Travel/Vacation Photography: gear and philosophy

What is everyone's approach to travel/vacation photography? What gear do you bring and how do you bring it? Do you bring multiple cameras/lenses? Or do you try to keep it light? What's your set up and how do you use it? How do you balance enjoying the place and family while also capturing great photographs?

I haven't actually traveled with my fuji gear yet, but I think the next time I travel I will bring my x100v and my x-t4 with 10-24 and 16-80. I might also include the 70-300, especially if there's going to be wildlife, but it is more likely to be left at home. I'll usually bring a travel tripod as well to use for dawn and dusk landscape shots. In theory using the tripod for group family shots sounds nice, but does anyone actually do this?

In the past, I put all my gear in a Tenba BYOB 10 backpack insert into my non-camera backpack, which was my carry on and the bag I used when I reached the destination. I would take out whatever lenses/accessories I didn't think I needed for the day. I would generally have my camera and a kit zoom on it, and that was used for most of the photography, so I'm trying to decide whether it's worth it to bring additional lenses beyond the 16-80.

When I'm on vacation with family, I'm trying to capture environmental portraits of my family, daily life, little details (architecture, signs, markets), interesting buildings, so a little of everything! I find that having a camera helps me immerse myself in the place and appreciate everything I'm seeing.

Curious to hear what others' approach is!

Depends on what doing

If landscapes a bag with 3 potentially hefty lenses and a tripod and filters. Have been happy with both ways: 3 primes or 3 zooms. But keep the weight down as much as possible. I refuse to check in any gear so it has to go in hand carry (a check-in got lost once).

If general travel, a small camera with 2 or 3 small lenses (the 23mm is all that's needed, but I like having a 16mm option, so the 16-50mm too, plus I like bokeh so the 50mm f2 too). Currently doing this but it got extended (since March 2020) and I have doubled it to 2 cameras and 6 lenses. Nearly bought a 3rd camera the other day

If just traveling for a week with family then a flagship Samsung phone with Adonit Photogrip or iPhone XS with Shuttercase case/grip is fine, as I might only want a camera with shutter button and grip once or twice.

I've done both, bringing multiple cameras and lenses, and just my X100S.

Had the best time with the X100S. More time to enjoy both the photography and the travel experience. I found a way to make the most of the one camera I had with me (I had to).

But then it's just myself and the partner (a doctor-engineer who is not into photography but knows more about the technical side of photographic gear).

4 and a half years of joy (and is still in use, since 2013).

Peyton41 said:

What gear do you bring and how do you bring it? Do you bring multiple cameras/lenses? Or do you try to keep it light? What's your set up and how do you use it?

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Bring the gear you need. It depends on what's there to see and how you're traveling. If you have a car you can lug your whole kit around if you really wanted to. For me it usually boils down to what kind of reach I'll need. When I went to Patagonia I brought a slew of lenses including the 16-55, 50-140 and the 100-400 since there's wildlife to be seen. On a Japan trip I could probably just do with the 16-55 and a prime (or even just the prime). In general I decided a while ago if I'm going to bother lugging around a proper ILC camera, I'm not going to chimp on IQ unless necessary (ie: versatile do-it-all lenses vs multiple excellent-IQ lenses). So I'll still travel with my H1 and red badge zooms... weight be damned.

Peyton41 said:

How do you balance enjoying the place and family while also capturing great photographs?

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Again it depends. Certain things beg themselves towards more photography focus. I made sure that my wife knew when we went to see the northern lights that I would be bringing a slew of gear to capture it. Sometimes enjoying the photography is part of enjoying the place. As long as you can pull back and experience things without being glued to a viewfinder, I find that enjoying your photography hobby while traveling is not a detriment to the trip as a whole. It's only when go out of your way to get a shot or maybe if you miss a shot and it ruins your day that you've taken things too far.

Peyton41 said:

I'll usually bring a travel tripod as well to use for dawn and dusk landscape shots. In theory using the tripod for group family shots sounds nice, but does anyone actually do this?

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A tripos is always the thing I regret taking and the thing I regret not taking. I think you should just assume you can't win and try your best :-D I'm not one for the staged family photos personally but I have always found a stranger or stable rock or something to hold the camera in some situations. I also tend to bring a really really short tabletop-style tripod (like 1ft) for rare use cases and more often timelapses.

Peyton41 said:

When I'm on vacation with family, I'm trying to capture environmental portraits of my family, daily life, little details (architecture, signs, markets), interesting buildings, so a little of everything! I find that having a camera helps me immerse myself in the place and appreciate everything I'm seeing.

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Agree 100%. On top of this, I have an absolutely rubbish memory. Having "way too many photos" really helps reboot my memory of the trip later on... Especially the little details.

Yeah, I think the x100 series is just about perfect for documenting your vacation and the family's experience. Easy to carry, stays out of the way, and beautiful images.

But there are still images that you can't get with the 35mm equivalent focal length, so I still find myself carrying a zoom of some sort.

I find - not just when talking about travel - weight is a bigger barrier than bulk, when it comes to carrying gear. The less photo-centric an outing, the more the weight of photo gear will get in the way. As a result, I keep my travel gear light and compact.

I've recently made some adjustments to my kit, but here's what I think I'd bring:

• General travel/city/social: X-E3, 14/2.8 and/or TTa 17/1.4, 23/2.0, 50/2.0
• Nature/landscape - 'casual': X-E3, 14/2.8, 23/2.0, 50/2.0
• Nature/landscape - photo centric: X-E3 w/ Arca Swiss L bracket, 14/2.8, 23/2.0, 50/2.0, carbon tripod, square filter holder, polariser, grad ND 0.9, 4 stop & 10 stop NDs

Carring options:

• For general travel or cities, I tend to carry my photo gear in a small shoulder bag like my Billingham Hadley Pro Small - or protected in a regular non-photo backpack
• For light nature walks, I'll take a photo backpack - I recently got the Gitzo Legende backpack I am keen to try out
• For proper hiking, a dedicated hiking backpack with a protective camera cube is the most comfortable option

If I had an X100 series camera, I might use that for social documenting or street shooting, but have rather considered buying a 27/2.8 (again). It would give very comparable dimensions on my X-E3s with the option of changing lenses.

I have considered buying a XC50-230 or XF55-200, especially for landscapes, but with limited travel opportunities lately, I haven't quite managed to commit to it.

Hi, great question. There are three aspects of a trip or holiday I consider before deciding what camera and lenses to take.

First, is the trip primarily for a non-photographic purpose? For example, the last time we went to Paris for a long weekend, my son was doing a charity bike ride from London to Paris and we went to support him (and have a delicious dinner to celebrate his team’s finish!), so photography was very much second fiddle. I took a XE3, 27 and 15-45 lens in a man bag. Worked a treat. Or, is it a sports holiday? We ski most Winters and the camera has to fit into a ski jacket pocket. For that I last used a Sony RX100IV (last went in March 2019). Small, light, unnoticeable in a ski pocket while skiing, yet great images.

Second, is it a general family holiday where I have to balance family time with photography time? In this scenario, I tend to take just one mid rang zoom, which for our last holiday in the Alps (August 2019) was a 18-55, but now it would be a 16-55, so your 16-80 would be ideal. I did take a 55-200, but hardly used it (it remained in my backpack most of the time). We are off to the English Lake District in August for hiking and I plan to take one body (XT4), one standard lens (16-55) and the 55-200 in a non-photo backpack, which also carries water food, additional jacket, etc, everything one needs for a day in the hills. I use an Osprey Talon 33 with each lens and the camera in its own neoprene case (I also have a Talon 11 for when I want to go light). While walking I carry the camera on a Peak Design Lite strap over my shoulder (Sam Browne style), which works well. I’ll take the Sony RX100 as a backup.

Finally, if it were a photography holiday, which we have not had for a few years, such as a safari (last went to Kenya), then I would take two bodies and a wide, standard and tele-photo lenses and a 23 prime.

It all rather depends on the type of holiday or trip, who you are going with and their tolerance for photo stops, and the array of photographic subjects. My great conundrum is wanting to keep it simple and go light, yet not wanting to miss a great photo opportunity through not having the right lens with me. But I suspect many of us grapple with this one! So, good luck deciding.

For cities and simple hikes, the weather-sealed 16-80/4 is a great one lens solution with great reach. The 18-55 is lighter and also a nice option.

A nice prime combo is the 14/2.8 and 35/1.4, which are both coat pocket-sized lenses. Really nice if you don't want to carry a bag with stuff along.

Peyton41 said:

What is everyone's approach to travel/vacation photography? What gear do you bring and how do you bring it? Do you bring multiple cameras/lenses? Or do you try to keep it light? What's your set up and how do you use it? How do you balance enjoying the place and family while also capturing great photographs?

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Peyton41 said:

Curious to hear what others' approach is!

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The exact gear varies depending on the trip. My general rule is that anything is okay as long as I keep my daily carry, including the bag, under 5 pounds. Anything heavier, and I find myself looking for park benches and coffee shops instead of photo opportunities by the end of the day.

I also try to minimize lens changes.

Long ago I realized that if you don't bring it, you can't use it. There for the morning before my trip I break out my pipe wrenches and dissemble my Kitchen Sink and place in in the Thin Tank Air. This small bag with wheels and will fit in any aircraft, even the oddball puddle jumpers with props. The only time I have to stow it in the cargo hold is in a Cessna and then I'm right there and know everything is OK. Out and about I'm using one X-T3 with the 18-135 or two X-T3 each with a different lens. I bring a tripod and flash as necessary and some spare batteries in a pouch in my back pocket. That's the maximum I'm carrying at any time yet my full set of lenses come along as do some cleaning cloths and a sensor cleaning kit.

When I get home I reattach the kitchen sick so my wife doesn't kill me.

Morris

Ps. The wife and my son are also photographers so no problem with the family as there busy taking photos though I've been known to vanish for a bit as I spotted something and nobody followed when I mumbled what I saw.

Car or domestic air travel, with or without hiking:

• Casual: XT20, 18-55
• Street: XT20, 27 or 50 f2
• Intentional: XT20, 10-24, 35 0.95, 27, 60, 55-200 (lenses in bag depend on the day)

OS travel (Indonesia, Europe, North Korea, USA):

• 1 inch sensor compact and/or Ricoh GR
• phone

For OS travel, weight/bulk are major considerations, but even more important for me is the game-changer of pocketability. With a Ricoh GR in your pocket you can be fully in the moment, but discreetly grab high quality crop sensor images as effortlessly as a phone.

Nikon Z6 with 24-70, 20, 35, 85.

Fuji X-E3 with 15-45, 27mm.

Most of the time I will probably use Nikon Z6 with 24-70, and one other prime, depending on what I'm up to that day. This is my more serious, prosumer, fully WR kit, especially for portraits and landscapes. This fits snugly in a Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20. This is under 4 pounds no matter which 2 lenses I pick. I don't want to carry any more weight than that all day really.

Fuji X-E3 goes in a tiny bag or a coat pocket if the day is going to be less about photography. I have this kit to have the lightest possible APS-C ILC with EVF, with the smallest lenses for both prime and zoom options. The X-E3/27 fits inside a Tenba skyline 4. This is about 1 pound, or less. 473g, or 421g depending on the lens.

The only time I've ever really needed anything longer was on safari, and I just borrowed a colleague's 70-300.

It really depends on what *you* like to shoot though. I rarely find myself wanting wider than 20mm or longer than 85mm.

Sounds like you have a similar strategy and photography similar subjects that I like. The X-T4 with 16-80 is the combination I would use the most. I love how fast I can focus/shoot with the X-T4 or other Fuji-X bodies.

In my case, in addition to taking the normal shots, I also like to take some ultra-wide setup shots. So I found my most used combination would be the X-T4 with 16-80 and an X-T30 with 10-24. Walking around I use a Peak Design Sling Bag (6L or 10L) and have the X-T30 clipped to the side of the bag with a Peak Design wrist strap.

I like the older line of Tenba BYOB that you can buy bundled with a foldable zippered shoulder bag to put the BYOB insert into. I like this older line because the BYOB bag itself folds flatter. The newer version of the Tenba BYOB has more structure to them.

If I wasn't running around with family all day and had time to photo walk, I would also bring my compact f/2 primes and possibly swap out the X-T30 for my X-Pro2.

I gave up trying to take family shots with a tripod. I'm better off having someone take a shot of the entire family using a smartphone or possibly my X-T30. I do tend to bring a travel tripod of some sort; but, can't remember the last time I used one successfully. I now of a Peak Design tripod which is my new light/compact option.

Another item I usually bring is a compact Godox Li-Ion flash in case I need to do some fill flash or bounce. Compact enough; but, predictably doesn't have enough power to do any serious bounce flash work. I hardly ever use it.

Other gear: a small laptop with two USB-C SSD drives to backup my SSDs daily. Also handy for uploading JPEGs for sharing. Whenever possible, I like to backup all of the cameras/memory cards of everyone in my travel group.

General photography is the X-E4&27/2.8 in a jacket pocket. Lightweight, portable, and the 40mm equivalent is super versatile. If its dark I’ll substitute the in the 35/1.4 which is just a bit heavier and bulkier but still manageable.

Backpacking: X-E4,14/2.8,&60/2.4 in a lowepro dashpoint 30 attached to my packs shoulder strap. This weighs just under 2lbs which is all I allow myself for camera gear on multi day trips.

Hiking: Same setup as my backpacking kit but I’ll substitute the 60/2.4 with the 70-300 if I’m summiting something. I might also throw in the 27/2.8 if I think I need something between the two or if it’s a sunset hike I’ll take the 35/1.4. This is also the only time I carry my proper tripod.

Everything besides the X-E4, 27/2.8, and tripod fits in a lowepro medium gearup bag that I can throw in my carryon or duffel bag.

Not this, but I shot my last foreign trip (and it probably will be my last) with an X-E3 and 23mm lens. Nothing else. Same idea.

My next city trip (when COVID abates) I'd take E3, 14 and 27, or just the 27.

--
Andrew Skinner

I have a decent amount of gear. I just went on a vacation this week. I agonized up until the last minute of leaving. Wound up bringing an X-E4 with the 18-55 and 35 1.4. I had some reach, ibis, video capable, low light options in a very small light package. Also brought my Ricoh GR3 with me for a pocketable option.



The only thing I missed was something longer. Wish I had a 55-200 or 70-300 with me several times.

Depends all on the kind of travel!

When I go to Italy just for Mountainbiking with my friends, in a Region often been before, my IPhone 12 is more than sufficient.
When on a Roadtrip through the alps, I take my X-T3 with me, and the 18–35 for daily use, plus the 12/2 Samyang for milkyway. Journeys like Iceland, which I did in May, have photography in the fokus, so my X-T3 plus 10-24 and 70-300 is with me.

I'm new with Fuji gear and I am building my gear slowly. Now I have X-T4 and 23mm f/2, which I used along a family trip recently. But my travel dream kit would be 16mm f2 + 35mm f2 + 90mm f2 + X-T4 + GorillaPod. And, if hiking, 10-24mm + 35mm f2 + 70-300 + X-T4. If traveling with just one lens, 23mm f2.

I came from Canon and I used to travel with a backpack full of 6 lenses. Now I want to adopt the "three lenses only" strategy.

Apologies. "but I shot my last foreign trip". I meant I took photos. Shouldn't be so pompous.

For city travel, my default setup has long been just an X100 camera. I like the way it's small and quiet. The focal length works for a lot of things. In a way, it's almost nice to constrain photography when I'm traveling, so that I can direct my energy towards experiencing, inquiring, and exploring. At home, I strive to create the best possible images, but on city trips I usually think of photography as documenting my experience from a subjective standpoint, and adopt more of a snapshot aesthetic. Also, though I don't do much street photography at home, when I'm traveling I'll inevitably want to photograph strangers (where that's allowed), and the X100 lets me do it discretely. The core thing is traveling with less gear, more pocketability, and a little less of a "touristy" feeling. If I'm visiting a new city, it can be nice to go out for an elegant dinner at night, for example, and I like having a small camera that can fit in the pocket of a blazer.

Within a city trip, there might be an outing—like a day trip to somewhere scenic. Or the whole trip might be essentially outdoors—the desert, the mountains, the beach. For that kind of travel, I might very occasionally bring an ILC with a zoom lens—these days, it would be the 16-80—or with some wide or tele options, on the theory that I'll be spending more time dedicated to photography. But I also might just stick with the X100—perhaps with the WCL (the wide-angle converter). I find that it eases my mind to think that I'm going to get what I'm going to get and that's it, even if it means some missed opportunities. Looking at the pictures later, I enjoy the consistency—it's almost as though they'll all have been taken through the same set of eyes.

My first real trip in a couple of years is coming up—a backpacking trip in the mountains. I've spent a lot of time thinking about primes, zooms, etc., but I'm gravitating towards just the X100 and WCL for that, as well. There's the weight, but it also comes back to the documentary approach. I suspect that I'll be happiest constraining the photography to what I happen to be able to see through my viewfinder at one focal length. If I were to shake things up, I'd probably bring my X-Pro3 with the 16-80, or with the 14, 27, and 50mm lenses. Possibly my pictures would be better, but it would come at the cost of weight and complexity. How many photographs am I really aiming to take? Isn't it all right if I take fewer of them?

In the end, this video pretty much expresses my viewpoint on travel photography. I used to think that travel was when my gear would be living its best life. But actually, for me, part of the pleasure of travel is getting away from my gear. The gear enlivens my everyday life and photography at home; I don't need it as much when I'm somewhere special.