Last year, I've finally sorted out my chaos of more or less useful gadgets and my camera equipment in general. Only one bigger camera I wanted to keep in order to be able to travel with hand luggage as much as possible. I do endless research and read countless test reports before I make a new purchase - especially with cameras. After a lot of testing and trial and error, I can now tell you what my absolute favourites are when it comes to camera equipment while traveling - and all the stuff you don't need.
The main one: Canon EOS6D
I spent a lot of time deciding whether I should really spend so much money for a good camera or if the old Canon 700D still does the job after all. As soon as I was holding the Canon EOS 6D* in my hands, those doubts had vanished. Those who once owned a full format camera definitely do not want to go back to the crop sensor. Moreover, the integrated Wi-Fi transports the desired pictures to your phone much faster than my Wifi-SD card did. Despite its size, the Canon is my every trip's companion.
However, the next camera will still be a mirrorless system camera, which actually has no disadvantages to SLR cameras. They are much smaller and lighter and therefore especially practical when traveling. The Sony Alpha 7ii* is on top of my wishlist.
Lenses
My all time favorite is the 50mm prime lense 1:1,4 For taking pictures of landscapes, I also use the zoom lense 24-105mm* . These two cover the most important situations and are still really cheap for their quality.
Travel tripod: Manfrotto Befree
Manfrotto tripods are usually my first choice when traveling. I was able to test the new Befree Advanced tripod and was thrilled. It is super light and compact and you can set it up in a few seconds. Even for my relatively heavy camera it does a good job as it is absolutely stable. Depending on how you prefer it, you can adjust the legs with either a lever or a wheel.
GoPro Hero7
The GoPro HERO7* has to come with me, for everything that the SLR camera can't handle. It takes over in situations that have to do with speed, water and other things where you should better leave your SLR at home.
Drones
A few years ago, they were high end products, by now drones are for the masses and open up completely new possibilities for travel photography. The DJI Phantom 4 Advanced* is working for us for years and hasn't failed to impress.
Analog cameras
I have to admit, that my analog Canon is not necessarily part of my basic travel equipment, but sometimes it can be really useful. Not only does it make you completely independent from power outlets, batteries and other external circumstances - it also saves you the need for an external hard drive and later sorting out the pictures. However, you won't get very far on a day trip with 36 pictures and it's not the cheapest way to capture your experiences. Apart from that, analog cameras are a good way to learn how to take pictures properly: auto mode is not an option here!
Memory cards
At least one memory stick has to join me on a trip. I own two 64 GB SD cards*, which are in any case sufficient for several days of photography and filming. But especially if you photograph everything in raw format, you have to empty them. I save the pictures, that I want to use for Instagram and Co. directly on my mobile phone and edit them there without saving them on my laptop. But I have gotten into the habit of making backups, because at some point something goes wrong and all your pictures are gone. I don't like to rely on cloud services, but store everything externally.
Remote App
Whether for a selfie, when 10 seconds of self-timer just isn't enough, or simply for convenience, a remote control to the camera is incredibly practical. There are some apps that work as a remote control (for example the DSLR Remote Control), so you don't even have to carry around more stuff. Just connect to the camera via Bluetooth and you're ready to go!
Thoughts on camera equipment while traveling
With this camera equipment you can easily capture almost every moment of your journey. Of course there are countless extras, filters and other things. But I usually travel with hand luggage only and I am not a photographer. I don't really enjoy taking pictures for hours, constantly changing lenses in between. I just want to capture moments on my journey in the best possible way. If you need more tips, how to take the perfect picture read my article about it.
Note: This article contains affiliate links that are marked with an *. If you use the link to buy a product or book an accommodation or a flight, I will receive a small commission. There are no additional costs for you, but you support my blog. I only recommend products that I use myself and that I like. As an Amazon partner I earn a bit on qualified purchases. Thanks for your support.
This article was published in cooperation with Manfrotto.
