Expensive Camera
 

I'll be traveling Paris and Berlin (Dublin and London too but I'll leave those out for sake of this forum) and am considering buying about a $500 DSLR camera but am worried about theft and carrying around a very obviously expensive camera - I'm positive I'm not the only one with this problem and am curious if its worth the risk and suggestions on eliminating risk of theft.

@ Berlin
Just pay the normal attention for the camara. In Berlin you should be pretty safe. Just pay some extra vigilance if you are in a crowd. Everything else should be fine.
757DUD

A $500 DSLR isn't an expensive camera and won't attract undue attention. I routinely carry around my $2,000 DSLR with an additional $1,000 or so in lenses, and used to carry a $2,000 video camera (though I've switched to an HD camera that was only around $800 or so). I never had the slightest problem. Obviously, don't put your camera down and walk away. Otherwise, you won't have any problems.

I carry a $1,000 SLR with a very substantial $1,200 lens on it and and smaller lens in my bag and I'm rarely worried. My camera and I have been to about 6 or 7 countries together just this year. I carry a Lowepro Slingbag and it's very secure. I can loop the zipper pull through one of the clips and it can't be undone without me easily noticing.

You'll see countless people carrying cameras. Just be aware of the camera, don't be careless and you'll have no problems.

I suppose it depends on where you're going within Paris & Berlin (& Dublin & London). On the assumption you're going to the normal tourist places there will be zero issues. As others have pointed out, a $500 camera is not expensive. If anything, people in the know will notice that you carry a cheap DSLR as opposed to a real, more professional camera.

Don't do anything stupid and you'll be fine.

I'd be more worried about leaving it behind at security checkpoints. I did that in Beijing at the Olympics last year, and almost lost a netbook this year in the U.S. If you're carrying a bunch of stuff around, particularly if you're doing carry-on, you can easily lose track of things when you're going though any type of security screening (airport or non-airport).

I would pass on the camera just to alleviate the stress from your vacation, unless you a serious photographer and must have it.

Usual precautions and your're fine.
(The pix are SOOOOO much better than with a pocket digital!)

in this world of truly expensive cameras, a $500 dslr is close to a disposable.

would consider a "point and shoot" for $4-500 instead of a dslr. the lens are pretty good, and they are a lot more compact and lighter.

do not carry the thing in your backpack. people do fish in backpacks.

Thanks for the replies, I realize a $500 camera isn't expensive to a professional photographer, but to a college student, thats a lot of money to put down on a camera. Basically, I'm doing this because I went to Italy for Spring Break and had just a hell of a time with my $200 point and shoot in the cathedrals and just in general due to the lack of settings and control along with a general lack in quality. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something that was a quick que to pickpockets and such that would put people on my trail after the camera.
And its not just for these two weeks of travel - I'm spending the semester in Athens.

BTW - I'm looking at the Canon Rebel series.

FYI, they are only sold under the Rebel brand in the US.
Almost everywhere else they are just the 300D,350D,400D,450D,500D...

The Canon Rebel series are excellent cameras (and, by the way, I'm an amateur as well). It should make quite a difference for the kind of photography you want to do.

OT, but I'm curious: Your screen name happens to be a character from Aristophanes' The Clouds. Was that a deliberate choice? I love arcane literary references. :)

I've read clouds - but not a reference to that - from what I've read Pheidippides was the original marathon runner which I plan to run while in Athens...

Ah, interesting. Good luck!