Are You Afraid To Carry A Leica?

My 2 carry-round cameras are either a Canonet or an M7/35mm lens. You can't be thinking about getting stuff stolen or else you'll never use it. This stuff about red dots is rubbish. Insure the gear if it's a concern.

Now the Billingham bag; that's another matter entirely...
 
Am I being very naive in not knowing what the problem is with Billingham bags? I inherited mine from the previous encumbant at work...is it a fashion faux pas? Do I look like a tosser (.... because of the bag, well at least primarily!?) Should I dump it in the nearest canal and get my old school satchel? I wouldn't mind to be honest, it gets very heavy. My M6 gear goes in my jacket pocket and its such a nice (light) feeling!!!
 
i can't help but remember that movie scene with charles bronson when he goes out to the 'bad neighborhood' to attract 'bad boys' - his trik is hanging loosely a Nikon on his shoulder/back and walking around like that.
A guy rips the camera off his shoulder and runs away laughing.
CB pulls out a large gun and shoots the thief in his back.
Very weird movie.
But i never really liked Charles Bronson, don't get me wrong.
 
I don't understand the whole tape thing either. I'll only ever do it if I'm extremely bored one day. As others have said, if they are familiar with the Leica logo, they'll be familiar with the the camera as well.

I'm not a big guy. Not even close. I'm 5'5 and weight in at 120 (doesn't mean I don't know how to fight though : P). Walk with an air of confidence and fire in your eyes - it will really make you less of a target.

Also, play it smart. If you enter a neighbourhood famous for muggings and theft, don't dress like a million bucks. Put on some old jeans and a beat up jacket. Muss up your hair a little. Let people see you but forget you the moment you're out of sight.


BTW, I have a Domke F3X in tan. I like the colour better than the black or navy - it's a lot more 'consumer' and not as professional looking.
 
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OurManInTangier said:
Am I being very naive in not knowing what the problem is with Billingham bags? I inherited mine from the previous encumbant at work...is it a fashion faux pas? Do I look like a tosser (.... because of the bag, well at least primarily!?) Should I dump it in the nearest canal and get my old school satchel? I wouldn't mind to be honest, it gets very heavy. My M6 gear goes in my jacket pocket and its such a nice (light) feeling!!!
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LOL. I've no idea whether you look like a tosser or not Simon, but George who started the thread uses a Billingham bag and I was having a go at him. ;) I mean, they are a bit on the poncy side don't you think? Aren't they designed to look like you'd just been out on the moors shooting sparrows and sticking them in the bag or something?
 
I have never found that my Leica IIIC or Canon IVSB attract any attention on the street. But the same cannot be said, when I carry around a TLR. Also, I don't carry them in anything fancier than old army surplus bags filled with a Domke insert.

Richie
 
Ok, now I am worried. So can a non-pro amateur get camera insurance? Either that or I will have to sell all my expensive gear and carry a taped-up Zorki.. :)
 
Not really... I don't really shoot in any sketchy places with it. I brought my DSLR kit to the skate park and shot with it a few times, but there's not really any muggers who hang out there. Some people who might sell some drugs, sure, and someone was shot there once that I know of (gang BS), but it's not too bad.

I don't own any expensive clothes, and if I did I still wouldn't look rich, and the M3 with the 35 Skopar doesn't look like a very expensive camera (When my 90 Elmar gets here, it'll look even less expensive, nice brassed black paint and old styling), so I probably wouldn't be too likely to get mugged.

If they tried, I wouldn't hand it over, I'd fight, and I don't think most of them want that, so they'd either run or just kill me if they had a gun. Either way, the world won't give a damn and neither will I...
 
Never fear carrying your leica. If need be, you can beat your attacker limp with it. Having said that, theives (ahem, gypsies) in eastern europe certainly know what a leica is-- with or without the black taped dot & engraving--they routinely separate UNAWARE tourists from their cameras, before the victim even knows it's missing. Last summer, several of us were walking, actually stumbling, thru prague in the wee hours and my friend got rolled by a pretty young thing, she got his billfold, and an oly p/s. He didn't even notice until we got to the next pub and went to pay...Be aware of your surroundings, look confident, walk with purpose--theives prey on weakness--don't display any... of course, stumbling around prague (or any city) off your tits, won't help either...
 
While I worry sometimes about my cameras when I travel (and I have been to some "interesting" places, like parts of Israel at night, where you may not be safe during the daylight, or dark alleys of several European cities), I never had a problem. Be that Canon EOS or a small P&S cam. I was more worried about getting them damaged or wet or get some sand inside. However, where I did have a problem - was right here in a good ole US of A. And not from the thieves and gypsies, but our fierce police. Aparently, it's borderline against the law to take photos here. Some idiot called the cops and said that they were worried that I take pics and scope out their house, so I can come later and rob them !!!!!!!!!!!! Wow!!! TWO police cruisers came, checked my ID, run my info in their computer, Found NOTHING and then.........(and this is a kicker) told me to get the F@#$k out of there or they will take away my camera and take me to the station. I chose to leave. Now, this is all in my own town, in a average middleclass area. So, who's the criminal now? I suppose I look "shifty" every time I bring a camera to my face. Gotta love those TLRs - less noticeable in that respect. ;)
So, you really never know which direction you may be targeted from.
 
My M4 doesn't really look like a Leica; it's lost its luster and never sported any red dot. In fact it looks decidedly ugly and un-sexy. Hence, I've no trepidation to carry it anywhere..
 
Poeple in places I go have no idea what a Leica is. They see me all the time and refer to my camera as a 'Kodak'.

I have never seen another serious 35mm camera in Portugal.
 
My M6 is pretty but it ain't a gem.. I like it : )

What do you guys think the theives like more? A big camera? Or a smaller rangefinder?

I'd assume they'd go for the big pro-looking back-breaking slr ;)
 
On the rare occasion when I go out with my SLR in a Billingham bag it attracts no attention because every working man carries a canvas lookalike Billingham with his lunch in it.
 
Jon Claremont said:
On the rare occasion when I go out with my SLR in a Billingham bag it attracts no attention because every working man carries a canvas lookalike Billingham with his lunch in it.
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I love canvas bags.

It's great that over the last two years a lot of fashion designers have been producing canvas messenger bags. The canvas look is becoming more mainstream whichmeans our bags won't stand out as much!!
 
Yeah I am not afraid, well in Dubai I don`t have to be afraid of anything I mean when I am in Europe or other country's I don`t even think about it because both zeiss ikon and M7 look like a grandfa`s camera from 50`s :D :D
 
I doubt if many muggers are especially brand conscious and the fact it's not digital
probably equates to not valuable in most peoples eyes.

The only time anyone tried to rob me directly (as opposed to burglary) was in Madrid underground. It was probably because I had identified myself as a tourist, looking at maps and struggling to find correct train etc. and it was money not camera that they hoped to get.
 
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