A question that pops up a lot is: “What camera should I get?? What do you use?!”
The problem with that question is, what I use and what I like to use, may not be suitable for you. Some people want something cheap and small, while someone else may want to create quality images, so price and weight is not a factor. If you are on the market for a new camera for your travel needs, here are my suggestions:
Best bang for your buck
This is my personal favorite! The DJI Osmo Pocket shoots 4K video, takes photos, and has a built in gimbal so videos are stabilized and smooth. This is great for shooting cinematic footage without lugging around heavy gear. It’s so tiny and light that it can literally fit in your pocket!
Retail: $249.99
For the adrenaline junkie
If you’ll be surfing, skiing, skydiving, etc, then it’s a no brainer. You should get the GoPro HERO7 Black. It’s small, compact, and you don’t have to worry about it breaking when it gets wet because it’s waterproof! It shoots video, photos and time lapses.
Retail: $399.00
Affordable all-in-one
Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II is a point and shoot camera, which makes it easy for anyone to use. What I love most is the flip up screen, which makes it great for selfies and vlogging. I personally have the Canon G7 X
, which is the older model and it’s my favorite camera to use while traveling because it’s so light and easy to use. The only con I have to say about this camera is the battery life which can be easily solved by bringing an extra battery
.
Retail: $649.00
For the budding photographer
If you’re not looking to be a professional photographer but still want DSLR quality photos but at half the size, I suggest getting a mirrorless camera. A great option if you’re just starting out with photography is the Sony Alpha a6000
. It’s about the size of a point and shoot camera, has an automatic option, but also manual settings if you want to get more advanced. It can be overwhelming to decide which lens to get if you are just getting started but this bundle with 16-50mm and 55-210mm zoom lenses is a good start if you want to be versatile. If you don’t want two lenses, this bundle with just the 16-50mm lens
would be a good for general photos. If you want to focus on portraits or food photos, the 50mm F1.8
would be a better option.
Retail: $498.00 – $798.00
Go big or go home
For professional quality photos and videos, the Sony a7R II is a hugely popular choice for 4k video. A lot of travel videos you see on Youtube are shot with this camera. It’s mirrorless, which makes it a lot lighter than the clunkier DSLRs, and is the perfect choice for traveling. If you are willing to spend more money for even better quality, the newer version just released: Sony a7R III
Retail: $1,798.00 – $2998.00
Must have for cinematic videos
If your focus is on video, a gimbal is a must for smooth videos! You won’t even need the fancy expensive cameras to make your videos look good. Using a Zhiyun Crane V2 ($399.00) with your point-and-shoot or phone will give your travel videos a smooth cinematic feel to it. It can be used with a mirrorless camera! If you only want to film with your phone, there is a cheaper option: Zhiyun Smooth 4
($119.00)
Retail: $199.00 – $399.00
Must have for selfies and self portraits
If you’ll be taking a lot of selfies or vlogging, I highly suggest getting the JOBY GorillaPod. It’s a flexible tripod, so you can wrap its legs around anything you can find, set your camera on self-timer, and voila! Who needs friends to take pictures of you when you have this thing?
Retail: $47.95
If you don’t want to be limited to low angles or finding somewhere to mount the GorillaPod, consider the TYCKA Rangers 56” Compact Travel Tripod. Its maximum height is 56 inches, can be folded down to 14 inches, and only weighs 2.89 pounds, which means it can easily fit into your backpack or carry-on bag.
Retail: $62.99
If you only need a tripod for your phone, GoPro, or small camera, consider this Selfie Stick Tripod. It’s both a selfie stick and a tripod! It comes with a bluetooth remote that is compatible with most phones. It extends up to 51 inches and folds down into a small, compact size — perfect if you’re a light traveler!
Retail: $23.99
Must have for clear audio
If you will be vlogging out in the busy streets or in a crowded restaurant, your voice may get drowned out by the background noises around you. The Purple Panda Lavalier Lapel Microphone is a small, inexpensive mic that you can clip to your shirt to capture clear audio for your videos. This kit comes with different adapters so the mic can be used with DSLRs, GoPros, or your phone (both iPhones and Androids).
Retail: $39.99
There you have it! It can be a headache trying to figure out which camera to get because there’s so many options, so I hope this post helped you figure out which camera and accessories are right for you.
Happy travels!
-Diana
@dianajlee
