Best Cameras for Travel Bloggers | What Camera I Use & How To Choose
Last Updated on February 17, 2022 by Dana Berez
Time to talk about travel bloggers most prized possession: the camera. What are the best cameras for travel bloggers? There are so many things to consider when purchasing a camera for travel blogging and social media. Here are my top recommendations for the best cameras for travel bloggers. This guide is ideal for those who are either starting out travel blogging or are looking to upgrade their camera equipment. I have listed my top recommendations along with an inside peak inside my camera bag!
While there may be some sticker shock when it comes to purchasing your first professional camera- know that this is an investment! Taking your photography to the next level will make you stand out from the crowd, and in return will allow you to charge more for your work. When a brand is looking to work with bloggers, they’re going to expect higher quality photos.
Best Cameras for Travel Bloggers
The Basics for Choosing a Camera
Depending on what you plan to photograph, there are plenty of different factors you are going to need to take into consideration before you buy your camera. This post is geared for blogging, social media, and Instagram photography.
Mirrorless or DSLR Cameras
Mirrorless cameras tend to be more compact, lighter with the same quality of a DSLR. Mirrorless cameras have great video image stabilization as well. Mirrorless cameras are a huge benefit if you are looking for a smaller quality camera to take on your trips. A downside to consider with the mirrors camera is the low battery life, and more expensive lenses.
Mirrorless Camera Reccomendations:
DSLR Cameras have the widest range of lenses, and the image quality tends to be better. However, there are pros and cons with the DSLR camera body. Con: the DSLR body is bulkier and heavier than a mirrorless camera. Pro: The build of the DSLR is sturdier, so if you drop it- it may not be as big of an issue as mirrorless camera.
DSLR Camera Sensors: Cropped Sensor or Full Frame
There are two types of cameras out there Cropped and Full Frame. If you have no idea what that means, let me explain. A cropped camera sensor doesn’t capture as much in the frame as a Full Frame Sensor. There are many advantages and disadvantages to both kinds.
Overall, the Full Frame has much better specs than the cropped sensor lens- which is why I prefer the Full Frame. However, a Full Frame camera is costly. If you are just starting out with photography or have a limited budget, I’d recommend getting comfortable with a Cropped Sensor lens, like the Canon 70D and work your way up to a Full Frame like the Canon 6D Mark ii.
Which DSLR Camera Lenses to Use
Whether you choose a cropped sensor or a full frame DSLR, the real fun happens when you put your lens on the camera. Whatever lens you use will give you the look at feel of your images. If you are matching a lens for a cropped sensor DSLR, keep in mind that your framing is already cropped, so adding in a 50mm + lens will crop your photo even more.
When purchasing a lens there are a few key things to look out for. One being the F Stop. For example the f/ numbers at the end of the lens are really important: Canon 35 f/1.4 or Canon 24-70mm f/2.8. The lower the F stop the better. Lower F Stop numbers allow more light into the camera which will benefit you in lowlight settings. If you are looking to do night photography, having a 1.4F stop will be essential.
Another thing to look out for is a prime lens or a zoom lens. A prime lens has a set focal length, while a zoom lens provides a variety. Both have positives and negatives, but overall a prime lens will have a sharper image. The zoom lens provides a lot more variety, and that is why I tend to always use my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8.
What’s inside my Camera Bag: Cameras I use for Travel Blogging
So know that we have some sort of understanding of all the features that need to be considered before purchasing a camera, I’d like to take you inside my camera bag!
Camera Body: Canon 6D Mark ii
I use the Canon 6D Mark ii full frame camera body lens. This camera is a great and cheaper option for a full frame DSLR. Besides being one of the less expensive full frame cameras out there, the body is made of plastic so it’s not as heavy as other DSLR cameras with a metal frame. I love the touch and flip screen, and this camera uses regular SD cards unlike the Canon 5D Mark IV.
Zoom Lens: Canon EF 24-70MM F/2.8
I love how versatile the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 lens is. When you are traveling, it’s hard to always be changing your lens every time you want a different focal length. While zoom lens’s aren’t as sharp as a prime lens, it’s not noticeable with this lens. This lens is apart of Canon’s L series which means the glass is higher quality for sharper images. You can shoot landscapes or beautiful portraits with this lens!
Prime Lens: Canon Prime 35MM F 1.4
The Canon 35mm f/1.4 Prime L series lens is ideal for portraits and night photography due to its lower F stop. The blur from this lens offers a really dreamy look with a super sharp focus. While this lens is pricy, the Sigma Art series offers a comparable lens: Sigma 35MM 1.4
Vlogging Camera: Canon G7X
Don’t let the size of this camera fool you! This camera has so many great features. Because of it’s size I can easily put it in any bag, which makes it awesome for travel. The Canon G7X is also great at night photography due to its lower F Stop. While I don’t primarily shoot my photos with this camera, using the manual settings you can easily get great shots with great blur. The coolest feature is the flip screen and good auto focus which makes this camera perfect for vlogging.
Drone: DJI Mavic Air
Drone photography is a great way to add variety to your photos, especially when you are on a beach island getaway. What I love most about the DJI Mavic Air is how small and compact it is. You can easily fit this drone in your backpack or luggage without compromising space! Because of it’s size, it is more susceptible to higher winds, but I haven’t run into any major issues with that.
Go Pro Hero 5
This camera is tiny, yet has the ability to shoot in 4K and has plenty of attachments so you can place it anywhere to create awesome content. This camera shoots in RAW and is best for wide landscape shots. I personally love the attachable Go Pro Dome to create epic underwater shots!
My Top Camera Reccomendations
There is so much to consider when purchasing your camera. You have to decide what model works best for what you are shooting. If you are looking to start taking your photography to the next level, but don’t have a huge budget to do so I would recommend starting with a cropped sensor DSLR and using a 35MM lens with it.
A great combo is the Canon 70D + Canon 35MM f/2.0
If you are looking to upgrade to a full frame DSLR, I couldn’t recommend the Canon 6D Mark ii enough. My combo of the Canon 6D Mark ii with the Canon 24mm-70mm f/2.8 has worked perfect for my travels.
Hope you Enjoyed this post! I’d love to Answer any questions you may have.
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