Best Camera Equipment for Travel Photography in 2023
A complete list of best camera equipment for Travel Photography in 2023. Learn about everything you need in Travel Photography.
The most famous and asked question in the photography community is “what camera, photography lenses and equipment do you use to take photos?”. So being a travel photographer, I am listing down everything I have in my camera bag with all the details, advantges and disadvantages I have experienced using each and every item for the past 7 years.
How important is your camera?
There are two major elements involved in anything. First yourself and then the equipment you use. You remove any of them, the equation is incomplete. But when it comes to art and photography, you are way more important than your camera. Because its you who is creative, hardworking and passionate, your camera isn’t. Your camera is not asking you to go out, travel and take photos of the remote areas. It is you who is imagining scenarios, compositions, taking notes and planning.
So here is the list of everything I own and use in travel photography :)
Camera bodies for travel photography
I have two camera bodies. A Nikon D810 which I purchased long time ago and newly purchased Fujifilm XT4 mirrorless camera. If you know in detail, both are completely different in terms of weight, technology and use, and thats the exact reason I have these two cameras in my bag. Here is some useful detail:
Nikon D810
Nikon D810 is a 36.3 megapixels full frame (FX) dslr camera powered with Nikon's EXPEED 4 image processing for spectacular detail retention from plain white to the darkest of blacks, impeccable noise-free images from ISO 64 to ISO 12,800 with wide dynamic range. This robust camera was launched in June 2014 and I ended up buying it in 2017. Since that time, I have probably taken over 70,000 photos and it works the same till today.
Majority of my award winning shots (click here to see my award winning photos) are taken with Nikon D810 and perhaps I will never resell it anyone. Even though there are so many newer technonolgy cameras available now, but I still beleive that Nikon D810 is still one of the best professional full frame cameras in the world.
Fujifilm XT4
This small size 26 megapixel crop sensor mirrorless cameras is the one of the best mirrorless cameras launched in 2020.
A beautiful design with rotatable LCD and 20 fps makes it very easy to point and shoot. Both weather and dust sealed, this camera can make you start loving the new generation mirrorless cameras. Extremely user friendly design and tech, Fujifilm XT4 combines freatures of both XT3 and XH1 cameras.
If you dont like carrying heavy weight cameras, this might help you a lot.
Camera lenses for travel photography
I have a whole bunch of lenses, considering the need and travel destination. Usually I keep both camera bodies and couple of lenses of each body, just to make sure I wouldn’t end up carrying too much weight or missing a photo due to the lack of essential gear. Below is the list of lenses I personally use in travel photography:
Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8
Tokina Opera 16-28mm has the wide aperture of F2.8 with ultra wide focal length of 16mm which is ideal for landscape and architecture photography. If the destination you are travelling to has beautiful landscapes and architectures, this lens should be with you. I like the robust built quality along with exceptionally sharp results of Tokina Opera 16-28mm F2.8 lens.
I used to own the previous version of the same lens too. I loved it till it got replcaed with the newer model.
This lens is one of my favorites and I never leave it behind.
Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR
Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR is probably the best lens Nikon has ever made
This telephoto lens is the most versatile lens for travel photography. If you consider it only for portraits then you are teriibly wrong. This beautiful lens can bring subject close to you and will add tons of depth into your photos.
I purchased this lens from Amazon back in 2019 and since that time, it is always attached to my full frame Nikon D810 camera body.
Rememebr when you are tarvelling, some remote places and subjects are not always in access but if you have similar telephoto lens with you, you can take closeup photos of such subjects with much more ease.
In the past, I have taken photos of people, architecture and landscapes with this Nikon 70-200mm F2.8 VR lens and the results are just amazing.
Check the below photos as samples
Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4
Tokina Opera 50mm F1.4 lens is one of the robust lenses I have ever used. With prime focal length of 50mm, Tokina Opera 50mm has the wide aperture of F1.4 with smooth and fast autofocus system which makes this lens ideal for travel.
If you have command on your composition techniques on what exactly you want to capture, Tokina 50mm F1.4 can become the lens on the go for you.
Tokina 100mm F2.8 FF MACRO Lens
This might not be the choice or need of every travel photographer unless you are into taking macro shots of different nature. I have used Tokina 100mm F2.8 Macro lens for portraits and some macro shots in the desert landscapes to capture tiny details of the sand patterns.
The prime features of this lens are its built quality, smooth autofocus which can be a hassle, especially for macro photography. The lens is no doubt exceptional at manual focus while capturing some seriously tiny details of your subject.
If you dont have telephoto lens or a prime for tarvel portratit photography, then you should have on of these lenses in your bag to capture portraits. Macro lenses like Tokina 100mm F2.8 can capture details of facial structure upto a very good level and can create portraits look even more in depth and magical.
Tokina lenses for Fujifilm X Series Cameras
Those of you who are not aware, Tokina Japan has whole list of lenses for Fujifilm X Series Cameras. I am using almost all of them in my routine travels to capture landscape, architecture, portraits and street photos.
The first thing I personally love about Tokina is there built quality. The whole range of lenses are of metal consctruction with full wide aperture of F1.4. Lens weight and size is so ideal that you can keep all of them in any tiny compartment of your camera bag.
I wrote seprate reviews on each of Tokina lenses for Fujifilm X Series Cameras. Click on the images below to read in detail.
Lee ND Filters Kits
Magical skies and light trails are essential parts of the travel photography. When you visit naturally exotic places, there are plenty of options to capture photos with magical skies or beautiful light trails. Thats exactly where you will need ND filters to slower your camera shutter speed to entertain more movement and details.
I am using Lee Filters for this purpose. Purchased my first set of SW150 system of Lee (for Tokina 16-28mm F2.8 lens) back in 2017 and recently added Lee 100 Deluxe kit for the telephoto and prime lenses like Tokina 50mm F1.4 lens. Considering the price of these items, Lee provides excellent durability and magnificent results in your photos.
Lee’s 100mm Deluxe kit comes with its own cleaning kit which includes special micro fabric and liquids to keep your expensive ND filters kit safe from harmfull dust and due factors.
Tripod - Benro A500F Alluminum Tripod
“Used this tripod in almost every condition from rocks to deserts, still working perfectly like day one”
Tripod is a very important and essential element in travel photography. For stable, focused and sharp photos, you need a stirdy tripod which will make your camera stable while taking photos, especially during slow shutter speed and long exposure photos.
There are many good quality brands available, most of them these days are made of carbon fibre which makes your tripod very light in weight and quite strong. Back in 2016, carbon fibre was not really famous in the market and thats why I purchased an aluminum made tripod from Benro. The A005F tripod from Benro is a very heavt duty tripod and had it changed with a newer version of ball head. For the last 6 years, I never thought to change my tripod because of the stridy performance of the one I have.
Camera Bag - Benro RFT1000BLK Trolly Bag
I actually own three different bags from Benro. Two smaller bags for light travel a trolly backpack which is quite convenient to carry both ways.
Rightly understood, a trolly bag cannot be carried to remote areas but this bag from Benro has both options. The Bag is comfortable and easy to roll when it is on wheels.
It is quite spacious with loads of room for different camera equipment. I can easily put all my gear inside and carry it with me. The size of the bag is not too bulky because of its depth which allows multiple large size lenses fit easily.
It is both shock and water proof and has compartments with rugged material which keeps your camera equipment safe.
Other essential items for travel photography
Apart from camera, lenses and filters, there are other essential items which one may need in travel photography. Below is the list of those small items which I carry in my bag.
Shutter release cable (buy from amazon) which enables you to release shutter without pressing the on camera button
Monopods and Joby Gorrilapods (buy from amazon) which are great for tiny spaces where you cannot place bigger tripods
Camera cleaning kit (buy from amazon) which is the most essential item in my opinion so your camera is safe from dust and other harmful particals
A writing pad with pen is also an essential part in my opinion so at the end of each day of your travel, you can write all the important parts of your stories down for future references. This element might not intregue you now but later whenever you will try to provide references to your work with names of the places and people in it, you will regret a lot.
A mobile phone with good camera (an iPhone 13 pro or Huawei P50 Pro) is also considered very important these days because there are so many places now where you cannot take your camera so thats where your mobile phone will work. It can be an iPhone or Huawei, doesnt matter but keep one with you
Couple of mobile applications can be very handy in planning your trips and choose spots to shoot. Apart from Google Maps, I use PhotoPills and Windy to check on weather reports as well as choosing the exact spot to shoot with pin drop coordinates
Memory cards (buy from amazon) for camera is also an essential part of your journey. If you dont have enough SD cards with you, you might end up finsihing them all too soon. I have more than 10 256-512GB SD cards with me along with a hard case so they dont get damaged
Rain cover (buy from amazon) is also essential if you are shooting in areas with expectations of rain. Remember ! cameras are splash proof, not rain proof so dont take chances
A laptop with Adobe CC or similar program to post process your photos
Last but not least, make sure you have loads of extra batteries. If you are travelling to minus tempreture areas, your batteries will die faster then you expect. So make sure you cover them in some warm cloth and place them deep inside your bag or in your jacket, close to your warm body. You can buy Fujifilm XT4 original batteries from Amazon link here.
“So it’s not just your skills, its about your money too so purchase wisely. I am totally against buying lenses and other equipments which are so pricey just because of their brand name. Because I believe in buying the same quality for half of the price and travel somehwere with the rest of the money”
