Canon 1D X on the Street

[expatinasia]

Saw a western guy shooting with a 1DX on the streets of Bangkok the other day. This is not something you see every day, the 5D Mark II and III are a much more common sight. Reason I am posting this is for those concerned about bringing their best gear to this amazing part of the world. I almost did not notice it was a 1DX, I just registered in my subconscious a guy with a camera, then my old brain slowly told me there was an black body L lens and it was attached to a 1DX. I know quite a lot of the pro photographers in this part of the world so I paid a little more attention as I hurried on by to my next appointment. The guy was taking street shots and looked like a tourist (was it CR guy?! haha ;-) ) But my point is not to worry, unless you really know cameras (like people on CR do) then most people would not even have noticed anything other than a guy with a camera, a regular sight in most tourist spots in Asia. In fact, some would probably think something that big has to be seriously old (aren't cameras getting smaller for the average Joe?!).

[sanj]

People who are afraid of taking their camera to new places are the ones that are less travelled or those who have had an unfortunate incident.

[Stickman]

People who are afraid of taking their camera to new places are the ones that are less travelled or those who have had an unfortunate incident.

Or the ones that don't want to get robbed.....

[neuroanatomist]

I haven't traveled anywhere that I'd consider risky with a dSLR, but that's because I bought my first dSLR after having a child, and we did all of our adventurous travel before having kids.  Having said that, I'd have no hesitation bringing my 1D X and L-series lenses on any sort of travel.

[Viggo]

I usually say if you see me without the 1d X, it wasn't me. It goes everywhere I go, even if it's a trip to the grocery store, and why not ?

[DanielW]

This thread looks like a great opportunity to learn what each of us takes when traveling, especially abroad/by air. (I always take my 60D, lenses, flash, tripod etc when going by car, although I very seldom shoot other than handheld with available light. On a recent trip to Czech republic, a good P&S might have sufficed for 90+% of the photos I took.)
I'm considering buying myself a Fuji X20 for traveling light and leaving the 60D at home, for I've realized (1) most shots when traveling concern the background, even if it's a portrait, so there's no need for very shallow DoF, and (2) I'm too lazy to carry heavy gear I won't probably use/benefit of.
The X100s is another camera I consider, although I'm not sure I'll be comfortable with a fixed lens, despite all its advantages.
The EOS M would be perfect to stick with the brand and be able to use accessories (e.g., flash and lenses), but from what I've read it's not that great a camera; also, I'd rather have a VF, and even though it's small, I don't see it fitting in a pocket with a lens attached (same "problem" with the seemingly terrific Olympus OM-D EM-5).
What do you take nowadays, and what are you thinking of buying? Why is that?
Daniel

[wellfedCanuck]

I'm currently in Caracas with only a crappy little P&S. I love taking my 6D on the road, but in a 15L Lowepro backpack- it's a third piece of baggage. With a legal carry-on size suitcase containing 4 days of clothing and a 2nd case for my professional gear- it's a either a gym bag with my running stuff or the camera as the third item, something's gotta give.

I may have to investigate a small mirrorless system.

[bseitz234]

I usually say if you see me without the 1d X, it wasn't me. It goes everywhere I go, even if it's a trip to the grocery store, and why not ?

Seconded. I don't have a 1dX, sadly, but I just carry my Lowepro flipside 300 everywhere- 7d, all my lenses, and 430exII. Because why not? A backpack is pretty easy to carry around in everyday life, very inconspicuous, and you never know when you'll see something worth photographing...

[DanielW]

I usually say if you see me without the 1d X, it wasn't me. It goes everywhere I go, even if it's a trip to the grocery store, and why not ?

Seconded. I don't have a 1dX, sadly, but I just carry my Lowepro flipside 300 everywhere- 7d, all my lenses, and 430exII. Because why not? A backpack is pretty easy to carry around in everyday life, very inconspicuous, and you never know when you'll see something worth photographing...

I feel it's a tad too slow sometimes to reach for my camera when it's in the backpack. I've sure missed a few good moments because I didn't have the camera in hand at the time -- and I guess it wouldn't have happened if I had a smaller MFT or, even better, something like the Sony RX100 or the Fuji X20 carried with a handstrap all day.

[DanielW]

Seconded. I don't have a 1dX, sadly, but I just carry my Lowepro flipside 300 everywhere- 7d, all my lenses, and 430exII. Because why not? A backpack is pretty easy to carry around in everyday life, very inconspicuous, and you never know when you'll see something worth photographing...

I don't exactly disagree, but was a DSLR necessary? I love my DSLR, but more often than not I feel it's not necessary when just strolling around.
Do you think you take too many photos with your 7D in everyday life that wouldn't be possible with a smaller camera?
I'd say, in my case, that less than 10% of the shots I miss are the camera's fault.

[distant.star]

.
If you're traveling for pleasure and are even a little bit serious about photography, I can't understand why you would leave your best photo equipment at home. If you're so afraid of losing it, spend a few bucks on insurance.

I take pictures in Camden, NJ -- the most dangerous and violent city in the US. I'm careful and take necessary precautions, but I paid a lot of money to be able to take the best pictures I can -- it would be dumb to go there with only a P&S.

[bseitz234]

I don't exactly disagree, but was a DSLR necessary? I love my DSLR, but more often than not I feel it's not necessary when just strolling around.
Do you think you take too many photos with your 7D in everyday life that wouldn't be possible with a smaller camera?
I'd say, in my case, that less than 10% of the shots I miss are the camera's fault.

I feel it's a tad too slow sometimes to reach for my camera when it's in the backpack. I've sure missed a few good moments because I didn't have the camera in hand at the time -- and I guess it wouldn't have happened if I had a smaller MFT or, even better, something like the Sony RX100 or the Fuji X20 carried with a handstrap all day.

Well, my P&S is a 7 year old ELPH- still works, but it's bulky enough that I wouldn't put it in a pocket- might work well in a belt case or something, but I don't think it would be more readily available for a quick shot than a dSLR. In terms of actually getting the shot, no, I'm sure that for most things I don't need it, and a P&S would be fine. But I guess my point is that the inconvenience/weight of carrying it around is so minimal anyway, and there have been times- playing with a friend's yellow lab puppy in a poorly lit room, unexpected great gray owl sighting, etc- that having a real AF system and/or wide aperture lens was nice.

[DanielW]

.
If you're traveling for pleasure and are even a little bit serious about photography, I can't understand why you would leave your best photo equipment at home. If you're so afraid of losing it, spend a few bucks on insurance.

I take pictures in Camden, NJ -- the most dangerous and violent city in the US. I'm careful and take necessary precautions, but I paid a lot of money to be able to take the best pictures I can -- it would be dumb to go there with only a P&S.

I just think it's overkill sometimes, but...
Alright, alright, got it!

[noisejammer]

I drag a 1d4, 5d2, 5 Zeiss lenses, a TS-E, 70-200/2.8 ii and a 400/4 DO pretty much everywhere I go including annual expeditions to Southern Africa. I take reasonable care but it's all insured for replacement. Apart from the deductible, theft would be a nuisance but I really don't stress at all.

[East Wind Photography]

And after you get over the feeling of violation from the theft, you then realize you can take that insurance money and buy something newer and hopefully better.    I'm just sayin'....

I drag a 1d4, 5d2, 5 Zeiss lenses, a TS-E, 70-200/2.8 ii and a 400/4 DO pretty much everywhere I go including annual expeditions to Southern Africa. I take reasonable care but it's all insured for replacement. Apart from the deductible, theft would be a nuisance but I really don't stress at all.