Travel Blogger Photography Gear: What’s in My Camera Bag
As a travel blogger, I often get asked about my photography gear. The more comfortable I get with photography, the more I realize that taking beautiful photos is a combination of having the right gear and understanding how to use it. Here’s a complete list of what’s in my camera bag, aka ALL of my travel blogger photography gear!
If you’re also looking for a camera bag, you can check out my roundup of the most stylish options!
Note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will receive a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Camera
The first and most important piece of travel blogger photography gear – my camera. I’ve been shooting with the Nikon D5600 for nearly a year and am really happy with the quality of my photos. I choose to shoot with Nikon because my dad loves photography and has been a lifelong Nikon shooter. This means that we can share accessories and also camera tips and tricks when we go out to take photos together.
The Nikon D5600 is a cropped sensor DSLR camera, which means it’s more affordable than a “full frame” DSLR that would be used by many professionals. But it is still a big step up from an entry level camera.
The pros of a cropped sensor camera are that they deliver great quality at a lower price point and are generally smaller and more lightweight than a full frame camera. A full frame camera is bigger and more expensive but, yes, it will generally deliver even higher quality photos. However, the reality is that a cropped sensor DSLR is all you need to take great photos for your Instagram and blog. Especially if you are just starting out and don’t want to drop $2000 on a camera.
At some point, I do plan to upgrade to a full frame camera. That’s because there are certain lenses I really want but that won’t work for my cropped sensor camera. I have my eye on the Nikon D750 as my next purchase for my arsenal of travel blogger photography gear. But for now, I’m extremely happy with my camera.
Lenses
Even more important than my camera are my lenses, which really help me get the desired effects with my photos. I shoot with three lenses depending on the outcome I want:
The Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED zoom lens is my most versatile lens. It’s larger and a bit heavier than my other lenses, but lets me take close ups as well as fairly wide angle shots.
This photo above was taken with my Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED zoom lens.
For tighter framed shots with a very crisp sharp subject a blurry “bokeh” background, I use the Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens. This is a “prime lens” and does not zoom.
The photo above was taken with my Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G Lens – notice the blurred backdrop and how crisp I look in the foreground.
For extreme wide angle shots, I use the Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens. This lens is great for shooting in NYC because the photographer can be close to the subject and still get a ton in the frame – perfect for shooting in small spaces and on busy streets. However, it can cause some odd distortion from certain angles so it’s not an ideal choice if you only want to buy one lens.
The photo above was taken with my Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR Lens, which allowed me to get the entire display of lights in the shot.
Keep in mind that a Nikon cropped sensor camera has a “crop factor” of 1.5. This means that, for example, my lens labeled “35mm” actually functions as a 50mm lens (so, you multiply 35mm by the crop factor 1.5), and my lens labeled 10-20mm actually functions as a 15-30mm lens. A full frame camera doesn’t have a crop factor, so a lens for a full frame camera labeled “35mm” will actually function as a 35mm lens. It confused me at first, but now I’m used to it.
Tripod
The MeFoto Backpacker tripod is the best tripod I’ve used to date. It’s lightweight and folds up small enough to fit in a carryon suitcase. I always recommend buying a ballhead tripod because it gives you more control over your camera angles.
This tripod is MUCH sturdier than cheaper tripods I have tried before. Ask me sometime about the time I broke a $10 tripod in a windstorm in the California desert by accidentally slamming in a car door. I was without a tripod for the rest of the trip and was traveling solo. Oops.
Go Pro Hero + Dome
I use a Go Pro Hero 5, but the latest model is the Go Pro Hero 7. This little action camera is what I use to take underwater photos.
The Polar Pro FiftyFifty Dome attaches to my GoPro and is what I use to take half underwater/half overwater shots like this:
Drone
I’m still getting comfortable flying my drone, but so far the DJI Mavic Air has been easy to use for a newbie and takes some epic shots! I got the DJI Mavic Air in white because the salesperson told me it would stay a bit cooler than flying the black one which attracts more heat.
“I recommend investing in the “fly more” bundle which comes with two extra batteries. The DJI Mavic Air is rated for up to 21 minutes of air time, but realistically you will only get about 18 minutes before you need to land. If you have two extra batteries, this gives you almost an hour of flight time before you have to pack it in for the day!
Instant Camera
Sometimes a girl just wants to take a retro instant photo! The Fuijfilm Instax Mini is fun to use as both a camera and a prop for Instagram photos. I have it in white. Don’t forget to buy film!
External Hard Drives
I cannot stress this enough – you NEED to back up your work. You should also keep a backup of your backup to be safe. Your kit of travel blogger photography gear is not complete without two hard drives. It’s completely possible to drop your external hard drive and lose everything. Even if you have the best travel photography gear in town, it doesn’t matter if you lose all of your photos.
I like and use this WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive.
Memory Cards
If you’re traveling, bring a 128 GB SD card so you have plenty of space for your photos. Especially if you shoot in RAW like I do, rather than Jpeg. RAW files are much larger than Jpeg files.
I also always carry micro SD cards for my GoPro and Drone! A micro SD card is, literally, tiny and comes with an adaptor so you can easily transfer the photos onto your computer and external hard drives. Hard DRIVES plural because I really want you guys to start making a backup of your backup.
I hope this roundup of my travel blogger photography gear was helpful! I’d love to hear what’s in YOUR camera bag and if you think I’m missing anything!
xx
Vicki
