The more curious viewers may wonder what’s used to capture our travel adventures. Having the right equipment for Travel Vlogging seems to be one-part advice, a large-part practice and an even bigger-part luck.
We never thought we’d say this, but traveling is easy. At least when compared to travelling with a YouTube video in mind. We’ve found vlogging can be taxing, adding layers of complexities from packing to managing the logistics of visually capturing a trip. Don’t take this as a complaint, we’re very lucky to be able to share our travel adventures and even luckier viewers take the time to watch them.
But the additional vlogging challenges are important to consider when discussing equipment. Taking it one step further, any travel vlog needs should be balanced against the ultimate goal on any vacation, enjoying the moment and surroundings.
Divide and capture!
There are many reasons we’re a perfectly matched couple, in the area of travelling our passions complement each other. Wendy has an amazing eye for still photography and Laurence enjoys the energy of video. Outside the first few years of travelling, we always had both types of cameras at hand and consequently enjoy well-documented vacations. Between Wendy’s perfect photographs to the hours of video captured by Laurence, our Dropbox is full of incredible memories.
Aside from working well for memories, our division of passion influences the equipment used. Decisions around each medium always lies with whoever has it as their passion. Wendy enjoys the final say in which camera she uses for photography and Laurence for videography.
Then and now
In the past, we never travelled with the purpose of making YouTube videos, or Travel Vlogging as it’s called by the cool kids. The first time we discussed a YouTube channel was after returning from our trip to Peru. Although the trip wasn’t taken or shot with a travel vlog in mind, the amazing scenes and breathtaking beauty gave us the idea to jump into the crazy world of YouTube.
What captured all those incredible images? Two iPhone 12’s and a Nikon D3500. Aside from keeping the iPhones charged and uploading the large video files to our Dropbox account, it was a low maintenance and stealthy set up. So why change?
An honest conversation with anyone from the camera industry will quickly uncover concerns of just how well smartphones take pictures and video. Modern smartphones capture images with such clarity, casual viewers feel they enjoy the same quality as with broadcast television and in some cases, blockbuster movies. Only when played back on high resolution monitors or televisions does the difference between smartphones and more expensive cameras start to show.
Cameras excel at picture quality, noticeably seen when images are magnified during the video editing process, such as zooming in on a scene, or if the subject matter is being shot from a distance. Images captured on smartphones lose quality pretty quickly in both of these instances. Sure, enthusiasts will talk about aesthetic flourishes such as highlighting a subject using a bokeh effect of blurring backgrounds, but the foundational quality of images captured using a camera with interchangeable lenses at any distance or light level is far beyond those captured on any smartphone.
We felt the frustrations of our smartphone’s limitations while in Peru and saw them in the video editing process after returning home. These were the drivers behind upgrading what we now consider our travel vlog equipment!
Let’s go straight to number one
Once the decision was made to upgrade, we wanted the opportunity to grow into our new travel vlog equipment instead of continuously upgrading. An example of this, considering cameras that would still be in use five or maybe ten years later.
This isn’t new to us, Laurence took this approach with his previous video camera, a Sony HDR-CX580. He used it for so many years and carried it so often friends would call it an appendage! When purchased, it was one of the more expensive video cameras, but was an incredible camera for years and used until our trip to Peru. The trusty video recorder was only left behind because it couldn’t record in 4K resolution, another focus for the Peru trip.
So, what does future-proofing travel vlog equipment look like?
Wendy’s gear
Wendy really enjoyed the convenience of her iPhone 12 Pro and used a telephoto lens on her Nikon D3500 for longer shots. But she also wanted to the flexibility and quality a better camera and lenses could give. Working with experts at a local camera shop, Precision Camera, Wendy was shown a Sony Alpha 7C that fit into her budget.
Since buying the camera Wendy has built up the following kit:
- Sony Alpha 7C
- SEL2860 EMount lens (FE 4.5-5.6/28-60)
- Tamron F 2.8 70-180mm
- Tamron F5/6.7 150-500mm
Laurence’s Gear
Laurence’s primary needs were high quality video, a ‘run and gun’ ability as well as the opportunity to capture footage in low-light levels. Working with the same local camera shop, Laurence enjoys the following kit:
- Sony FX3
- Sony FE 1.4/35 GM
- Sony FE 4/24-105 G OSS
Additional equipment
Between camera bags, batteries, chargers and cables to manage the two cameras one would think that would be enough, but no, we have a few additional needed pieces of equipment:
- GoPro Hero 11 Black
- Ulanzi F38 Quick Release Travel Tripod
- Ulanzi MT-08 Extension Pole Tripod
- DJI Mic
There are a variety of quick release systems for both the cameras and GoPro. As of the time of writing, the DJI Mic set up is new, purchased because of the issues we had with sound on our Big Adventure and time in Dubai.
Look for additional articles detailing how we not only travel with all our equipment but what we carry when venturing out for the day. The walkthrough for that is as long as its heavy to carry!
Do you need any of this gear?
A simple answer to this question is, no!
Quite truthfully, both Wendy and Laurence started with little technical knowledge around photography and videography, leaving us to face a steep learning curve in order to use our equipment correctly. Practically, this involves research and tutorials, then spending time applying that knowledge as we wander local parks and cute, nearby towns. Rinse and repeat. Quite a bit of rinse and repeat actually.
We would be lying to say at the time of writing we’re completely confident in using these cameras to their fullest potential.
Fortunately, both cameras feature ‘easy buttons’ allowing us to use the cameras while learning. A great example of letting the camera do much of the work can be seen in our night shots in our Discovering Dubai’s Hidden Gems on our BIG Travel Adventure video both for photos and video. These same night shots also demonstrate the radical difference in image quality between the Sony FX3 and the iPhone, or even the GoPro 11 Black for that matter!
Many incredible travel vlogs are created with just smartphones and actions cameras, allowing the creators to pack and travel light. The decision around equipment may come down to the look you want for your travel vlog but more importantly, what you hope to take away from your vacation outside of capturing images for any YouTube projects.
And that my friend, is a question only you can answer.
