A Travel Photographer’s Gear Guide
WHAT’S IN OUR BAG?
When we started out in photography and videography we found it helpful to look at other photographers’ equipment lists to find out what was out there, what they thought was best for them, and what could work best for us.
We also frequently get asked questions about what cameras and lenses we use so we thought we’d make our own list for when anyone asks.
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So this is our equipment list of what's in our camera bag! From our camera bodies and lenses to our handy accessories which makes life so much easier and gives us more versatility when shooting.
This article is proudly sponsored by MPB, our go-to website for buying and selling used photo and video kit. See below for more details on why we use MPB and the benefits.
BODIES
Canon EOS R5
Our newest addition to our equipment family. I brought this camera mainly because of the video capabilities and the face recognition. The advanced autofocus technology on this camera is insane! The way it can recognize and track subjects with the eye detection mode is incredible and perfect for shooting wildlife.
With the built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth feature, I can stay connected and send images to my other devices on location which is super handy.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
This is a great, hardy camera that has an advanced weather sealing design and is a good all-rounder for photo and video. The weather sealing is great for shooting in bad weather or next to waterfalls.
LENSES
Canon 50mm lens
Our nifty fifty! We brought this prime lens mainly for portrait shots and food/product photography and it’s become one of our essentials. It’s got the lowest aperture out of all of our lenses and it’s one of the cheapest lenses you can buy. It also weighs less than a deck of cards so perfect for travelling.
Canon 16-35mm lens
This lens is our newest addition to the family. It’s my favourite lens ever, it’s got such a low aperture yet you’re able to have such a variety to get close at 35mm and be wide at 16mm. It’s the most important lens we have. The build quality is incredible, and the glass is super sharp.
Sigma 100-400mm lens
We brought this lens for the compression aspect, which helps dramatically for landscape shots. There’ll always be that occasions in landscape or animal photography where you need to get that little bit closer to getting the shot! We had this situation when we were in Canada and we saw a bear but we just couldn’t get close enough! So that’s why we brought this one.
Canon 24-105mm lens
This is the perfect all-around lens for when we first got our Canon 5D II. It’s a standard zoom lens, easy to use and is dust and moisture-resistant which has definitely come in handy.
EXTRAS
Canon Mount Adapter EF-R
We brought this adapter because I already had the EF mount range of canon lenses but they didn’t all fit onto the Canon EOS R5. Having the adapter gives me more variety when it comes to using different lenses with our Canon bodies.
DJI Air 2s drone
After recently losing our drone off the back of a boat (don’t ask) we’ve recently replaced it and got a new one.
Drones are one of those tools as a content creator you didn’t know how much you needed until you had it. It allows you to see things from such a different angle. From a video point of view, it helps to give perspective to your work, allowing the viewer to see the bigger picture.
We have the DJI Air 2s and the reason we went for this drone was that for size, weight and usability I couldn’t find anything else that came close. We purchase the smart controller for ease. With our previous drone, you had to make sure your phone was charged enough to use as a controller and that limits you.
Go Pro Hero 7
We brought this for water activities like canoeing and underwater shooting as Betty loves scuba diving and snorkelling. It’s also great for videoing when in more intimate areas like restaurants, especially with its video stabilisation feature. It’s mind-blowing what high-quality content you can create with such a small device!
BAGS
Lowe Pro Tactical 4 bag
I’d been using a Brevite weekend bag but it just wasn’t big enough, so I upgraded to this bag. It has a moulded top and armoured section and protective padding all around the bag, and it has a weatherproof cover. I think it’s really important to invest in a good bag for protection and it fits all my gear perfectly.
National Geographic Mediterranean camera backpack M
We use this bag when we’re going out and only using one body and a couple of lenses. It also has a laptop compartment and can easily be transformed into a regular everyday bag so it’s a handy one when away for the weekend.
ACCESSORIES
DJI RSC 2 Pro Gimbal
Buying a gimbal was a game-changer for us with videography and I love how small and compact this one is. It can fold down to the size of an A5 piece of paper and only weighs 1.2kg which is handy when carrying around a lot of equipment. This gimbal supports both of our Canon bodies and with its Titan Stabilisation Algorithm it captures unbelievable smooth footage.
I used to have the Zhiyun Weebill Lab gimbal but I found the weight capability was low and it took a long time to assemble. Now with our new gimbal, I have more versatility when it comes to which body and lens I want to use.
PolarPro Peter Mckinnon ND Filter Edition 2
I got these filters because they improve the quality of your videos and eliminates any chance of cross-polarization.
Peak Designs camera strap
I wanted a Slide Camera Strap so I could remove the straps from the camera quickly when I need to attach it to the gimbal or tripod. With the Anchor Link connection, it’s super quick and easy to disconnect and connect again.
Peak Designs capture camera clip
This Capture is a secure and convenient way of using multiple cameras on the go. Having an extra camera accessible on the strap of my bag is handy when shooting wildlife, in a situation where you might need to change cameras quickly. The Capture clips to the bag and the camera is locked to it securely until you need it.
Go Pro housing
We brought this SHOOT waterproof dome for our Go Pro to capture half and half images over and underwater, bringing more variety to our underwater shots.
Neewer 50-in-1 Action Camera Accessory Kit
This accessory kit is for our Go Pro 7 but is compatible with most Go Pros. This kit instantly ups your Go Pro game and includes a car suction cup mount so you can record from the car and a head strap and chest mount so you can record hands-free. All these accessories give you more versatility when filming.
Lacie Rugged hard drive 1TB
Being rain, drop and crush resistant, this hard drive is reliable and perfect for travelling.
King of Flash memory card case
This tough case holds all of our memory cards and is waterproof and shockproof.
WHERE WE BUY OUR GEAR
MPB
We purchase our gear from MPB. We always sell our gear online and then we buy our new (to us) second-hand gear after. So we put the money we make from our old gear towards the new, along with money we’ve made through our photography and using the gear! It’s the beautiful photography cycle of life!
Here are the links to MPB - UK link & USA link
Why do we use MPB?
Every piece of kit comes with a six-month warranty
You can trade up by selling your current kit to buy the next-level kit you want
Selling kit is easy. Get your quote, pack up the kit, and get paid
A little about MPB
MPB is committed to making kit more accessible and affordable and helping visualize a more sustainable future
They are the largest online platform for used photography and videography kit
They reticulate over 300,00 items of used kit every year
MPB can help people #changegear meaning their art can benefit from the change
Please let us know if you have any questions about our equipment or any suggestions you have for us!
