Should I bring my expensive camera?

[moonandsun]

I have a camera we just purchased and it was also, we will say costly. I have taken it everywhere. When I am on vacation part of the fun is looking at the pictures afterwards. If you can't take the camera, sell it. :eek:

[luddite]

When I was 15 yrs old, a friend of my mom's was helping me do some wiring on our house. he used his pocketknife in a MOST egregious manner and I mentioned as to how that would really dull his knife.

He replied very matter-of-factly:

 

" Son, what's the point of having something if you're not gonna use it?"

[cooncat_mom]

My DD is heavily into photography, so always brings both a film SLR & a digital SLR. She has her equipment in a backpack & has never had a problem leaving it in the closet or under the bed. Actually, I've left money out on the counter and it wasn't touched...the irony was that it was the daily tip for the steward! (I ended up writing little notes with the money so he'd take it). As for what she does with her equipment on the beach - she brings me! I don't swim and don't mind sitting in one place while she photographs stuff like little snails, so I'm her sherpa - carry the equipment. (Her pix of the little snails from Dunn's River Falls are fabulous...and I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter...:o!) Enjoy your camera - and let us see some of your pix from the cruise!

[MrsChief]

As others have already said, why buy a DSLR camera and leave it at home? I also have a nice DSLR. I have one lense that I use for travel (18-200) I don't bring my flash or any other lenses. I also bring my P&S. Then depending what I am doing that day I decide which camera to take with me. I usually keep both cameras on a shelf in the closet and have on occassion left them on the dresser. Never worried about them and never had a problem. If I am doing a beach day diffently it's the p&s, I put into a ziplock bag and put it in the beach bag. Love cruising--love taking pictures.

[cruisetobeaches]

I always take my DSLR in addition to a pocket P&S Olympus 1030SW for in the water. The P&S is always with me, where ever we go, in my pocket. The DSLR, I use in port, on the ship, and out and about, but NOT on the beach. The lens I use the most cost more than the camera body and I do not want to expose it to salt or fine sand.

 

If we are doing a combo of in town----and then the beach, the DSLR goes into a tight case and into my backpack, which I always have when in port. (It's amazing how much stuff that my wife buys in port will fit into it)

 

I usually keep it either in my backpack or in the cabinet in the cabin. Never have had any problems and have also discussed it with our room steward on one of our cruises. He has one just like it and we had quite the discussion.

[FLFemale]

Is it safe to leave on the beach as you go in the water then? Or how do you handle those situations?

I put my stuff in a Ziploc bag, dig a hole and put towel over it. If someone comes up and takes my bag they will not get my passport, money or camera.

[oceanseagle12]

Is it safe to leave on the beach as you go in the water then? Or how do you handle those situations?

 

 

I have taken it. Just use common sense. If there is a locker, use it. If you are with a group of people, solicit help- usually there is someone lounging. If you are at a beach club, see if you can check it. Otherwise, you'd be well advised to keep a close eye on all your stuff while you are in the water.

[deepnite10]

im quite a camera freak..new camera every 2 yrs..and i give the old

camera to the wife..its still pretty good..

 

we take both camera s with us..we ve never had any problems leaving

them in our cabin..usually hooked up to a charger..

 

depending on the excursion..or activity we decide to do ashore we ll take the camera best suited for the activity..

[joebat1]

Take it...Why have it if you are not going to use it??????

 

To me it's the same as buying a $ 75,000.oo auto and not driving it because you MIGHT have a wreck.....

 

Back to the camera issue... You can purchase a small carry-on/roll on from Walley World for around $ 20.00, Purchase a small lock that will fit, and you can lock your camera in it and slide it under the bed when you want a "safe" place to keep it if you are concerned about leaving it alone on your cabin...

 

Personally I just leave everything out in my cabin, and never had an issue with anything disappearing....

[joebat1]

I put my stuff in a Ziploc bag, dig a hole and put towel over it. If someone comes up and takes my bag they will not get my passport, money or camera.

 

Be sure and draw yourself a very good "Treasure Map", or you might end up like Captian Kidd and forget where the stash is hidden ~~!!~~

[Almost Packed]

i have had to pricey digital cameras stolen....one right here in the states, and one in mexico.

 

Now I'm on my 3rd pricey digital camera. I did get to where I wouldn't take it anywhere out of fear of it being stolen or ruined, and just used my regular 35mm camera. but i missed my digital. so now it goes everywhere again with me.

 

if it get's stolen or sand in it, or damaged or whatever, then i'll have something to ask for at Christmas or my b-day. Out of fear of losing my camera, i was missing everything i wanted to photograph.

 

In Mexico, i was as careful as one could be...small bag, around my neck, in front of me with zipper and velcro flap...and a tight fit...and they still managed to pick pocket my camera.

 

i learned this valuable lesson! the camera can be replaced but my missing pics cannot. every day i change out my memory sticks so that at least i have a few photos if my camera is ever stolen again. i only lose that days photos, not all of them.

 

i store my camera, when not in use in the safe as well as my memory sticks.

 

NEVER AGAIN will i lose every single vacation pic!

[MamaParrotHead]

I bring my large digital with us. Why own one if you're afraid to bring it places to capture those moments? My favorite souvenirs of ALL my travels are my pictures. I've never had a problem leaving things in my cabin. When I'm on the beach, I wrap it up (in the case) and leave it in our backpack with the rest of our valuables and keep an eye on it or have someone (with us) babysit it who isn't participating.

[irun5k]

I have a slightly different philosophy... based mainly on looking back at most of my cruise photos of the past.

 

I might take an SLR if I were visiting overseas ports where I might be touring the Sistine Chapel and that sort of thing, since I've never been there and I'd want to capture it well. And I guess, if you've never been to the Caribbean you may want to try and get some high quality shots, depending on where you are visiting.

 

However, the quality of photo you can get from a small pocket digital is so good today that I don't see a need for an SLR in certain cases. Candid shots around the ship, pictures at dinner, etc... I feel that all those memories can be adequately captured on a much smaller camera that isn't a burden to lug around. And, I'll have the pocket digital with me almost everywhere- can't say the same for an SLR.

 

But you should do whatever you want to do! It is your cruise, your memories, your camera, your everything! I own an SLR and did take it on a couple of the early cruises I went on. It was no big deal and I wouldn't regard it as a mistake by any means. But today I take along a Canon SD870 and I'm perfectly happy with it.

[sharona211]

Thanks to all who offered advice on keeping the camera safe and sand-free while at the beach and in our cabin. Lots of great ideas and I plan on making use of a lot of them. The consensus seems to be that the camera is perfectly safe in the cabin when I won't have it with me. Whether or not it will fit in the safe seems to be up for debate! Taking it to the beach also got mixed reviews so I will have to think about that some more.

 

To those who felt the need to add "why buy it if you're not going to use it" type comments...Set your minds at ease :)- I use my camera all the time. I take it with me hiking, to sporting events, to my dds school events, to parties and on most vacations... I am just a little nervous about taking it on a cruise where we will likely be at the beach most days and also of it not fitting in the safe and having to leave it out in the room.

 

Again, thanks to all for sharing your experiences and advice.

[markstudy]

We spend a lot of time in the water (snorkel, boat, tubing, rafting, waterfalls, rain forest) .... so I am going to try one of these new Waterproof Digital Camera's. Its also shock-proof in case you drop it.

 

Might solve the issue of....what to do with the camera at the beach ;)

I just don't like the idea of hiding it under my towel any more.

 

[sharona211]

I have not tried any of the underwater cameras (except the disposables). I read some reviews that were not so great... Has anyone had luck with one that takes nice pics and is as indestructible as advertised?

[VAtraveler2]

My husband and I love to take pictures on our vacations. We've always taken our "expensive" still and video cameras on our cruises and never had a problem. We usually just put them in the closet when we're not using them. We haven't cruised with Carnival yet (upcoming cruise), but I wouldn't worry. Enjoy your trip and the pictures when you get home.

[VAtraveler2]

My husband purchased an underwater casing to go over his smaller Canon digital camera. He used it snorkling in Hawaii last year and it worked flawlessly. I believe he got it online through B & H camera in New York.

[scorp111]

We spend a lot of time in the water (snorkel, boat, tubing, rafting, waterfalls, rain forest) .... so I am going to try one of these new Waterproof Digital Camera's. Its also shock-proof in case you drop it.

 

Might solve the issue of....what to do with the camera at the beach ;)

I just don't like the idea of hiding it under my towel any more.

 

 

 

Canon D10 is an excellent camera. My DD (6) has an Olympus 8MP that is waterproof/shockproof and it works very well for the beach too!

 

I do take my equipment with me on a cruise, because taking the pictures is 1/2 the fun for me. The only port I didn't take it off the ship last year was Grand Cayman, as we were in the water most of the day.

[Nicole721]

Yes, yes YES! By all means, bring it!

 

I just bought my first dSLR in March, so I've only had it for two trips (one cruise, one trip to Disney) and I can't imagine traveling without it anymore. I'm still a novice when it comes to shooting with it, but it takes amazing pictures that my P&S just can't (even with my fairly limited knowledge of using it outside of auto).

[DiverDownAZ]

I have not tried any of the underwater cameras (except the disposables). I read some reviews that were not so great... Has anyone had luck with one that takes nice pics and is as indestructible as advertised?

 

Most of the pictures in my spirit review were taken with a Olympus waterproof. It has been tested in the water many times with no problems, and the time I dropped it in the sand I just went aout into the water and rinsed it off.