Should I take the D40 to S.Africa?

IanC

IanC

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Hello everyone. Just wondering what everyones opiions on this are.

Im goin to Durban in october with my giirlfriend but im not sure if i should take the d40. I just dont want to draw any unwanted attention to myself so I am thinking a small compact would be better?

Your thoughts please :)
 
I dont know the d40, a Glock 17 is an extremely useful compact.

Joking aside, have a safe and enjoyable trip, there are reports of cameras being taken right under the noses of the authorities in certain areas. Try and find which areas are bad first, it would be a shame to waste an excellent opportunity like this.

Paul
 
Hi Ian,

Bizarely enough I fly out to SA for 3 weeks tomorrow night. I am taking my 40D, 70-200 and nifty fifty (all the lenses I own..the only lenses I own!) with me. As Paul says, try and find out what areas are bad..I know Point Rd area in Durbs is quite notorious. As with all countries just take care and trust your gut instinct..but I would suggest not taking your camera out after dark. I plan to visit some of the townships in East London where I am going..but then I am born and bred there and used to work as a copper there. Won't take any chances though. Enjoy it!
 
get some insurance incase you get robbed or injured etc.
and just be careful with your gear, simplest thing to do :)
 
OMG!!! of course you should!!!!!

if you've never been before, it's really the most astonishingly beautiful country - you will never forgive yourself if you don't take a decent camera to capture it!

but make sure you keep safe - if you know anyone out there they will be able to give you the lowdown on places to avoid.

can't wait to see your pics! :)
 
i would, but like anywhere you go then safety is priotity, theft etc....

but woudl be sad if you didnt get good pics with a good cam :)
 
I don't know, do you think your D40 will take good pics sitting in your house on its own.

Insure it and take it, hand it over at the first sign of trouble and enjoy shopping when you get back.

Fill your bag and pockets with cheap 1 and 2gb cards to if you do have to part ways you will still have photos of your trip that you can sell for lots of money! :D

Enjoy your trip

Stuart
 
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Cover your kit with bits of dirty Gaffer tape.

Even thieves dont want beat up items they can't trade.
 
OK, so you guys have now scared the **** out of me! I'm off to Jo'Burg this Friday and am now thinking of looking for a stab vest and CS spray on eBay!
I'll be keeping the DSLR in the man-bag while doing the tour of Soweto, maybe taking the odd cheeky shot. Hopefully in Kruger NP crime will be lower and big cameras a more common sight.
My advice to IanC would be to take the D40, use common sense but take a pocket compact too just in case. As the other posts have recommended, make sure you have good insurance both for your own wellbeing and your gear. Check your home contents insurance too, mine covers up to £3k for no extra premium - cameras included.
 
Not to make you worries but

My brother in law was help up at knife point.
My best man was held on the floor with a gun to his head.
Another friend was almost shot as (i.e. bullet just missed her).

Maybe just don't make friends with me and you'll be safe..
 
Yes, definitely take the D40. Insure it so that if the unlikely worst happens you are covered.

I lived most of my life in Johannesburg and was never mugged (although I did have my house and car burgled). Been back since 3 times with compacts and DSLRs on holiday with no problems. Did have a video camera nicked in Madrid, so it can happen anywhere.
 
I've never been to Durban, but I've had a couple of long hols in South Africa and one in Namibia.

They told us to leave our rolexes behind and don't take expensive cameras. We ignored them all.

just take the normal precautions you would anywhere about not leaving stuff on show in the car, not being in dark places alone, and keeping the car locked when driving. We didn't go out at night in the cities but we went all over the place during the day.

Fantastic countries, great people. Have a wonderful time.
 
Absolutely, take it with you and enjoy a beautiful country. Have been three times now and on last occasion traveled the Garden Route and did Cape Town with my D700. Never saw any sign of any trouble and never felt under threat.

I guess it depends on where you want to go. There are parts of London, Manchester, Liverpool etc. that I wouldn't wander around flashing my camera. Don't be lulled into relaxed holiday mode and use your common sense as you would in UK or any other country in the world.

Have a great holiday.
 
Yes, Garden route lovely, and you haven't lived until you have tackled the Swartberg Pass in a Nissan Tilda (once in the dark and again in the daylight)

Go to Addo Elephant park too, that's not too far from Durban. that's what gave us the enthusiasm for self drive safari, next time it was 5000kms on gravel roads in Namibia in a Toyota Hilux (far more appropriate vehicle than the Nissan Tilda)
 
Thanks to everyone for the help on this. I will get it insured (not sure if trvael insurance would cover this?) that way i will have piece of mind. Im so excited and at the same time a little apprehensive because of s.africa's reputation for crime.
 
I doubt your travel insurance will give you sufficient cover, but check. You should have it insured on the all risks part of your house insurance.
 
I don't know why anyone would ever want to go to a place like South Africa and leave their camera at home. This is surely where owning a DSLR comes into it's own, to take great shots of great countries.

As long as you don't go street togging at night in and around the crack dens, I'm sure you'll be fine.
 
I lived for 6 months in South Africa ( cape town) and did some work for a charity magazine, using mixes of a 30D and a 5D, never really had much of a problem, a couple of dodgy looks every now and then (especially in the townships) but nothing to really shout home about.

A few tips I got from a journalist friend of mine (whos worked in SA for 20 years)

1) Put a crappy strap on it, No Branded straps.
2) Put gaffer tape over the logos.
3) put tape on the grip, for some reason cameras are less likely to be stolen if they have a dodgy looking grip.
4) Insurance is a must and never fight. God for bid something does happen just let it go.
5) Use loads of memory cards. Use them like film take 25-50 shots then change the card, if your camera gets stolen you will only lose a few shots.
6) have a good bag, which is definitely not a camera bag! But is easy to get the camera out and back in again, last thing you want to do is stand there and struggle to get it in or out, draws attention.
7) look like you know what your doing, try to look like you've done this all before, reduces the tourist look.

Lastly a quick fact, last year more tourists were mugged in Rome, London and the costa brava than in SA.
 
Common sense at the end of the day when visiting any country...

Lived in SA for over a year.....travelled from north to south and back again without a problem.

Frequently go back as my wife is South African..


If you plan to go to the Kruger...I would be more worried about the gangs of monkeys waiting for you to leave your car window down and jump in and grab anything they can.....seriously...had my camera bag away...luckly camera was round my neck...
 
If you're sensible carrying your gear around then you shouldn't have any problems. Durban itself is not the most picturesque as far as areas of the country, but there are some lovely spots up and down the coast and further inland. If you're able to travel out the the Drakensburg mountains it would be well worth a visit, and there a few smaller game parks within a reasonable driving distance as well as the snake and bird parks in Durban. Hope you have a wonderful time!
 
I recently came back from SA Cape Town, if the two cities a similair then you should be fine. So definatly take your camera. If you are concerned get some insurence on it before you leave. However I don't think you're going to have a problem if you're careful
 
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