My Current Camera Gear Setup as a Travel Blogger
A question I often get asked is what’s in my camera bag, so I decided to make a dedicated post for the gear that comes with me as a travel blogger. After over 3+ years of traveling blogging, I’ve learned a ton about photography, editing, and gear. If you are new here, I started as a travel blogger around the end of 2017.
I was a beginner at everything! So, for those of you who might just be starting out, I am also including some of my beginner gear too!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Camera Body
I have always been a Canon user, so you will find a list of Canon’s I’ve used throughout the years.
Canon EOS R6 – I am currently using the Canon R6 as my main camera and I have been loving it thus far. It comes with the same autofocusing system that can be found in the Canon R5 with a much smaller price tag.
One thing I was worried about before purchasing this camera was that it only offered 20mp. However, thus far, I have not been able to notice any significant difference in terms of quality from my Canon EOS R vs. the R6.
What I love about this camera is having the dual card slots, better placement of buttons, eye-tracking, and being able to get an extra stop of light.
When I decided the R6 over the R5, I felt that I really didn’t need 45mp and would not be using the video capability. So, I decided to spend that extra budget on some really good glass!
Canon EOS R – This is now my backup camera. With Canon’s new RF lenses, amazing dynamic range, stunning colors, and 30.3 megapixels this camera is a beast and comes at a reasonable cost.
The Canon EOS R shares many of the same specs (plus) as the Canon 5D Mark IV at a better price!
I especially love the flip-out screen which I use very often. Additionally, it has a fast buffer which is super important to me since I shoot a highspeed continuous often. When testing the Sony A7iii, besides disliking the menus, it drove me crazy that it took the camera forever to buffer and I was unable to change any of the settings and continue to shoot until it was finished buffering.
Additionally, since my previous Camera was the Canon 7Ti Rebel, I am able to use the EF adapter so I can continue using the lenses I currently own!
Canon EOS R5 – If you have the budget, Canon recently released the EOS R5 which is a top of the line professional camera across industries. It includes 2 memory card slots, industry-leading autofocus and eye-tracking, and 45 megapixels to name a few. If it were in my budget, this would be the camera I would shoot with.
Canon Rebel T7i – The Rebel line is perfect for those just starting out with photography. This is the camera gear I started out with as a travel blogger and have used it up until 2020. If you go with a rebel, I’d pair it with this Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM FLD Lens (which was my go-to).
I’ve owned two rebels (including this one) and had a great experience with both of them. It was also super helpful to have the additional settings on the dial such as sports mode and landscape when I didn’t want to try and mess/learn the settings. The pricing is also more on the moderate side.
If you noticed, I don’t really recommend kit lenses and that’s because they are not going to give you the quality photos you are looking for. It is much better to just get the body and then choose the lenses that will suit your needs.
Lenses
Canon RF 24-70 mm F2.8 L is USM – This is my new go-to lens and what will be on my camera the majority of the time. This is the same zoom length I was shooting on my Canon Rebel when you consider the crop factor. This lens works great for travel photography and is super versatile. The 2.8 also allows you to get some really nice bokeh. Overall, this focal length is perfect for me as a travel blogger.
Canon ef 50mm f/1.8 STM lens – This is probably my second favorite lens to use and it’s always good to have a prime lens in your arsenal. I use this lens for more portrait-like photography and to create a buttery background with 1.8f. The 1.8f also allows you to work well in low light. I have to use the EF adaptor for this lens on my RF mount.
Update: I now have the new Canon RF 50mm f 1.8 which works beautifully. If you have the RF mount system, I’d recommend getting this lens so you don’t have to use the adaptor. If you are not on the RF mount, you can go with the RF!
Canon EF-S 55-250 mm F4-5.6 IS STM – So, I still have this lens from APS-C lens mount, but it still works with my EF adaptor. I still love this lens when I am shooting wildlife, or want to create a unique frame from landscapes or monuments at a distance. I do plan on upgrading this lens with the same focal length to RF glass.
Canon EF 70-200mm 2.8: I just got this lens, and let me tell you it is a beast! While it doesn’t zoom as far as my old EFS 55-250mm, you can definitely see a difference in photo quality and it is so awesome being able to get down to 2.8.
This lens is very heavy and pricey, but it is one of the best lenses you can have in your bag. Canon did also come out with an RF 70-200mm f4 which is a little more budget-friendly in the RF glass. I haven’t tried it yet, but all of Canon’s RF glass has been great thus far!
Canon RF 16mm 2.8: Canon just came out with this prime wide lens and I was able to get my hands on it. I really love the lens so far and recently took it with me on a trip to Shenandoah National Park. It is great for being able to capture landscapes and even vlogging with the camera.
The only gripe with this lens which really is not an issue at all is when you shoot wide open. I found I was getting a lot of vignetting (corners dark), however, this was an easy fix in Lightroom post-processing.
Tripod
Manfrotto Befree travel tripod – As a travel blogger, I have learned having lightweight camera gear and tripod is really important. My old tripod (while nothing wrong with it) was very heavy, so I rarely wanted to go out and shoot solo or just take it with me. As a traveler, having light gear makes or breaks if I bring it, so I now try to go on the lighter side with everything if possible.
DJI Mavic Air 2 (fly more package)
I have always wanted a drone and was so excited to add it to my gear this year! While I haven’t found too many places around North Carolina that I can fly yet, I am excited to take it out on trips with me to capture a different perspective.
I got the Air 2 because a Pro drone friend of mine said that the camera sensor was much better in the Air and it is still light and compact. I recommend getting the fly more package because the battery only lasts for about 25 minutes. Yep, that’s it, so it is best to have extra batteries on hand! Find the DJI Mavic Air 2 here!
SanDisk Cards
I always have at least two extra SanDisk Cards with me. Since I want fast buffering, I go with the Sandisk Extreme Pro. I haven’t had a card fail on me yet, but I like having extra just in case along with that dual card slot on the Canon R6.
Camera Bag
LowePro Fastpack 250 – I originally got this camera bag when we were doing our trip through Europe and Asia for two months. I wanted a bag that could work both as a camera bag along with a carry-on to hold toiletries. This has been my go-to backpack for 3+ years as a travel blogger because it holds all my camera gear along with anything I would normally keep in a purse. It might not be the sexiest, but it does the job.
The only downside is once we are at our destination, I don’t want to actually carry the backpack around because it is large/heavy and I don’t feel like emptying the rest of my stuff out of it. However, if I have a car, I of course bring it everywhere because it keeps my lenses safe.
GoPro 7
I mainly use my GoPro 7 for anything underwater and I love it for that. I used it for snorkeling with sea turtles in Maui, at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, and snorkeling in Thailand and Bali. As a bonus, I used the GoPro for all of this without any casing since I actually forgot the casing when we left on our big trip!
Travel Blogger Camera Gear Review
I hope you found the camera gear I use as a travel blogger helpful to you! Additionally, I use a Macbook Pro 13-inch (3 years old and still working perfectly!) to do all my work and use the Lacie external hard drives to back up!
Have any camera questions, feel free to dm me through Instagram @findlovetravel. Explore my destinations here.
Good post, my camera bag is full of unusual stuff.