Do you lock up your camera gear?

[berrywise]

Our neighborhood isn't bad but it isn't great and I got to thinking that maybe I should have my gear locked up. My renters insurance covers the equipment but it would be a great hassle it was to be stolen.

I was thinking about picking up a gun safe or something like it to store my camera gear in my home. Maybe I'm paranoid. Anyone else lock up their equipment when it's not being used?

Also was thinking about getting a fireproof safe to store back-up DVD's in. Currently I bring them to work and leave them here but I'm not always all that quick about doing it. Are those little safe's you can get at the hardware store actually gonna hold up if the house burns down?

What a depressing topic...theft....fire....what if there is a tornado........

[Sebastian]

On the subject of DVDs, all a fireproof safe is going to do is bake them. Move them off-site for highest protection.

[Asylum Steve]

Anyone else lock up their equipment when it's not being used?...

The only photo gear I don't keep locked up are my two p&s digicams (one of which I always carry around with me), and of course my camera phone...

In my studio are two large locked black steel cabinets. One holds my camera gear and electronic flash monolights, the other my film negatives, film slides, digital and pc software archives on CD and DVD, and asssorted photo prints and valuable papers. In my yard is a locked steel shed with my studio and lighting gear.

As for "fireproof" safes, Seb may be right, but I still think they can be of value. Think of them more as fire delay safes than fireproof safes. While not perfect, they can often give you a window of time in a fire where the contents ar not damaged...

[adina]

Only when it's in the car!

On my list of things to do this year is to insure it. Our homeowners only covers up to a certain amount of camera equipment, and I am way over. And then find something to lock it up in. While the neighborhood we are in doens't concern me, a fire or tornado or other disaster kinda does.

[jorgemonkey]

I don't have room in my apartment to lock my stuff up, my home renters insurance will cover the stuff that gets stolen. If I tried to lock up my expensive stuff, it'd be hard to find a safe or case for my camera equipment & guitar stuff

When I'm the road with my camera gear, or somewhere with the car, my cameras & camera bag goes where I go. I can't exactly hide it in my car since I drive a Jeep Cherokee.