Hey guys! It’s summer time and everyone is out on trips and of course documenting it with loads of photos. Be it for the socials or for personal reminiscing later on in life, capturing the memory at is best requires the right gear. Here is my list of travel gear and my pros and cons for each based on first hand experience.
Sony Alpha 7iii with FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens
I’ve had this camera for about 3 years now. The lens that comes with the body (28-70mm) is really good for travel photos.
Pro: It’s full-frame so you get the most of your lens. It has Auto mode for those quick snaps to capture the moment, and has manual mode to get more specific shots like the night sky or sports photos. The lens zooms in enough for close up like dining photos or outfits, and zooms out enough to show the scenery. Therefore, an easier transition from point-and-shoot, and it could be the only lens you’ll need for a long time.
Con: It’s quite pricey and is a little bulky, but if compared to other full-frame DSLRs it’s great. But if you’re used to point and shoots, it’s a significant change (I still carry my point and shoot for shorter trips). The more you learn about your camera and the more you explore your shooting style and become picky with things, you’ll start to look for some options that this lens can’t give you like manual focus and even wider angle photos.
This is my trusty point-and-shoot, for those quick moments, and it’s so portable you can bring it with you everyday for the unexpected moments.
Pro: Flip screen! I use this to vlog too, so the flip screen is really helpful. Like I said, it could be in your purse all day everyday and you wouldn’t even feel it.
Con: It doesn’t have a mic slot, so if you’re using it to vlog in public areas, you’ll hear a lot of background noise. The Mark III has the slot but I don’t wanna upgrade just yet.
I’ve had when it was released and I’ve never upgraded since. Sure, the new ones have better features but does the job for me, so I stick with it.
Pro: It’s small, it’s so portable. I was used to flying my dad’s DJI Phantom so having this one is so much better. I have a sturdy travel bag for it too so I just stuff it in my carry-on or my backpack and I’m ready to go. The adjustable aperture also lets you change the brightness on your screen while filming/shooting, which is a great help when you get more glare than expected, especially at the beach midday. It automatically flies back to origin when it loses controller contact and when the battery gets really low. My fave feature, the flight modes. You can set out routes and instructions on your phone and it auto-pilots after it’s set.
Con: So far, my battery only gets me about 20-22 minutes of flying. The screen shows me 24 but I need time to bring it back, so just about 20 minutes of actual filming. So I always need to carry an extra battery so I use one to “scope the area” and test out the flight modes, and then another one to actually shoot.
Manfrotto Compact Advanced Smart 65″ Tripod
This is very useful especially if you travel solo or with a group and you want to have everyone in the photo all the time.
Pro: Sturdy enough to carry a heavy and bulky DSLR camera.
Con: Quite heavy. It’s okay if you’re on a road trip or just taking it out for quick photos in the neighborhood. But I took it hiking and if you’re carrying it most of the day on your back, the lighter options just seem worth the extra bucks.
Platinum Street Tech Pro Medium Backpack
I’ve had multiple camera bags before but this is the one that lasted and I don’t plan on changing it soon.
Pro: It’s just the right size to hold my gear – the DSLR, the extra lens, the drone and controller, and the tripod, plus extra space for an extra shirt, some snacks, and a water bottle! And the inside is customizable with Velcro dividers so you can arrange your stuff the way you want it.
Con: The straps could feel rough, especially when you’re wearing a tank top and got sunburn on your shoulder. But I think that’s a me problem, not the backpack’s. Lol.
I can’t stress this enough, this is the best storage investment I made so far. It’s pricey but I’m telling you it’s worth it.
Pro: It’s SSD, it can take a lot more beating than to a hard drive. I’ve lost 4 years’ worth of travel photos coz of a broken hard drive. Also it is, as I call it, Angel-proof – shock-proof, vibration-proof, water and dust-resistant. You can bring it hiking with you and it’ll be fine. Fast file transfer too! You won’t go back to hard drives when you get used to how fast this thing is. And it comes with a USB-C cable with a USB adaptor so it’s compatible with your laptop, MacBook, even iPad! I LOVE THIS PRODUCT. By now, you can tell. Lol.
Con: I can’t think of anything except it’s pricey. But maybe if you get during Amazon Prime Day, you’d get a good deal!
Amazon Prime Day is July 12 and 13 this year, so make sure you get your cart ready for checkout by then!
Happy shooting/filming!
