Our Travel Photography Kit

In this guide we’ll break down every piece of camera kit we use while travelling. We’re not compulsive buyers and we don’t make decisions without pouring over hours of research and product reviews before making a decision. If you’re looking at getting into travel photography and want our advice on the best travel cameras and lenses then keep reading.

We’re long term travelers so size and weight was one of key factors for us when making our decision, but who wants to be lugging huge lumps of camera kit around on holiday, right?!

Our Main Camera Body – Sony A7RII

Our main camera is the Sony A7RII. This palm-sized powerhouse produces incredible images and we couldn’t be happier with our decision. The camera packs a huge 42.4-megapixel full-frame sensor into a small and compact body, weighing only 640 grams!

The camera body is small but it delivers professional grade images, and the large sensor and 42.4 megapixels make it perfect for producing print-quality photographs. The video capabilities of this camera are also top-notch and will suit the needs of most travelers. You can shoot 4K internally, and slow-motion video by reducing the resolution to 1080p and shooting at 60 or 100 frames per second.

Our Secondary Camera – Sony A6000

We also pack a Sony A6000, and if you’re on a budget or starting out in photography then this is the camera we would recommend.

We started off using this camera before eventually upgrading our kit, however we do still use this as a backup camera. The camera packs a 24.0 MP high-resolution sensor into a very small and compact camera body, weighing just 344 grams.

The cropped-sensor is smaller than that on the Sony A7RII but this camera still has many of the same features. There is also a great range of lenses available and you’ll find these a lot smaller, lighter and cheaper than full-frame lenses.

We use this camera a lot for time-lapses and to make up the focal length range of our main camera body.

Our Pocket Travel Camera – Sony RX100 IV

We also pack a Sony RX100 IV which we use in places where our bigger cameras aren’t convenient, say if we are in a small market or on a night our somewhere, and don’t want to carry a bag. So if you’re looking for a great little camera that you can slip inside you’re pocket or handbag then this is a great choice!

The camera packs in a 20.0 MP 1″ sensor, feature a solid standard zoom and captures very sharp, detailed images. Where it really shines though is the ability to capture fast moving subjects with a max shutter speed of 1/32000 sec, it also has a built in ND filter making it great for shooting in bright light.

The camera can also record in 4K, and can record in super slow-motion at 960 fps, not bad for a little pocket camera!

Our Drones – Mavic Pro & Mavic 2 Pro

We started off with the Mavic Pro drone which is an excellent piece of kit, however we have recently upgraded to the newer Mavic 2 Pro.

While we have kept the Mavic Pro as a backup drone, we know predominantly use the Mavic 2 Pro and couldn’t be happier with the results. It’s a huge upgrade on the older Mavic Pro and features a Hasselblad camera with a 1″ sensor and has a greatly increased dynamic range. It also features an improved obstacle avoidance system making it safer and easier to fly, and has increased range and better battery life.

Camera Lenses

Sony G Master 16-35 F2.8

We recently purchased this lens and couldn’t be happier with the results as we shoot a lot of landscapes and this is a perfect focal length for us.

The lens captures superb detailed images even in low-light and sharpness is exceptional across the full focal range, and in the corners. The 16mm end is perfect for shooting landscapes and getting everything in the frame, and the zoom makes it great for street photography and portraits. The F2.8 aperture also means you’ll be able to get that nice bokeh when shooting close to a subject. The only downside to this lens is the price, it is expensive! If you’re looking for a decent prime lens and a cheaper alternative then we can recommend the Sony 28mm F2.0.

Sony 28mm F2.0

We used this lens around 70% of the time before purchasing the 16-35 G Master. The 28mm is a great focal length for travel photography and being a prime lens the size and weight are kept to a minimum. This lens is useful for street photography, landscapes and we even used it for some portraits as the fast F2.0 aperture creates a nice smooth bokeh.

We do still use this lens alot, especially when we want to keep the size and weight of the camera down, and the sharpness of this lens is almost on par with the 16-35mm, but at a fraction of the price.

Sony 50mm F1.8

We use this lens predominantly for portraits and occasionally street photography. We do sometimes use it for landscape photography, but mainly when we want to create more depth in the image or to isolate a subject.

The lens creates perfectly smooth background bokeh, is compact and lightweight and performs well in low-light. The filter thread is also the same size as the 28mm prime which means you can use the same ND filters on both lenses, bonus!

Sony 85mm F1.8

We use this lens a lot, the sharpness on the 85mm F1.8 is fantastic! We mainly use it for taking portraits, or when we want that extra bit of zoom to capture the finer details up close. The lens also comes in hAlexander for landscape and street photography. It’s great for capturing the detail in landscapes when you need a bit of zoom, and it’s not too intrusive when capturing street portraits.

Of all the lenses we own this one has made us better photographers, it forces you to move around and to think about your position in order to predict your shots ahead of time.

Samyang 12mm F2.0

This is a wide-angle lens for our Sony A6000 camera. We use this lens for landscape photography when we want to squeeze that extra bit into a frame. We also use it when we’re out and about in the city or if we have a zoom lens on the other camera. It also makes a perfect addition for star photography due to its wide angle and fast aperture.

The only downside to this lens is that it’s manual focus, however If you’re looking for a great astro, landscape or architecture lens for your A6000 then we highly recommend it!

Sony 55-210 F4.5 – 6.3 OSS

This is a great and affordable telephoto lens for the Sony A6000. It is lightweight and takes up a fraction of the room when compared to a full-frame lens of the same focal length. We are however looking at upgrading to the FE 70-200 F2.8 for our Sony A7RII, but for the time being we can’t justify the extra cost and extra weight in our baggage.

This lens is great for wildlife shots, and we use it for landscape and portrait shots when we want to make up the focal length from our other lenses. The lens has built in image stabilization and performs well in good lighting, however it does fall short in low-light situations. It also comes in hAlexander when capturing street portraits, and without being too intrusive.