030 - Choosing the Right Camera for Travel
Travelling with a camera can be a simultaneously rewarding and frustrating experience. You can get incredible images of the places you go, but you need to continually be thinking about what you will do with your gear. That is if you choose to bring a large camera with you, you could bring your smartphone, but then you are sacrificing the ability to get some photos. It’s all a big game of, what do you want to shoot while you are travelling? And how do you want to produce those images?
Today, we are going to go over my top tips for what to look for in a camera to take travelling. I will make some assumptions here on this episode.
Firstly, you care a great deal about image quality and are willing to carry a little extra weight to get the best images possible.
Secondly, you understand the type of travel photos you want to take.
Thirdly, You are looking for something beyond a smartphone. Smartphones are fantastic cameras that can go everywhere with you. So you will likely have one with you during your trip anyway. But every flagship smartphone will come in essentially the same package with the same base features and similar quality sensors. This episode is about looking specifically for a camera to travel with, not just using your smartphone.
There are many reasons to travel with a camera versus a smartphone and vice versa. We covered all of that in the last episode, number 29. So if you are debating if you should bring your camera or if your smartphone is good enough, check it out here.
Generally speaking, the best travel camera is the one you have with you, it’s going to allow you to keep moving throughout a day and balance its size and weight with high-end image quality. But what precisely should you be looking for in a travel camera?
Size & Weight
Travel cameras should be the right size for you to be able to travel easily with. Don’t go looking at things like the Canon 1DX Mark III (which is a beast of a camera) or anything like that for your travel camera. Think smaller and lighter. Today, the best travel cameras will be a mirrorless camera. They tend to be a bit lighter and smaller than their DSLR equivalents. You don’t want your travel camera to be a burden, or else you will end up leaving it in the hotel room more days than not. So look for something that offers excellent image quality combined with a small size.
Image Quality
Megapixels aren’t the only thing that matters when it comes to image quality. A full-frame camera with a 20mp sensor will produce better quality images than a smartphone with a 40mp sensor. So don’t just look at the megapixels and assume that means high-quality photos. You want to look at sample images from the camera to help determine image quality. Look for things like smudginess in the lines on images, issues with noise, and detail resolution.
Manual Settings
Ensure you get a camera that allows you to shoot in manual modes. This is how you can get the best image quality all the time. There aren’t many cameras left on the market that don’t give you full control over your camera. Just make sure you aren’t purchasing one of these. To go along with this. Make sure it is easy to change settings on the fly. I know on some Canon Rebels you had to dig through menu after menu to change certain basic functions (like your ISO). Sure, you could shoot in manual, but you weren’t going to be able to change a setting very quickly, meaning the usefulness of manual was somewhat diluted. Make sure you can access your basics of exposure and camera settings (shutter speed, aperture, ISO, and autofocus modes.)
Ability to Shoot RAW
This is a MUST. Do not buy a camera that doesn’t let you shoot in RAW. RAW is the only way to ensure the most latitude in editing capabilities and the ability to bring out the most in an image. Even smartphones can shoot in RAW today. Don’t accept anything less.
Lens Options
Part of the reason for bringing along a bigger camera is the ability to adapt to any situation. So don’t just stick to one wide-angle lens. Make sure you have a variety of different options depending on the situation you are going into.
What options you have for lenses will depend on the manufacturer you choose to go with. So before settling on one brand, make sure they have lenses that will suit your needs as a photographer and your budget.
Weatherproofing
Most DSLR and mirrorless cameras will have some weather sealing on them. But to what degree are these cameras sealed? I know past iterations of Sony cameras didn’t have the best weather sealing, but they have improved drastically over the last few years. Canon has legendary weather sealing in their flagship models. I have zero issues using my Canon in any condition. But not all cameras are made equal. So ensure to check out how weatherproof the camera you are looking at is. This will partially depend on how you plan on using your camera. Are you a fair-weather photographer, or do you like trouncing around in the rain? This will be an essential distinction for the type of camera you should be looking at.
Flashiness
Travellers are often the targets of scammers and thieves. So think carefully about how that fancy camera is going to look wherever you are taking it. Will you look like a foreigner with a lot of money? This could put you at a higher risk of theft or pickpocketing. The way a camera looks, or the brand name it flashes, can say a lot or a little while you are out.
Cost
This is a highly personal one but set a budget that you can afford for your gear and stick to it. There are cameras in every price range with fantastic capabilities. When pricing out a camera, don’t forget to include things like extra batteries, memory cards, and lenses. These can all add up very quickly.
If you aren’t working professionally while travelling, do you need to drop $5,000 on a camera body? Or will the $1,500 camera suit you just fine? And you can book some fantastic extra excursions, better accommodations or extend your trip with the extra money.
So, those are the 8 things I would look for in a camera to take travelling. Now, there are a ton of cameras out there that fall into these categories in all price ranges. So, with so many options to choose from, which one should you get? This is highly subjective and will partially depend on what you are already using and what you are familiar with.
What cameras should you be looking at for travel photography?
High-End and Expensive
These are the best of the best for travel cameras. Professionals flok to these cameras for their capabilities and quality. But, they are expensive.
Sony A7R IV
Key Features
61MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
567-Point Phase-Detection AF System
UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
A high-resolution monster that offers fantastic stills and video capabilities. This camera can capture pretty much anything anyone would need to and is in the bastion of those looking for the highest image quality, autofocus capabilities, and resolution. Built for professionals.
Canon R5
Key Features
45MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
DIGIC X Image Processor
8K30 Raw and 4K120 10-Bit Internal Video
Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
Canon’s first fully professional mirrorless camera. It just hit store shelves and the reviews on the image quality, autofocus and video quality have been superb so far. This is Canon’s mirrorless version of the venerable 5D series. A professional quality stills and video workhorse.
Panasonic Lumix S1R
Key Features
47.3MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
6K24p Video, 4:2:2 10-Bit DCI 4K/UHD 4K
V-Log, Dual Native ISO, HFR with Sound
5.76m-Dot 0.78x-Magnification OLED LVF
Panasonic’s entry into the full frame mirrorless market lives up to the company’s video-centric history. The impressive video features of this camera are suitable for most videographer’s needs. But this camera is suitable for any multimedia application.
Great Quality and Great Price
This is the category where I find most high-end hobbyists and budding professionals end up. The cameras here offer amazing image quality at a great price. They aren’t quite as fully featured as those from the high-end catagory but they are more than enough for most people.
Sony A7III
Key Features
24MP Full-Frame Exmor R BSI CMOS Sensor
BIONZ X Image Processor & Front-End LSI
693-Point Hybrid AF System
UHD 4K30p Video with HLG & S-Log3 Gammas
A well-rounded, lightweight camera in a cheap package. Produces amazing quality stills and video, portable, and doesn’t look super flashy. And won’t break the bank at $2,500 cdn.
Canon R6
Key Features
20MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
DIGIC X Image Processor
4K60p and FHD 120p 10-Bit Internal Video
Sensor-Shift 5-Axis Image Stabilization
The little brother to the R5, the R6 is no slouch on its own. The R6 offers the same sensor and processor combo as Canon’s flagship DSLR (the 1Dx Mark III). The reviews for this camera have been stunning so far. Slightly pricer than the Sony though, coming in at just north of $3,000 cdn.
Fujifilm X-T4
Key Features
26.1MP APS-C X-Trans BSI CMOS 4 Sensor
X-Processor 4 Image Processor
5-Axis In-Body Image Stabilization
DCI/UHD 4K at 60 fps, Full HD at 240 fps
These cameras are amazingly light and have some of the best ergonomics on the market. They bring back a dial-focused vision of changing settings and make for a joyful experience when shooting. And this one will only set you back about $2,100.
Good Quality & Fantastic Price
These are the cheapest of the mirrorless cameras on this list. They offer a fantastic range of features, great image quality and should be perfect for most people interested in producing higher-end travel snapshots.
Canon EOS RP
Key Features
26.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
DIGIC 8 Image Processor
UHD 4K and Full HD 1080 Video
2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
This is one of the smallest and lightest full-frame cameras in the world. And it costs under $1,200 cdn. The image quality is fantastic but you are sacrificing some autofocus capabilities and video capabilities. Still, if you are looking to use Canon’s spectacular glass and shooting high action isn’t a focus the RP can be a fantastic, cheap choice.
Sony A6400
Key Features
24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS Sensor
BIONZ X Image Processor
Real-Time Eye AF & Real-Time Tracking
XGA Tru-Finder 2.36m-Dot OLED EVF
These tiny cameras function on an APS-C sized sensor that gives fantastic image quality in a tight package. My biggest complaint with this camera is the way you change settings. It is very cumbersome when compared with more expensive options. But for the price and the quality you get, it’s an inconvenience most people can get over. Comes in at about $1,300 cdn.
Panasonic Lumix GH5
Key Features
20.3MP Digital Live MOS Sensor
Venus Engine Image Processor
4K Video with No Crop
Internal 4:2:2 10-Bit 4K Video at 24/30p
This cameras is based on the micro-four thirds sensor format so it is a great option for travelling. These little cameras are for those more interested in video than stills. They produce good results from stills, but are amazing video cameras, with full 4k recording capabilities. A little more expensive than others on this list, but worth the price for the movie capabilities in the small package. Just south of $2,000 cdn.