What’s the best mirrorless for travel? What about the must-have accessories like compact tripods?
One of the biggest parts of travel is taking photographs so your travel memories can last well beyond your trip. Photography is a big thing for me when I travel, I love sharing my images with all of you when I return, and while I’m away. My apartment is also covered in these memories I’ve captured and I love looking back at my old albums to remember all the great adventures I’ve had so far in my life.
However, I’m going to put this out there, I’m not a photographer by any means. I like taking photos but I shoot my photos on the auto/point-and-shoot setting on my camera. I don’t worry about apertures and all those fancy settings on cameras, or carry around a giant camera that requires me to check an extra bag on the plane when I travel. I’m not trying to be a photographer, I just like taking photos. So when I was looking for proper gear to travel with, it was important that it was easy to use, versatile, and didn’t take up too much room since I like to pack light.
I get questions all the time about what I use to take photos and here are some of the cameras and accessories I can’t leave my house without.
Photo Credit: Amateur Photographer
Best Mirrorless for Travel: Fuji xA2
My main camera and the best mirrorless for travel (in my opinion) is the Fuji xA2. When I was deciding on a new camera to buy I had a ton of recommendations but there was something about the way this compact mirrorless camera fits in my hand and gave me that feeling of shooting with film again with its retro look and feel. A few other draws of this camera for me was the screen that moved into selfie mode in case you were traveling solo, and it has WiFi compatibility which means that with just turning on the WiFi on my phone and using the Fuji app, I can easily transfer photos from my camera to my phone on-the-go without needing a computer.
My go-to accessories for this camera are extra batteries, because I’ve found myself on a few trips where I’m staying somewhere with limited power or outlets to charge them up and I never want to be caught with a dead battery!
Photo Credit: GoPro
Best Adventure Camera for Travel: GoPro
My GoPro is the other camera I usually travel with. I would never recommend a GoPro as a stand alone camera, but I think it compliments my other camera nicely and it’s great if you’re like me and like to be on the water or do active things while traveling and don’t always trust yourself with a fancy, non-waterproof camera in those situations. What I also love about GoPro’s is that they have a wide angle lens which basically means you can get a ton in a picture without having to be far away at all. This I find perfect when traveling solo. I’ll often use it on a selfie stick or set up a timer to take photos of myself if no one is around to do so for me. The selfie stick/tripod I have is great because it’s 2-in-1 and super compact. I also usually bring along my floaty stick for my GoPro if I’ll be traveling near water since the GoPro itself is waterproof but doesn’t float, and extra batteries because if you’ve used a GoPro you’d know these cameras run out of juice incredibly quick.
Best Amateur Camera for Travel: iPhone
Lastly, my go-to device for traveling is also my iPhone. Not only do I find iPhone’s great for traveling to keep in touch with people easily over WiFi with iMessage, but they also are great for taking photos, especially if you have one of the new generations of iPhones which take amazing photos without even needing a professional camera. I also love posting things on my Snapchat and Instagram stories in real-time and will use my iPhone to do so. Some people are happy with just their smartphone for travel, but I like to take some higher quality photos too so it’s nice to have the option of both!
What’s your favourite camera equipment for travel?
2 Comments
Jesse Hammond
October 16, 2018 at 10:38 pmThat’s a good list, so many blogs have a complicated list with every dongle and piece of equipment. Photography doesn’t need to be complicated especially if you’re travelling.
Mel Hattie
November 19, 2018 at 1:33 pmMy favourite is when you bring the GoPro because it means all your co-travellers also get awesome footage! 😜