Bringing DSLR to South Africa?

I will be visiting Johannesburg for 3 weeks (it's a business trip, but I will have some free time), and I am wondering if it is OK for me to bring 5DMKIII.

Is it generally safe to take out DSLR and shoot in the street in Sandton, for example?

I would hate to leave it at home and miss some great shots, but on the other hand I wouldn't want to bring it if there is high probability that I would return home without it.

Get travel insurance, take the camera enjoy it. Dont do anything you wouldnt do in your home town.

Thats my philosophy no matter where I go.

No...
No one in South Africa owns a camera.
They all get stolen.

Touché.

I just wanted to hear other people experiences - because travel guide sites are not very helpful (I think they might be blowing things out of proportion). But on the other hand no point of lugging camera there and keep it in a bag, because it is not wise to take photos on the street.

First world problems....

If you're THAT worried about your precious FIVE D MARK THREE!!!!!, leave the dumb thing at home and bring your 6 year old Drebel.

You wont have any problems, we may live in jails because we barricade our selves in for safety but generally if you are street wise you will be able to see if you are going to get hustled, like someone pointed out, take insurance for just in case. we have a beautiful country especially the sunsets and you will be sorry if you dont bring your camera. I was in London 3 weeks ago and i had just as much chance to have my gear nicked as at home in Johannesburg. If you venture into the local shanty areas you are looking to loose much more than you gear. If you get chance ask your hotel about getting to the Lion park, it is only about 30 minutes drive from Sandton and has all sorts of Buck and also lion cubs that you can go into an enclosure with and also lion and cheetah enclosures you can drive through so you can take pictures without any cage bars in the way they are out in the open NOT TAME!!. Hope you have a great time in my country. REALLY, our country isn't THAT bad lol, you will see.

What I find interesting is that someone from Serbia is asking if it's safe to take a camera to South Africa...

People, glasshouses and stones or pots, kettle and black come to mind.

Thanks Barrie, I already brought my camera with me. We already arranged some guided tours through the city. I really like the weather here, it is really nice change after scorching 40C.


@Phil:

Actually, we don't have barbed wires, electric fences, carjackings, no-go parts of the city and at night it is as much safe as during the day. Yes, there are lot of firearms around, but murder rate is pretty low (pretty much the same as in the Western Europe), and I think none of that are violent muggings - so it is natural to ask such things after you read the trip advisors for Johannesburg over the internet.

Well i am glad you did and I hope you are enjoying yourself. Clearly there are comments here from people that have never set foot in South Africa, and probably never will.
Dont believe everything the press has to say!!
One day I may even get to visit Serbia, UK has just drained me of all my money so the saving process begins again lol.

Someone asks advice about visiting a city in another country and is ridiculed. What is this board coming to?

barrie wrote in post #16269586
Well i am glad you did and I hope you are enjoying yourself...

I am having a blast.

This is an awesome country and I must say that most of the stuff you can read on the web is way exaggerated. The scariest things I saw so far are sinister looking bird in Lion and rhino park and a 1.4kg steak at Pepper's chair.