What do you do when your on vacation? Do you bring all your expensive gear?

Insurance is cheap, so I don't have any issues taking whatever gear with me. Granted, my entire setup is less than the OP's camera, but as long as the insurance is comprehensive I wouldn't be concerned.

If I'm taking a vacation where I plan on pictures I take the pelican 1450 with everything. If I'm traveling for work and not necessarily planning on pictures I grab the camera with a 17-85mm lens in the small Think Tank digital holster 10 bag. I had thought about getting a G11 or similar to have something I could easily travel with, but I made a deal with myself when I went DSLR that I was willing to always bring it with me on trips.

I generally take all my gear (1 body & 4 lenses) on the theory that you don't know what you might need until you get there, so take it all. When I went up to Philly for Christmas I took a fully loaded Lowepro Vertex 300 AW, but I also took my Tamrac Pro 8 (for when I didn't need my Sigma 150-500), it worked out well.

I went to a funeral for a family member last month and shot out of the Lowepro, so that worked out too.

Now, if I had some of the kits you guys have, I wouldn't attempt it...but whatever works for ya!

AiGTs wrote in post #9552425
When I travel, I bring just one lens - the lens that I enjoy the most, and a point-and-shoot. For me, lugging around heavy camera gear is inconvenient so I would rather choose the setup I am most comfortable with and enjoy the trip.

Amen Brother!

I bring my 40D and 3 zoom lenses, plus a flash, and a backup drive. However, each day, I'll choose what I need and take that. It's usually a small set such as my 40D with 24-70 lens attached, plus my 17-40. For travel photography in bright daylight, I don't need much more than that.

For a trip in the car, I usually take most of my gear. For a recent trip to Europe, I took my 5dII and 24-105. This worked great for most things. A couple of times I wished for my 17-40, but it was sure nice not to carry much.

I usually leave everything behind and take just the 5D+17-40L. The perfect travel lens for architecture, landscapes and cityscapes.

tkbslc wrote in post #9543790
I guess I just wonder why you spent $5k in camera gear if you didn't want to take pictures. What is the point of a camera that sits at home where it is safe? I probably wouldn't take everything because I like to travel somewhat light, but at least take the body and a couple primes if nothing else.

I agree.. You have just as much chance getting ripped off 100 metres from your front door than travelling..

I can understand not wanting to take all your gear if you want to travel light but leaving all your gear at home is silly..

Since I don't shoot professionally and I bought the camera equipment for this reason, the answer would be yes. I would definitely take my equipment with me.

As a fellow "non-professional" photographer, I LOOK for opportunities to travel and take interesting pictures. Every trip is different, so I always carry a "tailored subset" of my equipment -- usually in my Lowepro CompuTrekker backpack. (I even take my gear on business trips -- just in case.)

I lived in Japan for 9 years, and I've traveled extensively in the Wash, DC area. Of course, no destination is crime-free, but I consider Japan to be one of the safest countries in the world - I never felt threatened, or worried, for my gear in Japan. As others have mentioned, Wash, DC maintains a high level of security everywhere. In short, insurance, good situational awareness, and common sense will keep you and your gear safe.

In both locations, I "anticipate" that you will be doing a lot of walking, and riding a lot of subways & trains. So carry-weight may be a concern. I think your wide angle lenses will serve you well when visiting Japanese temples, shrines, flower gardens, etc. -- also useful for the monuments, memorials, and museums in Wash, DC. I'd also advise carrying a decent rain sleeve of some sort.

{FYI, the cherry blossoms (in Japan) "generally" start blooming in mid-to-late March and they last about two weeks, into early April -- but a LOT depends on the weather. A warm, early, Spring can cause them to bloom early. Extended cold weather can cause them to bloom late. A heavy rain storm, or strong winds, in the middle of the blooming season can really beat up the delicate flowers. So your chance of seeing cherry blossoms depends on the weather, your dates of travel, and your location in Japan. The blooms travel in a "pink wave" starting in Southern Japan and moving North.}

Good luck with your trip!

I use a simple P&S.

I ski tour or trek and usually already have ropes and other gear aboard. This leaves room for a G9.

If I can ditch the climbing gear, a 35mm prime and 70-200 F4.

Last month in Hawaii, I took Body + 4 lenses + flash + 2 bags. Large bag for everything, 1 small bag for day outings knowing what I intended to shoot for the day packed with body and the particular lens, usually the 17-50. The rest of the lenses stayed in my hotel room safe.

HI ,New here ,we use TRAVEL GUARD . worked great for my week old camera that i broke getting off a horse , a broken wrist on loseing balance, Surgery . work loss all in one trip to africa . I too am looking for the best way to carry all my stuff .