Tips to help ensure your camera / video camera are ready for an adventure

You’ve been planning a big overseas trip for months! You’re all set; you have your list of items to pack, passports are up to date, and all reservations are fixed and ready. What else do you possibly need in order to ensure a great vacation?

One of the fastest ways to meet with disappointment on any amazing vacation, if you’re a photography or video buff, is finding that your camera or camcorder no longer works! You’ve waited years to finally make your dream of visiting Machu Picchu come true, only to find that your camera or video camera battery just died, or the memory card filled up, and you haven’t downloaded any of the data on it yet so you cannot delete anything! 

What should you do? Prepare ahead of time so that you are not caught in this kind of a situation. A little preparation in advance can go a long way. Here are some tips:

* Buy and travel with at least one spare battery for your camera and/or camcorder. You do not need to buy the same brand of battery that comes with your camera, just make sure you buy the right size. Be sure to test it and charge it at home and try it in your device before you travel just to ensure that it works correctly.

* Charge all batteries at home before initially leaving for your trip.

* When going abroad, bring along a voltage converter; most of the world operates on 220 volts while most of North America and parts of Central America operate on 110 volts. Get a converter that comes with plug adapters so you do not have to buy them separately.

* Pack an inexpensive surge strip. This isn't so much for the surge protection, but more so that you have multiple outlets to charge multiple devices. If your hotel room overseas is small and only has one electrical outlet, you can use the voltage converter with your surge strip and voila - you have at least 4 or 5 free outlets so you can charge more devices at once. Note that you might need a 3 prong to 2 prong converter though as most voltage converters accept only 2 pin plugs, and most surge strips have 3 pin plugs.

* Buy a cigarette lighter adapter battery charger if any part of your journey will include riding in a private or semi-private vehicle (like a safari vehicle, tour van, or your own rental car). While voltages and plug outlets around the world differ, car cigarette lighters are universal. Multiple companies make such devices; be sure to get one that works with your camera and/or camcorder’s battery.

* Bring extra SIM cards / memory cards for your camera / camcorder. I recommend at least 16 - 32 GIG capacity. The greater the capacity, the more pictures and videos you can record without worrying about running out of memory when you’re in the middle of a place that has no shops nearby.

* Consider getting a waterproof case for your camera / camcorder. You never know when something will spill or leak and come into contact with your expensive equipment, or when you’ll get caught outdoors in an unexpected downpour. Case in point: I was once on a safari vehicle where someone’s water leaked on the floor - right where my camera was sitting in it’s non-waterproof case! Fortunately I saw the problem in time and saved my camera! However, I shudder to think what would have happened if I hadn't noticed in time. I now use a hard shell waterproof case for my camera. This waterproof case has helped during many rainy occasions and also once even doubled as a climbing implement when trying to struggle up the dangerously slippery slope of Wayna Picchu in Peru!

Following these steps of course does not completely guarantee that your equipment will work perfectly at a moment’s notice, but it sure does greatly increase the odds in your favor.