags - they make you like a businessman with a laptop, which is even an more inviting target. Plus shoulder bags lend themselves more easily to snatching than backpacks. Maybe they're good for hiding your camera in media-unfriendly dictatorships?

 

You're going to stick out no matter what you do, and thieves won't care whether your camera gear is worth $500 or $5000 - anything that can be fenced for over $100 is well worth the effort in a poor country. Trying to blend in or hide the value of your equipment is pointless; your main goal should be to make your gear hard to steal, and the easiest way to do so is to only bring what can be worn around your neck at all times (one body, one lens). Barring that, a comfortable, slash-resistant backpack is your best bet.

My brother was held at gun point in NYC for just $50. I had my car smashed and not-so-valuable stuffs stolen in Dallas.

 

I traveled numerous times to China and SE Asia with many photo gears, and never lost anything. As for crimes, I think China and SE Asia are among of the safest in the world, especially SE Asia. I just have my common sense and respect local customs. I heard of people were pickpocketted there though, so just be aware of things around you. But not so obnoxious, please.

 

Bad people are everywhere. Depending on what kind of attitude and knowledge you bring, you meet exactly the same in return. Be it reward or disappointment.

Just remember James, if you're gonna travel with real people, and not tourists, your bag is going to suffer like everybody elses.Buses in Asia get as many people as possible on board,they are not booked seated Greyhounds.Your bag is going to get(inadvertantly) kicked, crushed,and covered in quite a few things that you wont really no what it is.So the solidity and protection are more important than a very unlikely theft.So....and I dont have shares in Lowepro,a Lowepro backpack, with a nylon cover,carry a spare one if you like. John Hughes

Hi all. New to this forum, and probably fairly low down on the scale of expertise.

 

However, I have done two back-packing trips to India (the most recent was last winter)

and this is what I took: a Canon 20D with 17-85mm lens (wish I had better, but its as near

all-purpose as I can afford), kept in as small a Lowepro bag as I could manage, hidden in

a canvas shoulder bag.

 

I have found anything on my back is too cumbersome to use. Besides, I need my back for

my (always too-heavy) backpack. However, my backpack does have a daypack

attachment, which I take off and use as well as my shoulder bag for things like passport (it

is extremely well designed and virtually impossible to pickpocket unless a knife was used).

 

A shoulder bag allows enough room for a guide book (I'm an inveterate temple and palace

visitor) plus all other things that a 64-year-old woman likes to travel with...

 

I met a tourist with a Lowe slingshot. It was clearly comfortable and efficient. But he

stood out a mile as someone with gear - and no doubt he didnt have to continue his

journey on a bus with hefty backpack as well.

 

Yes, we all stand out in India, and I have mixed feelings about being a tourist in a third

world country. But I think it is easier to snap street scenes and feel comfortable about it if

it is done discreetly. I try to decide what I'm going to take and whip out the camera at the

last minute (invariably therefore set to P and AF) and often zoomed, so as not to stick the

camera in people's faces.

 

I came across two other approaches which I admired, both from professionals. One was

travelling round India with just a small Leica in his pocket. He said it was such a relief not

to be worrying about his kit all the time and that the Leica produced satisfactory travel

photos. The other was travelling heavy: several lenses and a solid tripod. He described to

me how he set up the tripod at the start of the day, marked a cross on the street, sat

down on the 'kerb' side, and every time somebody interesting passed over the cross,

clicked his remote. By the end of the day, people had virtually forgotten he was there.

 

One piece of kit I have mixed feelings about is my Leki stick which doubles as a monopod.

After frustrating attempts to photo dark temple interiors on my first trip I thought this was

a must. In fact although it was invaluable for walking (I have arthritis) I didnt use it at all

for photos.

 

One piece of kit I regretted not bringing was a second UV filter. For some inexplicable

reason mine fell apart early on and I spent a month with an unprotected lens.

 

And one problem I never resolved was safe storage of my photos. I carried a small Lacie

hard disk with me, but did not want to rely solely on it, so I backed up on CDs. Internet

cafes are everywhere, of varying quality, but I did not find one which could burn DVDs. I

did however find quite a few which generously supplied me with viruses - including on

one of my CF cards, resulting in the loss of all photos of Varkala.

 

In my time I have hitched through Africa and bussed in India and have rarely felt

personally unsafe or my possessions at risk. The only time I have had a camera stolen

(from my open car) I was beside the road in France, consulting a street map... So I

suppose the moral is to be vigilant all the time, where-ever one is.

 

Photographing in India is a joy: magnificent scenery, buildings and light, and many

striking or even beautiful people, who are mainly polite, friendly, and interesting. No

wonder so many of us want to keep going back.

Another trick that helps against the quick grab artist. A small teather or better yet very thin cable attached to the bag and carabinered to your belt. At that secondary point of resistance, many street jockeys will drop and move on to another target. It worked for me in Morocco.