My 2024 Travel Photography Gear

Let’s start by defining what we’re trying to accomplish.

I enjoy taking photos and videos of my travels. I've always had a keen interest in photography, and when I travel, I naturally experience the world around me as a photographer, my eye constantly seeking out exciting visuals. Photography gives my brain a purpose. It adds an extra layer of activity that helps me process and appreciate what I’m experiencing. However, I absolutely do not want my photography to get in the way. I want to be present in the moment, not always experiencing the world from behind a camera lens.

My camera needs to be capable and available when needed, without ever being a chore to carry or use. I obviously want the best possible image quality as well. Any image is better than no image, but I’m someone who truly appreciates beautiful, clear, sharp images. These days, I view my photos and videos primarily on a 4K screen, so that’s the benchmark I use to judge picture quality.

Lastly, I’m a bit of a nerd. I like equipment that allows me some creative freedom. Although I’ve never shot anything in slow motion, I would like to add that to my creative arsenal as I become more sophisticated in my shooting.

Ideally, I would love my smartphone to take high-quality video that matches the image of a full-frame camera. It would be something I can always have in my pocket, ready at a moment’s notice, and capable of shooting stunning images in all kinds of lighting situations. Smartphone cameras are good, but we’re not quite there yet.

My Kit

This is the camera equipment I chose for my recent trip to Germany and Austria.

Primary Camera - Sony A7C II This tiny full-frame camera from Sony was released last year. I purchased one earlier this year specifically as a travel camera. It’s an excellent combination of small size and robust features. I added the SmallRig Base Plate to make the grip a little higher and more comfortable.

Lens - Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8 I wanted a small zoom lens, and the Tamron 20-40mm is a capable lens with a compact form factor. I tend to need wider lenses rather than telephoto when traveling. I want to be wide enough to capture images in a small room. The 40mm focal length is good, and if I really need to get tighter, I can always shoot in APS-C mode for a 60mm equivalent.

ND Filter - Tiffen 67mm Variable Neutral Density Filter An ND filter is essential when shooting video, and I purchased this adjustable ND filter specifically for the Tamron lens. My experience wasn’t great, but that was user error. I’m used to using a PolarPro Peter McKinnon Variable ND filter, which is excellent. I ruined several video shots because I wasn’t careful with how I rotated the Tiffen filter, resulting in strange ‘X’ moiré patterns. I didn’t know that was an issue. I haven't experienced that kind of vignetting with my PolarPro NDs.

Microphone - Sony ECM-B1M Mic I wasn’t planning to vlog, so I wasn’t worried about capturing great sound. However, I brought my Sony mic along. It’s compact and connects directly through the camera's Multi Interface Shoe so I don't have to carry any additional cables. Did I use it? Nope.

Camera Bag - Peak Design Everyday Sling 3L (Black) I wanted all my travel camera gear to fit nicely into a small, easy-to-carry sling. The Peak Design Everyday Sling 3L bag fit the camera perfectly. It was just the right size to drop the camera in and zip it up.

Of course, I always carried my trusty Pixel 8 Pro smartphone camera. My husband also took pictures with his Galaxy S23 Ultra.

The Result

How did it all work out? What equipment did I actually use?

I have to be honest—I used my Pixel 8 Pro phone camera most of the time. The main reason was the rain during the first several days of our trip. I just didn’t feel comfortable carrying around an expensive camera in the rain all day. I loved using the phone camera and felt like I got perfectly acceptable images most of the time.

Once the rain stopped, I started carrying my bag with the Sony A7C II. It’s a new camera for me, so I often took images on my phone and then repeated the shots with the full-frame camera. I’m sure that once I get to know the camera better, I won’t feel the need to duplicate shots in the future.

My initial impression of the images from the Pixel 8 Pro and Galaxy S23 Ultra is that they’re truly impressive. In most circumstances, they produce images that look great on 4K screens. However, when I compare them to the A7C II images, I’m immediately reminded of how beautiful and cinematic the full-frame camera’s images are. They have a completely different feel, making me wonder why I would ever use another camera.

I’m still trying to figure out my camera needs. After I’ve had the chance to go through and edit my photos and videos from the trip, I’ll have a better idea of how each camera performed and how it impacts my kit for future trips.

I’m happy to have pictures from the trip, no matter the device they were created on. They’re great memories. I’m planning to edit some video slideshows, as I enjoy watching short video slideshows more than flipping through photo albums.

Creating beautiful images is an artistic interest for me, so I fully intend to become more skilled with my A7C II and use it more in the future.