Travel Photography Gear Guide

Practice you want to know how we capture the images that you see on our website? Here is our photography gear guide, with links and explanations of our photography gear and accessories. At the end of this mail service, we offering tips and tricks on how to accept better photographs while traveling.

Photography Gear Guide

The Canon 5D 4, Our Principal Camera

The Canon 5D is my principal camera. Almost every photo on this website was taken with this camera. However, in that location are two versions of information technology.

The majority of the photos on this website were taken with the Catechism 5D Marker Four. This has been my master camera since 2017. Prior to this, I used the Canon 5D Marking III.

Is the upgrade to the Canon 5D Marking IV worth it? For me, yep. At that place are some very slick features that I love.

All photos can exist geotagged using the built-in GPS, so I take the exact GPS coordinates for all of my photos. This seems to be an almost universal feature on cameras nowadays, so information technology's not that world shattering, merely information technology is something the Mark Iii is lacking. You can become a split GPS tagger for the photographic camera but it makes the large photographic camera even bulkier and heavier.

My favorite feature is the built in Wi-Fi. Now, I can transfer photos straight from the camera to my phone and and so share them almost instantly on Instagram and Facebook. This is huge for me. With the Mark Iii, I had to wait until we were back in the hotel, transfer the photos to my computer, and then share them from there. Again, this may not be important for some people, but it makes sharing our photos and experiences on social media and so much easier and convenient.

There are numerous other upgrades I love…a better, larger impact-screen LCD screen, an upgraded photo processor, and faster, more accurate focusing. The Canon 5D Mark IV is 30 MP full frame camera with the ability to shoot 4K video. The photos I become with the Marking Four are crisper and clearer than the Marker III, although it is only a mild comeback.

Here are some of my favorite photos taken with the Canon 5D Mark Iv.

Venice Italy

Venice, Italy

Bastei Bridge

Bastei Bridge, Germany

Catechism 24 – 70 mm f/2.8 Two USM Zoom Lens

This lens is my "walking around" lens. 99% of the photos on this website were taken with this lens. I use this lens with both the Catechism 5D Mark III and 5D Mark Four.

At 24 mm, information technology is only wide plenty for mural shots. The seventy mm gives just enough zoom to strop in on the action. This is 1 of the best Canon lenses you tin can buy and it is worth the price.

Wide-Bending Lens

I use the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM lens for landscape photography.

This is my newest lens and I added it in 2019 before traveling to Switzerland and Iceland. I got some gorgeous landscape shots, like this 1 taken in Iceland.

Iceland

This is an expensive lens, but it is cheaper than the Canon EF xvi-35mm f/2.8L III USM lens. This lens, with its f/2.viii maximum discontinuity, has an advantage in low light situations. Even so, it is a heavier lens and it does non take image stabilization. Non to mention that is almost double the toll. But if yous want a top of the line wide angle lens, take the money to spend, and don't mind the actress weight, take a look at the Catechism EF sixteen-35mm f/2.8L III USM lens.

Retentiveness Cards

The Canon 5D Mark III and Marker Four accept ii slots for memory cards, a Compact Flash slot and a SD bill of fare slot. My master card is the Lexar 1066x 128 GB Meaty Flash card. I shoot in camera RAW and these files get recorded onto this compact flash carte.

The Canon 5D camera allows me to simultaneously shoot a 2d file onto an SD carte. I designate this 2d file as a JPEG file, which gets recorded onto a SanDisk Extreme Plus 32 GB SD card. This is my fill-in, just in example my chief memory card fails (which I've never had happen).

Black Rapid RS-7 Camera Strap

In my opinion, a expert quality camera strap is a necessity. I use the Black Rapid Exhale Bend Camera Strap, a durable, comfortable strap that screws into the base of operations of the camera and is worn beyond the trunk. Information technology'south not the most fashionable accessory, but it does keep the camera prophylactic from thieves or from accidentally dropping it.

Canon Intervalometer

An intervalometer is a device that plugs into the camera and controls how oft and how many shots are taken. Information technology can also work as a camera timer and information technology can extend your exposure time. Nearly people purchase an intervalometer for fourth dimension-lapse photography.

Note: I rarely use this since upgrading to the Canon 5D Mark 4. The Marker IV comes with a born intervalometer. Notwithstanding, I exercise use this as a shutter release when shooting with long shutter speeds.

Nosotros purchased the intervalometer for time-lapse photography, but ended up primarily using it for family photos. To take our family photos, I put the camera on a tripod, attach the intervalometer, and programme information technology to have ane photograph every second. Equally the photographic camera takes the photos, we smile, deed goofy, and take our time. There'due south no setting the camera timer to get just one shot. Nosotros can pose for five minutes if we want to, while the camera clicks abroad. This has been invaluable in capturing the goofy family photos we love so much.

Earth Trekkers Goofy Photo

Note: When purchasing an intervalometer, make certain that information technology works with your camera. Non every intervalometer is compatible with every type of camera.

Tripod

A tripod is some other invaluable camera accessory. If you want to take photos with a long exposure time, a tripod is a must. There are a lot of expensive tripod options out there. What you are paying for is a lightweight tripod that is durable and volition be stable when yous adhere your camera to information technology.

Height Design Travel Tripod

I simply started using the Peak Design Travel Tripod and I love it. It'south extremely fast to set upward and put away, very durable and sturdy, lightweight, easy to use, and folds upward into a compact cylinder. It's likewise very expensive, coming in at effectually $600 USD, merely for a travel tripod with these features, it makes it worth it for the serious photographer, especially if you plan to take a tripod hiking.

MeFOTO Tripod

The MeFOTO tripod was our first tripod and I highly recommend this one, also. It's been around the world and Tim has carried information technology on numerous hikes and trips through cities. Fifty-fifty though this tripod has a low price compared with those on the higher end, the MeFOTO tripod has proven to be durable, lightweight, and dependable. On uneven slopes and surfaces we have not had a problem with it.

If you are looking for a cost conscious tripod that does a expert task, check this one out.

JOBY Gorillapod Tripod

We recently added this slap-up little tripod to our collection of camera gear. It's small-scale and it's lightweight so it doesn't take up much room or add a lot of weight to your haversack. The moldable legs tin be curled effectually fence posts, railings, and trees. I've done this a bunch of times and information technology works groovy. This is a great tripod to throw into your hiking backpack rather than hiking with a larger, heavier tripod.

The Gorillapod comes in several sizes. We utilize the 5K stand considering it is the but one large enough to hold our Canon 5D. If you lot buy it as a kit, you also get the Ballhead, which allows you to swivel the camera on the tripod. I recommend purchasing the ballhead considering information technology makes it much easier to level the camera when taking photos.

PacSafe CitySafe Anti-Theft Handbag

The PacSafe CitySafe Anti-Theft bag is a handbag, not a truthful camera pocketbook. Merely I use it as my camera bag.

This purse is only big enough to concord my camera and the accessories listed higher up (other than the tripod, which Tim carries in his daypack) and few other small items. This pocketbook is worn across your shoulder. It looks similar a bag, so it is more stylish than a bulky camera bag. Plus, the PacSafe features, such every bit an RFID slot for your wallet, Slashguard fabric, and clips to lock your bag, all work to thwart pickpocketers and thieves.

Canon Powershot GX7 Mark II

This bespeak-and-shoot camera, the Canon Powershot GX7 Mark 2, is lightweight, tiny, and shoots smashing video. We upgraded to this point and shoot photographic camera in June 2018 to use for our videos.

This camera shoots 1080p total HD video and it is an excellent compact camera if you are not looking to lug around a DSLR. 90% of the time nosotros employ it to shoot video but I have used information technology on occasion for photography when I did not experience like conveying a big camera around town.

This 20 MP camera tin can shoot fourth dimension lapse video, take long exposure shots, and offers awesome image quality for a camera that is and then modest. You can well-nigh keep this photographic camera in your pocket.

If you are looking for a overnice, pocket-sized, cheap camera that besides shoots quality video, check this ane out!

Tyler used this camera and our drone to capture our most contempo videos of 2018. Check them out our Earth Trekkers YouTube channel.

DJI Phantom four Drone

All of our drone photos and video were taken with the DJI Phantom 4 Drone. We purchased this back in 2016 for our trip to Scotland and Ireland and have been using it whenever possible.

Having a drone is a fun hobby, specially if you are into electronics, or have a teenager in the family who is looking for something new to do (like us!).

With a drone, yous can capture some very unique photos and videos of the places you lot visit. It's worth it, but it is some other bag to deport onto airplanes and lug effectually with the rest of your luggage. Plus, at that place are a lot of rules well-nigh where you tin can and cannot fly a drone, so before you travel, you need to be prepared to do some enquiry. There have been a number of times that we were unable to use our drone because of local laws.

Storing Your Photos

So, what do yous practice with all of those gorgeous photos y'all just took? Back them up!!

Hard Bulldoze

I keep a copy of our photos on my laptop and a dorsum up re-create on an external hard drive. We beloved the WD My Passport External Hard Drives. They are small, very durable, and are travel friendly. You tin can purchase them with 2 TB of deejay infinite, more than enough room for years of photos.

How to Accept Better Photos

I am a self-taught lensman. Everything I know about photography I learned from reading in a book and so past practicing it over and over again. If you want to be a good photographer, you take to take photos everyday.

Julie Rivenbark

Learn all of the controls on your camera and practice using them as much as possible. If you want to have truly not bad photos, you lot have to take your camera out of its automatic way, and start shooting in discontinuity, shutter, or manual style.

Here are some books that taught me how to accept a improve photo.

The All-time of the Digital Photography Book Series

Scott Kelby teaches photography in a practical, slightly comedic sort of style. I am a big fan of his digital photography series. This book takes the all-time of his advice from the entire series and condenses it down into one manual.

Understanding Exposure

Whether you are a beginner or advanced photographer, this is a bully resource. In this book you will larn all about exposure, i of the about important ingredients in taking your photography to the side by side level.