Backpack or Shoulder Bag: Which is more secure / more innocuous?

[clarence_l]

<p>Hello,

 

<p>I'm thinking of getting a bag to carry my 35mm Mamiya SLR and

Bronica SQ systems when (or if) I do travel in Africa. I hope I'm not

perpetuating any stereotypes, but one must admit, really, that it's

not the safest place to be carrying your equipment around.

 

<p>There seem to be several considerations:

<p><b>1) Which is more innocuous, or less prone to being noticed?

<p>2) Which is more secure, or more resistant to theft?

<p>3) Which is more practical?

 

<p>1) Which is more innocuous, or less prone to being noticed?</b>

<p>I wouldn't want to announce that my bag contains camera equipment,

or that I'm a tourist, and so the billingham, lowepro and tamrac bags

are out of the question. If I were to get a domke, I would deface it

with tape and paint to conceal the brand. Having said that, which

attracts more attention to thieves: backpacks or shoulder bags large

enough to carry my cameras?

 

<p><b>2) Which is more secure, or more resistant to theft?</b>

Assuming that I would be the target of thieves, regardless of whether

I'm carrying a backpack or shoulder bag, which would be easier to

secure against them? When I walk on the streets of London I always

take care to keep my shoulder bag in front of me, and not at my side

or behind. I'm afraid that if I carry a backpack, the straps could

easily be slashed without my noticing, and I would be five hundred

quid poorer in equipment. Are shoulder bags thus easier to protect?

 

<p><b>3) Which is more practical?</b>

This question is directed in particular to those among us who are

experienced in travelling. I'm certainly not planning to go on any

safaris or nature walks, but I realise that I would probably have to

do alot of walking around, and a shoulder bag isn't too conducive for

that. In your personal experience, which has served you better?

 

<p>If I sound paranoid, I am. Every time I leave my room in central

London I double lock my equipment in a suitcase. I apologise in

advance for asking any questions that have already been asked, but I

really haven't been able to find answers to my fears.

 

<p>I appreciate all the help you can give me. Thank you.

 

<p>With My Regards,

<p>Clarence Lee

[dave_osborne]

I'll just give my opinion on 3 since I, luckily so far, have no experience of 2 or know how to judge 1.

But I'd always go for the shoulder bag personally for practical reasons - the advantage of being able to access your stuff without taking it off is great.. I always end up running out of hands with filters, filter cases, lens caps, lens covers etc and it's nice to be able to have the bag there at your waist to temporarily lay stuff in as I fumble.

Also if you are using public transport, jumping on and off crowded buses etc I think a shoulder bag is easier to keep out of peoples' way, and you can sit down without taking it off and putting it on again.

So for me it's all good... except the slightly sore shoulder..! but hey you can't have everything.

[leeblackman]

I look at it this way, neither is more secure than the other. They are both bags that can be carried, meaning someone could either assault you or hold you at gun point and carry it away. As far as thru airports, I'd take it as carry on.

 

I follow two rules: 1-Out of sight, out of mind. 2-Deter so the next guys easier...

 

Remove labels, and rough up your bag. Not only does it keep you from looking like such a noob, it also tends to cause people to assume whats in it isn't very valuable. Dress the part to, don't wear your photographers vest... And if the next guy looks easier, then they will probably go to him.

 

Practical? I like shoulder bags because they just seem easier to get stuff in and out of. But for carrying heavy stuff long distances, a good pack wins hands down. Even day walks around a festive civic event with a shoulder bag can get unconfortable. That single strap with all the weight digs into your shoulder.

[JosvanEekelen]

Personally I find a shoulder bag more practical because I have the camera and lenses on hand and don't have to take off the backpack everytime I want to take a picture. I have been carrying a shoulderbag with photographic equipment during the last 25 years in Asia and Africa and I have never faced any problems. Just don't go looking for trouble. In general most local people can tell you which places to avoid at certain times. And try to always keep an eye on your stuff.

 

BTW, if you're that afraid perhaps it is better to take a small P&S camera that you can keep in your pockets.

[michael_bach2]

Clarence

 

If you go to another place you are a "turist" If you are white and go to Africa you are wery

much a turist and now camera bags can change that.

 

Bring the camera bag that you have at home, when you travel you can cover it with a

plasticbag or som cloth. I travel with a black Billingham 206 and a Ortlib bag, covered

with plasticbags from the local suppermarket and havent have anything stolen.

 

A backpack is nice betwen hotels and if you walk a loot, but a normal bag is better when

you shot.

Ther is now perfect bag to you problem, but if you take care you will not have you thing

stolen and if, and you are still alive, you can buy a new camera.

 

 

www.micbach.dk............."Photography workshops in Spain"

[charles_stobbs3]

I have read of people making a wire mesh(chicken wire) sack around the outside of their bag to thwart slashing. It would be a giveaway that the contents were worth stealing however. Maybe you could make one to fit inside your bag.

[dave_osborne]

Like what Charles mentioned I also have one of these which does the same job :- http://www.pac-safe.com/product.aspx?pId=642

Handly if you have to leave something in your room unattended (you can lock bags to the radiator etc).. which may deter the *very* casual thief... anyone with a pair of wire cutters would be through it in a second mind you.

[clarence_l]

Hello,

 

Thank you all so much for your advice! I think camouflage sounds like an excellent idea. Maybe next time I go shooting I'll put my equipment in a Sainsbury's bag.

 

I've always preferred shoulder bags, and I find that if you sling them across your body (rather than on the shoulder that's the same side of the bag), the weight is shared by both the shoulder and your hip. I'll probably bring one along, then.

 

I've seen the chicken wire before. I thought it would be a bit less obvious if the wire were black.

 

Once again, thank you very much.

 

Clarence

[cfimages]

If you're white (caucasian) you're going to look like a tourist no matter what.

 

The average thief in poorer countries, will not be familiar with names like Lowepro, Tamrac etc, they'll just see a bag that they can steal, and steal it they will.

 

Most theft in 3rd world countries is opportunity based - that is, an unattended bag in a cafe, train station etc. I've spent the past 9 years travelling and living in Asia, and I've heard plenty of stories of people having their bags slashed with a knife. I've yet to meet a person who has had it happen to them (and it hasn't happened to me).

 

When you stop for a break/coffee/beer/lunch, and place your bag down on the ground, make sure you hook your foot through the straps - that way no one can easily grab it and walk off without you noticing.

 

There were some recommendations for Pacsafe. To my mind, as an experienced traveller, a Pacsafe simply says "Steal Me". Fine if you need to lock something in a hotel room, but useless everywhere else.

 

When traveling, my camera's are always in a backpack, or hanging off my shoulder. Never had a problem.

[cfimages]

Oh, forgot to mention.

 

Look poor.

 

If you dress like a dirty looking hippy traveler, don't shave everyday, have a backpack encrusted in dust etc, you won't look rich. And people will be less prone to stealing from you. Of course, look good for border crossings or other dealings with officialdom.

[ben_kriete]

The Crumpler backpacks are very secure; they are extremely well-padded (it would take a surgeon with a lightsaber to cut through without you noticing) and they open towards your back, which keeps someone from tugging open a zipper and taking off with your camera. They also don't look particularly like camera bags, for whatever that's worth.

[frank uhlig]

If you can travel with TWO cameras through Africa, why can you not afford insurance? And a porter, too? Just musing ...

 

Yes, you appear to be overanxious to me. Travel light and in good spirits and you will get home alright. Fear not, they say ...

[clarence_l]

Hello,

 

I was wondering if carrying too much equipment might be too much of a burden, especially since it wouldn't be a purely photographic trip.

 

Perhaps I might just get myself a Hexar AF, or an MF rangefinder. Then a simpler, smaller bag with some inserts might suffice.

 

Clarence

[craig_gillette]

You could also try a war surplus store and find a used G.I. rucksack of some sort. Depending on whats available you can likely find something that's well used and rugged - although not necessarily too convenient as a camera bag.

[david_henderson]

If I was in so much fear about travelling to a location, I wouldn't go. Your first task is to enjoy yourself and take good photographs. If you think your first task is to protect your gear, your flight and accommodation are a waste of money. If you live in fear in London I doubt whether there's anything you can do with your kit thats going to make you feel comfortable and relaxed with it in Africa.

 

The point about insurance is well made. A Bronica SQ system and a Mamiya 35mm sytem can't be worth a lot of money.

 

A lot of the things you can do to make your kit harder to steal make it harder for you to use. Priorities?

 

What sort of people are you expecting to come across that associate global megabrands like Tamrac with valuable photo equipment? I suspect it won't make any difference if you black out the brand name or have it in foot high neon. It won't mean much anyway. It wouldn't even mean much in London.

 

Possibly the biggest danger you're in is that someone rips the bag off your arm, looks inside, screams "shit, not another Bronica" and beats you because it isn't a Canon EOS 20D that he could actually sell.

 

If you're worried about the security of your gear in the bag, what are you going to feel like when you take it out to use it?

 

All this leads to advice to think about whether you can lighten up or don't travel unless you can. If you do go, its harder for someone else to get into a shoulder bag than a backpack, but easier for you. Whenever you have the bag with you; maintain physical contact with it- if its on the ground, stand on the strap.

 

I suppose there's one half-way house which however you may not like. Spend about ﾣ200 on a decent digital zoom compact like a Canon A610 and keep it in your pocket. You'll save money on a bag and film. You might even feel -and be- less conspicuous and relaxed. And you might therefore get better pictures.

[J.W. Wall]

Belt system. www.kinesisgear.com

[clarence_l]

<p>Hello,

 

<p>I thoroughly enjoyed reading your spirited response, David. I really do plan on enjoying myself and taking good photographs, like you said, but the instinct to protect myself hardly intrudes on my life. I suppose it might be something I've taken along with me from when I was in the army. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but I learnt that I had to take care of myself and my possessions at all times. Sometimes I like to think that I've internalised it to the extent that it doesn't feel like something I do consciously, so it doesn't make my life that much more inconvenient, really.

 

<p><i>"If you're worried about the security of your gear in the bag, what are you going to feel like when you take it out to use it?"</i>

 

<p>I've actually thought about the likelihood of someone sneaking up on me while I'm composing a shot. And so I considered getting something with a waist level finder, so that I wouldn't be completely unaware of my surroundings.

 

<p>The comment about the Bronica was hilarious. But seriously, I've been reading everyone's comments and reconsidering my choice of Medium-Format equipment. I'm avowedly non-digital, however, and so I might take along cheap and light rangefinders that would fit in my pocket instead. Or perhaps a yashica TLR for the waist-level finder.

 

<p>Thanks for the advice.

 

<p>Clarence

[vandit]

I can assure you - the bag wont make a huge difference. You are going to pull out and use your camera, right? That's going to get you noticed. A big camera will get you noticed more. The bag is, by comparison, orders of magnitude less important.

 

I've spent a total of 6+ months traveling in different parts of eastern and southern Africa, and for starters, you cannot really treat lump it together. All the various countries are different in safety, local culture, etc. Some places you gotta worry about being mugged, other places you have to worry about theft and most places, you don't have to worry at all. Urban vs rural also matters.

 

My approach when I travel is to not look lik a tourist - when taking photos in the city, I try to look as if I am doing it as part of a job (ie, have my headphones plugged in, look bored, chew gum, move deliberately, etc).

 

I had a cop come up and ask me very pointedly if I was a journalist, when I was in Harare in 2002 (in the middle of their political trouble) - after I showed him that I was primarily a wildlife/nature shooter (showed him some books I had, some of my photos, etc), he lightened up a lot and even gave me some ideas on places I could go shoot! :)

 

Something for you to ponder...

 

Vandit

[klix]

It doesn't really matter if your bag says Lowepro, Domke, or Sears or whatever... if you are holding anything photographic - roll of film, flash, etc... it is easy enough to assume that your bag will contain some kind of camera equipment.

 

A shoulder bag is always preferable -- UP TO A CERTAIN WEIGHT -- then a backpack becomes more practical. That "certain weight" is different for each of us.

 

KL