Gear for Travel Blogging | Cameras, accessories and bags
Having an eye and the patience for photography is one challenge but lugging around camera gear can be far worse.
I knew I would never bring my camera with me if it was too heavy and I wanted to blend in, especially when doing street photography. So the decisions for my camera gear were all made with the purpose of making my travel easier and more enjoyable.
Disclosure: I’m a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which means I earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites at no extra cost to you. I only link to products & services I personally use or trust and the commission helps me continue to give you travel guides like this one.
My Favourite Travel Camera Gear
Fujifilm XT-2 Camera Body
My main camera body is the FujiFilm XT-2 I also have the FujiFilm XT-1 in case I ever need a backup body. The FujiFilm brand fell into my lap when I went to a friend for help in choosing a camera. He suggested it because as a mirrorless camera it's a lot smaller than traditional DSLRs without compromising the quality. This was exactly what I wanted for travel. I knew if I had a big camera it would just sit in the hotel.
The body of this camera has old school dials for ISO and shutter-speed, making it really easy to switch between settings. Also, because the camera is weather resistant, with weather resistant lenses you can easily shoot in the rain. Mine even withstood the splashing from the Songkran water fights in Thailand.
My Favourite Lenses For The FujiFilm Mirrorless Cameras
I love the FujiFilm prime lenses and shoot 80% of the time with the 23mm f/2 R WR. To round out my set I have the XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR for wide angles, 35mm f/1.4 XF R which produces a beautiful bokeh and the XF 55-200mm F3.5-4.8 R zoom lens. The zoom lens is great for wildlife but unfortunately it’s my only lens that is not weather resistant.
My Favourite Camera Backpack
The Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L was my first backpack, so while I can't compare it to many others, I am in love and highly recommend it. Not only is the design stylish and slim (I get so many compliments), the material is water resistant too. I spent the entire day shooting in the rain on the Faroe Islands and all my gear remained dry. It fits everything in the above image with a bit of space for things like a light jacket and water bottle.
The best thing about this bag are the swivel straps, this allows me to easily bring everything around the front of my body and access my gear without fuss.
The only con, is if you have long hair it can get caught when you swivel the strap. I recently chopped off my hair so problem solved ;)
Essential Camera Accessories
If you’re looking to take your photography up a notch and do things like long exposure or low light/nighttime photography you’re going to need to invest in things like a tripod and neutral density filters.
I use the Tiffen neutral density filter and carry step-up rings so that my filter can fit on all my lenses. I’ve got the Cameron tripod, which is specifically made for Henry’s camera store in Canada and a bunch of extra batteries, cleaning supplies and SD cards.
My Street Photography Gear
If I'm out for a day in the city or doing street photography I trim down my gear substantially. I shoot predominantly with my 23mm and may bring a 16mm if I think I'll need to go wider.
I keep a spare battery and brush on hand to wipe away dust on my lens. I forgo the backpack for the cross-body Ona bag. Again, a weather resistant and stylish option. Gotta look good while you shoot, am I right?!
