Camera Gear: What We Take With Us On Our Trips
I love seeing what types of gear my favorite photographers carry around with them. Everyone's needs and styles vary, so it's great to see what equipment they choose to get the job done. What about us? What equipment do we travel with?
For us, we try to keep our kit minimal so that it's light and easy to travel or hike with. But before we lay out all our stuff, how do we get our gear from point a to point b? Everything we take on our trips fits neatly into the Peak Design 20L Backpack. I've had a lot of camera bags, but this is finally the one. I love this bag so much. It's well designed and functional. Everything fits safely into the backpack with room to spare. It also fits under an airplane seat. It's perfect. I used to have a Peak Messenger bag, but I find that the weight on just one shoulder gets tiresome after a while. So what's in the bag? Keep reading.
Our Gear
All this gear, except the 3-Legged Thing, fits in my Peak bag with room to spare.
1. 3-Legged Thing Tripod
This is my favorite tripod. It's made by 3-Legged Thing. It's carbon fiber, so it's light and strong. It's my main tripod. It's pretty small, but unfortunately, it's still too big to fit in the Peak bag. Because of that I only use it at home or on road trips where space isn't an issue. If we're flying somewhere, I use my other tripod, #12.
2. Peak Design Camera Strap
I'm obsessed with Peak Design. Everything they make is so well thought out and constructed. Their straps are no exception. It quickly adjusts so you can access your camera easily. It also connects to the camera via their quick release tabs so that you can take the strap off without getting all tangled up.
3. Sigma 50mm 1.4 HSM DG
This is the lens that's most often on my camera. I love how a 50mm lens looks and how it frames subjects. Even when I use a zoom, somehow the lens usually ends up zoomed-into 50mm. Sigma has updated this lens with their "Art" series. I'm sure it's even better, but I have a hard time believing it.
4. Nikon 18-35mm 3.5-4.5 ED
I use this lens for landscapes or whenever I want a broader view in the frame. It's a good budget option too. It's sharp and doesn't cost too much. A win-win.
5. Cleaning Kit
Because you need to keep your gear dust free.
6. Remote Trigger
A lot of our shots involve Charise and me in the same frame. To do that we compose the shot on the tripod and then trigger the shutter wirelessly with this remote. Most cameras today, including mine, have app support so you can trigger your camera with your phone. I don't want to drop my phone down a mountain though. So instead of using an app, I use this remote. If I drop it and it breaks, I'm only out 30 bucks.
7. Nikon D750
This is the body we've been using for the last couple of years. The D750 is an excellent camera for the money. It's full-frame and weather sealed, so it keeps out most of the rain and dirt. I like Nikon a lot, but I have been looking at Sony pretty hard. We'll see what happens in the future, but we're using Nikon for now.
8. Extra Battery and Charger
You can never have enough batteries.
9. Anker Power Brick
We use our phones to capture quick shots and videos for Instagram. The Anker Power Brick keeps our phones charged. It also serves as a wall plug to charge everything back up at night in the hotel room.
10. GoPro Hero 6
I used a GoPro Session on our Mexico trip. The picture quality wasn't bad, but I'm looking forward to seeing what this newer GoPro Hero 6 will do. We're going whitewater rafting and hiking in Ecuador next month. Small action cams like the GoPro are perfect for trips like that.
GoPro footage
11. GoPro Tripod
There is no shortage of GoPro accessories available. I didn't want to go overboard with it, so I just ordered this small tripod. It folds up into a small handle for when I'm swimming, and it also extends to give you more reach. I really haven't used it much yet, but the build quality seems like it will hold up well.
12. Travel Tripod
A tripod is essential for the types of photos we want on our trips. Small tripods though are usually horrible. They're so light that they provide minimal support for your camera. The MeFOTO Air is a good in-between. It's a tiny tripod. I barely even notice it in the bag, which is great. It's also robust for its size, which is even better. This is the best travel tripod I've come across.
I have a lot of confidence in this little tripod.
Conclusion
Gear is a very personal thing. Everyone has certain brands and lenses that they love and gravitate towards. This is just what we're using right now to create the content you see. Are you a photographer? What's your favorite piece of gear? Answer below in the comments.