Have you ever lost or had a piece of your photography gear stolen?

Well I'm near certain I've just experienced my first. We went to a New Year's party of course last week, that included valet parking. I brought my D90 with me, lucky for me I kept my camera bag home with my other lenses and camera. However I did have my SB-800 flash in the back seat of the car. I took it off before we went inside, as I didn't want to carry it around with me. So it was just me, my D90 camera and wife. 4 hours later valet was closed and everyone's keys were at the front desk. We go out to the car, and it wasn't even locked! At that point it didn't register with me to check for my flash that had been sitting in the back seat.

The following day, however I did check. And it wasn't there. I contacted the valet company and they said they weren't responsible for lost or stolen items. I explained the valet clerk didn't even lock my car up, and of course they said I was mistaken, that they always lock cars up. Hmmm I know for fact the car wasn't locked because the wife got into the car before I could dig the keys out of my coat pocket!

So that's my story. I've officially have had my first piece of equipment stolen. How about you, have you had anything lost or stolen before?

Jacob1977 wrote: Well I'm near certain I've just experienced my first. We went to a New Year's party of course last week, that included valet parking. I brought my D90 with me, lucky for me I kept my camera bag home with my other lenses and camera. However I did have my SB-800 flash in the back seat of the car. I took it off before we went inside, as I didn't want to carry it around with me. So it was just me, my D90 camera and wife. 4 hours later valet was closed and everyone's keys were at the front desk. We go out to the car, and it wasn't even locked! At that point it didn't register with me to check for my flash that had been sitting in the back seat.

The following day, however I did check. And it wasn't there. I contacted the valet company and they said they weren't responsible for lost or stolen items. I explained the valet clerk didn't even lock my car up, and of course they said I was mistaken, that they always lock cars up. Hmmm I know for fact the car wasn't locked because the wife got into the car before I could dig the keys out of my coat pocket!

So that's my story. I've officially have had my first piece of equipment stolen. How about you, have you had anything lost or stolen before?

I'm sorry about that... It's a strange feeling to have something stolen isnt it? I can relate.

I know many bring their cameras everywhere they go and keep equipment in their cars quite a bit so they dont miss that spontaneous perfect shot, but i'm just way too nervous to do that. I may own some cheap, old, beat up equipment, but i dont want to take the chance... plus, i dont want my windows to get based in. I've seen it happen to often.

Sorry about your luck Jacob. I hope it wasnt too expensive.

Karl Wertanen wrote:

Jacob1977 wrote: Well I'm near certain I've just experienced my first. We went to a New Year's party of course last week, that included valet parking. I brought my D90 with me, lucky for me I kept my camera bag home with my other lenses and camera. However I did have my SB-800 flash in the back seat of the car. I took it off before we went inside, as I didn't want to carry it around with me. So it was just me, my D90 camera and wife. 4 hours later valet was closed and everyone's keys were at the front desk. We go out to the car, and it wasn't even locked! At that point it didn't register with me to check for my flash that had been sitting in the back seat.

The following day, however I did check. And it wasn't there. I contacted the valet company and they said they weren't responsible for lost or stolen items. I explained the valet clerk didn't even lock my car up, and of course they said I was mistaken, that they always lock cars up. Hmmm I know for fact the car wasn't locked because the wife got into the car before I could dig the keys out of my coat pocket!

So that's my story. I've officially have had my first piece of equipment stolen. How about you, have you had anything lost or stolen before?

I'm sorry about that... It's a strange feeling to have something stolen isnt it? I can relate.

I know many bring their cameras everywhere they go and keep equipment in their cars quite a bit so they dont miss that spontaneous perfect shot, but i'm just way too nervous to do that. I may own some cheap, old, beat up equipment, but i dont want to take the chance... plus, i dont want my windows to get based in. I've seen it happen to often.

Sorry about your luck Jacob. I hope it wasnt too expensive.

I've had my car broken into, but they stole weird stuff, burned cds? I don't know. It's a horrible feeling though.

Do yourself a favor, and just buy a new flash as soon as possible. Once you do that, you get over losing it, and having to spend money on a new one, it's just a way to get over it faster. Upgrade this time and go sb-900

That sucks! I agree with the previous statements about just getting a new one. As for me, anytime I leave the car regardless of who parks it, I lock my gear in the trunk. Preferably before any valet can see what I'm doing.

The only thing I lost was a memory card last year, but then it showed up behind my desk 3 weeks later.

Nothing recently, but that does bother me and I'm sorry to hear about your loss. Good time as suggested to treat yourself to a new flash!

The same kinda story hapened to me. I went to a 49ers game and brought my camera when I got to the gate thay told me I had to check my camera bag becouse it wasent see thru, so i took my camera a tellephoto lense and was forced to leav the rest. After the game I picked up my bag and checked to make sure nothing was missing and sure enogh my sb600 flash was gone. When I told the maneger he simply told me that was not thear problem. I made such a sceen security had to escort me out, made no difrence tho still didnt get my flash back

Many years ago (1980) my apartment was burglarized. They took almost all of my photo gear (2 cameras, about 8 lenses, several flashes including a Honeywell Strobonar 880 ,they left the 510 battery pack to it though, 2 slide projectors & numerous other items like filters & whatnot....Long story short, I didn't have the correct insurance coverage & only got $500 out of a 2-3 thousand dollar loss...Learned my lesson about insuring my gear...What hurt just as much was them taking an extensive coin collection & my wife's jewelry as well

Screamin Scott wrote: Many years ago (1980) my apartment was burglarized. They took almost all of my photo gear (2 cameras, about 8 lenses, several flashes including a Honeywell Strobonar 880 ,they left the 510 battery pack to it though, 2 slide projectors & numerous other items like filters & whatnot....Long story short, I didn't have the correct insurance coverage & only got $500 out of a 2-3 thousand dollar loss...Learned my lesson about insuring my gear...What hurt just as much was them taking an extensive coin collection & my wife's jewelry as well

how do you insure it now? home owners insurance?

A rider on a few my most important items on my Homeowners policy.If you want to insure lots of high dollar items, you will need a Commercial policy as most standard Homeowners polices would consider the gear as professional & would refuse to insure it under a Homeowners policy.

Sorry to hear this! Good luck in replacing it.

I once left a point and shoot camera on my bumper and drove off. This was nearly 10 years ago, it was a cheap point and shoot camera, lucky for me it was nothing expensive!

Cjarvis wrote: The same kinda story hapened to me. I went to a 49ers game and brought my camera when I got to the gate thay told me I had to check my camera bag becouse it wasent see thru, so i took my camera a tellephoto lense and was forced to leav the rest. After the game I picked up my bag and checked to make sure nothing was missing and sure enogh my sb600 flash was gone. When I told the maneger he simply told me that was not thear problem. I made such a sceen security had to escort me out, made no difrence tho still didnt get my flash back

I seriously would have called the cops in this case.

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

Cjarvis wrote: The same kinda story hapened to me. I went to a 49ers game and brought my camera when I got to the gate thay told me I had to check my camera bag becouse it wasent see thru, so i took my camera a tellephoto lense and was forced to leav the rest. After the game I picked up my bag and checked to make sure nothing was missing and sure enogh my sb600 flash was gone. When I told the maneger he simply told me that was not thear problem. I made such a sceen security had to escort me out, made no difrence tho still didnt get my flash back

I seriously would have called the cops in this case.

The cops are who escorted me out. The world can be unfair some times, you just gota roll with it.

Cjarvis wrote:

Stealthy Ninja wrote:

Cjarvis wrote: The same kinda story hapened to me. I went to a 49ers game and brought my camera when I got to the gate thay told me I had to check my camera bag becouse it wasent see thru, so i took my camera a tellephoto lense and was forced to leav the rest. After the game I picked up my bag and checked to make sure nothing was missing and sure enogh my sb600 flash was gone. When I told the maneger he simply told me that was not thear problem. I made such a sceen security had to escort me out, made no difrence tho still didnt get my flash back

I seriously would have called the cops in this case.

The cops are who escorted me out. The world can be unfair some times, you just gota roll with it.

Agreed, sometimes you have to bite the bullet.

Many moons ago when I was the proud owner of a Yashica 230 AF I was burgalled, they trashed the house, took the telly and sterio and left the camera, fussy burgalers, I also went to do a wedding in July last year, and the reception told me not to leave anything in the car, on asking why they said the last photographer had put all his gear back in the boot during the reception meal, and on returning his car had been ransacked, they reckon the thieves had been watching the car park and saw him put his gear back in the car, therefore knew which car to hit. I carry a holdall its on wheels and doesnt look like a camera bag, this always comes into the venue and I always ask for a room to lock it in whilst I am working.

I'm a lucky. I never had anything stolen. I keep my stuff near me. If I am in a public place and I need to use the bathroom, either I take it with me, have my husband watch it or put it back in the car. Even if I take the camera bag off and I am photographing something, when someone is walking by I watch out of the corner of my eye.