A couple of years ago I bought a mac-daddy digital video camera, I brought it with me to Australia and tons of "non-travel" events. I can not make up my mind if I should bring it to Europe at the end of this month? Its a really $$$$ camera and I afraid to have it stolen or broken or lost.

Pros of Bringing the Camera:

Capture my trip in real time
Its a digital Camera aswell
I will get to show my friends and family the things I did

Cons of Bringing my Camera:

It could be lost
It could be stolen
It could get broken
trying to find a place to charge the batteries
I will be paranoid all the time about it
etc....

Let me know what you folks out there think, I know the cons are more than the Pro's but I am still up in the air about this thing :wacko: :wacko:

nah I wouldn't bring it. I would spend my whole trip worrying about the whole darn thing. Plus another con is you'll TOTALLY look like a geeky tourist ;) Seriously though, Normal old fashion pictures are just as good . If your carrying around that camera your just calling out "rob me". ANd can you really trust your hostel mates THAT well...

my 2 cents.

good advice Dio! Ive taken mine and quickly wished I hadnt. It can take your comfort right out from under ya in a hurry.

Yeah, if it's big bucks I probably wouldn't. I generally would only take stuff that if I lost / broke / or got stolen I wouldn't be totally upset over.

But if you do... definitely take travel insurance out on it. I'm not too familiar with the rules with stolen / broken items but it'd be worth it.

CD I recommend you don't take it. You sound stress about it already. Might as well just leave it home. Plus when you go out drinking at the bars, if you take it, who knows you might break it on one of your drunk nights, and if you leave it at the hostel it could get stolen. So save your self some stress and don't take it.

hah :lol: llemus nailed it...you sound sterssed already!

For all the reasons above, I wouldn´t take it along, unless you´re staying in private rooms throughout your trip.

If you do decide to take it, protect the film that you already shot. If for any reason, your camera was stolen, lost, or got broken, you can always buy another one, but you can´t replace the images of the people, moments, events, so easily. That footage can be priceless. Also, buy a cheaper one. I went to Costco (do they have those in Canada?) bought a $400 digital minidv camera and returned it 6 months later for a full refund(just keep your receipt). Buy one there, take it on your trip, film like crazy, and return it for your money back ;)

You could plunk down money for a small inconspicuous digital camera, or of course, you can do things the old fashion Dio way ;)

Thanks for all your help on this one folks, and your all right...My video camera will stay at home and my little 35mm that I have taken on every other trip will come with me. And your all right about me being stressed about it, because I was, now I am not :)

I wish I had of baught a half decent digital camera instead of this thing, I harly use it at all these day...just the built in digital camera! ah well life goes on :)

What kind of video camera is it? I´m in the market for a 3CCD Canon, Sony, or the Panasonic 24p.

Its a JVC GR-DVL505 DV Video Camera...

Good camera, but for my needs I need a 3 chip with a microphone jack :( .

I mentioned to my wife about maybe getting rid of it...you know what her responce was???? What are we going to use to record the birth of our children??? YIKES!!!!!!! :wacko: :wacko: I left it at that, did not wanna open up that can of worms!!!!! So looks like i have to keep the camera :blink: