Iphone Camera or DSLR

Thieves seize iPhones, too. It's probably a lot easier for a thief to seize a phone out of your hand than a camera that is attached to a strap around your neck.

If by "smaller DSLR" you mean one that's not a more expensive model, I wouldn't worry about it at all, actually. Thieves might steal a multi-thousand dollar camera but not a cheaper model.

As for me: for travel I use a "bridge" camera - a compromise between a DSLR and a P&S camera. Mine is a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 (a few years old now). It looks like a DSLR but it's not - the zoom lens is attached. Much lighter and easier than my DSLR which certainly has more capabilities, but I don't miss lugging around lenses and changing them all the time. I use my Android phone sometimes e.g. when it's rainy - easier to use my phone for snapshots with an umbrella.

I still bring my small camera. I am not overly concerned about thieves - I'm more concerned that I would drop or lose my phone while taking pictures. In my case, I rely heavily on my phone while traveling (for documents and such) and would rather have something happen to the camera than my phone. I back up the pictures from my camera nightly.

Just from living in Chicago and taking the train an Iphone is more a target of being snatched than a camera; I use a Nikon DSLR it is pretty big and has the strap you wear so you don't drop it. Most travelers you will see have cell phones cameras; I would not worry about it being snatched; just don't leave it on a table unattended or in your back pocket.

Thanks for the tips. And yes, aware of the thieves stealing phones but was curious about camera. We have an Olympus Stylus so not overly large and never change lenses so I think we will be ok. How about asking strangers to take your photo, does anyone do that or is everyone paranoid?

People still do it. On my recent trip to Italy, a few people asked me to take theirs, and I asked a few people to take mine. I usually used the front camera on my phone to take selfies though instead. It's wise to be cautious, but in some cases it seems pretty likely the people are honest e.g. other tourists. Sometimes if I see people ask someone else to take their picture, I'll ask them (one of the people who were just photographed) to take mine, or sometimes we take each other's. Use caution and common sense; don't ask a stranger in a sketchy area to do it.

We got a Lumix a few years ago when we were wrestling with the weight vs. picture quality issue. Decided to nix the Nikon DSLR or the phone. Love love the Lumix. (Still use a phone too). Yeah it was an expense, but such a better option for us than either phone or DSLR.
I wouldn't worry about thievery. Just be careful, as with everything else. Id worry about weight ;)

There's a trade-off between the bulkiness of a DSLR versus the quality of photos it takes, compared to the smart phone cameras with their greater convenience (convenient size on a foreign trip). Before the current development of smart phone cameras, the quality difference decided it; but now many can't really tell the difference between a DSLR photo and the other, unless they are blowing the photos up to poster size. In the last few years I've chosen the convenience of the phone camera over the weight and bulkiness of the DSLR. Besides, if you've got a DSLR around your neck, it labels you as a tourist, whereas if you have your phone camera in your pocket or purse, there are only nine other ways the locals can tell you're a tourist, instead of ten ways.

How about asking strangers to take your photo, does anyone do that or is everyone paranoid?

I travel all the time in Europe and people ask me even when I'm solo to take their photo all the time families, couples etc. It is kind of stupid struggling to take a selfie or a group photo selfie; strangers use to ask others before there were mobile devices.
I just went to see the Matterhorn in Switzerland and had someone take my picture. But I am from the big city I ain't scared losing material things and can pretty much size up people.

I think Paris is the only place you have to pay more attention in comparison to small town France if that is where you are going.

No one wants DSLRs -- they are not a thieving risk. Someone might grab an Iphone from your hands if you are not paying attention near a subway door or put the phone on a cafe table but no one is going to snatch a DSLR. Thieves want Iphones, money and credit cards which they can turn into 20k or so worth of purchases in an hour (this is organized theft by crime families, not just random misbehavior). There is no real market for big clunky cameras. I have been carrying big clunky cameras in Europe since 1960 and have never had a problem; this trip I actually left it at home and am using my Iphone and a small point and shoot. If you like the quality of your work with the DSLR bring it; what is the point of having it, if not to take pictures in a place like Paris?

I think exactly like Janet — thieves aren't interested in stealing DLSRs. The money/reward for them is in stealing iPhones.

what is the point of having it [i.e., DSLR], if not to take pictures in a place
like Paris?

Perfect rationale. I almost always take my DSLR with three or so lenses. And I do take pictures that I could no way take with a phone camera. Yes, phone quality has gotten better, but they still in no way compare with a good lens and a good photographer (c'mon, a tiny phone lens smaller than a contact lens can never capture things that a good 35mm lens can capture, regardless of the advance electronics behind that lens). But for snapshots and remembrances, a phone is fine. I leave in 3 days for a trip to Paris and Normandy. Because of a lot of other specialty equipment I have to carry along, I am sadly leaving my DSLR behind this trip. I will miss it very much, but fortunately I already have many good pictures—and the freedom of not wearing a camera bag will be nice.

When we went I brought both my iPhone and my smaller Canon camera that would fit inside my small purse. Used both for photos. I never felt uncomfortable asking people to take a photo of the two of us using the iPhone. Usually it was another tourist who asked me to take their photo as well. When we travel, photos and magnets are our souvenirs. So we booked two photo shoots while in Paris and I love the photos so much. The less expensive option was the one hour shoot with Localers Paris for the edited photos. Our photographer was named Olaf and he was great. Have a great time in Paris!

I have always brought a DSLR with extra lenses plus my kit lens that runs 18-140 is pretty good, but this trip I decided to travel lighter and I have a new Iphone that has good telephoto capabilities as well as a pretty fair lumix point and shoot with 140 lens capacity. I wear the phone and the point and shoot fits in pocket or purse if I carry a purse, which I often don't. I don't feel comfortable handing someone my Iphone either and wear it in a bandolier case, so it is attached to me at all times, but the point and shoot works for the occasional shot of the two of us. I have been handing cameras to strangers in international travel since 1960 and haven't had a problem yet; what re the odds you would choose a thief to take your picture?

The iphone picture quality is fine for my photo journal and posting to facebook for friends and family and for sending via signal. It has also has the lovely feature of air dropping the photos to my computer so I don't have to fiddle with transferring photos. I can then edit the photos. The quality might not be great for blowing up to 20 by 30 poster size but it is fine for what I am mostly using the photos for.

I travel with both my iphone and my standard-sized DSLR (and two or three lenses). I'm not sure if I'm in the majority, though. Just remember that the pictures you've already taken cannot be replaced so travel with multiple memory cards, leaving some at the hotel, uploading or copying to a computer daily.

Long story short, years ago (in the pre digital era) I traveled through Asia with a friend. I had my SLR. He had a little auto focus Canon. When I got my photos back I was delighted, they were great. So were his, especially his candids which are hard to get with a bigger camera. Since then I travel with the smallest quality camera I can find. The last few years that's been on my smartphone.

Along that line I took a photo class in high school (another later). I'll always remember what my teacher said, "Good photographs are 95 percent the eye of the photographer and five percent the quality of the camera." If you have a good eye for photos, your pictures will be great. If you don't, a DSLR won't make them great.

"Good photographs are 95 percent the eye of the photographer and five
percent the quality of the camera." If you have a good eye for photos,
your pictures will be great. If you don't, a DSLR won't make them
great.

Brad, true that! Although combining the two usually makes an even better photo. FWIW, I have two framed photos in my hone that were taken by an iPhone (many more taken with a better camera).

andy,

This discussion seems to come up on a fairly regular basis. I always pack along my venerable DSLR despite the weight and bulk, as it's the only thing that has the flexibility and speed to get the shots I want. While smartphone cameras have improved a lot over the past few years they do have definite limitations, mainly low light shots and subjects in motion.

My suggestion would be to pack a "proper" camera of some kind either a DSLR or P&S or whatever, and use the iPhone for backup or quick snapshots.

iPhone hands down, my camera wasted space in my luggage. a 4/3rds

I used to take my Canon full frame with a complement of lenses. I got tired of hauling around my 22 pound camera kit! However, since I was a full time professional photographer, I just can't give up having a nice camera when traveling. I did have a Panasonic Lumix LX7 that I took on business trips, but it just wasn't up to the task.

I did some research into mirrorless cameras and decided to buy a Fuji X-E3. I've taken it to Europe twice and my photos are as good if not better than what I got with my large Canon DSLR. I take a very small camera bag with two extra lenses. The Fuji is small and inconspicuous. People hardly notice it when I'm doing street photography. Everybody noticed the DSLR, especially when I had a big white lens attached.

On the past two trips to Europe, I've noticed very few people are shooting with DSLRs anymore. I do see some mirrorless Sony and Fuji cameras, but 95% of the tourists are just using their smartphones. The image quality from smartphones is really good and they are just so convenient!

I couldn't do it! Despite my previous post, I am now 10 minutes for leaving for France, and I just stuffed my DSLR and one all-around lens in my back pack. However, this time no other lenses, no tripod, filters or flash. I doubt I'll regret taking it.

Ditto what Pharmer Phil said:

I just stuffed my DSLR and one all-around lens in my back pack. However, this time no other lenses, no tripod, filters or flash.

Although, I have a miniature tripod that I add to my wheeled suitcase. One lens and camera body is not too heavy, IMO, and I will use my iPod or mini-ipod if I'm hiking uphill and want to reduce the rate. But one reason I travel is to play with my camera so it would defeat the purpose to leave it at home. And my DSLR takes wonderful pictures...when I don't interfere, LOL.

I bring my iPhone 8 and my compact Sony camera. Just keep an eye on both. Never felt uncomfortable

This does come up regularly.
Rick Steves is a great travel forum. It’s not a photographic forum, which abound ,fredmiranda.com just one of the long established ones.
My simple advice is take whatever camera you have now, be it DSLR, mirrorless.
If you have limited holiday time, it’s not good time spent learning a new camera. You will be just one of tens of million tourists, most parties having at least one camera. Do Swap the canon, Nikon,Sony etc self advertising neck strap, which identify you as carrying something valuable, in favour of a boring plain black one, leave similar branded bags at home.
If you don’t have a camera, then use you phone.
Ps leave the self stick at home.

Happy holidays

Like Andrew, I use a Panasonic Lumix ($169, 12 years old). We traveled through China for two weeks with a professional photographer who had about $12,000 of Nikon DSLR equipment that was still two years from hitting the market. He got curious about the little camera I carried in my shirt pocket, and asked for the details. When I showed him what it could do, he said, "J---s C.....t, nobody except a professional needs more camera than that!"

I have a Nikon Coolpix B500 camera. It has a 40x optical zoom. What I like most is that I can set it to Bluetooth a 2 megapixel image to my iPhone as I am taking pictures. That is a big advantage as I an immediately text or sent a picture from my iPhone that was taken by my camera. Also, I have a backup of all the pictures I have taken if my camera or iPhone gets lost. I can also download a high resolution of any picture on the camera to the iPhone. The camera uses AAA batteries so I don’t have to worry about recharging.

This is definitely a "to each his own" situation. I've traveled with most all combos of cameras...several that have already been mentioned and recommended in this thread. I recently found some of my very first digital pictures from the mid 90s taken in Europe that I just love..and enjoy looking at today. Next week I will be traveling with my Canon Mark iii...with my tried and true big boy glass lens. Yes it's heavy. Yes it's bulky. Yes I have several point & shoot cameras. Yes I have a new iPhone. Yes I am a recreational photographer. But part of my trip is enjoying the art of photography. To each his own.

I like the to each his own comment! We are typically those type of travelers but since never being to Paris and reading about all the thievery was getting kind of paranoid (and I’ve lived in Detroit so go figure). Will definitely bring our Olympus Stylus and most importantly enjoy all the views especially thru the viewfinder! We are also renting a home in Gordes for a week and hitting up the areas around there- really looking forward to all our adventures! Thanks everyone for all the tips!

The thievery is almost entirely pickpocketing that you dn't notice till you go for your wallet. There is very little snatch and grab and certainly not of cameras which as I noted earlier, no thief really wants. The one exception is expensive phones, but I have been riding the metro and about town now for a month with my very expensive Iphone (I use a bandolier case so it is always tethered to me) and virtually everyone on public transport is playing with their phones and I have yet to see anyone attempt a theft. (I did see someone try to grab a phone from a young woman as the guys exited the El in Chicago recently but they missed). Being careless with valuables might get them stolen, but I have never heard of anyone losing a camera while using it or while handing it to a stranger for a picture either. I have taken half a dozen pictures with stranger's Iphones this trip and had several taken for me, although I am happier to hand the point and shoot to a stranger than the Iphone.

I understand your nervousness of a new place -- I felt the same way going to Russia and found it totally unthreatening once there.

AMP,

I've walked all over cities in Europe with my large DSLR and no one has even looked twice at it. I normally carry it in the open, so that it's ready for spontaneous shots. However, I try not to tempt fate, so I never leave it sitting on the table of a sidewalk cafe, as that would be asking for trouble.

reading about all the thievery...

Where are you reading? I’m reminded of a quote from a famous American traveler, Mark Twain, who said: “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”

The internet distorts, especially the negative. Yes, there may be thievery in Paris, but it doesn’t lurk around every corner. You should take measures to protect your valuables, but you shouldn’t let fear dampen your experience.

My grandson just spent a year living in Paris. He rode the metro to school almost every day and he and his friends would hit the town on weekend nights. He had no problems. Of course, he was rarely amongst throngs of tourists at major sites.

Go to Paris. Have a wonderful time. Be prudent but not paranoid.

Definitely use your DSLR! You'll miss out on taking amazing photos if you leave it. Just always be cautious and look after your things all the time but don't forget to enjoy!

We bought a Panasonic Lumix point and shoot that was well rated for low lighting conditions, and used that along with our iPhones on our recent trips. It fit in my husband's pocket, and took terrific pictures in churches, museums, and at sunset. In addition, it was great for zooming in - most recently I got a great photo of the lunar eclipse this past winter.

It filled the two needs that our iPhone cameras couldn't (low lighting and super zoom)...and between the two choices, we have excellent photos to remember those trips!

Laurie