Camera or no camera?

When I travel to Europe I bring my camera and one lens, the 18-55mm. I found I wasn't using the longer lens often enough to be worth the weight. It has its own cross-body shoulder strap, as does my phone and my purse. Yes, I look like a tourist, but everything is where I can see it (and the phone fits in a front pants pocket). I'm not leaving for Rome until early October, so I'd love to hear what you decide.

Take the camera. The biggest advantage for me is being able to compose - and zoom - using the viewfinder. You may not need the long lens at all.

I didn't encounter any security threats during two weeks in Rome last Fall - just take the usual precautions.

You spent good money on a professional hi-end camera and lenses. Yes of course you should take your camera and lenses. Just don't let your guard down and don't let it get stolen or left behind when you sit on a bench. And pay attention to whether photography is allowed in museums. I am not hard core about photography. I try to pay attention goo to the scenery around me and not take too many pictures... I have the miniature cameras on my Samsung phone, or a cannon A 710 point and shoot camera with some manual controls, that I got as a gift from my mom in 2006 - it still physically works, although pictures are grainy in low light, and after a few picture the screen keeps I suppose wrongly) showing that the battery is low.

Marty, MarkCW, MikeL -- thanks for that feedback!

I've often appreciated having my longer zoom in locations where there's a lot of wildlife to try and shoot. I know that won't be my primary focus in most of our Italy destinations, though we do plan to visit the Garfagnana and Maremma regions. I was thinking it could be handy to get details of external building features and such. (Glancing at some of my photos from Bali in 2019, it looks like I brought the long lens and my 60mm macro, which worked fine enough for scenic shots... I can't remember if that was intentional or if I meant to grab the 18-55 while packing, LOL!)

I don't tend to take many photos in museums anyway, but thank you for the reminder about museum security. I'll definitely bring my camera. I'll decide in the morning if I'm tossing in the long lens too.

I was thinking it could be handy to get details of external building features and such.

If you are into isolating architectural detail - whether outside or within churches - as well as detail on statuary, then the long lens could be of use.

I am in the camp who has left the DLSR camera at home and will upgrade my phone for a better camera. I haven't regretted it. I still take my waterproof point & shoot camera if we are doing water activities.

For me it is primarily about not wanting the bulk of carrying it around.

Yes, there are issues with theft and pickpockets in the major cities, but if you are mindful about your bag, such as not using a backpack in crowded areas and not leaving your bag hanging on the back of a chair, you will be fine.

My husband and I visited Scotland last year. He admitted that most of the good photos came from my little IPhone. If your purpose is to take photos by all means bring your gear. If your purpose is to live in the moment that travel provides then use your phone.

I always take my venerable dSLR along with two lenses and sometimes a compact tripod, depending on the trip. I've found that I use the 10-22 wide angle and 24-105 lenses about 99% of the time, but I have used a 70-300 zoom at times. I only use a camera bag during transport. When out touring during the day, the camera is carried with the strap and one lens is in a pocket in my vest, along with a spare battery, lens cleaners and other accessories. I never leave the camera unsecured on a restaurant table or whatever, and so far I've had no problems with this approach. I can secure the strap to the table with a carabiner if necessary. When walking on sidewalks, I try to always keep it on the "inside" shoulder.

I always take a backup P&S camera along with my iPhone. I've taken some good pictures with the phone but it doesn't give the same degree of control as the dSLR and I'm frequently frustrated trying to get the shots i want. I normally keep the phone in a secure inside pocket and prefer not to have it exposed to view any more than absolutely necessary, and this is the main reason - https://www.cnn.com/videos/tech/2024/06/15/mobile-phone-theft-on-the-rise.cnn .

I know this is too late for the original poster but several years ago I bought a black rapid crossbody strap for mine. Game changer. Makes it so much easier to carry.

For my next trip, I’m seriously considering taking it and just using it in the morning or evening maybe for shots and then leaving it in the safe the rest of the time and using my phone. The last two times I’ve just taken the phone and that’s been fine and I know I’m not going to carry that camera every day. I love the photos, but I just don’t want to deal with it every day

A related question. We use Shutterfly to put together photo books when we return home. When I use my Google Pixel 8a, the photos are good, but on every page, I get the little "!" in the corner telling me that they photo might not be high enough resolution. Anyone know what causes that? It was never an issue with my Canon.

Carol, Ken, Linda, Mariam - thank you for the replies! I ended bringing camera and the 18-55mm lens but not the long one. So far so good.

Due to choosing a hotel that was closer to the train station rather than the main sights (due to how few days we are in our first three locations), taking the camera for only part of the day has not been an option - I have had it on me all day both days. It has felt a little onerous today, since the sights we visited were crowded and less interesting for me photographically speaking. But I have appreciated the better zoom than my phone’s.

I also have been reminded that unless I am in a destination where I can really slow down, it can be harder for me to get in a good “photo mindset” to take truly interesting shots. Ah well! So far I think it was the right choice to take it.

Carol, May have to check out the rapid crossbody strap you mention. I prefer to carry my camera across my body rather than hanging off my neck, but it can be a hassle to get it into shooting position and then back again.

Apainter.

I think the strap would work well for you then because it’s long enough that you can quickly pull it up and use it. It’s one of the reasons I really like it. The straps for most of them are too short so you have to move it back over your body and it’s easier to hide it to be honest. It sits about my waist and I can easily stick it under a jacket where it’s where it’s not just screaming fancy camera

I’ve been using the same one probably for 10 years and it’s held up incredibly well. They have fancy newer ones, but I can’t justify considering great shape mine is in

Black Rapid is awesome. I have the left-handed women's sport strap. I took off the optional "stabilizing strap" and I don't miss it.

I love my phone camera, but I still want a dedicated camera when I travel. Admittedly, I am very visual, and so the camera (and/or a sketchbook) is integral to how I understand the world.

Cross my fingers, I have never had any issues with bag snatchers.

Each piece of gear, your phone or your camera or whatever, has a shooting envelope -- a limit to how it can handle challenging situations such as movement, low light, distance, or harsh environments. One usually has to balance the limitations of the shooting envelope against the weight, hassle and obtrusiveness of carrying extra gear.

Before a trip I take stock of what I like to photograph and what I might expect to see or do. I try to get a rough idea of how much I can handle with a baseline of gear (like the phone) and what things might be outside the envelope. Then, I decide whether it's worth the effort to expand my shooting envelope. What I eventually choose to carry really depends on the location and my photographic interests.

For a Rome-Florence-Venice trip, something that can shoot wide angle with low light capability will be your friend, and I am thinking that your iPhone 11 should be able to handle that pretty well. I know that my iPhone 11 Pro had remarkably good low light capability when I took it to Egypt in 2020. I would test it before your trip to make sure. If capturing architectural details is your thing, though, you are probably going to want something with more reach.

On the other hand .... I was just looking at some of my Venice pictures and realized that I shot at longer focal lengths than I recalled. The main Venice photos are here: https://mariematthews.smugmug.com/Venice . If you click on the "I" icon on single images, you will be able to see exactly what equipment and focal lengths I used. (Sorry, I just realized that I never uploaded any photos from Florence, Rome and Tuscany.)

I like to consider which is my goal for the trip: the process or the output.

Process: will I have sufficient time to focus on photography as a hobby or will the pace be so fast I can only manage quick compositions? If I have time to really enjoy the process, I love using my camera and learning about what can make a better shot. But if it's go-go-go, and I leave it on one setting so I don't miss a shot, maybe the phone is a better bet. There is also the portability/safety/usefulness factor - will I put it out of sight more often than I have it out and ready?

Then there's Output: what will I do with the photographs? I have a series of photos I have had printed in large format (16x20) and display in my home. This size cannot be printed from any phone I have ever owned, but the resolution of the photos from the good camera is astounding. If I'll travel to a place where I think I might catch a photo worth printing, I consider the dedicated camera.

Granted, my camera is a lightweight micro4/3. At half the weight of a DSLR and tiny lenses, I usually justify bringing the camera. I consider my phone a "2nd lens" and use it for candids, snapshots, and basic social media shots. But when I travel carryon only, the extra 1 - 1.5 lbs. can be an issue.

Last two trips, I chose to only use my iPhone. I miss the quality of the camera pictures. But I don’t miss the weight.