What’s in My Camera Bag?
Travel Photography Gear
I’ve been working as a jaunt photographer& blogger for 10 -years, so I get a lot of questions about what kind of photography gear I use. Take a peek inside my camera container!
Now, when you’re reading this list, satisfy understand that I’m a cultivating professional freelance photographer. I own a great deal of gear. Much more than I firstly started with.
Most travelers don’t need backup cameras, drones, and multiple lenses.
If you’re simply interesting to a good portable camera for move, make sure to check out my ended usher to the best travel cameras for every budget.
I likewise share some photography gear recommendations for beginners at the end of this post, and you can check out my personal Amazon Shop to see all my photography& trip gear.
Keep in thought that I don’t compres perfectly everything on such lists in my camera bag all the time, instead I pack according to each trip and shooting scenario.
My Travel Photography Gear In 2021
Photography Gear I Pack With Me
Sony A7R III– Main Camera Body
I was a Canon fanboy for years and started my backpacking adventures back in 2010 with the Canon 7D. However, when Sony came out with their smaller( and superior) mirrorless A7 line, I originated the switch.
Since then I’ve been using Sony cameras& lenses for the past 6-years.
Sony’s camera& sensor engineering is often far ahead of challengers these days — in fact, even Nikon squanders Sony sensors in their cameras!
The Sony A7R III is built for high-end landscape photography with a massive 42.4 -megapixel full-frame sensor. This sensor is HUGE! But the camera body isn’t, which is pretty incredible.
Frankly, this is far too much camera for most travelers though.
If you are trying to save some coin, another enormous option is picking up a exploited Sony A7 III or Sony A6600. Both are amazing cameras for excursion photos.
Camera Lenses
My Travel Camera Lenses
Sony 16 -3 5mm F2. 8– Wide Angle Lens
The 16-35mm F2. 8 is the lens that’s on my camera 75% of the time. As a terrain photographer, I enjoy shooting wide to captivate as much of a big landscape as possible.
But you can also get decent biographies out of it zoomed in to 35 mm and stopped down to F2. 8. This lens working well for light and virtuoso photography too.
There is a less expensive version of this, the Sony 16 -3 5mm F4 which is another reasonable option too.
Sony 24 -7 0mm F2. 8– Medium Zoom Lens
Occasionally I need a little more reach. Or, I only have seat for one lens( like on bigger hiking trips ), and miss the best of both worlds.
The 24-70mm F2. 8 isn’t quite as wide, but often wide enough for most countrysides. With the lent ability to zoom in to small subjects far away, or to compress the background uttering elevations “look” bigger.
This is also my go-to portrait lens for taking photos of people!
Sony FE 100 -4 00 mm F4. 5-5. 6 GM– Telephoto Zoom
The 100 -4 00 mm F4. 5 is my wildlife photography lens, outdoor biographies, or to compress large-scale mountain ranges. I don’t use it that often, and don’t bring it along on every outing. If weight is an issue, it’s frequently the first to be left behind.
But if I have a particular shot in brain that requires a telephoto, I’ll bring it.
By adding a Sony 1.4 X teleconverter, I can increase the stray to 560 mm( which is nice for safari photography ).
Additional Photography Equipment
My Wildlife Photography Setup
Sony RX1 00 VII– Backup Camera
For a long time, I only traveled with one camera. But as I began coming hired for professional photography gigs, I “ve learned that” a backup camera was a wise investment.
The Sony RX1 00 is a tiny item& shoot pocket camera with professional aspects. It offers full manual govern, and the ability to shoot in RAW format.
I also use it for shooting time-lapses, vlogging, and for certain situations where I don’t just wanted to fetch my vast camera with me. Like sketchy parts of town, into saloons/ nightclubs, etc.
For most travelers, this would be a perfectly fine primary cros camera too! It’s super small-time, but super strong. It even has a 200 mm zoom for wildlife!
GoPro Hero 9– Action Camera
I’ve been using a GoPro since I started traveling ten years ago. I’ve owned nearly all the simulations! Currently, I cross with the GoPro Hero 9.
GoPro cameras are great at captivating hands-free action or “b-roll” and you can attach them to almost anything. Plus, they are waterproof and shockproof!
I use my GoPro for channel-surf, mountain biking, hiking, snowboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, cliff mounting, interior and exterior moving-vehicle footage, and more.
Just owning a GoPro is not enough to get great likeness and video. The spell of these cameras is in the multitude of accessories that are available for them!
Flying Above Tahiti with my Drone
DJI Mavic Air 2– Flying Drone
The perfect tool for capturing aerial photography and video, while cost much less than hiring a helicopter! Drones have really come a long way.
I couldn’t be happier with the DJI Mavic Air 2.
It flies super fast, is extremely reliable, and shoots high-quality RAW photos and 4K video. Not to mention it crimps up crazy small-scale!
The 360 -degree sensors cure stop you from running into things while flying, so you can concentrate on the shot. Active track and rational flight modes can do a lot of the work for you.
Top Online Photography Courses
Want to improve your photography? Fancy gear is nice, but learning from other photographers is a better investment.
Camera Bags For Travel Photography
Packing a Camera Backpack
Peak Design Travel Backpack– Camera Daypack
It made me a while to find a great camera backpack that I really loved, and I went through many different ones.
I eventually concluded a winner in the Peak Design Travel Backpack. It deems everything I are necessary to, sits comfortably on my back, and has the excellent amount of weatherproofing and gear protection.
You can fasten on a tripod, hiking spars, and other day-hiking gear. There’s a dedicated laptop pocket, apartment for a jacket and snacks, plus it opens from the back for easy access on the sand. It’s perfect to carry-on airliners or walk around a city with my photo gear.
Now, it’s not really set up for long-distance trekking or overnight camping though. For that, I use a different setup.
Peak Design Range Pouch– Camera Lens Bag
This is a special lens pouch, and the large size is big enough to keep a 100 -4 00 mm zoom lens safe& secure.
Or you can fit two smaller lenses in it( with a divider) or even a drone.
I use this specifically for long-distance trekking adventures, when I want to bring along an extra lens or my hum, but I too was also necessary carry a regular hiking backpack filled with food, draping, and tenting gear.
It’s too handy for safely compressing a camera lens in my case, if my camera pocket is going to be too heavy for some smaller aircraft flights( specific tropical islands !).
My Lightweight Camera Tripod
Packs Down Super Small!
Peak Design Travel Tripod– Lightweight Tripod
As a countryside photographer, a solid yet lightweight travel tripod is a key slouse of my photography equipment.
I use my Peak Design Travel Tripod( full discus here) to stabilize the camera in low-spirited light the status and with high f-stop locates( for maximum focus assortment ). It allows me to get shots I time can’t achieve hand-held.
Sunsets, sunrises, the northern lights, starring photography, and action blurred cascades are just some of the situations where having a tripod is important.
I too use it to film myself for vlogs, as well as to shoot travel selfies when I’m hiking on my own. There was still cheaper tripod options paper, which I share in my guidebook to the best travel tripods.
Favorite Camera Accessories
Adventure Travel Photography Extras
I love this thing so much! Basically, the Peak Design Capture Clip can be used to “clip” your camera onto your region, or on the shoulder straps of a knapsack, for easy access( and to keep your hands free ).
I use it invariably for daytime hikes, long-distance trekking, walking around municipals, and mostly, anywhere I know I’ll want quick access to my camera. While I still use a camera belt sometimes, this is the primary acces I carry my camera. You can even run with it!
It’s likewise a great photography gift idea, if you’re unsure what a photographer would want.
HINT: If you have a larger camera, the Peak Design Pro Pad obligates carrying it on your belt MUCH more comfortable.
When I’m not squandering my Peak Design camera clip mentioned above, I snarl on this Peak Design Leash Camera Strap and sling it around my shoulders it like you’d wear a rifle.
The Peak Design quick release system allows me to easily remove the strap if it’s getting in the way, or click it right back on. Adjusting the belt portion is also super fast. It’s moderately negligible and doesn’t take up much room in a camera luggage.
Rain& Snow Protection
Camera Rain& Snow Protection
So, if I’m carrying my camera on my knapsack fastens, what happens if it starts sprinkling? While my Sony A7R III has decent weather sealing, in bad weather I throw on my Peak Design Shell Rain Cover. This helps protect my camera from the elements, while also keeping it ready to access.
Now if the rain or snow is REALLY coming down, or I’m shooting near the ocean( like in Antarctica ), or maybe under a cascade, I likewise jam-pack a simple plastic rain sleeve like this.
External Microphones
For video, the internal microphones on cameras merely aren’t very good. In fact, they’re pretty terrible. Because audio is SO important for creating a good video, I jam-pack two different external microphones.
One is the Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun, which goes on the top of my camera. Great quality, and very small.
The other is the Tascam DR-TL Lavalier. This gone on my body, so I can get great audio even if the camera is far away, the area has a lot of resonates, or if it’s super windy out. You can than readily sync the audio to the video later while editing.
Conducted Video Light
This tiny but powerful Aputure ALM9 LED Light settings to the camera’s hot-shoe and allows me to shoot video at night. It makes up almost no space and is gonna be recharged via USB cable.
Camera Lens Filters
Lens filters help you achieve certain photography consequences that precisely aren’t possible with software yet. Think of them as sunglasses for your camera.
I carry a Hoya Fusion One Polarizing Filter to help reduce spotlight& thinkings on sea, glass( like through helicopter windows ), and to darken up the blues and vapours in a sky.
I likewise carry a Tiffen Variable ND Filter( neutral density) which strokes down the amount of light-colored going into the camera to different degrees, will vary depending on how much you invent it. Why? To originate special effects like flow blur in a cascade, even when it’s sunny outside.
Wireless Remote
One of my favorite parts of gear is the Sony Bluetooth Remote. This allows me to shoot photos or video remotely, when I’m away from my camera.
I used to own a wireless radio intervalometer remote, but newer Sony cameras have the time-lapse function built into their camera software( FINALLY !), so it is no longer needed.
However I continuing to be like to shoot photos of myself, or group photos, with the ability to auto-focus, and this Bluetooth remote does that perfectly without any special camera feelings!
Memory Cards
Because I shoot in RAW, with very large camera folders, I use very fast memory posters. I own a mixture of Sony High-Performance 64 GB and SanDisk Extreme Pro 64 GB class 10 cards which predict/ write at around 300 mb/ s.
Spare Artillery
There is nothing worse than running out of battery power during an epic photography minute! That’s why I always carry spare artilleries for my cameras.
I own 4 batteries for my Sony A7R III, 2 artilleries for my Sony RX1 00, 3 artilleries for my hum, and 3 artilleries for my GoPro.
Some of My Hard Drives …
Portable Hard Drives
I travel with an Apple Macbook Air 13 ” with a 2TB SDD, which is usually plenty of chamber for the images& video I shoot on any passed trip.
To back that up, I too compress a super small 2TB Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD. Once I get back “home”, I move everything over to a larger desktop RAID system.
Cold Weather Protection
I bought a cold-weather jacket for my camera a while back, for a few winter projects I works on. Like camping on a frozen pond in Manitoba, and snowmobiling through the Russian wilderness.
It stops your camera, batteries, lens, and your hands nice and toasty while shooting outdoors in below-zero temperatures. It’s a bit of a specialty product, and merely offsets it into my pouch when I know I’ll be shooting in very extreme weather conditions.
Clear Accessory Pouches
I own a few Think Tank Camera Accessory Pouches to keep all my cables, battery chargers, and GoPro Accessories organized. The clear features letting me to quickly figure out what’s inside.
Camera Maintenance Stuff
Camera Cleaning& Maintenance
Microfiber Lens Cloths
There’s nothing worse than a foggy or smudged camera lens! I pack no less than 3 of these K& F Concept Microfiber Lens Cloths on every trip. Two going to be home my camera suitcase, one goes in my pocket for easy access.
I always be brought to an end losing them very, it is therefore never hurts to have more than you need laying around.
Air Blower
The problem with varying your lenses on mirrorless cameras is that the mirror is exposed to the elements, and they’re a magnet for dust. Dust on your sensor needles you with “dust spots” on your photos( or worse, video ).
A few quick volleys of breath with this Camera Air Blower on your sensor can help clear that dust away.
Sticky Sensor Stick
When the air blower doesn’t work, and the junk on my sensor is too stubborn to blow away, I break out the big guns, my Eyelead Sensor Stick. It’s kind of like a gummy bear upon a poke that attracts the dust away.
Budget-Friendly Camera Kit Examples
Yes, I own a good deal of camera gear now. But that wasn’t always the case.
When I firstly started traveling, all I worked was a Canon 7D, a wide angle zoom lens, a tripod, and a GoPro.
If you are still new to travel and adventure photography, don’t get discouraged by this beings roll of gear-porn that I’ve amassed over the years!
I do this professionally, so I can afford to go a little crazy.
For those of you traveling on a tighter fund, I’ve put together my standard “starter travel photography kits” below — which won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
The Minimalist Backpacker Kit
Sony RX1 00 VII– Compact Point& ShootJoby Gorillapod 3K– Compact Tripod
Travel Photography Enthusiast Kit
Sony A6600– Compact MirrorlessSony 18 -1 35 mm F3. 5-5. 6– Travel Zoom LensMeFoto Backpacker S– Travel TripodPeak Design Everyday Sling– Mirrorless Camera Bag
Improving Your Travel Photography
Ok! That was a big post. But people preserved requesting about my paraphernalium, so there you go.
However please remember that gear isn’t everything.
The best road to improve your travel photography is to practice as much as possible and learn brand-new skills.
Even after ten years doing this, I’m still learning new techniques to get better.
Joining some online photography years can really help you improve your images, as well as learn about the business side of photography.
Finally, check out my top travel photography gratuities for amateurs too!
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READ MORE TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS
I hope you enjoyed my circulate photography paraphernalium guide! Hopefully you noticed it useful. Now are a few more wanderlust-inducing essays that I recommend you read next 😛 TAGEND
How To Choose The Best Travel CameraMy Ultimate Travel Gear Guide10 Awesome Online Photography CoursesHow To Become A Freelance PhotographerCamera Backpack Reviews: For Hiking& Travel
Have any questions about my circulate photography paraphernalium? What do you pack in your camera pouch? Drop me a word in the comments below!
This is a post from The Expert Vagabond adventure blog.
Read more: expertvagabond.com
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